System for replenishing energy sources onboard different types of automotive vehicles

• US 7,602,143 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter David Capizzo
• Original Assignee: Peter David Capizzo
• Inventors: Capizzo, Peter David
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust; Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/556,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20070113921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 141/104, 141/231, 414266-267, 414/273, 414/277, 41433101-33106, 414/390, 414/398, 320/109, 320/138, 104/34
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/063 Arrangement of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/067 Mounting of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0472 from below
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/00 Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/02 Supplying fuel to vehicles; General disposition of plant in filling stations apparatus for transferring measured quantities of petrol, oil, or the like from storage space to vehicles B67D
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0401 arrangements for automatically fuelling vehicles, i.e. without human intervention
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0192 with external bearing means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0364 flexible or articulated, e.g. a hose
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/037 Quick connecting means, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0135 : Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/04 : Methods for emptying or filling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 : using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/065 : for refueling vehicle fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0139 : Fuel stations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 : by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/007 : for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 : dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/06 : by returnable containers , i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value, e.g. bottles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• 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

A service station facility for replenishing various motivational energy sources onboard different types of automotive vehicles is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the service station facility includes a rack, replaceable fuel tanks, a service module, and an electronic computer control system. The replaceable fuel tanks are stocked on the rack and substantially filled with various fluids, such as hydrogen, which are utile as motivational energy sources within fuel-operated automotive vehicles. The service module is mounted on the rack, and the electronic computer control system is connected in electrical communication with the service module. In this configuration, the service module is controllably operable to receive a depleted replaceable fuel tank from a fuel-operated automotive vehicle and also selectively deliver one of the filled replaceable fuel tanks onboard the automotive vehicle. In another embodiment, the service station facility may also stock replaceable batteries for selective delivery onboard battery-operated automotive vehicles.

Claims

1. A mobile service station facility for replenishing energy sources onboard different types of automotive vehicles said service station facility comprising:

a portable rack having a service platform on which an automotive vehicle is to be positioned for replacement of a depleted storage device of said automotive vehicle;

a single loop conveyor system mounted on said rack;

a plurality of replaceable storage devices coupled to said conveyor a system and storing fluids or charges utile as motivational energy sources for automotive vehicles;

a service module mounted on said rack, said service module controllably operable to receive said depleted storage device from said automotive vehicle and also to selectively deliver one of said replaceable storage devices for installation onboard said automotive vehicle; and

an electronic computer control system connected in electrical communication with said service module and said conveyor system,

wherein said conveyor system is controllably operable to circulate said replaceable storage devices about said service station facility beneath said service platform so that said service module has selective access to each of said replaceable storage devices, wherein at least one of said replaceable storage devices coupled to said conveyor system is positioned directly below said automotive vehicle when said automotive vehicle is positioned on said service platform for replacement of said depleted storage device, wherein said replaceable storage devices include at least a first replaceable storage device and a second replaceable storage device, and wherein said conveyor system is controllably operable to circulate said replaceable storage devices such that said second replaceable storage device passes under said first replaceable storage device while said first replaceable storage device is moving in a first direction and said second replaceable storage device is moving in a second direction.

2. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said service station facility further comprises:

a hitch mounted on said rack; and

a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on said rack, wherein both said hitch and said wheels facilitate towing of said service station facility.

3. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said storage devices are filled with at least one fluid selected from a group consisting of biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane, butanol, compressed air, compressed hydrogen, compressed natural gas, diesel, ethanol, gasoline, hydride, hydrogen, hythane, liquefied natural gas, liquid hydrogen, liquid nitrogen, methane, methanol, oxygen, P-series fuel, propane, vegetable oil, and a fuel blend.

4. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said service station facility further comprises a recharging system.

5. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein the storage devices are rechargeable batteries.

6. The mobile service station facility according to claim 5, wherein said rechargeable batteries are selected from a group consisting of a lead-acid type battery, a lithium-ion type battery, a nickel-cadmium type battery, a nickel/metal-hydride type battery, and a silver-zinc type battery.

7. The mobile service station facility according to claim 5, wherein said service station facility further comprises an electric charging system connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system and controllably connectable in electrical communication with any of said rechargeable batteries that are designated for charging;

wherein said electric charging system is controllably operable to substantially charge any of said rechargeable batteries designated for charging.

8. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said service station facility further comprises:

at least one position sensor mounted on said rack and connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system, wherein said position sensor is controllably operable to sense a position of said automotive vehicle relative to said service station facility so as to facilitate alignment and controlled operation of said service module relative to said automotive vehicle while said automotive vehicle is serviced.

9. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said service station facility further comprises:

a transceiver mounted on said rack and connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system;

wherein said transceiver is controllably operable to establish communication with said automotive vehicle and to identify said automotive vehicle.

10. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said service station facility further comprises:

a service control panel connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system;

a service display monitor connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system; and

a pay terminal connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system.

11. The mobile service station facility according to claim 10, wherein said service station facility further comprises:

a self-service control panel connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system; and

a self service display monitor connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system.

12. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said service station facility further comprises:

an electrolyzer system connected in electrical communication with said electronic computer control system and controllably connected in fluidal communication with any of said replaceable storage devices that are designated for retaining hydrogen;

wherein said electrolyzer system is controllably operable to receive both water and electricity to thereby produce hydrogen so as to substantially fill any of said replaceable fuel tanks designated for retaining hydrogen.

13. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said rack has at least one ramp for enabling said automotive vehicle to reach said service platform.

14. The mobile service station facility according to claim 13, further comprising at least one wheel rotatably mounted on said rack.

15. The mobile service station facility according to claim 14, further comprising a hitch mounted on said rack.

16. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, wherein said electronic computer control system is configured to receive data indicative of a vehicle type for said automotive vehicle and to select one replaceable storage device for installation onboard said automotive vehicle based on said data.

17. The mobile service station facility according to claim 16, wherein said data is wirelessly transmitted from said automotive vehicle.

18. The mobile service station facility according to claim 1, further comprising an energy replenishing system operable to replenish the energy storage devices on the conveyor system as the energy storage devices are circulated by the conveyor system.