HK1023976B - Battery charging and exchange system for electrically powered vehicles - Google Patents

Description

Battery charging and replacement system for electrically driven vehicles

Background

The invention relates to a battery charging and transfer system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a battery charging and transfer system that automatically replaces and charges batteries for electric vehicles, including automobiles, scooters and other electrically driven motorcycles.

U.S. patent No.4,334,819 discloses a continuous battery charging system in which batteries are removed from an electric vehicle at a battery transfer station. New batteries are installed at the transfer station and the used batteries are placed in a charging system for charging and return to the transfer station.

The above system is made in view of the need to have the ability to charge a large number of replaceable batteries, i.e. it must be made to follow the adoption and acceptability of the electric drive vehicle transportation industry. One disadvantage of electrically driven vehicles is the short travel distance that can be achieved with known battery technology. In order to provide a practical electric vehicle system, the batteries must be transferable around and the driver can complete the journey without having to recharge a battery. That is, if the electric vehicle travels a distance of 100 miles without recharging the battery or battery pack, the user can only travel a short distance of 50 miles. However, the safe driving distance limit can be extended if the user can easily replace a partially depleted battery with a new or fully charged battery every 75 or 100 miles driven.

Thus, the above prior art patent application discloses an invention that enables a vehicle to travel long distances because: charged or new batteries can be quickly installed into the vehicle throughout a route that has a greater path length than the vehicle battery's ability to travel back and forth. Despite the above-described invention, there is a need for a battery charging and delivery system that can remove a battery that is depleted of electricity from a vehicle and replace it with a fully charged battery. The battery and charging system preferably allow for efficient handling of the battery during removal, charging and installation of the battery.

Summary of the invention

In order to make the conventional battery transfer and charging system of the type described in the above-identified patent more universally applicable and more acceptable, the present invention improves upon the system by improving the transfer method used to replace batteries at the transfer station and the configuration of the charging station. According to the present invention, an efficient battery charging and transfer station is provided that is fully automated and adaptable to a variety of battery powered electric motorcycle vehicles. By using a continuous charging conveyor belt, one of the biggest drawbacks of electric vehicles can be eliminated: the vehicle is strung and stationary while the battery is being recharged. The continuous mode of operation of the battery charging and transfer station requires only a few seconds to replace a spent battery with a charged battery, rather than hours.

More specifically, the present invention provides a relatively long and wide, but flat battery or battery pack for an electric vehicle that can be mounted laterally within the vehicle. The battery may be, for example, a 5 'wide, 5' long and 9 "high battery unit, or may comprise a series of smaller batteries connected in a stack or battery box made up of smaller batteries. In another embodiment, the battery may be, for example, a 2 'wide, 2' long and 1.5 "high battery unit for use in an electric vehicle such as a small electric scooter. In either case, the batteries (cells or battery packs) can be removed laterally from the vehicle by either using a new battery laterally to push into a battery holder of the human vehicle or laterally replacing the battery using a sprocket, conveyor or other mechanism. In the battery holder, contact of the battery terminals with the vehicle drive motor is automatically established.

With such a system, vehicles may be sold with an original battery that can be replaced at a transmission station with a new battery at a battery charging organization having stations at important locations in the area to service the ever increasing number of interchangeable electric vehicles, and which is relatively inexpensive to recharge in addition to discharge and replace.

In order to facilitate the development of a system having battery transfer stations, the stations of the present invention are preferably constructed as modular units. Therefore, the initial investment cost of the transmission station to be built is low, and the initial investment cost can be gradually increased along with the continuous increase of the demand. Furthermore, the increase in production capacity obtained by the expansion of the modular units allows the accumulator charging and transfer station to obtain maximum productivity. The use of standard components for expansion may also increase throughput without requiring additional space or the expense of adding additional space. Therefore, the present invention has an advantage of having great market competitiveness in those places where the open space for constructing additional transmission stations is scarce,

to accomplish the above invention, a battery transfer station is provided into which a standard vehicle, such as an automobile, a scooter, or other battery powered electric motorcycle, can be driven. The vehicle has a battery holder device for accommodating a relatively wide flat battery. A charged battery can be moved laterally into position, the charged battery contacting the existing battery and forcing the existing battery laterally away from the battery holder to the receiving means. When the original battery leaves the battery seat, the chain wheel of the battery bearing device is meshed with the grooves on the bottom surface of the original battery. Each chain wheel can complete the operation of taking out the original storage battery from the vehicle. In other embodiments, the battery is removed completely or partially using drive sprockets located in the floor of the battery compartment that engage recesses in the battery. These sprockets may be powered by an external energy source connected to the vehicle (via a slidably engaging electrical connector) when the vehicle initially enters the charging station. Alternatively, the batteries themselves may be exposed at their bottom side portions and the sprockets may engage the recesses in the batteries by lifting them from the base of the transfer station.

A transmission is provided to move a new battery horizontally into the battery receptacle, and means are provided for receiving a used battery in the charging system. The used battery is tested and if not suitable for recharging, it is discarded and discarded or recharged sequentially with other batteries, while being transferred through the charging stations to the transfer station for installation in the latter vehicle.

One aspect of the present invention is a battery transfer station for handling a standard two-wheeled vehicle, such as a scooter. The vehicle has a battery holder arrangement for receiving a relatively wide flat battery, preferably located adjacent to the area where the feet of a low-seated scooter rider are located. The low scooter charging and transfer system is designed with a vehicle receiving area that allows the vehicle to be properly positioned and controlled during battery transfer. A vehicle docking station can maintain the vehicle in an upright position throughout the battery transfer operation.

In one embodiment, the scooter system is designed to: during battery transfer operations, the driver of the vehicle must disembark from the vehicle, and the system is specially equipped to handle the process with high efficiency and to provide safety to the vehicle driver disembarking from the vehicle. An elevated support area provides safety for the driver by lifting the driver above the actual battery transfer position during battery transfer. In one embodiment, the transfer system of the scooter also has a sensor to detect whether the vehicle operator is safely above and away from the battery transfer conveyor.

The charging and transfer system may be constructed in a vertical orientation, with the transfer conveyor extending above the vehicle rather than laterally around the vehicle. A vertically oriented system may provide all of the features and benefits described above, but it takes up much less real estate. Thus, the conveyor can extend vertically while occupying only the requisite land in a region with limited space.

In another embodiment, the charging and transfer system described above is adapted for use within a vending machine that can recharge and dispense small portable batteries that can be manually mounted within an electric assist bicycle by a user. The vending machine includes a small battery conveyor located within a secure housing. The conveyor may be a series of horizontal or vertical conveyors mounted within the vending machine. In operation, a user may remove a depleted battery from the vehicle and place it within or near an opening in the vending machine housing. Once the user begins the battery transfer operation (such as by paying the appropriate fee), a depleted battery receiving device may transfer the depleted battery to the battery receiving end of the conveyor. A sufficiently charged accumulator can then be removed from the output of the conveyor and given to the user. The fully charged battery can then be manually placed inside a battery compartment of the vehicle to power the bicycle.

