ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• US 20110198137A1
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roberto D.E. Paschoal
• Original Assignee: Roberto D.E. Paschoal
• Inventors: De Paschoal, Roberto
• Granted Patent: US 8,256,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/13 Small sized city motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/20 all arms being rigid
• 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 2001/0461 from the side
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0494 with arrangements for sliding
• 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

Abstract

An electric vehicle includes a chassis and a compartment defined by the chassis. A power container houses at least one energy storage/generating device for powering the electric vehicle. The power container is insertable into and removable from the compartment through the left side and the right side of the chassis. A suspension apparatus includes a shaft, a control arm pivotably connected to the shaft, at least one helical torsion spring mounted on the shaft, and a linear actuator. Movement of the linear actuator increases bending stress on the at least one helical torsion spring and urges the control arm downwardly.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a chassis including a front end, a rear end, a left side and a right side, and a compartment defined by the chassis, the compartment accessible through the left side and the right side; and

a power container housing at least one energy storage/generating device for powering the electric vehicle, the power container insertable into the compartment of the chassis through at least one of the left side and the right side and removable from the compartment of the chassis through at least one of the left side and the right side.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one locking latch coupled to the chassis for selectively maintaining the power container within the compartment, the locking latch movable between an engaged position in which the locking latch inhibits transverse movement of the power container relative to the electric vehicle, and a released position in which the power container is movable transversely relative to the chassis for insertion and removal of the power container with respect to the compartment.

3. The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein the at least one locking latch is pivotably coupled to the chassis, and, in the engaged position, the at least one locking latch engages a groove in a sidewall of the power container.

4. The electric vehicle of claim 3, wherein the at least one locking latch comprises at least a first locking latch configured to engage a front sidewall of the power container and at least a second locking latch configured to engage a rear sidewall of the power container.

5. The electric vehicle of claim 4, wherein, in the engaged position, at least one of the first locking latch and the second locking latch establishes an electrical connection with the at least one energy storage/generating device to conduct power to the electric vehicle.

6. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the compartment comprises at least one rail to support the power container, the at least one rail transversely extending generally between the left side and the right side of the chassis, and the power container comprises a plurality of wheels configured to run on the at least one rail to permit rolling movement of the power container during installation into and removal from the compartment.

7. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein the at least one rail comprises a forward rail and a rearward rail, and the plurality of wheels comprises a plurality of first in-line wheels arranged at a front sidewall of the power container to run along the forward rail, and a plurality of second in-line wheels arranged at a rear sidewall of the power container to run along the rearward rail.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of a right sidewall and a left sidewall of the power container comprises a socket for receiving a pulling shaft for use inserting or removing the power container.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the compartment is arranged generally intermediate the front end and the rear end of the chassis.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy storage/generating device comprises a plurality of batteries.

11. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a chassis including a front end, a rear end, a left side and a right side, a compartment defined by the chassis arranged generally intermediate the front end and the rear end, the compartment accessible through at least one of the left side and the right side, and a forward rail and a rearward rail in the compartment extending transversely generally between the left side and the right side of the chassis;

a power container housing a plurality of batteries for powering the electric vehicle, the power container including a front sidewall, a rear sidewall, a plurality of first wheels configured to run along the forward rail, and a plurality of second wheels configured to run along the rearward rail, so that the power container is rollably insertable into and removable from the compartment; and

a plurality of locking latches pivotably coupled to the chassis for selectively maintaining the power container within the compartment, the locking latches including at least one first locking latch configured to engage the front sidewall of the power container and at least one second locking latch configured to engage the rear sidewall of the power container, each of the locking latches movable between an engaged position in which the locking latch prevents the power container from transverse movement relative to the electric vehicle, and a released position in which the locking latch is disengaged from the power container and the power container may be inserted or removed from the compartment, at least one of the locking latches configured to establish an electrical connection with the batteries to power the electric vehicle.

12-20. -20. (canceled)