Driving system providing a racing experience

• US 5,685,384 A
• Filed: 02/03/1995
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnny C./ Alderman, Rhonda C. Alderman
• Original Assignee: Errol D. Kobilan
• Inventors: Kobilan, Errol D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US08/384,113
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.3, 273/86 R, 273/86 B, 439/34, 320/2, 272/85
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 25/00 Autocar-like self-drivers; Runways therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2072 for drive off
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/22 Microcars, e.g. golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A driving system provides a track on which a plurality of electric carts may race. A charging station with a driveway is located proximately to the track so that the carts can be driven onto charging areas of the charging station and parked. Electrical terminals built into the charging areas are then contacted to recharge the carts. The track preferably has a wax layer on which the carts travel. The charging station is preferably a platform with an upper support surface, and electric cables are disposed below the upper surface and are thus protected against contact by the carts. The electrical contact on each cart may be provided by a movable arm that extends to engage the electrical terminals of the charging system. The carts are preferably provided with two independent motors, respectively, for forward and reverse motion.

Claims

1. A driving system adapted to provide a racing experience, comprising:

(a) a plurality of electric carts each adapted to receive a human driver seated therein, each of said carts including a frame, a set of rotatable wheels, a steering mechanism, a first electric motor operative to power said wheels so that said cart moves in a forward direction, a rechargeable battery pack in electrical communication with said motor and operative to store electrical energy for powering said motor, and an electrical contact in electrical communication with said battery pack;

(b) a track forming a raceway on which at least one of said carts travel during a racing event said track having a wax layer defining a surface on which said carts travel during the racing event;

(c) a charging station located proximately to said track and having a driveway communicating with said track whereby said carts may be driven between said charging station and said track, said charging station having a plurality of charging areas disposed on a support surface thereof and spaced from one another sufficiently so that one of said carts may be parked at each of the charging areas, each of the charging areas provided with a built-in electrical terminal adapted to be contacted by the electrical contact of a respective one of said carts parked thereon; and

(d) an electrical charging system associated with said charging station and in electrical communication with the electrical terminals of each of the charging areas whereby electrical current can be supplied to the terminals whereby the battery packs of said carts may be recharged when the respective electrical contacts are placed concurrently in contact with the electrical terminal of the respective charging area.

2. A driving system according to claim 1 wherein said wax layer is formed by melted steric acid.

3. A driving system according to claim 1 wherein said track is formed as a continuous closed loop.

4. A driving system according to claim 1 wherein said driveway has an ingress portion whereby said carts may be driven in a forward direction off of said track and onto said charging station and an egress portion whereby said carts may be driven in the forward direction off of said charging station and onto said track.

5. A driving system adapted to provide a racing experience, comprising:

(a) a plurality of electric carts each adapted to receive a human driver seated therein, each of said carts including a frame, a set of rotatable wheels, a steering mechanism, a first electric motor operative to power said wheels so that said cart moves in a forward direction, a rechargeable battery pack in electrical communication with said motor and operative to store electrical energy for powering said motor, and an electrical contact in electrical communication with said battery pack;

(b) a track forming a raceway on which at least one of said carts travel during a racing event;

(c) a charging station formed by a platform having a lower surface and a raised upper surface for supporting said carts, said charging station located proximately to said track and having a driveway communicating with said track whereby said carts may be driven between said charging station and said track, said charging station having a plurality of charging areas disposed on the upper surface thereof and spaced from one another sufficiently so that one of said carts may be parked at each of the charging areas, each of the charging areas provided with a built-in electrical terminal adapted to be contacted by the electrical contact of a respective one of said carts parked thereon; and

(d) an electrical charging system associated with said charging station and including a plurality of electrical cables electrically connected to said terminals of each of the charging areas whereby electrical current can be supplied to the terminals whereby the battery packs of said carts may be recharged when the respective electrical contacts are placed concurrently in contact with the electrical terminal of the respective charging area, said electrical cables located along wire paths disposed below the upper surface of said platform so that said cables are protected from contact with the wheels of said carts.

