Automobile provided with a power supply battery which is removable by a vertical movement, and device for installing and removing such a battery

• US 8,347,995 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Fernandez-Mateo, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US13/142,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20120037437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.5, 180/65.1, 180/65.22, 180/69.1, 180/69.4, 700/218, 700/230, 320/109, 320/113, 248/36.014
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• 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 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0472 from below
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

A motor vehicle including a structure including a bottom and which bears a motor powered by a removable power supply battery, the structure further including an element for receiving the battery and an attachment mechanism for attaching the battery onto the receiving element. The receiving element and the attachment mechanism are adapted to enable installation of the battery in the receiving element from the underside of the structure by an upward movement towards the structure, and removal of the battery under the structure by a downward movement in a direction opposite to the structure.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

a structure that has an underside and that supports a motor supplied by a removable power supply battery, the structure including an element for receiving the battery and including means for fixing the battery on the receiving element, the battery being capable of being installed in or removed from the receiving element by a vertical movement,

wherein the structure, the receiving element, and the means for fixing are configured to permit installation of the battery in the receiving element from the underside of the structure, by an upward movement in a direction of the structure, and to permit removal of the battery underneath the structure by a downward movement in a direction away from the structure,

wherein the battery includes a box including two opposite vertical surfaces, in each of which there is made at least one recess having an upper bracing surface,

wherein the means for fixing includes at least two bolt-forming fingers, which have free ends and which are movable between an installation position, in which the free ends are spaced apart from one another or are configured to be braced against the vertical surfaces of the box, and a fixation position, in which the free ends are close to one another and are configured to be braced against the upper bracing surface of each of the recesses, so as to suspend the box between the fingers, and

wherein the box includes on each of the vertical surfaces a substantially vertical guide groove that intersects the recess.

3. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the bolt-forming fingers are mounted on the receiving element via restoring means, which exert a restoring force on each of the fingers to maintain the fingers in the fixation position.

4. A device for installing and removing a removable battery on a receiving element with which the structure of a vehicle according to claim 1 is equipped,

the device including a horizontal platform capable of being disposed underneath the structure and means for unblocking the means for fixing, so that the means for fixing can be moved from the fixation position to the installation position by a vertical upward displacement of the platform and/or of the unblocking means toward the structure, as a result of which the battery becomes detached from the and is braced on the platform.

5. An installation and removal device according to claim 4, wherein the unblocking means includes two vertical rods mounted on the platform.

2. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a structure that has an underside and that supports a motor supplied by a removable power supply battery, the structure including an element for receiving the battery and including means for fixing the battery on the receiving element, the battery being capable of being installed in or removed from the receiving element by a vertical movement; and

means for interlocking the means for fixing

wherein the structure, the receiving element, and the means for fixing are configured to permit installation of the battery in the receiving element from the underside of the structure, by an upward movement in a direction of the structure, and to permit removal of the battery underneath the structure by a downward movement in a direction away from the structure, and

wherein the means for interlocking includes at least one drive element, integral with one of the fingers, and an interlocking element, which pulls on the drive element to maintain the finger inserted in the recess.

6. A removable battery system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a battery including vertical grooves arranged on opposite vertical surfaces and a transverse recess in each of the vertical grooves positioned perpendicular to the vertical grooves; and

a receiving element including fingers configured to extend outwardly into the transverse recess in each of the vertical grooves to supports the battery.

7. The removable battery system of claim 6, wherein the receiving element includes springs configured to bias the fingers into the transverse recesses.

8. The removable battery system of claim 6, wherein the receiving element includes drive elements attached to opposing recess elements and to an interlocking element, the interlocking element is configured to be rotated in a first direction to pull on the drive elements to bias the fingers into the transverse recesses and configured to be rotated in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to push on the drive elements to bias the fingers away from the transverse recesses.