Battery charging station

• US 5,449,995 A
• Filed: 04/05/1994
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Institute For Home Economics of Japan Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Institute For Home Economics of Japan Incorporated
• Inventors: Kohchi, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): KINCAID, KRISTINE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US08/222,906
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/15, 104/34
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 large number of vehicular batteries are charged while riding on gondolas, which go up or down and around in a space-saving tall tower. Charging electricity is distributed along the path of gondola carriages. One or more recharged batteries are removed from the gondolas which become ready to accept spent batteries. The gondola can be enlarged to accommodate even a battery-loaded vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicular battery charging station comprising:

an enclosed tower structure having doors at ground level;

two pairs of rotors located inside said structure one at a top end and the other at a bottom end of said structure, said rotors having horizontal shafts thereof journaled to said structure;

driving means for rotating at least one of said shafts;

a pair of conveyor means installed over said top and bottom rotors and circling around said rotors;

a plurality of rods disposed transversely over and outward of said pair of conveyor means and rotatably held by bearings attached to said conveyor means;

a carriage suspended from each of said rods, each carriage having the capacity of receiving batteries thereon;

means for ensuring said carriages stand still at a position for receiving or delivering said batteries through said doors of said structure;

a power source of electricity for charging said batteries;

distributing means of electricity from said source to said carriages;

means provided on each of said carriages for electrically connecting said distributing means with terminal posts on said batteries; and

means provided on top of said tower structure for collecting and processing gases and heat.

2. The vehicular battery charging station as defined in claim 1 wherein bottom rotors are located beneath ground level.

3. The vehicular battery charging station as defined in claim 2 wherein said distributing means of electricity includes a pair of continuous belts disposed outward and alongside the path of said carriage rods and maintaining contact therewith.

4. The vehicular battery charging station as defined in claim 2 wherein said distributing means of electricity includes straight rails disposed outward and alongside vertical portions of the path of said carriage rods and keeping contact therewith.

5. The vehicular battery charging station as defined in claim 2 wherein said distributing means of electricity includes spot surfaces disposed outward and alongside the path of said carriages and coming into contact therewith through extensions provided on said carriages while placing said batteries on or removing the same from said carriages.

6. The vehicular battery charging station as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said carriages has the capacity of receiving a one of said batteries or even an electric vehicle having one of said batteries on board.

7. A vehicular battery charging station for charging batteries, comprising:

an enclosed tower structure having doors at ground level;

a top rotor and a bottom rotor located inside said structure and respectively positioned adjacent opposite ends of said structure, said rotors having horizontal shafts thereof journaled to said structure, wherein said bottom rotor is located beneath ground level;

driving means for rotating at least one of said shafts;

a pair of conveyor means installed over said top and bottom rotors and circling around said rotors;

a plurality of rods disposed transversely over and outward of said pair of conveyor means and rotatably held by bearings attached to said conveyor means;

carriages suspended from and affixed to said rods, each of said carriages having a configuration for receiving batteries thereon;

means for ensuring said carriages can be positioned at a position opportune to receive or deliver said batteries through said doors of said structure;

a power source of electricity for charging said batteries;

means for distributing electricity from said source to said carriages;

means provided on each of said carriages for electrically connecting with terminal posts of said batteries; and

means for collecting and processing any gases and heat produced during an electrical charging of said batteries in said enclosed tower structure.

8. The vehicular battery, charging station as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for distributing electricity includes a pair of continuous belts disposed outward and alongside the path of said carriage rods and maintaining contact therewith.

9. The vehicular battery charging station as defined in claim 7 wherein said distributing means of electricity includes straight rails disposed outward and alongside vertical portions of the path of said carriage rods and keeping contact therewith.

10. The vehicular battery charging station as defined in claim 7 wherein said distributing means of electricity includes spot surfaces disposed outward and alongside the path of said carriages and coming into contact therewith through extensions provided on said carriages at a time of placing or removing said batteries from said carriages.

11. The vehicular battery charging station as defined in claim 7 wherein each of said carriages has a capacity of receiving a power pack comprising a plural number of batteries or a vehicle having batteries on board.