Dual charge ride-on vehicle

• US 9,994,116 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2017
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radio Flyer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Radio Flyer Incorporated
• Inventors: Schlegel, Thomas K., Young, Matthew E., Eckert, Cameron, Herlitz, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau V
• Application Number:
  US15/428,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20170232860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 25/00 Autocar-like self-drivers; Runways therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• 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 2001/0466 from above
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2026/025 Input devices for controlling electric drive motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2026/046 with electrical transmission means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/20 Vehicles specially adapted for children, e.g. toy vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/02 Dead-man's devices
• 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 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 : Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 : Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 : Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 : for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/81 : Toys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 : Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 : Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 : Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 : specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 : characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 : specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 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: 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 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A battery-powered vehicle is provided having dual charging capabilities. The vehicle has a body, a plurality of wheels supporting the body, a motor connected to at least one of the plurality of wheels, a battery port having a battery dock and battery dock terminals, a remote charging dock on an exterior of the vehicle body, the remote charging dock having remote charging terminals, a charger having a charger plug and associated charger terminals, and a removable and rechargeable battery having battery terminals. The battery is configured to be positioned in the battery port for charging in the battery port and to have the battery terminals electrically and mechanically mate with the battery dock terminals. The battery is also configured to be removed from the battery port and to have the battery terminals electrically and mechanically mate with the charger terminals for charging outside the battery port.

Claims

1. A battery-powered vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a plurality of wheels supporting the vehicle body;

a motor connected to at least one of the plurality of wheels;

a remote charging dock on an exterior of the vehicle body, the remote charging dock having remote charging terminals;

a first controller in electrical communication with the remote charging dock;

a battery port extending into the vehicle body, the battery port having a battery dock and battery dock terminals;

a second controller in electrical communication with the battery dock;

a first wiring harness connecting the remote charging dock with the battery dock, wherein the first wiring harness has a power line to allow current to flow between the battery dock and the remote charging dock, and a communication line in the first wiring harness to allow data to be transmitted between the first controller and the second controller;

a charger having a charger plug and associated charger terminals; and

,

a removable and rechargeable battery having battery terminals, wherein the battery is configured to be charged in the battery port when (a) the battery is positioned in the battery port and the battery terminals electrically and mechanically mate with the battery dock terminals, and (b) when the charger terminals of the charger are connected to the remote charging terminals of the remote charging dock, and wherein the battery is configured to be charged remote from the vehicle when (a) the battery is removed from the battery port and the battery terminals electrically and mechanically mate with the charger terminals for charging outside the battery port.

2. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a second motor connected to a different one of the plurality of wheels.

3. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the charger terminals and the battery dock terminals have a first terminal configuration, wherein the remote charging terminals and the battery terminals have a second terminal configuration, wherein the first terminal configuration is different from the second terminal configuration, and wherein the terminals of the first terminal configuration are adapted to mate with the terminals of the second terminal configuration.

4. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a third controller in the charger and a fourth controller in the battery, the third controller being electrically connected to the first controller when the charger is plugged into the remote charging dock, and the fourth controller communicating with one of the second controller in the battery dock when the battery is connected to the battery dock, and the third controller in the charger.

5. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a pedal switch, a pedal switch controller, and a second wiring harness connecting the pedal switch controller with a second controller in the battery dock, wherein the second wiring harness has a power line to allow current to flow between the battery dock and the pedal switch controller, and a communication line in the second wiring harness to allow data to be transmitted between the second controller in the battery dock and the pedal switch controller.

6. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 5, wherein one of the second controller in the battery dock and the pedal switch controller prevents the release of current to all motors when the charger is connected to the remote charging dock.

7. A battery-powered vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a plurality of wheels supporting the vehicle body;

a motor connected to at least one of the plurality of wheels;

a battery port having a battery dock and battery dock terminals;

a remote charging dock on an exterior of the vehicle body, the remote charging dock having remote charging terminals;

a charger having a charger plug and associated charger terminals; and

,

a removable and rechargeable battery having battery terminals, wherein the battery is configured to be positioned in the battery port for charging in the battery port and to have the battery terminals electrically and mechanically mate with the battery dock terminals, and wherein the battery is configured to be removed from the battery port and to have the battery terminals electrically and mechanically mate with the charger terminals for charging outside the battery port.

8. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 7, wherein the charger terminals of the charger are connected to the remote charging terminals of the remote charging dock for charging the battery in the battery port.

9. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 7, wherein the battery has a first end and a second end, wherein a handle is located at the second end of the battery, and wherein the battery terminals are located at the first end of the battery.

10. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 7, wherein the charger terminals and the battery dock terminals have a first terminal configuration, wherein the remote charging terminals and the battery terminals have a second terminal configuration, wherein the first terminal configuration is different from the second terminal configuration, and wherein the terminals of the first terminal configuration are adapted to mate with the terminals of the second terminal configuration.

11. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a first wiring harness connecting the remote charging dock with the battery dock, wherein the first wiring harness has a power line to allow current to flow between the battery dock and the remote charging dock, and a communication line in the first wiring harness to allow data to be transmitted between the battery dock and the remote charging dock.

12. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a pedal switch, a pedal switch controller, and a second wiring harness connecting the pedal switch controller with a second controller in the battery dock, wherein the second wiring harness has a power line to allow current to flow between the battery dock and the pedal switch controller, and a communication line in the second wiring harness to allow data to be transmitted between the second controller in the battery dock and the pedal switch controller.

13. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 12, wherein one of a second controller in the battery dock and the pedal switch controller prevents the release of current to the motor when the charger is connected to the remote charging dock.

14. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a first controller in the remote charging dock and a second controller in the battery dock, the communication line electrically connecting the first controller to the second controller.

15. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a third controller in the charger, the third controller being electrically connected to the first controller when the charger is plugged into the remote charging dock.

16. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a fourth controller in the battery, the fourth controller communicating with one of the second controller in the battery dock when the battery is connected to the battery dock, and the third controller in the charger.

17. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 16, wherein the third controller in the charger monitors battery parameters based on data transmitted from the fourth controller to the third controller through the communication line.

18. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 16, wherein the third controller in the charger monitors battery parameters based on data transmitted from the fourth controller to the third controller when the battery terminals are electrically and mechanically connected with the charger terminals.

19. A battery-powered vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a plurality of wheels supporting the vehicle body;

a motor connected to at least one of the plurality of wheels;

a battery port having a battery dock and battery dock terminals;

a remote charging dock on an exterior of the vehicle body, the remote charging dock having remote charging terminals;

a first wiring harness connecting the remote charging dock with the battery dock, wherein the first wiring harness has a power line to allow current to flow between the battery dock and the remote charging dock, and a communication line in the first wiring harness to allow data to be transmitted between the battery dock and the remote charging dock;

a charger having a charger plug and associated charger terminals;

a rechargeable battery having battery terminals, wherein the battery is configured to be positioned in the battery port for charging in the battery port and to have the battery terminals electrically and mechanically mate with the battery dock terminals;

a pedal switch, a pedal switch controller, and a second wiring harness connecting the pedal switch controller with a second controller in the battery dock, wherein the second wiring harness has a power line to allow current to flow between the battery dock and the pedal switch controller, and a communication line in the second wiring harness to allow data to be transmitted between the second controller in the battery dock and the pedal switch controller.

20. The battery-powered vehicle of claim 19, wherein one of a second controller in the battery dock and the pedal switch controller prevents the release of current to the motor when the charger is connected to the remote charging dock.