SERIES-PARALLEL BATTERY SYSTEM AND SWITCH THEREFORE

• US 3,718,848 A
• Filed: 03/29/1971
• Issued: 02/27/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cushman Inc (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Charles E. Hines
• Inventors: Hines, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, J. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/128,928
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139 320/6,7,15-18 200/11R,11B,11EA,6,5
• US Class Current: 320/117
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a vehicle including an electrical system comprising a direct current drive motor, first and second battery sets, a charger adapted to be plugged into an alternating current source, and a selector switch movable between first and second positions and operable, when in the first position, to connect the first and second battery sets in parallel relation to the motor operable, when in the second position, to connect the first and second battery sets in series relation to the motor and to the charger. In addition, the electrical system includes an '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off-on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' switch interposed between the motor and the selector switch and operable to selectively open and close the connection of the motor to the selector switch whereby, when the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off-on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' switch is opened, and the selector switch is in the second position, the charger can be plugged into an alternating current source to charge the battery sets and whereby, when the selector switch is in the first position, the charger is electrically disconnected from the battery sets.

Claims

1. An electrical system for a battery powered, electrically driven vehicle, said system comprising a direct current drive motor having first and second terminals, a first battery set having first and second terminals, a second battery set having first and second terminals, a battery charger adapted to be plugged into an alternating current source and including first and second terminals, and a selector switch comprising a plate of insulating material, a bus bar assembly mounted on said plate for rotary movement between first and second angularly spaced positions and including first and second bus bars, a first contact engageable by one end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position, a second contact engageable by said one end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position and electrically coNnected to said first terminal of said first battery set, a third contact engageable by the other end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position and electrically connected to said second contact, a fourth contact engageable by said other end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position and electrically connected to said first terminals of said second battery set, of said charger, and of said drive motor, a fifth contact engaged by one end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position and electrically connected to said second terminal of said charger, a sixth contact engageable by said one end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position and electrically connected to said second terminals of said first battery set and of said motor, a seventh contact engageable by the other end of said bus bar assembly when said second bus bar is in said first position and electrically connected to said sixth contact, and an eighth contact engageable by said other end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position and electrically connected to said second terminal of said second battery set, said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth contacts being fixed on said plate in equiangularly spaced relation from one another in the recited series and at a common radius from the rotary axis of said bus bar assembly.

2. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1 including a fuse electrically interposed between said first and eighth contacts.

3. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1 including means on said plate for restricting movement of said bus bar assembly to movement between said first and second positions, said movement restricting means including a member having first means for preventing rotary movement of one of said bus bars in one rotative direction beyond one of said first and second positions and having second means for preventing rotary movement of the other of said bus bars in the other rotary direction beyond the other of said first and second positions.

4. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second positions of said bus bar assembly are spaced apart at about 45* and wherein each of said bus bars respectively includes an offset central portion extending in spaced relation from the one of said contacts located between the two of said contacts respectively engaged by said bus bars.

5. A selector switch comprising a plate of insulating material, a bus bar assembly mounted on said plate for rotary movement between first and second angularly spaced positions and including first and second bus bars, a first contact engageable by one end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position, a second contact engageable by said one end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position, a third contact engageable by the other end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position and electrically connected to said second contact, a fourth contact engageable by said other end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position, a fifth contact engageable by one end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position, a sixth contact engageable by said one end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position, a seventh contact engageable by the other end of said second bus bar when said second bus bar is in said first position and electrically connected to said sixth contact, an eighth contact engageable by said other end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position, said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth contacts being fixed on said plate in equiangularly spaced relation from one another in the recited series and at a common radius from the Rotary axis of said bus bar assembly, and means on said plate engaging one end of one of said bus bars for displacing said one end of said one bus bar away from each of said contacts engageable by said one end of said one bus bar in the direction of the axis of rotary bus bar assembly movement and in response to rotary bus bar assembly movement in both rotary directions between said first and second positions to thereby prevent simultaneous electrical connection between said one end of said one bus bar and said engageable contacts.

6. An electrical system for a battery powered, electrically driven vehicle, said system comprising a direct current drive motor having first and second terminals, a first battery set having first and second terminals, a second battery set having first and second terminals, a battery charger adapted to be plugged into an alternating current source and including first and second terminals, and a selector switch comprising a plate of insulating material, a bus bar assembly mounted on said plate for rotary movement between first and second angularly spaced positions and including first and second bus bars, a first contact engageable by one end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position, a second contact engageable by said one end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position and electrically connected to said first terminal of said first battery set, a third contact engageable by the other end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position and electrically connected to said second contact, a fourth contact engageable by said other end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position and electrically connected to said first terminals of said second battery set, of said charger, and of said drive motor, a fifth contact engaged by one end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position and electrically connected to said second terminal of said charger, a sixth contact engageable by said one end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position and electrically connected to said second terminals of said first battery set and of said motor, a seventh contact engageable by the other end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position and electrically connected to said sixth contact, an eighth contact engageable by said other end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position and electrically connected to said second terminal of said second battery set, said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth contacts being fixed on said plate in equiangularly spaced relation from one another in the recited series and at a common radius from the rotary axis of said bus bar assembly, and means on said plate engaging one end of one of said bus bars for displacing said one end of said one bus bar away from each of said contacts engageable by said one end of said one bus bar in the direction of the axis of rotary bus bar assembly movement and in response to rotary bus bar assembly movement in both rotary directions between said first and second positions to thereby prevent simultaneous electrical connection between said one end of said one bus bar and said engageable contacts.

7. A selector switch comprising a plate of insulating material, a bus bar assembly mounted on said plate for rotary movement between first and second angularly spaced positions and including first and second bus bars, a first contact engageable by one end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position, a second contact engageable by said one end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position, a third contact engageable by the other end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position and electrically connected to said second contact, a fourth contact engageable by Said other end of said first bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position, a fifth contact engageable by one end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said first position, a sixth contact engageable by said one end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position, a seventh contact engageable by the other end of said second bus bar when said second bus bar is in said first position and electrically connected to said sixth contact, and an eighth contact engageable by said other end of said second bus bar when said bus bar assembly is in said second position, said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth contacts being fixed on said plate in equiangularly spaced relation from one another in the recited series and at a common radius from the rotary axis of said bus bar assembly.

8. A switch in accordance with claim 7 including means on said plate for restricting movement of said bus bar assembly to movement between said first and second positions, said movement restricting means including a member having first means for preventing rotary movement of one of said bus bars in one rotative direction beyond one of said first and second positions and having second means for preventing rotary movement of the other of said bus bars in the other rotary direction beyond the other of said first and second positions.

9. A selector switch in accordance with claim 7 wherein said first and second positions of said bus bar assembly are spaced apart at about 45* and wherein each of said bus bars respectively includes an offset central portion extending in spaced relation from the one of said contacts located between the two of said contacts respectively engaged by said bus bars.