Frame for a two wheeled electric vehicle

• US 8,312,954 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mission Motor Company (Vayon Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mission Motor Company (Vayon Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Karl Ashley, Wyer, Jorah, Parker, James, Wagner, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Tashiana
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARCE, MARLON ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US13/092,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20110259660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 180/220, 180/312, 180/6.5, 180/65.1, 180/219, 280/274, 280/281.1
• US Class Current: 180/220
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/06 directly under the saddle or seat
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A frame for an electric vehicle with a motor and a transmission, the frame including a steering head unit, a power unit casing, a left side frame and a right side frame. The steering head unit includes a steering head, a left extension and a right extension, wherein the left extension and right extension extend at an angle from the steering head. The power unit casing encloses the motor and the transmission, orienting the gearbox of the transmission vertically underneath the motor. The left and right side frames mount, on one end, to the left and right extensions of the steering head unit, respectively, wherein the other end mounts to the left and right sides of the power unit casing, respectively. The steering head unit, the power unit, the left side frame and the right side frame form an open cage, configured to accept a battery assembly.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle including a first and a second wheel, the electric vehicle comprising:

a battery assembly including a plurality of coupled cells;

a motor electrically coupled to the battery assembly;

a transmission coupled to the motor, wherein the transmission is substantially vertically positioned below the motor;

a load bearing frame including;

a steering head unit with a steering head, a left extension and a right extension;

a power unit casing enclosing the motor and the transmission;

a left side frame statically coupled to the left extension and the left side of the power unit casing;

a right side frame statically coupled to the right extension and the right side of the power unit casing;

wherein the steering head unit, power unit, left side frame, and right side frame form an open cage with an substantially unobstructed top and bottom;

wherein the battery assembly is substantially located within the cage; and

,

wherein the first wheel is substantially centered between the left and right extensions.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the power unit casing is a unitary piece.

3. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the frame forms a prismatic cage.

4. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor directly drives the transmission.

5. The electric vehicle of claim 4, wherein the transmission includes a countershaft.

6. The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein the motor includes two end bearings and the countershaft includes two end bearings, wherein the power unit casing locates one end bearing of the motor shaft and both end bearings of the countershaft.

7. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein the motor is an electric motor.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transmission is positioned directly below the motor.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cells are prismatic secondary cells.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery assembly further includes an internal support structure coupled to the cells, wherein the electric vehicle is operable in two modes:

an installed mode, wherein the battery assembly is mounted to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame; and

,

an uninstalled mode, wherein the battery assembly is decoupled from the frame.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the electric vehicle in installed mode has a higher resistance to torsion than the electric vehicle in uninstalled mode.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the installed mode is achieved by bolting the internal support structure to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame, and the uninstalled mode is achieved by unbolting the internal support structure from the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the internal support structure is a substantially continuous rectangular prismatic plate.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the battery assembly extends through the top of the open cage.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein a subset of the cells are mounted to the bottom of the internal support structure.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 15, wherein the battery assembly extends through the bottom of the open cage.

17. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further including a rear suspension system coupled to the power unit casing, wherein the rear suspension system further includes a swingarm coupling a second wheel to the power unit casing, wherein the swingarm couples to the axle of the second wheel and to the lower portion of the power unit casing.

18. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the swingarm mounts to both sides of the axle of the second wheel.

19. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the swingarm is a single-sided swingarm and mounts to one side of the axle of the second wheel.

20. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the rear suspension system further includes a seat that mounts to the power unit casing, wherein the left and right side frames couple to the power unit anterior to the seat.

21. An electric vehicle having an vertical center plane extending from the front to the rear, the electric vehicle comprising:

a front wheel aligned in the plane such that the front wheel rotational axis is perpendicular to the center plane;

a rear wheel aligned in the plane such that the rear wheel rotational axis is perpendicular to the center plane;

a steering head unit coupled to the front wheel, the steering head unit including a steering head, a left extension and a right extension, wherein the steering head unit is substantially symmetric about the center plane;

a power unit adjacent the rear wheel, the power unit including;

an electric motor including a shaft, wherein the shaft is disposed horizontally and perpendicularly to the center plane;

a transmission disposed vertically beneath the power unit;

an unitary power unit casing enclosing the electric motor and the transmission;

a left side frame statically coupled to the left extension and to the left side of the power unit casing, wherein the left side frame is disposed to the left of the center plane;

a right side frame statically coupled to the right extension and to the right side of the power unit casing, wherein the right side frame is disposed to the right of the center plane;

a battery assembly comprising a plurality of prismatic secondary cells, stacked in the thickness direction and coupled to an internal support structure, wherein the steering head unit, power unit, left side frame, and right side frame form a substantially prismatic cage with an unobstructed top and bottom, wherein the battery assembly extends through the top and bottom of the cage and removably couples to the steering head unit, power unit, left side frame and right side frame by the internal support structure;

a swingarm rotatably coupled to the transmission portion of the power unit casing and the rear wheel; and

a left and a right footpeg to the left and the right of the center plane, respectively, wherein the left side frame and right side frame couple to the power unit casing anterior to the left and right footpegs, respectively.