6. A driving system according to claim 5 wherein the lower surface of said platform has a plurality of channels formed therein to define said wire paths.

7. A driving system according to claim 5 wherein said platform is constructed of a plurality of panel sections connectable to one another.

16. A driving system according to claim 5 wherein each of said terminals is formed by at least one contact plate disposed on the upper surface such that, when one of said carts is positioned in a registered orientation relative to the respective charging area, the electrical contact on said one will contact said contact plate.

17. A driving system according to claim 16 wherein each of the charging areas includes registration stripes for indicating when a cart is in the registered orientation.

8. A driving system adapted to provide a racing experience, comprising:

(a) a plurality of electric carts each adapted to receive a human driver seated therein, each of said carts including a frame, a set of rotatable wheels, a steering mechanism, a first electric motor operative to power said wheels so that said cart moves in a forward direction, a rechargeable battery pack in electrical communication with said motor and operative to store electrical energy for powering said motor, an electrical contact in electrical communication with said battery pack and a movable arm that supports said electrical contact for movement from a stowed position to an extended position;

(b) a track forming a raceway on which at least one of said carts travel during a racing event;

(c) a charging station located proximately to said track and having a driveway communicating with said track whereby said carts may be driven between said charging station and said track, said charging station having a plurality of charging areas disposed on a support surface thereof and spaced from one another sufficiently so that one of said carts may be parked at each of the charging areas, each of the charging areas provided with a built-in electrical terminal adapted to be contacted by the electrical contact of a respective one of said carts parked thereon; and

(d) an electrical charging system associated with said charging station and in electrical communication with the electrical terminals of each of the charging areas whereby electrical current can be supplied to the terminals whereby the battery packs of said carts may be recharged when the respective electrical contacts are placed concurrently in contact with the electrical terminal of the respective charging area.

9. A driving system according to claim 8 wherein each said cart includes a disabling switch that is operative to electrically isolate said motor from said battery pack when said electrical contact is in the extended position whereby said cart is disabled from moving in the forward direction under power from said motor yet is operative to enable said motor when said electrical contact is in the stowed position.

10. A driving system according to claim 8 wherein each of said terminals is formed by at least one contact plate disposed on the support surface such that, when one of said carts is positioned in a registered orientation relative to the respective charging area, the electrical contact on said one will contact said contact plate when the electrical contact is in the extended position.

11. A driving system according to claim 10 wherein each of the charging areas includes registration stripes for indicating when a cart is in the registered orientation.

12. A driving system according to claim 10 wherein each of said terminals is formed by a pair of contact plates disposed on and recessed into the support surface with a first one of said contact plates being located forwardly of a second one of said contact plates relative to a cart positioned in the registered orientation of the respective charging area, each of said electrical contacts on said carts being formed by a first probe located forwardly of a second probe whereby said first probe and second probes will respectively engage said first and second contact plates when the electrical contact is the extended position and with the respective cart in the registered orientation.

13. A driving system according to claim 12 wherein said first and second contacts of each terminal and said first and second probes of each cart are sized and positioned such that neither of the first and second probes can simultaneously contact the first and second contact plates.

14. A driving system adapted to provide a racing experience, comprising:

(a) a plurality of electric carts each adapted to receive a human driver seated therein, each of said carts including a frame, a set of rotatable wheels, a steering mechanism, a first electric motor operative to power said wheels so that said cart moves in a forward direction, a second electric motor that is selectively engageable for powering said cart in a reverse direction, a rechargeable battery pack in electrical communication with said motor and operative to store electrical energy for powering said motor, and an electrical contact in electrical communication with said battery pack;

(b) a track forming a raceway on which at least one of said carts travel during a racing event;

(c) a charging station located proximately to said track and having a driveway communicating with said track whereby said carts may be driven between said charging station and said track, said charging station having a plurality of charging areas disposed on a support surface thereof and spaced from one another sufficiently so that one of said carts may be parked at each of the charging areas, each of the charging areas provided with a built-in electrical terminal adapted to be contacted by the electrical contact of a respective one of said carts parked thereon; and

(d) an electrical charging system associated with said charging station and in electrical communication with the electrical terminals of each of the charging areas whereby electrical current can be supplied to the terminals whereby the battery packs of said carts may be recharged when the respective electrical contacts are placed concurrently in contact with the electrical terminal of the respective charging area.

