Electricity supply unit trailer for electric vehicles

• US 5,559,420 A
• Filed: 05/03/1994
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Institute For Home Economics of Japan Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Institute For Home Economics of Japan Incorporated
• Inventors: Kohchi, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US08/237,119
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/5, 180/65.1, 280/502, 280/500, 280/492, 280/511, 104/34
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• 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 2001/0444 Arrangement on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• 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 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/064 light luggage or equipment trailers, e.g. for batteries, gas generators, gas bottles, stretchers luggage carriers per se B60R
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• 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 50/289 characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or 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 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A power pack of batteries are enclosed in an encasement for protection and air-cooling. The encased batteries ride on wheels, and keep supplying power to an electric vehicle while attached to it. The unit can even generate additional electricity extending the driving range. When power is spent, run-down batteries are replaced by the wheeled unit with recharged ones, and the vehicle drivability is renewed on the spot.

Claims

1. A unit apparatus for supplying electricity to art electric vehicle comprising:

a plurality of batteries for accumulating electricity;

an encasement for enclosing said batteries in a compact manner;

means provided on said encasement for cooling said batteries;

terminals provided on said encasement and electrically connected with said batteries therein;

electric cables with a multi-plug connector for supplying electricity from said batteries through said terminals to an electric vehicle;

transportation means for permitting movement whereby said encasement is removably held on a frame body mounted on wheels, said frame body having a draw bar, the encasement being configured to slide onto and off of the frame body;

securing means at said draw bar for securing said unit to said vehicle; and

electric cords with a multi-plug connector for receiving control signals from said vehicle.

2. The unit apparatus for supplying electricity to an electric vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said cooling means includes port openings, and indented or protruding radiation fins thereon, and spacers provided on an interior floor of said encasement for separating each of said batteries from another.

3. The unit apparatus for supplying electricity to an electric vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein said encasement includes a pair of extended lateral rims opposedly provided on said encasement and a pair of bearing frames affixed to said frame body and of a configuration to slidingly receive and support said rims thereon.

4. The unit apparatus for supplying electricity to an electric vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein said terminals include more than one pair of anode and cathode members for selectively combining voltage and current supplied by said batteries depending upon the driving need of said vehicle.

5. The unit apparatus for supplying electricity to an electric vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein said securing means includes a ball and socket connection.

6. The unit apparatus for supplying electricity to an electric vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein said securing means includes a ball and socket connection connecting a clamp on an electric vehicle and said draw bar.

7. The unit apparatus for supplying electricity to art electric vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein said securing means includes a clamp and a pair of connecting rods provided between said clamp and said draw bar, said connecting rods having a ball at each end, said clamp and draw bar having corresponding spherical hollow receptacles to receive said balled ends snugly fit therewithin, and said rods being nonparallely disposed for confining the directional bearing of the frame body within a predetermined conical angle defined by apertures of said receptacles working in cooperation and together.

8. The unit apparatus for supplying electricity to art electric vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein provided on said frame body are generators for generating electricity, said generators having a drive mechanism thereof which, when controlled by the operator of said vehicle, can come into contact with said wheels, and auxiliary circuits including a circuit for charging said batteries with said generated electricity from said generator.

9. A detachable battery trailer for connection to a vehicle to supply electricity to the vehicle, comprising:

a U-shaped frame member having a pair of elongated slots;

means for translating the frame member across a support surface, including a pair of wheels operatively connected to the frame member;

a battery assembly;

a removable battery housing having a pair of extended support rims, one on each side of the housing, outer edges of the support rims being configured to be slidably mounted within the respective elongated slots of the U-shaped frame member for supporting the battery assembly;

means for removably fixing the battery housing to the U-shaped frame member;

means for supplying the electricity from the battery assembly to the vehicle; and

means for interconnecting the U-shaped frame member to a vehicle.

10. The battery trailer of claim 9 wherein the means for interconnecting includes a pair of spaced rods and a corresponding ball and socket connection for each rod on the respective frame member and on the vehicle, the spaced rods being pivotally connected to the vehicle and to the frame member.

11. The battery trailer of claim 9 further including power generating means operatively connected to the translating means for charging the battery assembly during movement of the trailer.

12. A detachable battery trailer assembly for connection to an electric vehicle, comprising:

a frame member having a pair of parallel side support rails, the support rails being hollow with opposite-facing elongated slots extending to an open rear face on each support rail;

means for translating the frame member across a support surface, including a pair of wheels operatively connected to the frame member;

a battery encasement member, having lateral parallel support rims, for removably supporting a plurality of batteries, the support rims being positioned on opposite sides of the encasement member and having a dimension to respectively extend into the elongated slots of the respective support rails, whereby the battery encasement member can be removably inserted into the frame member by inserting the support rims into the open rear faces of the support rails and moving the support rails along the elongated slots;

means for removably locking the battery encasement member to the frame member; and

means for interconnecting the frame member to the electric vehicle including a pair of ball and socket mounted rod members that are positioned to extend between the frame member and the electric vehicle and stop means for contacting the rod member to limit a relative rotation.

13. A detachable battery trailer assembly as in claim 12 wherein the support rims have an inverted L cross-sectional shape to permit an end of the rim to extend downward into the hollow side support rail.

14. A detachable battery trailer assembly as in claim 13 wherein the side support rails are substantially a hollow rectangular shape with a lot along one side.

15. A detachable battery trailer assembly as in claim 12 wherein the frame member has a plan view U-shaped configuration with an open center.

16. A detachable battery trailer assembly as in claim 12 wherein the rod members are not mounted in parallel between the frame member and the electric vehicle.