The invention has other advantages and features which will be best understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment, however, it is to be understood that the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings are not limiting. The scope of the invention should be determined from the following claims.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away top plan view of the battery transfer charging system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing a first module in solid lines and additional modules in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates some of the computer-based components of the system;

FIG. 5A is a block diagram of a preferred database implementation in which battery history data is maintained in a centralized computer database;

FIG. 5B illustrates a process followed by the computer of FIG. 5A when the battery is first removed from a vehicle;

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary battery or battery box for use with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a transverse partial sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 with parts broken away;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a general manner of adding some extension conveyors to the system;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the battery transfer and charging system of the low scooter of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the battery transport and charging system of FIG. 12 showing additional details of the system;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged top plan view of one embodiment of the support mechanism for the scooter of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 12;

fig. 16 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 of fig. 14, illustrating a longitudinally oriented embodiment of the battery transfer and charging system of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective view of another exemplary battery for use with the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of the electric assist bicycle of the present invention;

FIGS. 19A-19C are enlarged schematic views of various embodiments of a power transmission mechanism for an electric assist bicycle;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged side perspective view of an exemplary battery and motor assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a side perspective view of a vending machine having a housing and a battery delivery system of the present invention; and

fig. 22 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 22-22 of fig. 21.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Fig. 1-3 show the general arrangement and structure of a battery charging and transfer system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As best shown in fig. 1, the system includes a continuous battery delivery circuit C extending from one side of a vehicle station (a vehicle V disposed therein is shown) to an opposite side of the vehicle station. The batteries B are moved by means of the conveyor loop from the receiving end or receiving station 15 of the conveyor to the output end 14 of the conveyor, while being charged by means of a plurality of battery chargers 16. The system also includes a transfer station or device T that moves a new (charged) battery laterally from the output end 14 into the battery compartment 17 (fig. 3) of the vehicle V, while an original (depleted or partially depleted) battery is removed from the vehicle and placed on the receiving end 15 of the conveyor.

As shown in fig. 1, each battery charger 16 is disposed at a respective battery rest position ("battery position") along the conveyor C to recharge each battery as it is conveyed from the receiving end 15 to the output end 14 of the conveyor. In the preferred embodiment described, a battery charging station 16 is provided at each battery position along both longitudinal sections of the conveyor C. As will be described hereinafter, the battery position at the receiving end 15 of the conveyor functions as a battery test and removal station for (i) determining whether each removed battery can be effectively recharged, and (ii) removing bad batteries from the system.

As shown in fig. 2, the conveyor structure preferably comprises a plurality of vertical pillars 10 on which frame structures 11 are mounted in a suitable manner. Each post 10 extends vertically so that it can be applied to one or more vertically spaced apart spreader modules C2, as further illustrated in fig. 10 (described below). Each spreader module includes a conveyor loop that is substantially identical in structure and operation to conveyor loop C described herein.

As further illustrated in fig. 2, the transfer station T comprises a positioning structure 12, illustrated as a seat for the front wheel 13 of the vehicle V when said vehicle is driven into the transfer station T, so that a standard length of vehicle can be positioned evenly and longitudinally within said transfer station. If desired, multiple locating devices 12 may be provided at spaced locations for different length vehicles. As shown in fig. 3, the battery compartment 17 of the vehicle extends through the vehicle and under the passenger compartment from one side of the vehicle to the other. As shown in fig. 1 and 3, a hydraulic cylinder 20 or other moving means and drive sprockets engaging grooves on the batteries are used to move the charged batteries off the conveyor and into the vehicle V. As will be described below, the incoming battery moves the existing vehicle battery sufficiently out of the battery compartment 17 so that a set of drive sprockets are located at the receiving end 15 of the conveyor, thereby completing the removal of the existing battery. Alternatively, the lateral battery movement could be performed entirely by using drive sprockets instead of a hydraulic cylinder. As shown in fig. 1, the transport structure extends longitudinally from the terminating end 15, then laterally and back to the exit end 14. Thus, a lateral space may be provided to accommodate vehicles between two longitudinal conveyor lines. As shown in fig. 2, the transverse portion of the conveying loop (i.e. the portion connecting the two parallel longitudinal portions) is raised and the longitudinal portions slope upwards from the transfer station T to the transverse portion. In this way, after the batteries have been exchanged, the vehicle can be driven under the raised transverse part (between the vertical pillars 10). Or, if desired. The transverse portion can be conveniently located below the path of the driving away vehicle. The conveyor enables vehicles to enter and exit the system without reversing, thereby enabling vehicles to efficiently traverse the system in a continuous manner.

Referring now to fig. 3, the system includes a battery lift assembly 43 which, after removal of the batteries from the vehicle, moves the removed batteries vertically relative to the conveyor C. The lifting assembly 43 cooperates with the battery removal assembly 44 to remove batteries from the conveyor system, such as when the removed batteries fail a battery test. The lifting assembly 43 is also connected to a battery insertion assembly (not shown) to insert a new battery into the conveyor system to replace a spent battery. In the case where one or more extension modules C2 are included (as shown in fig. 10 and 11), a lift assembly 43 is also employed to move batteries between multiple transport levels, as will be described further below. A second battery lift may be provided at the battery output end 14 of the illustrated conveyor, as shown in fig. 10 and 11.

As shown in fig. 4, the system includes a computer 37 which controls the operation of the conveyor by means of conventional control circuitry 38. The control circuit 38 may be in the form of one or more standard add-on cards that are inserted into expansion slots of the computer. Control circuitry 38 is connected to the various electrically driven components of the conveyor and lift assembly by control lines 39 with signals generated by the control circuitry in accordance with instructions from computer 37.

The computer 37 is preferably connected to an electronic payment system P (fig. 4 and 10) which makes it possible for the driver of the vehicle V to obtain payment information for paying the costs associated with the battery replacement. In the preferred embodiment, the payment system P includes a magnetic card reader and a standard keyboard (not shown). In other embodiments, the payment system P may include, for example, a radio frequency transceiver that can bi-directionally communicate with a conventional vehicular transponder to pay for the taxable road.

The computer 37 is also preferably connected to at least one bar code reader R disposed along the conveyor for reading the bar code labels on the batteries. The bar code label includes a battery identification code that uniquely identifies each battery of the system. In a preferred embodiment, the computer uses these identification codes to enable information data access to a centralized database and server 40 (FIG. 5A) via a network connector 41, such as a connector to the Internet. Other types of electronic sensing systems may be substituted for the disclosed bar code system, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, each battery may be provided with a smaller, embedded radio frequency transmitter, such as microsamp, available from Micron Communications inc^TMA card transmitter that transmits the identification code to a base radio frequency receiver of the station.

