Battery exchanging method for electric vehicle

• US 8,963,495 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kookmin University
• Original Assignee: Kookmin University
• Inventors: Park, Jun Seok, Kim, Won-Kyu, Park, Hee-Jeing, Moon, Hee Seok, Choi, Woongchul, Jeong, Jayil, Yu, Chi Man, Jung, Do Yang, Shin, Yong-hark, Park, Jae-Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, SUN J
• Application Number:
  US13/485,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable 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 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 Storage cell or battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53278 Storage cell or battery

Abstract

Provided is a battery exchange method for an electric vehicle. The battery exchange method includes (a) opening a protection cover of a battery mounting module installed at an upper portion of the electric vehicle, and transmitting an open signal to a battery charge station; (b) releasing a locking unit of a pre-mounted battery, and transmitting an unlocking signal to the battery charge station; (c) determining and storing a mounting location of the battery using an image sensor; (d) controlling movements and operations of a battery replacing robot when the unlocking signal is confirmed, and ejecting the pre-mounted battery from a battery seating base of the battery mounting module; (e) controlling movements and operations of the battery replacing robot to move a prepared fully charged battery into the battery mounting module, and mounting the fully charged battery on the battery seating base in the battery charge station.

Claims

1. A method of exchanging a battery for an electric vehicle, comprising:

(a) transmitting, to the electric vehicle, a confirmation signal that confirms an entry location of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle enters a battery charge station;

(b) lowering a protection guide installed in the battery charge station to seal a battery mounting module mounted on an upper portion of the electric vehicle, and transmitting a seal confirmation signal to the electric vehicle;

(c) determining and storing a location of the battery mounted in the battery mounting module using an image sensor in the battery charge station;

(d) ejecting a pre-mounted battery from a battery seating base of the battery mounting module by controlling movements and operations of a battery replacing robot in the battery charge station when unlocking information of the battery is transmitted from the electric vehicle;

(e) controlling the battery replacing robot to move a prepared fully charged battery into a location of the battery mounting module and mounting the fully charged battery on the battery seating base in the battery charge station; and

(f) transmitting mounting completion information from the battery charging station to the electric vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to step (a):

(h) confirming whether the electric vehicle is a reserved vehicle when the electric vehicle enters a body of the battery charge station, and is in the battery charge station; and

(i) transmitting an entry grant signal to the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle is reserved to confirm a type of the battery of the electric vehicle, and preparing the fully charged battery to be used in battery replacement and installed in the electric vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (d) includes:

(d-1) controlling the battery replacing robot to be moved to a location of the battery and to be located on the battery in the battery charge station; and

(d-2) controlling the operation of the battery replacing robot when the unlocking information of the battery is confirmed, and ejecting the pre-mounted battery from the battery mounting module.

4. A battery exchange method for exchanging a battery of an electric vehicle, comprising:

(a) opening a protection cover of a battery mounting module installed at an upper portion of the electric vehicle, and transmitting an open signal to a battery charge station from the electric vehicle;

(b) releasing a locking unit of a pre-mounted battery, and transmitting an unlocking signal to the battery charge station from the electric vehicle;

(c) determining and storing a mounting location of the battery using an image sensor in the battery charge station;

(d) controlling movements and operations of a battery replacing robot when the unlocking signal is confirmed, and ejecting the pre-mounted battery from a battery seating base of the battery mounting module, in the battery charge station;

(e) controlling movements and operations of the battery replacing robot to move a prepared fully charged battery into the battery mounting module, and mounting the fully charged battery on the battery seating base in the battery charge station;

(f) transmitting a battery mounting completion signal from the battery charge station to the electric vehicle; and

(g) locking the fully charged battery after confirming a connection of the battery in the electric vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising, prior to step (a):

(j) confirming an entry location when the electric vehicle enters the battery charge station; and

(k) lowering a protection guide installed in the battery charge station to seal the battery mounting module.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising, prior to step (a):

(h) confirming whether the electric vehicle is a reserved vehicle when the electric vehicle enters a body of the battery charge station; and

(i) transmitting an entry grant signal to the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle is reserved to confirm a type of the battery of the electric vehicle, and preparing the fully charged battery to be used in battery replacement and installed in the electric vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein step (d) includes:

(d-1) controlling the battery replacing robot to be moved to a location of the battery and to be located on the battery in the battery charge station; and

(d-2) controlling the operations of the battery replacing robot when the unlocking signal of the battery is confirmed, and ejecting the pre-mounted battery from the battery mounting module.

