Vehicle base station

• US 9,840,380 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2014
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Saad, Emad W., Vian, John L., Vavrina, Matthew A., Nisbett, Jared A., Wunsch, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SNELTING, JONATHAN D
• Application Number:
  US14/535,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20150063959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 104 34, 320109, 41433105, 414390-392, 414395-396
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/34 Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles positioning means for charging devices using inductive energy transfer B60L53/38
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/40 Ornithopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/00 Loading or unloading vehicles by means incorporated in the vehicles B60-B64, e.g., B60P1/00, B61D9/00, B63B27/00, B64D9/00; ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations for aircraft B64F1/32
• 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

Abstract

A method includes positioning a vehicle on a vehicle base station such that a first payload is aligned with an aperture in the vehicle base station. The method includes aligning an empty docking station of a payload advancing assembly with the aperture. The method includes removing the first payload from the vehicle and placing the first payload in the empty docking station of the payload advancing assembly, where the full docking station includes a second payload. The method also includes aligning a full docking station of the payload advancing assembly with the aperture and securing the second payload to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

positioning, by a vehicle docking assembly of a vehicle base station, a vehicle such that a first payload of the vehicle is aligned with an aperture, wherein positioning the vehicle comprises activating one or more electromagnetic pads positioned on a surface of a platform coupled to the vehicle docking assembly;

aligning, by a payload advancing assembly of the vehicle base station, an empty docking station with the aperture;

removing, by a payload replacement assembly of the vehicle base station, the first payload from the vehicle, and placing the first payload in the empty docking station;

after the first payload is removed, aligning, by the payload advancing assembly, a full docking station with the aperture, wherein the full docking station includes a second payload; and

securing, by the payload replacement assembly, the second payload to the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the one or more electromagnetic pads comprises generating a magnetic force to secure supports of the vehicle to the platform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payload advancing assembly comprises a turntable, and wherein aligning the empty docking station with the aperture comprises rotating the turntable to position the empty docking station beneath the aperture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle base station comprises a hoist assembly, wherein the hoist assembly includes a payload platform moveable between a first position in which the payload platform contacts the first payload mounted on the vehicle and a second position displaced from the first position.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the hoist assembly raises the payload platform through the aperture to engage the first payload on the vehicle, and wherein the hoist assembly lowers the payload onto the payload advancing assembly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the first payload from the vehicle comprises unlocking a locking component of a battery receptacle of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the locking component comprises opposing jaws that lock onto a locking anchor on the first payload.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first payload comprises a first battery, and wherein the second payload comprises a second battery.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first payload comprises a modular battery case selectively attachable to a battery receptacle on the vehicle, wherein the modular battery case further comprises a housing defining a chamber holding one or more batteries, at least one alignment pin extending from the housing to facilitate appropriate alignment of the modular battery case with a battery receptacle on the vehicle, and at least one locking anchor on a surface of the modular battery case and positioned to be received by a locking component.

10. A vehicle base station comprising:

a vehicle docking assembly configured to position a vehicle such that a first payload of the vehicle is aligned with an aperture, wherein the vehicle docking assembly is configured to position the vehicle by activating at least one electromagnetic pad that is positioned on a surface of a platform coupled to the vehicle docking assembly;

a payload advancing assembly configured to align an empty docking station with the aperture; and

a payload replacement assembly configured to;

remove the first payload from the vehicle, and

place the first payload in the empty docking station of the payload advancing assembly,

wherein the payload advancing assembly is further configured to, after the first payload is removed, align a full docking station with the aperture, wherein the full docking station includes a second payload, and wherein the payload replacement assembly is further configured to secure the second payload to the vehicle.

11. The vehicle base station of claim 10, wherein the payload advancing assembly comprises a turntable configured to rotate to align the empty docking station with the aperture.

12. The vehicle base station of claim 10, wherein the vehicle base station comprises a hoist assembly, wherein the hoist assembly includes a payload platform moveable between a first position in which the payload platform contacts the first payload mounted on the vehicle and a second position displaced from the first position.

13. The vehicle base station of claim 12, wherein the hoist assembly is configured to raise the payload platform through the aperture to engage the first payload on the vehicle, and wherein the hoist assembly is configured to lower the payload onto the payload advancing assembly.

14. The vehicle base station of claim 10, wherein the payload replacement assembly is configured to unlock a locking component of a battery receptacle of the vehicle to remove the first payload from the vehicle.

15. The vehicle base station of claim 14, wherein the locking component comprises opposing jaws that lock onto a locking anchor on the first payload.

16. The vehicle base station of claim 10, wherein activating the at least one electromagnetic pad aligns the first payload of the vehicle with the aperture, wherein the first payload comprises a first battery, and wherein the second payload comprises a second battery.