Referring now to fig. 5A, information data is accessed from a centralized database 40 by computers at a plurality of geographically distributed battery charging and transfer stations 42 (preferably having the same configuration as described above). As further described, the database includes battery tracking and historical information ("historical data") that is maintained based on battery characteristics, in relation to the unique ID code of each battery. For each battery, the information may include, for example, the number of times the battery has been recharged, the first use data within the vehicle, and the present location of the battery (e.g., charging station or vehicle). When a given battery is placed inside a vehicle, the location information may include information relating to the vehicle and/or the vehicle driver (such as an identification number of the vehicle). The database 40 may be updated remotely from the battery charging/transfer station 42 by means of transmitting an update request over the network to a server connected to the database. These update requests are generated by the computer 37 of each station in accordance with the battery replacement work.

As will be described further below, each time an electrically depleted battery is removed from a vehicle, the computer 37 of the respective station 42 reads the identification code of the battery and then accesses the centralized database to retrieve historical data for the battery. The computer 37 then uses this information in addition to the results of the electrical tests of the battery to determine whether the battery should be discarded or removed from the system. This allows the decision whether to discard the battery to be made based on a number of criteria.

Although the preferred embodiment employs a centralized database 40 to store battery history data, it should be appreciated that other storage methods are possible. For example, the batteries are preferably kept and have access to their respective historical data by means of conventional solid state memory devices located inside the battery housing. This approach reduces or eliminates the need for a centralized database 40, however, it does not provide the battery tracking capabilities of the centralized database. It should also be appreciated that conventional caching techniques may be used to store copies of the historian database 40 locally at the transfer station 42, so that access to the centralized database 40 is not necessary each time a battery is replaced.

The actual battery replacement in the vehicle can be accomplished by one of various other methods depending on the configuration of the battery and the receiving structure of the vehicle battery. For example, if the installed, electrically depleted accumulator is not to be forcibly replaced with a new charged accumulator, the installed, electrically depleted accumulator can be removed in advance, such as by a sprocket, as will be described below. Further, while the preferred embodiment is for laterally horizontally mounting and removing the batteries, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications can be made to the disclosure herein and the desired battery compartment configuration of the vehicle.

For example, the battery can be removed vertically from the vehicle and then a new battery can be inserted vertically. This embodiment, with the batteries installed and removed vertically and laterally, allows a more compact system to be obtained in areas with limited space. Similarly, the battery may be conveniently removed from, for example, the rear of the vehicle or the front of the vehicle, horizontally in an axial direction. The precise location and manner of removal of the battery is a design consideration that may be optimized by one of ordinary skill in the art through routine experimentation, such as consideration of the size of the battery, the weight distribution of the vehicle, and other access locations such as door locations, wheels, and the like.

Although one battery is preferred, two, three, four or more batteries in bulk may be removed or loaded into a vehicle. From an engineering or design aesthetic point of view, it may be desirable to fit multiple batteries in separate devices depending on the configuration of the vehicle and the total volume of batteries required. Furthermore, a common battery and a separate "backup" battery may be desirable from a consumer convenience standpoint.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that various vertical lifts, conveyors and other structural members of the battery charging and transfer system of the present invention can be modified to accommodate each type of variation.

A preferred apparatus and method for replacing a battery will now be described. As shown in fig. 1 and 7, the transfer station T includes a hydraulic cylinder 20 having a rod 21 that extends outwardly to forcefully move the battery or batteries B into the vehicle. The rod 21 pushes the battery B1 laterally into the battery holder 22 in the vehicle. The battery B1 displaces the original vehicle battery B2, forcing the original battery B2 toward the receiving end 15 of the conveyor onto an outlet conveyor, such as an inclined ramp portion 23 of the battery holder 22.

The battery holder in the vehicle is configured so that retaining means can be provided to prevent the battery from moving laterally away from the battery holder except at a transfer station where suitable moving means 16, such as hydraulic cylinders 20, are provided. Any holding structure may be provided according to the design of the battery and the design of the battery holder. For example, one or more vertically extending ridges or protrusions may be provided on the mounting side and/or the retraction side of the battery to provide a stop over which the battery must pass to exit the vehicle. The stop may be permanently positioned or may be movable between a "locked" and "unlocked" position. Alternatively, any battery compartment latch may be used, except that it is normally latched during battery replacement. In the embodiment shown, the battery holder 22 (fig. 7) is provided with a shoulder on the mounting side of the battery holder, which prevents the battery from moving in the opposite direction.

As shown in fig. 8, a transmission D is provided to facilitate the lateral movement of the used battery away from the vehicle. As shown in fig. 7, such a drive D may include a driven sprocket assembly 24 adapted to engage notches and grooves 25 (fig. 8) in the bottom surface of the battery to transfer battery B2 from the vehicle to the docking station 15. The recesses 25 are preferably located adjacent opposite ends of the batteries B and provide a sprocket engagement to drive the batteries laterally. The underside of the batteries also have laterally spaced sprocket receiving recesses 26 which are engageable by auxiliary drive sprockets 27 (fig. 8 and 9) which are adapted to engage the batteries and move them progressively in a lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of movement through the charging station. As is clear from these figures, each notch 25, 26 in fig. 6 and 9 represents a respective column of notches extending along the bottom face of the accumulator.

Alternatively, any engagement means may be provided on the battery pack to engage with the drive mechanism of the transfer station. The use of a particular structure, such as hooks, loops, projections or grooves, will depend on the load of the batteries to be transferred, the static friction or structural stop that needs to be overcome during the removal of the batteries and the direction of removal, such as horizontal or vertical lift, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In general, the profile of the engagement structure is preferably relatively low to minimize the chance of accidental interlocking with other batteries or other components of the system, and also to allow sufficient transfer force to pass the batteries through the transfer station. To this end, the inventor provided a plurality of spaced grooves in the housing of the battery to engage with the sprocket as shown, or with an engaging structure on the drive mechanism.

While the system described above employs forcing the original battery into motion by a newly introduced battery, other battery removal methods may be employed. For example, the vehicle may be provided with drive sprockets within the battery compartment to move the batteries into and out of the compartment without forcing the original batteries to move. The sprockets may be powered by an external energy source coupled to the vehicle (e.g., via a slidably engaging electrical connector) when the vehicle initially enters the charging station. Furthermore, although the inventor has adopted a system in which the batteries are inserted and removed in one direction of the path of travel, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the hydraulic transmissions of the conveyors and transfer stations may be modified so that the batteries can be removed and inserted from the same side of the vehicle if desired.