15. A driving system according to claim 14 wherein said second motor is selectively engageable with said wheels of a respective cart.

18. A driving system adapted to provide a racing experience, comprising:

(a) a plurality of electric carts each adapted to receive a human driver seated therein, each of said carts including a frame, a set of rotatable wheels, a steering mechanism, a first electric motor operative to power said wheels so that said cart moves in a forward direction, a rechargeable battery pack in electrical communication with said motor and operative to store electrical energy for powering said motor, and an electrical contact in electrical communication with said battery pack;

(b) a track forming a raceway on which at least one of said carts travel during a racing event;

(c) a charging station located proximately to said track and having a driveway communicating with said track whereby said carts may be driven between said charging station and said track, said charging station having a plurality of charging areas disposed on a support surface thereof and spaced from one another sufficiently so that one of said carts may be parked at each of the charging areas, each of the charging areas provided with a built-in electrical terminal adapted to be contacted by the electrical contact of a respective one of said carts parked thereon; and

(d) an electrical charging system associated with said charging station and in electrical communication with the electrical terminals of each of the charging areas whereby electrical current can be supplied to the terminals whereby the battery packs of said carts may be recharged when the respective electrical contacts are placed concurrently in contact with the electrical terminal of the respective charging area, said charging system including a plurality of individual battery chargers, said chargers each being in one-to-one correspondence with the charging areas so that there is a separate battery charger for each of the charging areas.

19. A driving system adapted to provide a racing experience, comprising:

(a) a plurality of electric carts each adapted to receive a human driver seated therein, each of said carts including a frame, a set of rotatable wheels, a steering mechanism, a first electric motor operative to power said wheels so that said cart moves in a forward direction, a rechargeable battery pack in electrical communication with said motor and operative to store electrical energy for powering said motor, and an electrical contact in electrical communication with said battery pack;

(b) a track forming a raceway on which at least one of said carts travel during a racing event;

(c) a charging station located proximately to said track and having a driveway communicating with said track whereby said carts may be driven between said charging station and said track, said charging station having a plurality of charging areas disposed on a support surface thereof and spaced from one another sufficiently so that one of said carts may be parked at each of the charging areas, each of the charging areas provided with a built-in electrical terminal adapted to be contacted by the electrical contact of a respective one of said carts parked thereon; and

(d) an electrical charging system associated with said charging station and in electrical communication with the electrical terminals of each of the charging areas whereby electrical current can be supplied to the terminals whereby the battery packs of said carts may be recharged when the respective electrical contacts are placed concurrently in contact with the electrical terminal of the respective charging area, said charging system including a plurality of individual battery chargers, each of said chargers providing electric current to a plurality of said charging areas.

20. A driving system adapted to provide a racing experience, comprising:

(a) a plurality of electric carts each adapted to receive a human driver seated therein, each of said carts including a frame, a set of rotatable wheels, a steering mechanism, a first electric motor operative to power said wheels so that said cart moves in a forward direction, a rechargeable battery pack in electrical communication with said motor and operative to store electrical energy for powering said motor, and an electrical contact in electrical communication with said battery pack;

(b) a track forming a raceway on which at least one of said carts travel during a racing event;

(c) a charging station located proximately to said track and having a driveway communicating with said track whereby said carts may be driven between said charging station and said track, said charging station having a plurality of charging areas disposed on a support surface thereof and organized as a matrix of rows and columns, said charging areas spaced from one another sufficiently so that one of said carts may be parked at each of the charging areas, each of the charging areas provided with a built-in electrical terminal adapted to be contacted by the electrical contact of a respective one of said carts parked thereon; and

(d) an electrical charging system associated with said charging station and in electrical communication with the electrical terminals of each of the charging areas whereby electrical current can be supplied to the terminals whereby the battery packs of said carts may be recharged when the respective electrical contacts are placed concurrently in contact with the electrical terminal of the respective charging area.