8. A battery exchange method for exchanging a battery of an electric vehicle, comprising:

(a) opening a protection cover of a battery mounting module installed at an upper portion of the electric vehicle, and transmitting an open signal to a battery charge station from the electric vehicle;

(b) releasing a locking unit of a pre-mounted battery, and transmitting an unlocking signal to the battery charge station from the EV;

(c) removing the pre-mounted battery from the electric vehicle and mounting a fully charged battery on the battery mounting module;

(d) receiving, in the electric vehicle, mounting completion information from the battery charge station;

(e) locking the mounted fully charged battery in the electric vehicle and transmitting a locking signal to the battery charge station; and

(f) storing battery exchange information in the electric vehicle and the electric vehicle is exiting from the battery charge station when an elevating confirmation signal of a battery protection guide and an exit grant signal are received from the battery charge station.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein

step (e) includes:

(e-1) transmitting a re-mounting request signal to the battery charge station when a connection of the battery in the electric vehicle is bad;

(e-2) controlling movements and operations of a battery replacing robot to eject the battery having a bad connection from a battery seating base, in the battery charge station; and

(e-3) re-mounting the battery on the battery seating base by confirming information on a mounting location of the battery and controlling the movement and operation of the battery replacing robot.

10. A battery charge station system for an electric vehicle employing a battery exchange method, comprising:

a battery which is rechargeable and mounted on a battery mounting module of the electric vehicle;

a battery charge station body which is formed so as to allow the electric vehicle to freely access the battery charge station body and which has a battery loading unit for loading the battery;

a battery replacing robot provided in the battery charge station body to actually perform a replacement operation of the battery; and

a battery charge station control unit for allowing a battery replacing operation to be performed by controlling the battery replacing robot.

11. The battery charge station system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a communication module for receiving reservation information on battery replacement from the electric vehicle and providing confirmation information on whether it is possible to replace the battery.

12. The battery charge station system according to claim 10, wherein the battery charge station body comprises:

a protection guide for sealing the battery mounting module which mounts the battery when the electric vehicle enters the battery charge station, in order to avoid ill effects according to changes in an external environment when replacing the battery.

13. The battery charge station system according to claim 12, wherein the protection guide comprises:

a corrugate tube that is ejected by being folded toward the battery mounting module in a state in which the battery is mounted inside the battery charge station body when the battery is replaced and that is unfolded to an original position after completing replacement of the battery.

14. The battery charge station system according to claim 12, wherein the battery charge station body comprises:

a vertical body extending in a vertical direction and coming in contact with a road, and a horizontal body extending in a horizontal direction from a top portion of the vertical body toward the road wherein

a bottom of the horizontal body is provided with at least one outlet for taking the battery out and said at least one outlet includes the protection guide.

15. The battery charge station system according to claim 10, wherein the battery replacing robot comprises:

a battery transporting and mounting robot for removing a discharged battery previously mounted in the battery mounting module, and transporting and mounting a charged battery, which is ejected from the battery loading unit, to the battery mounting module; and

a battery ejecting and loading robot for ejecting a charged battery stored in the battery loading unit and providing the charged battery to the battery transporting and mounting robot, or receiving a discharged battery from the battery transporting and mounting robot, and loading into the battery loading unit.

16. The battery charge station system according to claim 15, wherein the battery transporting and mounting robot comprises:

a fixed rail installed at an upper portion of the battery charge station body;

a transporting rail installed to be moved in a direction orthogonal to the fixed rail;

an elevating rail installed to be moved along a longitudinal direction of the transporting rail, or in an orthogonal direction to the transporting rail; and

a clamping unit installed at a bottom of the elevating rail to perform locking and unlocking operations in a process of replacing the battery.