Alternatively, the bottom side of the battery may be exposed when located in the vehicle, so that the laterally spaced sprockets can engage from an area directly below the bottom side of the battery without having to equip the vehicle with drive sprockets. Alternatively, the embodiment may be configured to lift the battery upwardly off the battery seat prior to moving the battery. The present embodiment will be described in detail below in conjunction with a low-profile scooter system.

As shown in fig. 1 and 6, the battery has contact posts 30 at both ends thereof, which can automatically engage contact pads inside the vehicle when the battery is moved into the vehicle. Also located on opposite sides of the battery are charging contacts 31, which may also be used as test contacts. Thus, when the battery is removed from the vehicle at the transfer station T, the removed battery enters the receiving station or receiving location 15 and the contact 31 on one side engages a test rail 32 (fig. 1). Preferably, the contact post 30 and the charging contact 31 are internally connected. In this way, battery charging operations can be performed at all battery positions of the conveyor, including the battery positions on the longitudinal and transverse sections of the conveyor. As shown most clearly in fig. 3, a vertically movable test contact 33 can be raised and lowered by means of a hydraulic cylinder 34 in the receiving position 15, so that the battery can be tested. Referring again to fig. 3, a lift assembly 43 is connected to the receiving station 5 so that bad batteries can be removed from the conveyor system under the control of the computer 37. The battery removal assembly preferably includes a hydraulic cylinder 44, which cylinder 44 moves the battery away from the vertically movable receiving station 15 once the battery is lowered to the level of the cylinder 44.

The contact posts or contacts 31 (fig. 1) are in line engagement with the charging rails 35 and 36 as the batteries are continuously moved from one battery position to another along the conveyor C. The charging rails 35 and 36 can be controlled by means of a voltage regulator (not shown) so that the charging level of the batteries is controlled. Although the charging rails 35, 38 are shown only along one of the two longitudinal sections of the conveyor of fig. 1, the charging stations are preferably located along both the longitudinal and transverse sections.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of different types of battery contacts 30, 31 may be used to reversibly electrically contact the vehicle and charging station with the battery. In one embodiment, the contacts 30, 31 are retractable, spring-loaded members that can be retracted into the battery housing in response to the actual driving force. In another embodiment, a conductive contact surface located above or below the adjacent surface of the battery may be used in place of the retractable contacts. Alternatively, any of plugs, clips, conductive cables, and the like may be used. Fig. 17 best illustrates another embodiment of the battery having elongated electrical contacts 30, 31 on each side of the battery, and the battery shown in fig. 17 further illustrates grooves or recesses 126 on the underside of the battery for use with a sprocket drive mechanism.

It may be desirable to prevent charging of the batteries at locations other than the designated battery transfer and charging station. For example, it may be desirable to prevent a user from recharging the batteries using a household charging system or other unauthorized device. This is preferably accomplished by providing a disable control circuit (not shown) or switch which can be selectively turned on or off by the transmission station to enable or disable recharging. For example, the battery may include a disable control circuit that allows recharging only when the battery receives valid encrypted authorization information from the transmission station. The battery may also include a timer that may inhibit recharging for a specified period of time after the authorization message is received, or may include a circuit that inhibits recharging after the battery has been sufficiently recharged. Preferably, the control circuit is operable to electrically disconnect the charging contacts from the battery when the circuit is in the disabled state.

The batteries used in the present system may be of any type including, for example, conventional acid lead batteries, alkaline batteries, NiCd (nickel chromium) batteries, NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries, or zinc-air batteries. In addition, the present system is adapted to handle a battery pack or cell, rather than the entire battery. In this context, "battery" may include a fully packaged cell, a battery pack, or an alternative portion of a battery, such as a single cell.

The system is therefore suitable for replacing the battery pack or cell of a zinc-air or similar battery, where the zinc-air cell includes a zinc core within the battery housing and which can be replaced or recharged. The system is suitable for replacing the zinc core of a zinc-air battery, such as manufactured by Electric Fuel corporation, new york or b.a.t. international, headquartered in california. The conveyor may replace the zinc core within the battery case rather than the entire battery.

Referring to fig. 1, the transfer system may utilize a transverse drive notch 25 in the battery to transfer the battery from one longitudinal section to another along the section indicated by reference numeral 11. As is apparent from fig. 8 and 9, the sprocket 24 and the driving device 24d are mounted on a carriage structure 24f which is selectively vertically movable by means of a hydraulic cylinder 24r, since the transverse driving sprocket 24 and the longitudinal driving sprocket 27 cannot be simultaneously engaged with the accumulator. Likewise, a hydraulic cylinder 27r can vertically move the sprocket support 27f and the sprocket drive 27 d. Thus, the sprockets 24 and 27 can selectively engage the battery drive recesses 25 and 26.

Fig. 5B shows a general procedure followed by the computer 37 each time a battery is removed from a vehicle. As shown in block 60, the computer 37 first reads the ID code of the battery with the bar code reader R and then accesses the centralized database 40 to retrieve the historical data of the battery. (in those embodiments where historical data is stored internally to each battery, this step may, for example, comprise radio frequency interrogation of the circuitry of each battery to cause the battery to transmit data). Concurrently with the data retrieval, computer 37 initiates an electrical battery recharge test to determine if the battery can be properly recharged, as indicated in block 62. If the battery fails the recharge test, it is removed from the conveyor C by the lift assembly 43 and replaced with a new battery, as indicated by blocks 64 and 66.

Referring now to blocks 68 and 70, if the battery passes the battery recharge test, the computer performs a second battery test that includes comparing the retrieved battery history data to predetermined removal criteria, such as a maximum number of recharges and/or a maximum time of use. If the battery fails to meet a predetermined standard value, it is removed from the system. The combination of an electrical test and a test using historical data can prevent the loading of a bad battery into the vehicle to a high degree.

Referring now to blocks 72 and 74, once the battery test is complete (and batteries replaced if necessary), the conveyor advances to one battery position. In addition, the centralized database is updated to reflect the test results of the battery tests. If the system includes one or more expansion levels or modules (as shown in fig. 10 and 11), the computer 37 also executes code for moving the battery between two or more levels (as will be described below).

In addition to the battery test code reflected by fig. 5B, the computer 37 executes code to ensure that the battery is sufficiently recharged before being loaded into each vehicle. In the preferred embodiment, this is accomplished by recording the time each battery has been recharged based on the characteristics of the battery and ensuring that the next battery to be loaded has been recharged for a minimum period of time. (since batteries enter and exit the conveyor system on a first-in-first-out basis, the time that batteries resting at the discharge end 14 of the conveyor are in the system is typically the longest.) in another embodiment, a battery testing station may also or alternatively be located at or near the battery discharge end 14 to test each battery prior to loading. Whenever the computer 37 determines that the next battery to be loaded into the vehicle is not sufficiently recharged, the computer will display a message on an edge display signal (not shown) indicating that each battery is not currently available for use. The information preferably also indicates the length of time that the recharged batteries are available for use.

