Attachable laterally-stable range extender for an electric vehicle

• US 9,643,669 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald P. Clark
• Original Assignee: Donald P. Clark
• Inventors: Clark, Donald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US14/818,656
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/07 Multi-hitch devices, i.e. comprising several hitches of the same or of a different type; Hitch-adaptors, i.e. for converting hitches from one type to another
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 2001/005 for carts, scooters, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/064 light luggage or equipment trailers, e.g. for batteries, gas generators, gas bottles, stretchers luggage carriers per se B60R
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/065 forming an extension of the towing vehicle, i.e. with two point fixation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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

Abstract

A system for dual-attachment of a trailer to a vehicle by either manually or robotically so that the trailer becomes a laterally-stable extension of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A trailer for use with a vehicle, the trailer comprising a housing having a vehicle facing side,

an attaching plate attached to the vehicle facing side of the housing, said attaching plate being adapted for engaging with a receiving plate having a pair of angled alignment guides on the vehicle, and defining a seating recess, whereupon the attaching plate will laterally self-align to the angled alignment edges of the receiving plate into the seating recess when the trailer and/or vehicle are moved towards one another;

and

at least three wheels attached to the housing, wherein the at least three wheels includes one or more swiveling suspension wheels attached to the housing, spaced from the attaching plate, and one or more swiveling ground maneuvering wheels attached to the housing between the swiveling suspension wheels and the attaching plate,

wherein the one or more swiveling maneuvering wheels are adapted to be raised out of the way when the trailer is hitched to the vehicle.

2. The trailer of claim 1, further including a maneuvering handle attached to the housing.

3. The trailer of claim 2, wherein the maneuvering handle is attached to a rear of the trailer.

4. The trailer of claim 2, wherein the maneuvering handle is attached to a side of the trailer.

5. The trailer of claim 1, wherein the attaching plate is sized and shaped to self align with the receiving plate on the vehicle.

6. The trailer according to claim 1, comprising two swiveling suspension wheels and one swiveling ground maneuvering wheel.

7. The trailer of claim 1, comprising one swiveling suspension wheel and two swiveling ground maneuvering wheels.

8. The trailer of claim 1, comprising two swiveling suspension wheels and two swiveling ground maneuvering wheels.

9. A system for extending a range of a motor vehicle powered by an electric motor, said system comprising a trailer as claimed in claim 1, and one or more rechargeable batteries carried on the trailer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the motor vehicle is selected from the group consisting of an automobile, a truck, a van, and a bus.

11. The trailer of claim 1, further comprising a battery pack configured to power a motor vehicle carried on the trailer.

12. The trailer according to claim 1, wherein the attaching plate has a general form of an inverted “

J”

.