AN APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A SECONDARY POWER SOURCE FOR AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20170349039A1
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Published: 12/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itc IP Holdings No 1 Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Itc IP Holdings No 1 Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: RAYNER, Dignan Herbert, RAYNER, Ivan Herbert Godfrey
• Granted Patent: US 10,183,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2001/0411 Arrangement in the front part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0422 Arrangement under the front seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0444 Arrangement on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0466 from above
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0472 from below
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0477 from the back
• 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 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 27/003 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 27/06 Resilient axle suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 27/14 Resilient coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 : characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 : Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 : The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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
• 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

An apparatus for providing a secondary power source for an electric vehicle, the apparatus attachable to the electric vehicle and having at least one secondary electrical power storage unit for storing electrical energy for delivery to the electric vehicle as required to replace the primary power source, a power connection assembly to connect the at least one secondary power source to the electric vehicle and a control system to control supply to the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A replaceable power source system for an electric implement having a primary power source, the system including a unit attachable to the electric implement, the unit having at least one electrical power storage unit for storing electrical energy for delivery to the electric implement as required each at least one power storage unit having a unique identifier, a power connection assembly to connect the at least one power source to the electric implement;

an authorisation system to authorise delivery of the electrical energy from the at least one power source and a command and control system to control supply from the at least one power source wherein the command and control system undertakes an authorisation process utilising the authorisation system remotely through at least one communication pathway before electrical energy is delivered from the at least one power source.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus includes a number of swappable battery systems which can attach to and/or fit into enclosed or open compartments on vehicles.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus is configured as a wheeled platform attachable to a vehicle.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the apparatus is configured as a towable trailer to be towed by the electric vehicle.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the apparatus includes a breaker or spacer assembly at a forward end of the trailer defining a volume extending across a forward end of the trailer in order to provide a buffer space in case of accidents or similar.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the trailer is length adjustable, provided in a pair of portions, namely a front portion and a rear portion which slide relative to one another.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein a forward wall assembly of the trailer is provided with a draw assembly in order to attach the trailer to the electric vehicle and the electric vehicle is provided with a corresponding assembly to attach.

13. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus has an internal unit in order to hold or contain the at least one secondary power source.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the internal unit is removable and replaceable from the apparatus.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the one or more secondary power sources are removable and replaceable from the internal unit.

16. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein the internal unit has a number of subunits each subunit containing one or more batteries.

17. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the at least one secondary power source includes one or more batteries and the one or more batteries are removable and/or loadable into the vehicle

18. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 16 wherein the electric vehicle draws electrical energy from the one or more batteries within the apparatus whilst the apparatus is mounted relative to the vehicle.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein a number of at least one secondary power sources are connected in a grid within the apparatus and then the grid is connected to the electric vehicle.

20. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the control system is provided in or on the apparatus or in the electric vehicle or partially in both.

21. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the control system allows monitoring of the status of the at least one secondary power sources.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein a wireless connection is provided to an in-vehicle display in order to convey information about status and operation of the at least one secondary power source to a driver of the electric vehicle.

24. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus includes one or more deployable wheel assemblies for at least temporary support of the apparatus either in conjunction with a rear support wheel assembly or for temporary support in the absence of a rear support wheel assembly.

2. An apparatus for providing a secondary power source for an electric vehicle, the apparatus attachable to the electric vehicle and having at least one secondary electrical power storage unit having a unique identifier for storing electrical energy for delivery to the electric vehicle as required to replace the primary power source, a power connection assembly to connect the at least one secondary power source to the electric vehicle, and an authorisation system to authorise delivery of the electrical energy from the at least one power source and a control system to control supply to the electric vehicle wherein the control system undertakes an authorisation process utilising the authorisation system remotely through at least one communication pathway before electrical energy is delivered from the at least one power source.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further including at least one mounting assembly to mount the apparatus relative to the electric vehicle and to allow the electric vehicle to operate using electrical energy stored in the at least one secondary electrical power storage unit or an electric vehicle primary electrical power storage unit.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the control system allows selection of the at least one secondary electrical power storage unit or the electric vehicle primary electrical power storage unit.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the apparatus is configured as a self-propelled, wheeled platform removably mounted relative to a larger vehicle and to be off the ground when mounted to the larger vehicle.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the apparatus is configured as a self-propelled, wheeled platform for delivery of the at least one secondary electrical power storage unit to the electric vehicle

23. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the apparatus is configured as a wheeled apparatus for transport and/or delivery of the at least one secondary electrical power storage unit to the electric vehicle.

25. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the apparatus is configured as an unwheeled unit which has an associated mobile delivery vehicle for delivery of the at least one secondary electrical power storage unit to the electric vehicle.

26. A system for providing a secondary power source for an electric vehicle having a primary power source, the system including a unit attachable to the electric vehicle and having at least one secondary electrical power storage unit for storing electrical energy for delivery to the electric vehicle as required to replace the primary power source, a power connection assembly to connect the at least one secondary power source to the electric vehicle and a control system to control supply to the electric vehicle and an authorisation system to authorise delivery of the electrical energy from the at least one power source wherein the control system undertakes an authorisation process utilising the authorisation system remotely through at least one communication pathway before electrical energy is delivered from the at least one power source.

27. A system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the command and control system identifies each at least one power source and each proprietary plug to charge/connect each at least one power source within the system in order to track the use of each at least one power source for access, restricting or denial of access and billing.

28. A system as claimed in claim 26 or claim 27 wherein each at least one power source includes a location receiver and a wireless communication feature to allow the location of each at least one power source to be identified, substantially in real-time.