Fig. 10 and 11 show a general way of adding additional delivery circuits or modules to the system to increase battery capacity. The illustrated system includes a main conveying circuit C1, and an expanded conveying circuit C2 disposed above the main conveying circuit. The two conveying circuits are substantially identical to the conveying circuit C described above. Additional expansion conveyors may also be added as needed to accommodate various needs. In the preferred embodiment, the two transport loops include charging stations (not shown) disposed along respective longitudinal portions thereof. Battery lifters 43A and 43B are provided at opposite ends of the two conveying circuits C1, C2 to move each battery vertically between two conveying levels. The conveying circuits C1, C2 preferably each comprise a battery charger along their respective longitudinal sections, preferably at each battery position.

In operation, the battery lifter 43A at the receiving end receives batteries removed from vehicles passing through the system and selectively transfers the removed batteries (under control of the computer 37) to the upper or lower conveyor circuits C1, C2. The lifter 43B at the discharge end is likewise programmable between two transport levels for selectively removing the batteries from the transport circuit for transport to the respective vehicle. In the preferred embodiment described, the computer 37 is programmed to alternate between the two delivery circuits so that approximately half of the batteries are delivered by the lower delivery circuit C1 and the other half are delivered by the upper delivery circuit C2. With this generic device, the addition of new delivery circuits essentially increases the time each accumulator spends in the system and thus increases the effective recharge time of each accumulator. The addition of additional conveying circuits can be adapted to higher requirements.

A description of a low-profile scooter embodiment of the battery transfer and recharging system will now be described with reference to fig. 12-17. Figure 12 shows the general layout and structure of a low-profile scooter battery charging and transfer system, a variation of the above-described automotive battery charging and transfer system, particularly adapted to handle a two-wheeled electric low-profile scooter, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A preferred apparatus and method for replacing batteries in a scooter will now be described, but the apparatus and method for replacing batteries described above can be applied directly to a scooter battery transfer and charging system. As will be appreciated from the following description, the system may be used to handle electric mopeds, and other types of two-wheeled vehicles.

As shown in fig. 12 and 13, the system includes a continuous battery delivery circuit C 'extending from one side of a vehicle station T' (a lower scooter V 'disposed therein is shown) to an opposite side of the vehicle station T'. As shown in the automotive system of fig. 1-11, the battery B' is moved from the receiving end or station 115 of the conveyor to the output end 114 of the conveyor by means of a conveyor loop, while being charged by means of a plurality of battery chargers (not shown). However, in this embodiment, the conveying circuit C' passes under the lift support areas 155 on both sides of the vehicle. The construction of the lifting support areas on each side of the vehicle is preferably identical.

As shown in fig. 14 and 15, the battery compartment 117 of the vehicle extends through the vehicle below the floor area where the rider's feet are located when the rider is riding on the scooter. It would be desirable to retrofit electric scooter motorcycles such as those manufactured by Kwang Yang Motor Company (KYMCO) and Piaggio SpA to provide the required battery compartment. In addition, the battery transfer station may be more conveniently adapted for use with electric low-profile scooter-type vehicles, such as three-wheel vehicles manufactured by India's Baja Auto Limited and various four-wheel all terrain off-road vehicles.

Unlike the replacement of the car battery where the driver and passengers remain in the vehicle, it is preferable to design the scooter so that the driver of the scooter must get off the vehicle during the replacement of the battery. The elevated support area 155 essentially comprises a ground 159 which allows the driver of the vehicle to stand above the conveyor without disturbing the battery replacement operation. Furthermore, the support area 155 can provide additional safety by raising the position of the driver above the conveyor C' during battery transport. The elevated support areas 155 work in conjunction with the battery conveyor C' to allow vehicles to enter and exit the system without turning around, thereby allowing vehicles to efficiently move through the system in a continuous manner. In a particular embodiment, the driver of the vehicle can use the elevated support area to step up the ramp 157 and park the lower scooter at a location within the vehicle docking station 150. The driver may still be positioned on the ground 159 of the elevated support area 155 when the vehicle is in place and parked inside the vehicle docking station 150. Each scooter of standard length is positioned evenly and longitudinally within the transfer station. When the battery replacement work is completed, the driver can pull the vehicle forward.

As further shown in fig. 13, access may be had to the electronic payment system P' described above, while the driver may stand on the ground 159 of the elevated support area 155.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, other embodiments may be employed instead of an elevated support area to enable the vehicle operator to position the scooter within the transfer station. For example, a conveyor mechanism or the like may be used to move the vehicle to the location of the vehicle safety station. Alternatively, to maintain continuous handling of the vehicles, the operator may move the vehicles to a level and over the battery carrier by a step rather than a ramp. Alternatively, the battery replacement operation may be started by an operator or maintenance person at a transfer station.

As shown in FIG. 13, the elevated support area 155 optionally includes an optical sensing device 161 to detect the presence of a vehicle operator on the elevated support area. The elevated support areas 155 are located on both sides of the vehicle V 'and may be equipped with an optical sensing device 161 to allow monitoring of the presence of additional vehicle occupants or vehicle drivers using opposing ramps to position the vehicle within the transfer station T'. The sensor 161 is preferably located directly below the surface of the ground 159 above the elevated support area 155. The sensor 161 is also preferably connected to the computer system described above by a pass-through control circuit. The sensor 161 ensures that the driver is safely away from the battery-changing conveyor before starting the change of battery by monitoring the area around the raised support area 155. When the sensor 161 detects an object in the beam path, a control signal is generated to stop the conveyor. The sensor 161 can provide an additional safety feature for the driver of a scooter, which is not required by the vehicle battery exchange system. Alternatively, the sensor may monitor whether a maintenance person at the transfer station is present when the maintenance person starts or performs the battery replacement operation.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of different sensing devices may be employed to determine whether a person is present at the ground of the elevated support area. For example, the detection of whether a driver is present at the landing may be accomplished using a weight sensor located directly below the landing. The sensor may be configured to measure a critical weight before battery replacement is initiated.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 14, the transfer station T 'includes a hydraulic cylinder 120 having a rod 121 that forces battery B1' laterally into a battery holder 122 in the vehicle. The battery B1 ' moves the original vehicle battery B2 ' forcing the original battery B2 ' to move toward the receiving end 115 of the conveyor onto an exit conveyor. One or more drive sprockets 127 can be provided at the receiving end as shown in fig. 7 to complete the battery replacement operation. Alternatively, the battery replacement work may be started and manually performed by an operation or maintenance person of the transfer station.

In the preferred embodiment shown in fig. 15, only the drive sprocket 127 is used to engage the recesses 126 on the underside of the vehicle battery to complete the battery replacement operation. The drive sprockets are located directly below the bottom side of the batteries in the floor of the vehicle docking station 150. The sprocket 127 is provided on a hydraulic vertical lift that can be raised or lowered to engage the battery located in the battery compartment 117 of the vehicle. The sprockets are then retracted into the floor so that the vehicle can be driven off the transfer station T' once the replacement operation is complete.

