ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILE

• US 3,690,397 A
• Filed: 12/16/1970
• Issued: 09/12/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Louis W Parker Trustee
• Original Assignee: Fl, 33304, Louis W. Parker, 2408 Sunrise Key Blvd.
• Inventors: Louis W. Parker, 2408 Sunrise Key Blvd., Fl, 33304
• Primary Examiner(s): Benjamin Hersh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Milton L. Smith
• Application Number:
  US05/098,721
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65,68.5,55-63,19
• US Class Current: 180/65.6
• 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 2001/0444 Arrangement on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/46 Vehicles with auxiliary ad-on propulsions, e.g. add-on electric motor kits for bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An electrically propelled automobile is provided with a detachable wheeled trailer unit housed entirely within the confines of the automobile body and carrying battery units for energizing the automobile motor. The trailer unit is provided with its own motor adapted to be energized from said battery units, for self-propelling the trailer unit when it is detached from the automobile body.

Claims

1. An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a towable three-wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, said three-wheeled carrier comprising a single main supporting wheel, mounted between the sides of said carrier to support said carrier when it is being towed by said automobile, and a pair of spaced auxiliary wheels cooperating with said main wheel to support said carrier when it is separated from said automobile, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, and separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said mechanical connector means including a resilient linkage between said carrier and said body for absorbing shocks when said carrier is being towed.

2. The automobile of claim 1 wherein said body includes hingedly connected door means adapted to be selectively opened to expose said electrical and mechanical connector means to permit attachment and detachment of said connector means when desired.

3. The automobile of claim 2 wherein said door means and said wheeled carrier are disposed adjacent the rear end of said automobile, said wheeled carrier being positioned within the confines of said body between a pair of rear wheels of said automobile and being towed by said automobile as a separable trailer unit.

4. The automobile of claim 1 wherein said main supporting wheel is in permanent ground engagement, said auxiliary wheels being mounted for swiveling motion and being in engagement with the ground only when said carrier is separated from said automobile body, and means for moving said auxiliary wheels relative to said carrier and out of engagement with the ground when said carrier is mechanically connected to said body.

5. An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of saiD body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier towed by said automobile as a separable trailer unit and having a supporting wheel depending therefrom mounted for swiveling movement, said wheeled carrier being positioned within the confines of said body between a pair of rear wheels of said automobile and supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, and separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said body including hingedly connected door means disposed adjacent the rear end of said automobile and adapted to be selectively opened to expose said electrical and mechanical connector means to permit attachment and detachment of said connector means when desired.

6. The automobile of claim 5 including means for selectively preventing swiveling movement of said supporting wheel.

7. An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said wheeled carrier comprising wheel means in permanent ground engagement, variably positionable further wheel means adapted to be in engagement with the ground only when said carrier is separated from said automobile body, and means for moving said further wheel means out of engagement with the ground when said carrier is mechanically connected to said body, said last-named means comprising mechanically operable jack means for selectively retracting and lowering said further wheel means in a generally vertical direction.

8. An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, and separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said mechanical connector means comprising a resilient linkage located between said carrier and said body and having resilient cables attached to said body, and a separable mechanical connection between said carrier and said resilient cables.

9. An electrically propelled automobile comprising an automobile body, an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, a separable electric battery unit located within the confines of said body in spaced relation to said motor and wheels, said electric battery unit comprising a wheeled carrier supporting a plurality of battery cells thereon, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells to said driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier to said body, said wheeled carrier being located within the rear trunk area of said body for towing by said automobile, said rear trunk area including hingedly connected door means arranged to be selectively opened to facilitate insertion of said carrier into said rear trunk area and removal of said carrier means therefrom, rear bumper means carried by said door means for movement with said door means when said door means is opened and closed, and separable locking means for locking said bumper means to said body at a posItion rearward of said carrier when said door means is closed.

10. The automobile of claim 1 including a further electric motor mounted on said carrier, coupling means for selectively energizing said further motor from said electric battery unit, and drive means coupling said further motor to the main supporting wheel of said carrier for effecting self-propelled motion of said carrier when said carrier is detached from said automobile body.

11. The automobile of claim 10 wherein said main supporting wheel is mounted for swiveling motion about a center position, said coupling means including contact means for interrupting the energization of said further motor from said battery unit when said main supporting wheel moves away from said center position.

12. The automobile of claim 10 wherein said drive means includes a pair of gears positioned to mesh with one another, and manually operable means for moving said gears toward and away from one another to render said drive means selectively operative and inoperative.

13. The automobile of claim 10 wherein said further electric motor comprises a reversible motor, said coupling means including manually operable switch means for controlling the energization of said reversible electric motor to control its direction of rotation.

14. A separable battery unit for an electrically propelled automobile of the type comprising an automobile body having an electric driving motor fixedly mounted within said body for driving the wheels of said automobile, said separable electric battery unit comprising a carrier unit supported on at least one wheel and adapted to be located within the confines of said automobile body in spaced relation to said motor, a plurality of battery cells mounted on said carrier unit, separable electrical connector means for detachably connecting said cells on said carrier unit to said automobile driving motor, separable mechanical connector means for detachably connecting said carrier unit to said automobile body, a further motor mounted on said carrier unit for self-propelling said carrier unit when it is detached from said automobile, further electrical connector means for connecting said cells to said further motor, said further electrical connector means including manually operable switch means for controlling the energization of said further motor, said switch means being constructed to return automatically to its '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position when manual manipulation of the switch by an operator is terminated thereby automatically to de-energize said further motor, and drive means for coupling said further motor to at least one supporting wheel of said carrier unit, said drive means including gear means arranged to transfer drive unidirectionally from said further motor to said supporting wheel and operative, when said further motor is de-energized upon return of said switch means to its '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position, automatically to bring said carrier unit to an abrupt halt, said gear means including manually engageable and disengageable means for selectively rendering said drive means inoperative.

15. The combination of claim 13 wherein said manually operable switch means is constructed to return automatically to its '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position when manual operation of the switch ceases.