Electric vehicle

• US 8,439,144 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: Murase, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebner, Katy M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frick, Emma K
• Application Number:
  US12/631,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20100147612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.5, 180/65.1, 180/908, 429/97, 105/51, 162/52, 269/27, 296/146.11
• 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 2001/0461 from the side
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/15 Fork lift trucks, Industrial trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07536 Battery stoppers, i.e. means to hold battery in position
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0754 Battery removal arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems

Abstract

An electric vehicle includes a vehicle frame, a frame connector, a battery compartment, a battery stopper and an anti-connection portion. The battery compartment is provided for receiving a battery unit which has a cable connector connected thereto by a power cable. The battery stopper is mounted to the vehicle frame and movable between a closed position where the battery unit is stopped from removing and an open position where the battery unit is removable. The anti-connection portion is provided on the battery stopper. When the battery stopper is placed in the open position, the anti-connection portion is located at an anti-connection position thereby to prevent the cable connector from being connected to the frame connector. When the battery stopper is placed in the closed position, the anti-connection portion is spaced away from the anti-connection position thereby to allow the cable connector to be connected to the frame connector.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a vehicle frame;

a frame connector provided on the vehicle frame;

a battery compartment for receiving a battery unit which has a cable connector connected thereto by a power cable, wherein the battery unit is removable from the battery compartment in a horizontal direction, wherein the cable connector is connectable to the frame connector;

a battery stopper formed by a plate, wherein the battery stopper is mounted to the vehicle frame for stopping the battery unit in the battery compartment from removing, wherein the battery stopper is movable between a closed position where the battery unit is stopped from removing and an open position where the battery unit is removable, and the battery stopper, when placed in the closed position, projects into an opening of the battery compartment through which the battery unit enters and exits the battery compartment, to block the battery unit from being removed from the battery compartment through the opening, and the battery stopper has a stopper body, a positioning member and a pad which is adjustably mounted to the stopper body and allowed to come in contact with the battery unit, wherein the positioning member allows the pad to be moved toward or away from the battery unit; and

an anti-connection bar fixed to the stopper body at the inner lateral surface thereof which faces the battery unit and having a base portion, a preventing portion and an end portion, wherein the anti-connection bar is thinner than the stopper body, and located radially outward of a circle formed by any point in the stopper body when the stopper body is pivoted;

wherein when the battery stopper is placed in the open position, the anti-connection bar is located at an anti-connection position thereby to prevent the cable connector from being connected to the frame connector, and

wherein when the battery stopper is placed in the closed position, the anti-connection bar is spaced away from the anti-connection position thereby to allow the cable connector to be connected to the frame connector.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the anti-connection position is a space where the cable connector is placed while connected to the frame connector.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the anti-connection bar is not movable into the anti-connection position while the cable connector is connected to the frame connector thereby to prevent the battery unit from being removable.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the battery stopper is placed in the closed position, the anti-connection bar is located at an opening of the battery compartment.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has an end which is fixed to the stopper body by welding, the base portion extending from the stopper body in the radial direction of a circle described by any point in the anti-connection bar when the stopper body is pivoted, wherein when the battery stopper is placed in the open position, the preventing portion extends from a distal end of the base portion toward the frame connector in perpendicular relation to the base portion.

6. The electric vehicle according to claim 5, wherein when the battery stopper is placed in the open position, the preventing portion of the anti-connection bar extends from the distal end of the base portion horizontally and obliquely toward a position above a connection of the frame connector.

7. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the battery stopper is pivotable on the vehicle frame, and wherein the anti-connection bar is pivotable between a position where the anti-connection bar extends along a side of the battery unit and the anti-connection position adjacent to the frame connector.

8. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a connection of the frame connector is faced upward so that the cable connector is connected from above to the frame connector.