Optionally, the preferred embodiment may be configured to lift the battery up from the battery holder 122 prior to the battery replacement operation. The battery holder 122 is provided with openings that align with respective recesses in the battery. The drive sprockets 127, in conjunction with the drive sprockets of the battery conveyor described above, allow batteries to be transferred laterally from the battery output end 114 to the battery receiving end 115 in a continuous manner.

As shown in fig. 15, the transfer station T 'includes a vehicle docking station 150 formed by a positioning structure 112, which is illustrated as a receptacle for the front and rear wheels 113 of the vehicle V'. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of different positioning configurations may be employed. If desired, a plurality of locating structures 112 may be provided at various spaced locations to accommodate different lengths of vehicle. Alternatively, the positioning structure may be provided in a roller mechanism or roller track for adjusting the receptacles to vary the spacing between the front and rear wheels.

In addition, the inner side of the elevated support area 155 provides additional protection against vehicle rollover while properly positioning the vehicle within the docking station 150 of the lower scooter.

As further shown in FIG. 15, the vehicle docking station 150 is equipped with rollers 165 located on the floor of the vehicle docking station 150 between the wheel receptacles 112. Once the vehicle V' is positioned inside the vehicle docking station 150, the base of the vehicle 167, which is located below the battery compartment 117, rests on the rollers, so that the balanced and upright position of the scooter can be maintained during the transfer of the battery. Preferably, the roller 165 extends along the entire width of the underside of the scooter, thereby providing maximum vehicle stability. Additional rollers may be provided to improve balance, if desired. The rollers 165 may also assist the operator in moving the vehicle away from the station after the battery transfer function is completed.

Any of a variety of different types of support structures may be used in place of or in addition to the rollers 165, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, the scooter may be parked in place by means of laterally engaging rollers which contact the sides of the vehicle. Once the driver has paid for the charge, the laterally engaged rollers can be locked in position and released and retracted from the vehicle after the transfer of the accumulator has been completed. Other embodiments may include a locking hub mechanism that engages both sides of the lower scooter near the tire to hold the vehicle in place during battery transfer. Ideally, the contact surfaces of the rollers, locking hub mechanism or other support mechanism are made of a material that does not damage the finish of the underseat scooter.

Fig. 16 is another embodiment of the conveying circuit and shows a specific structure of the above-described vertical sprocket meshing mechanism. In this embodiment, the conveying circuit extends vertically above the vehicle, rather than in front of or behind the vehicle. The vertical transport loop shown in the figure has a motor scooter V 'positioned and parked inside the transfer station T'. The batteries B' are sequentially charged while moving vertically along the conveyor above the vehicle, rather than longitudinally along the conveyor in front of the vehicle. As in the embodiments described above, the battery receiving end 115 is provided with a vertical battery lifter 143 for removing batteries that are determined to be unsuitable for recharging. Preferably, each battery is moved from the battery output end 114 to the battery receiving end 115 through the battery compartment 117 of the vehicle by a drive sprocket 127 disposed inside the vehicle docking station 150 that engages notches or recesses 126 on the underside of the battery. As further illustrated in fig. 16, battery chargers 116 are located at various locations along the conveyor of batteries.

The lateral movement of each battery vertically away from the vehicle is similar to the horizontal system described above. Preferably, the batteries are carried vertically along the charging conveyor by use of latches 170. For example, latches 170 may engage notches or grooves in the bottom side of the batteries to carry the batteries vertically up and down the conveyor belt. Alternatively, latches 170 may contact the battery along the edge or corner without engaging notches or grooves. Lateral movement of the batteries over the top of the conveyor may be accomplished using a sprocket mechanism similar to that described above. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, any combination of latches, pulleys, belts and sprockets may be employed to carry batteries along the conveying loop.

The vertical embodiment just described also allows for increased capacity by optionally adding vertical feed loops or modules in sequence in front of the original feed loops. Preferably, each additional feeding loop may be located no more than a few inches in front of the previous feeding loop, thereby increasing the capacity of the storage battery without losing space.

Fig. 18 to 22 show an electric power assisted bicycle system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The system includes an electric assisted bicycle (fig. 18) that uses a portable battery that can be manually removed from the bicycle. The system also includes a vending machine (fig. 21 and 22) that can receive, recharge, and dispense portable batteries. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the vending machine may be used to charge and replace various other types of smaller, portable batteries, such as those used in personal laptop computers or mobile telephones. The vending machines may be located in or near a number of important areas, such as convenience stores, airports, shopping malls, or airplanes, so that the spent batteries can be quickly and conveniently replaced.

Fig. 18 shows a preferred embodiment of an electric power assisted bicycle 200 powered by a battery. The bicycle 200 includes: a lightweight portable battery 204; a smaller motor 206; an electric speed control mechanism 202 for controlling the motor; and a power transmission mechanism 208 for transmitting the driving assist force to the bicycle.

Referring now to FIG. 18, the bicycle speed control mechanism 202 controls the power supplied to the power transmission mechanism 208 by the motor 204. The mechanism 202 is preferably connected near the handle by a lever or switch and is electrically connected to the motor 204, thereby acting as a throttle. The speed control mechanism 202 may also be automatic, which may employ a sensor to accelerate or decelerate the bicycle to achieve the appropriate speed setting. The control mechanism 202 may also assume a variety of configurations or positions, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The bicycle motor assembly 208 uses power provided by the battery 204 to operate the power transmission mechanism 208. The battery 204 and motor 206 are preferably mounted to the bicycle frame as an integral assembly and are housed within a standard type chamber 210 to provide safety and stability. Preferably, this standard type chamber 210 is mounted to the frame by a spring loaded hinge 212. Alternatively, as is well known in the art, various fasteners may be used to secure the chamber 210 to the bicycle, including, for example, welds, latches, tie plates and screws, etc. The modular compartment 210 preferably includes a locking mechanism 214 to provide safety for the battery 204. The motor 206 may be a standard type clamped rotor motor or other suitable motor, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

In a preferred embodiment, the bicycle 200 can be specifically designed and equipped to operate in the system of the present invention. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a conventional bicycle can be modified for use with the system of the present invention. The bicycle 200 includes a rear wheel 216 and a front wheel 218. Preferably, the rear wheel 216 includes a specially designed tire rim 220 with a large surface area directly beneath the tire for operation with the bicycle's power transmission mechanism 208.