22. A frame for an electric vehicle with a motor and a transmission, the frame comprising:

a steering head unit including a steering head, a left extension and a right extension, wherein the left extension and right extension extend at an angle from the steering head;

a power unit casing enclosing the motor and the transmission;

a left side frame mounted to the left extension and the left side of the power unit casing;

a right side frame mounted to the right extension and the right side of the power unit casing, wherein the steering head unit, the power unit, the left side frame and the right side frame form an open cage; and

an internal support structure, wherein the frame has two modes;

an uninstalled mode, wherein the internal support structure is decoupled from the cage; and

an installed mode, wherein the internal support structure is coupled to the cage, wherein the frame in installed mode is more resistant to torsion than the frame in uninstalled mode.

23. The frame of claim 22, wherein the internal support structure is coupled to the cage by mounting to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame.

24. The frame of claim 23, wherein the internal support structure supports a battery assembly, wherein the battery assembly is located within the open cage.

25. The frame of claim 24, wherein the internal support structure traverses substantially horizontally through the interior of the open cage.

26. The frame of claim 24, wherein the internal support structure is a flat prismatic plate.

27. The frame of claim 23, wherein:

the steering head unit and the power unit casing each further include a plurality of side frame attachment points, wherein the left and right side frames mount to the steering head unit and the power unit casing by clamping over the side frame attachment points;

the installed mode is achieved by bolting the internal support structure to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame, and

the uninstalled mode is achieved by unbolting the internal support structure from the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame.

28. The frame of claim 22, wherein the uninstalled mode is achieved by removing the internal support structure through the top of the cage.

29. The frame of claim 22, wherein the power unit casing is a substantially unitary piece.

30. The frame of claim 29, wherein the power unit casing encloses a substantially cylindrical motor positioned directly over the transmission, wherein the power unit substantially traces a portion of the profile of the motor, wherein the shaft of the motor is horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the left side frame and right side frame.

31. The frame of claim 22, wherein the left and right extensions each include a truss on the face forming a cage interior face.

32. The frame of claim 22 further including a rear suspension assembly, wherein the rear suspension assembly comprises a seat coupled to the top portion of the power unit casing and a swingarm coupled to the lower portion of the power unit casing.

33. The frame of claim 32 wherein the left and right side frames couple to the power unit casing substantially anterior to the seat.

34. The frame of claim 22, wherein the angle formed between the left and right extensions facing the cage interior is less than 180°

.

35. The frame of claim 22, wherein the steering head includes bearings.

36. A frame for an electric vehicle comprising:

a steering head unit including a steering head and a left and right extensions extending at an angle from the steering head to the left and right, respectively;

a unitary power unit casing with a left and right side, the power unit casing configured to enclose a motor and a gearbox, wherein the substantially cylindrical motor is positioned substantially directly above the gearbox;

a left side frame clamped to the left extension and the left side of the power unit casing;

a right side frame clamped to the right extension and the right side of the power unit casing, wherein the steering head unit, power unit casing, left side frame and right side frame form an open cage substantially unobstructed on the top and bottom;

a substantially flat internal support structure that supports a battery assembly, the internal support structure including battery attachment points on the top and bottom surfaces, the internal support structure operable in two modes;

an installed mode, wherein the internal support structure is fastened to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, and the left and right side frames, such that the battery assembly is located within the open cage;

an uninstalled mode, wherein the internal support structure is unfastened from the steering head unit, the power unit casing, and the left and right side frames;

a front suspension assembly including a steering tube, wherein the steering tube extends concentrically through the interior of the steering head;

a rear suspension assembly including a seat and a swingarm, wherein the seat is coupled to the top portion of the power unit casing and the swingarm is rotatably coupled to the lower portion of the power unit casing;

wherein the left and right side frames clamp to the power unit casing anterior to the seat.