Inflatable electric vehicle

• US 20160207577A1
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yi Pang
• Original Assignee: Yi Pang
• Inventors: Pang, Yi
• Granted Patent: US 9,545,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/27 wherein the fluid is a gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/152 Pneumatic spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/242 Pneumatic damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/13 Small sized city motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/50 Electric vehicles; Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/20 all arms being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0405 characterised by their position
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2026/029 Joystick type control devices for acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/11 with resilient means for suspension , e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/14 of adjustable length or width
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 39/00 Vehicle bodies not otherwise provided for , e.g. safety vehicles safety equipment B60R21/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An electric vehicle for personal transportation includes an inflatable body that is airtight and a chassis. The chassis is made of two box-like structures connected together with a hinge so that when rotated together around the hinge the two box-like structures form an enclosure configured to hold the inflatable body when the inflatable body is deflated. The inflatable body preferably holds a number of independent “air bags” or chambers formed in the shape of an automobile and includes a driver'"'"'s compartment with a driver'"'"'s seat. A front-end chamber of the electric vehicle inflates a collision air-bag through a flowable connection when the front-end chamber is impacted in a front-end collision. A suspension system may be present for each wheel. The suspension system includes an arm between two tubular bearings. The arm is made of an air-chamber bag partially contained by a sheet-metal cap providing rigidity.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle for personal transportation, the electric vehicle comprising:

an inflatable body that is airtight; and

a chassis, the chassis comprising two box-like structures, wherein each of the two box-like structures comprises a floor connecting at least 2 walls rising from the floor, the two box-like structures connected together with one or more hinges so that when rotated together around said one or more hinges the two box-like structures form an enclosure configured to hold the inflatable body when the inflatable body is deflated.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the inflatable body comprises a plurality of chambers which are positioned within the inflatable body, wherein each chamber in the plurality of chambers is an independent airtight container;

and

the plurality of chambers is shaped to define structural components selected from group consisting of a driver'"'"'s compartment for the electric vehicle, a driver'"'"'s seat within the driver'"'"'s compartment;

a right-side-front-fender, a right-side-rear-fender, a left-side-front-fender, a left-side-rear-fender, a rooftop, and a driver'"'"'s-air-bag positioned in front of the driver'"'"'s seat.

3. The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein the inflatable body further comprises a front-end, the front-end comprising a front-chamber;

and wherein a front-chamber is configured to inflate a driver'"'"'s-air-bag through a flowable connection when the front-chamber is impacted in a front-end collision.

4. The electric vehicle of claim 2,

wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a left-side-door-chamber;

and

wherein the left-side-door-chamber opens when deflated and closes when inflated.

5. The electric vehicle of claim 2,

wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a roof-top-chamber;

and

wherein the roof-top-chamber opens when deflated and closes when inflated.

6. The electric vehicle of claim 2, further comprising an inflation control system, the inflation control system comprising:

an electronic control unit;

an air pump electrically connected to the electronic control unit;

a plurality of electromagnetic valves, wherein each electromagnetic valve in the plurality of electromagnetic valves is connected to the inflatable body and to each chamber in the plurality of chambers;

an air-pressure sensor connected to the electronic control unit; and

the electronic control unit configured to turn on the air pump, open each of the electromagnetic valves to allow the air pump to pressurize the inflatable body or any of the plurality of chambers to a desired pressure measured by the air-pressure sensor.

7. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the inflatable body comprises an inside surface and an outside surface, wherein the outside surface is covered by a plurality of scales that are independently-affixed to the outside surface.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or two of the two box-like structures comprises a plurality of telescoping sections that slide together to shorten the chassis and that slide apart to lengthen the chassis.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a suspension system, the suspension system comprising a first arm connected between the chassis and a wheel, the first arm comprising a first air-chamber bag and a first sheet-metal cap, the first air-chamber bag partially contained by the first sheet-metal cap.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 9, the first arm comprising two ends, and the suspension system further comprising a tubular bearing at each end of the first arm, each tubular bearing configured to rotate the wheel, while the wheel is attached to the chassis, into storage within one of the two box-like structures when the inflatable body is deflated.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a suspension system, the suspension system comprising a second arm having a wishbone configuration and connected between the chassis and a wheel, wherein:

the second arm comprises;

a first sheet-metal cap;

a first air-chamber bag partially contained by the first sheet-metal cap;

a second sheet-metal cap; and

a second air-chamber bag;

partially contained by a second sheet-metal cap.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11, the wishbone configuration comprising two ends, and the suspension system further comprising a tubular bearing at each end of the wishbone configuration, each tubular bearing configured to rotate the wheel, while the wheel is attached to the chassis, into storage within one of the two box-like structures when the inflatable body is deflated.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the suspension system further comprises a battery pack for the wheel located between each sheet-metal cap and the inflatable body.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a suspension system, the suspension system comprising:

an air-spring that is a sealed bellows filled with compressed-air; and

an air-damper comprising a bellows, the bellows defining a vent hole, the vent hole flowably connecting to one of the external atmosphere and the compressed-air source.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

an onboard computer operable by a joystick, the onboard computer configured to enable the joystick to steer the electric vehicle, and control acceleration, speed and braking of the electric vehicle, the joystick operable by a wired or wireless connection to the onboard computer.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a connecting port for a portable computing device having an accelerometer and gravity sensor such that when connected through the connecting port, the portable computing device disables the joystick.