Fig. 19A-19C illustrate several embodiments of a power transmission mechanism 208 for use with the electric assist bicycle described. The bicycle power transmission mechanism 208 is coupled to the motor assembly 206 and operates by providing drive assist to the rear wheel. The power transmission mechanism 208 may be stabilized in place by a support 240 that is connected to the standard type chamber 210 (shown in fig. 18). The power transmission mechanism may also take on a variety of configurations and positions, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Fig. 19A shows an embodiment wherein the power transmission mechanism 208 comprises a roller 230 having grooves 232, the grooves 232 engaging a specially designed wheel 216, the wheel 216 comprising a tread pattern tire having mating, mutually-indented grooves 234 for power driving the bicycle. Alternatively, the power transmission mechanism 208 may include a roller having a smooth surface that engages a tire portion of the bicycle wheel 216 and may drive the bicycle by friction generated by the roller against the tread of the tire. The same reference numerals are used in fig. 19A to 19C to denote functionally similar parts.

Fig. 19B illustrates another embodiment of the power transmission mechanism 208 in which a pair of rollers 230 laterally engage a tire portion of the rear wheel 216. The bicycle 200 is driven by the frictional force generated by the rollers 230 against the outer surface of the tire 222. Alternatively, a roller 230 or combination of rollers may be used on either side of the tire 222.

Fig. 19C shows another embodiment in which the friction rollers 230 engage the wheel rim 220 directly beneath the tire 222. Similarly, the bicycle 220 is powered by the frictional force generated by the rollers against the outer surface of the wheel rim 220. Alternatively, a roller 230 or a combination of rollers may be used on either side of the wheel rim 220 to provide the bicycle assist.

Referring now to fig. 19B and 19C, the support 240 for the rollers 230 is adapted to maintain a certain friction between the rollers 230 and the tire 222 or wheel rim 220 under all conditions. Support 240 may include a spring mechanism (not shown) that ensures that rollers 230 remain in close contact with the tire during normal operation. Additionally, the power transmission mechanism 208 may include a disengagement mechanism (not shown) including an electrically controlled circuit or a manual lever that allows the user to disengage the rollers from the tire 222 or wheel rim 220 when power assist is not required.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, many other power transmission mechanisms 208 may be used, including a gear or pinion mechanism located near the hub of the rim that can engage a sprocket on a bicycle gear to drive the bicycle. Alternatively, the power transmission mechanism and battery/motor assembly may be located near the front wheel of the bicycle.

The friction rollers described above may engage the wheel rim a distance toward the center of the tire hub. When the power transmission mechanism is located at the center of the wheel or near the hub of the wheel, the torque required to turn the wheel will increase. As known to those skilled in the art, many variations may be made to address the torque problem of the power transmission mechanism, such as increasing the power from the motor, or using a desired gear ratio to turn the wheels.

Fig. 20 shows a preferred embodiment of the battery 204 and motor assembly 206. The battery may be, for example, a 4 "wide, 4" long and 4 "high battery cell. In either case, the battery (cell or pack) is lightweight and can be easily lifted by hand from its position on top of the motor 206 for removal from the vehicle. When the user places the battery 204 directly on top of the motor assembly 206, the terminals of the battery may be automatically brought into contact with the motor 206.

The battery 204 may be held in place on top of the motor 206 by a sufficient engagement mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, the battery 204 is provided with a spring-loaded, concentric terminal contact (not shown) on the bottom side of the battery that can make contact with a similar mating contact 306 on the upper surface of the motor 306. Preferably, the charging contacts 304 on the battery are also spring loaded. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the system of the present invention may employ a variety of charging contact and terminal contact locations and configurations. In addition, the battery 204 and the motor assembly 206 may be held in place by the locking mechanism 204 described above and in electrical contact with each other within the standard-type chamber 210.

The battery 204 may also be equipped with a number of different mechanisms for removing or disposing of the battery from the standard type compartment 210. In a preferred embodiment, the battery 204 includes a recessed handle 302 on the top of the battery that allows the bicycle user to pull the battery 204 from the motor 206. The battery 204 can only be removed from the vehicle after disengaging the locking mechanism 214 that secures the battery to the standard-type compartment 210 of the motor.

Fig. 21 and 22 show a preferred embodiment of vending machine 402. Vending machine 402 includes a secure housing that houses a battery transport conveyor 404. The battery transfer conveyor 404 is substantially the same as the conveyor described above in connection with automobiles and low-profile scooters. Fig. 21 shows a vertical conveyor, however, the vending machine may be configured with one or more horizontal conveyors or additional vertical conveyors. Vending machine 402 has a small scale conveyor 404 and the continuous conveying loop is virtually free of contact with the vehicle.

Referring now to fig. 21, the vending machine preferably includes a receiving tray 410 for receiving the depleted battery. The receiving tray 41 is connected to a battery moving mechanism 414 which includes a motor-driven conveyor belt. The conveyor belt 414 is connected to the battery receiving end 406 of the conveyor 404. Preferably, the conveyor belt 414 includes protrusions 416, ridges or other positioning means that allow the user to properly position the electrically depleted battery on the conveyor belt. The battery output end 408 of the transport conveyor 404 is also connected to a conveyor belt 414 to move the charged batteries from the output end 408 to an output tray 412. The vending machine preferably has openings 418 in the housing to receive spent batteries from a user and to dispense charged batteries to the user. The vending machine may alternatively have only one opening that both receives and dispenses batteries. Although the system shown in fig. 21 and 22 uses a conveyor belt to move the batteries to the receiving end of the conveyor, the user may also place the batteries at the receiving end through the opening.

The vending machine preferably includes a computer (not shown) programmed to process the operation of the vending machine similar to that described above in connection with the transport conveyors for automobiles and motor scooters. The computer controls the operation of the conveyor by means of a conventional control circuit such as that described above and shown in fig. 4.

For example, the computer may verify that batteries have been properly placed at a certain location inside the housing opening, may monitor historical data and charge levels for each battery, may control the flow of batteries to and from the conveyor, and may remove batteries that cannot be charged sufficiently to full capacity. The computer may also control an electronic payment system and control battery charging along the conveyor and diagnostic testing of the batteries.

The electronic payment system, generally indicated by reference numeral 420 in fig. 21, is operatively connected to the computer and enables the user to start the battery replacement operation. The payment system 420 may employ a cash container for handling cash or may pay by means of a credit card, small transceiver, IC smart card or other payment method. Once the consumer pays, vending machine 402 will accept the spent battery by moving battery moving mechanism 414 and, upon verifying that a spent battery has been properly placed, will transfer a fully charged battery from battery output 408 of the conveyor to output tray 412. Optionally, the electronic payment system may be configured (via the battery test circuit and the computer) to determine the amount of electricity remaining in the partially depleted battery so that the user pays for the amount of electricity required to restore the battery to full capacity.

