Refuelable battery-powered electric vehicle

• US 8,796,987 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2011
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl F. Scheucher
• Original Assignee: Karl F. Scheucher
• Inventors: Scheucher, Karl F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US13/114,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20110221384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/150, 320/152, 320/160, 320/109, 320/132, 320/134, 320/163, 324/427
• US Class Current: 320/104
• 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: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 : Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 : Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 : arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/667 : the system being an electronic component, e.g. a CPU, an inverter or a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 : for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 : the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• 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: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

The electrical vehicle energy storage system permits the electric refueling of the electric vehicle just like an automobile would be refueled with gasoline at a gas station. Circuitry on board the vehicle accessible by the electric refueling station enables the determination of the energy content of the battery module or modules returned to the electric refueling station and the owner of the vehicle is given credit for the energy remaining in the battery module or modules which have been exchanged. Selective refueling may take place for given battery modules by removing them from the battery system and charging them at home, office or factory. A process for operating an electric vehicle is also disclosed and claimed.

Claims

1. A process for operating an electric vehicle, said electric vehicle includes a plurality of battery modules, comprising the steps of:

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said plurality of battery modules and an information bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said information bus selectively interconnecting said battery modules to said information bus for measuring, periodically, the state of charge and energy content of each battery module of said plurality of battery modules;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a first switch interposed between a battery information interface circuit and said battery information bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said first switch interconnecting each of said battery information interface circuits with said information bus;

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and a load bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said load bus, selectively interconnecting each of said battery modules with said load bus;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a second switch interposed between said battery module and said load bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said second switch interconnecting each of said battery modules with said load bus, and, a current steering device in series with said second switch enabling current flow only from said battery module to said load bus when said second switch is closed;

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and a charge bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said charge bus, selectively interconnecting each of said battery modules with said charge bus;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a third switch interposed between said battery module and said charge bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said third switch interconnecting each of said battery modules with said charge bus, and, a current steering device in series with said third switch enabling current flow only from said charge bus to said battery module when said third switch is closed;

connecting said charge bus to a regenerative device for charging a battery module with a regenerative device on-board said electric vehicle;

calculating, using said controller and said battery module interface circuit, said energy content remaining in each of said battery modules when each of said battery modules is returned;

calculating, using said controller and said battery module interface circuit, the monetary value of each of said returned battery modules for receiving monetary credit for each of said battery modules; and

,

detaching, slidably, one or more of said battery modules of said plurality of battery modules from said electric vehicle for returning said one or more of said battery modules of said plurality of battery modules to an electric filling station.

2. A process for operating an electric vehicle, said electric vehicle includes a plurality of battery modules, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating heat inside using one or more of said battery modules of said plurality of battery modules and directing said heat with a conduit.

3. A process for operating an electric vehicle, said electric vehicle includes a plurality of battery modules, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

communicating information between an electric filling station and said plurality of battery modules using;

a controller residing in said electric filling station; and

, input-output modules residing in said electric vehicle.

4. A process for operating an electric vehicle, said electric vehicle includes a plurality of battery modules, comprising the steps of:

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said plurality of battery modules and an information bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said information bus selectively interconnecting said battery modules to said information bus for measuring, periodically, the state of charge and energy content of each battery module of said plurality of battery modules;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a first switch interposed between a battery information interface circuit and said battery information bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said first switch interconnecting each of said battery information interface circuits with said information bus;

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and a load bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said load bus, selectively interconnecting each of said battery modules with said load bus;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a second switch interposed between said battery module and said load bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said second switch interconnecting each of said battery modules with said load bus, and, a current steering device in series with said second switch enabling current flow only from said battery module to said load bus when said second switch is closed;

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and a charge bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said charge bus, selectively interconnecting each of said battery modules with said charge bus;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a third switch interposed between said battery module and said charge bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said third switch interconnecting each of said battery modules with said charge bus, and, a current steering device in series with said third switch enabling current flow only from said charge bus to said battery module when said third switch is closed;

connecting said charge bus to a power source selected from the group consisting of internal combustion engine driven generator, fuel cell, wind power, grid power, and solar power;

calculating, using said controller and said battery module interface circuit, said energy content remaining in each of said battery modules when each of said battery modules is returned;

calculating, using said controller and said battery module interface circuit, the monetary value of each of said returned battery modules for receiving monetary credit for each of said battery modules; and

,

detaching, slidably, one or more of said battery modules of said plurality of battery modules from said electric vehicle for returning said one or more of said battery modules of said plurality of battery modules to an electric filling station.

5. A process for operating an electric vehicle, said electric vehicle includes a plurality of battery modules, comprising the steps of:

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said plurality of battery modules and an information bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said information bus selectively interconnecting said battery modules to said information bus for measuring, periodically, the state of charge and energy content of each battery module of said plurality of battery modules;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a first switch interposed between a battery information interface circuit and said battery information bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said first switch interconnecting each of said battery information interface circuits with said information bus;

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and a load bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said load bus, selectively interconnecting each of said battery modules with said load bus;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a second switch interposed between said battery module and said load bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said second switch interconnecting each of said battery modules with said load bus, and, a current steering device in series with said second switch enabling current flow only from said battery module to said load bus when said second switch is closed;

utilizing a battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and a charge bus;

operating, utilizing a controller, said battery module interface circuit between each of said battery modules and said charge bus, selectively interconnecting each of said battery modules with said charge bus;

each of said battery module interface circuits includes a third switch interposed between said battery module and said charge bus, said controller selectively enabling and closing said third switch interconnecting each of said battery modules with said charge bus, and, a current steering device in series with said third switch enabling current flow only from said charge bus to said battery module when said third switch is closed;

sharing energy between said plurality of battery modules, utilizing said controller, to selectively interconnect one or more of said plurality of battery modules to said charge bus and to selectively interconnect one or more of said plurality of battery modules to said load bus;

calculating, using said controller and said battery module interface circuit, said energy content remaining in each of said battery modules when each of said battery modules is returned;

calculating, using said controller and said battery module interface circuit, the monetary value of each of said returned battery modules for receiving monetary credit for each of said battery modules; and

,

detaching, slidably, one or more of said battery modules of said plurality of battery modules from said electric vehicle for returning said one or more of said battery modules of said plurality of battery modules to an electric filling station.