System and Method for in Situ Charging of a Remote Vehicle

• US 20130049687A1
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Fay, Victor, Hershey, Daniel David, Carl, James, Connors, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,045,049 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A system for in situ charging of at least one rechargeable power source of a remote vehicle. The system comprises a power recharger having contacts configured to supply power to the at least one rechargeable power source, and a chassis adapter at least partially enclosing the at least one rechargeable power source and retaining the at least one rechargeable power source on the remote vehicle, the chassis adapter including terminals connected to the at least one rechargeable power source and configured to mate with the power recharger to allow the power recharger to recharge the at least one rechargeable power source. The chassis adapter comprises charger input contacts including a positive contact, a ground, and one or more data contacts. The power recharger automatically disengages from the recharging terminals when the remote vehicle is driven away from the chassis adapter without damaging the power recharger.

Claims

1. A system for in situ charging of at least one rechargeable power source of a remote vehicle, the system comprising:

a power recharger having contacts configured to supply power to the at least one rechargeable power source; and

a chassis adapter at least partially enclosing the at least one rechargeable power source and retaining the at least one rechargeable power source on the remote vehicle, and including terminals connected to the at least one rechargeable power source and configured to mate with the power recharger to allow the power recharger to recharge the at least one rechargeable power source, the chassis adapter comprising charger input contacts including a positive contact, a ground, and one or more data contacts,

wherein the power recharger automatically disengages from the recharging terminals when the remote vehicle is driven away from the chassis adapter without damaging the power recharger.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one rechargeable power source comprises two power sources.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the rechargeable power sources comprise rechargeable batteries.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, during charging, the remote vehicle can be powered on or off.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power recharger and the chassis adapter further comprise magnets that allow the power recharger to releasably engage the chassis adapter during charging.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the power recharger powers the remote vehicle directly while recharging the rechargeable power supply, so that the rechargeable power supply is not supplying power to the remote vehicle, which allows the power recharger to properly monitor the charging current and prevents current leaks that would interfere with the charging process.

7. A method for in situ charging of at least one rechargeable power source of a remote vehicle, the method comprising:

attaching a releasable power recharger to the at least one rechargeable power source, the releasable power recharger having contacts configured to supply power to the at least one rechargeable power source;

providing the a chassis adapter that at least partially encloses the at least one power source and retains the at least one power source on the remote vehicle, the chassis adapter including terminals connected to the at least one rechargeable power source and configured to mate with the releasable power recharger to allow the releasable power recharger to recharge the at least one rechargeable power source, the chassis adapter comprising charger input contacts including a positive contact, a ground, and one or more data contacts; and

automatically disengaging the releasable power recharger from the recharging terminals when the remote vehicle is driven away from the releasable power recharger without damaging the releasble power recharger.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one rechargeable power source comprises two power sources.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the rechargeable power sources comprise rechargeable batteries.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the option to turn the remote vehicle off or leave it on during recharging.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the power recharger and the chassis adapter further comprise magnets that allow the power recharger to releasably engage the chassis adapter during charging.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the power recharger powers the remote vehicle directly while recharging the rechargeable power supply, so that the rechargeable power supply is not supplying power to the remote vehicle, which allows the power recharger to properly monitor the charging current and prevents current leaks that would interfere with the charging process.

13. A system for in situ charging of at least two rechargeable power sources of a remote vehicle, the system comprising a remote vehicle and an operator control unit for controlling the remote vehicle, and further comprising:

two power rechargers having contacts configured to supply power to the at least two rechargeable power sources; and

two chassis adapters, each chassis adapter at least partially enclosing at least one respective rechargeable power source and retaining the respective at least one rechargeable power source on the remote vehicle, and each of the chassis adapters including terminals connected to the respective at least one rechargeable power source and configured to mate with a power recharger to allow the power recharger to recharge the at least one rechargeable power source, each of the chassis adapters also comprising charger input contacts including a positive contact, a ground, and one or more data contacts,

wherein the power rechargers automatically disengage from the respective chassis adapter when the remote vehicle is driven away from the chassis adapter without damaging the chassis adapter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one rechargeable power source comprises two power sources.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the power sources comprise rechargeable batteries.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein, during charging, the remote vehicle can be powered on or off.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the power rechargers and each of the chassis adapters further comprise magnets that allow the power recharger to releasably engage the chassis adapter during charging.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the power rechargers power the remote vehicle directly while recharging the respective rechargeable power supply, so that the rechargeable power supplies are not supplying power to the remote vehicle, which allows the power rechargers to properly monitor the charging current of a respective rechargeable power supply and prevents current leaks that would interfere with the charging process.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the chassis adapters are located on opposite sides of the remote vehicle, at a track center location.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the chassis adapters comprises at least seven charger input contacts including a positive contact, a ground, and one or more data contacts.