The user preferably removes an electrically depleted or partially depleted battery from the motor assembly within a standard compartment on the bicycle. The user may place the used batteries in a receiving tray 410 near the battery receiving end 408 of the transfer conveyor 404. After paying the fee and normally starting the battery transfer operation, the user can pick up a fully charged battery 204 in an output tray 412 near the battery output 408 of the battery transfer station. The charged battery 204 is then quickly placed within the bicycle's motor assembly 206 or a similar standard cavity.

Referring now to fig. 22, a user may place a depleted battery in the receiving tray 410 and the moving mechanism 414 may move the battery into the housing 403. The batteries are then analyzed and, once verified, the batteries may be moved from the conveyor belt 414 into the battery receiving end 406 of the battery transport conveyor 404. Batteries 204 may be placed in conveyor 404 by a spent battery receiving device (not shown) that lifts the spent batteries from conveyor belt 414 and places the spent batteries in an open battery position along the conveyor. If all locations along the conveyor are filled, the depleted batteries can be placed in a holding area until there is an empty charging location. The conveyor circuit includes charging contacts, generally indicated at 430, which charge a battery in the conveyor circuit.

Referring again to fig. 22, the computer may monitor the battery at the battery output 408 to determine if the battery is sufficiently charged and advance it along the conveyor 404 until there is a sufficiently charged battery at the battery output 408. A fully charged battery is then moved away from the battery output 408 of the transport conveyor 404 by a charged battery output device (not shown) that places the charged battery at a location on the conveyor belt 414. The fully charged batteries are then moved along the conveyor belt to an output tray 412 for removal by the user.

Preferably, the computer controls an enable/disable switch in the battery to control a charging capacity of the battery. Once the user has properly positioned a depleted battery, the computer may transmit an authorization message to the battery to turn on the battery switch so that the battery may be charged along the conveyor inside the vending machine. A fully charged battery that is dispensed into the output tray will trip the battery switch. In this way, the user cannot charge the battery at home or using an unauthorized device, and moreover, the user can replace the battery that is depleted of electricity only at a specific battery delivery location. When the switch is turned off, the charging contact is opened, so that charging can be prevented and the battery can be safely and manually handled.

The vending machine preferably performs the battery replacement operation in accordance with the payment made by the user, but the replacement operation may be started by another method. For example, the user may be required to enter a signature code or a personal password (in addition to requiring the provision of a battery that is depleted) on the keypad to output a new battery.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments may be made within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.

Claims (42)

1. A battery charging and transfer station for replacing batteries of an electrically powered vehicle and for monitoring the usage of each battery, said vehicle having a battery compartment extending through at least a portion of the vehicle, said station comprising:

a drive-through vehicle platform having an entry end and an exit end for said vehicle to enter said platform, to rest within said platform, and to exit said platform along a predetermined path without reversing;

a continuous battery transport conveyor, said conveyor comprising: a battery receiving end for receiving a partially depleted battery from the first end of the battery compartment; a battery output for outputting a charged battery to a second end of said battery compartment, said conveyor having a plurality of battery positions for holding a plurality of batteries between said receiving end and said output;

at least one battery charger positioned along the conveyor;

a computer connected to said conveyor such that said computer can be programmed to move each battery along said conveyor from said receiving end to said output end;

at least one electronic sensing device connected to said computer, said sensing device being positioned along said conveyor to read the unique identification codes of the batteries on said conveyor; and

a database connected to the computer, the database storing historical data for a plurality of batteries, the stored historical data being associated with a unique identification code for each battery.

2. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 1, further comprising an electronic payment system operatively connected to the computer, the payment system being configured to enable a driver of each vehicle to specify payment information for payment of fees associated with battery replacement.

3. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 2, wherein the payment system comprises a magnetic card reader.

4. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 1, further comprising a battery evaluation program module running on said computer, said evaluation program module capable of comparing historical data of an electrically depleted battery to at least one predetermined limit to determine whether said electrically depleted battery should be removed from said conveyor.

5. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic sensing device comprises a bar code reader.

6. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic sensing device comprises a radio frequency receiver.

7. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 1, wherein the database comprises a centralized database that allows remote data access by a plurality of geographically distributed battery charging and transfer stations.

8. The battery charging and transfer station of claim 1, further comprising at least one spreader module coupled to the continuous conveyor by at least one battery lift, the spreader module having a second conveyor having a plurality of battery positions for holding a plurality of batteries.

9. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 8, wherein at least one battery lifter and second conveyor are operatively connected to the computer such that the computer can selectively move batteries between the continuous conveyor and second conveyor.

10. A battery charging and transfer station for replacing a battery of an electrically driven two-wheeled vehicle, said two-wheeled vehicle including a battery compartment extending through at least a portion of said two-wheeled vehicle, said station comprising:

a vehicle docking station including a vehicle positioning and support structure for maintaining said vehicle in an upright position during battery transfer operations; and

a continuous battery transfer conveyor located within said transfer station, said conveyor having: a battery receiving end for receiving a partially depleted battery from a first end of said battery compartment; and a battery output for outputting a charged battery to the second end of the battery compartment, the conveyor having a plurality of battery positions for storing and recharging the plurality of batteries between the receiving end and the output.

11. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 10, further comprising an elevated support area having a surface above said battery transfer conveyor, said elevated support area for positioning a user in a safe position above said conveyor during battery transfer operations.

12. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 10, wherein the vehicle positioning and support structure comprises two wheel receptacles for positioning the two wheeled vehicle.

13. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 12, wherein the wheel alignment and support structure comprises rollers distributed at four corners of a square area formed between wheel receptacles of the wheel docking station.

14. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 10, further comprising a computer coupled to said battery transfer conveyor, such that said computer is programmed to move batteries along said conveyor from said receiving end to said output end.

15. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 10, further comprising an electronic payment system coupled to the conveyor, the payment system being configured to enable a driver of the vehicle to specify payment source information for payment of a fee associated with battery replacement.

16. The battery charging and transfer station as in claim 10, further comprising a sensor coupled to the computer to detect whether a driver of the wheel is in a safe position.

17. A method of quickly replacing a battery of an electrically driven two-wheeled vehicle, the vehicle having a battery compartment extending through at least a portion of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a battery charging and transfer station, the battery charging and transfer station comprising:

a vehicle docking station including a positioning and support structure for maintaining said vehicle in an upright position; and

a continuous battery transfer conveyor located within said transfer station, said conveyor having: a battery receiving end for receiving a partially depleted battery from a first end of said battery compartment; and a battery output for outputting a charged battery to the second end of the battery chamber, the conveyor having a plurality of battery positions for holding and recharging the plurality of batteries between the receiving end and the output;

positioning and supporting said vehicle in an upright position within said vehicle docking station such that said battery compartment is aligned with a battery receiving end and an output end of said conveyor, said battery compartment containing a depleted battery; and

the depleted battery is replaced with the charged battery by advancing the conveyor to move the charged battery from the output end of the conveyor into the chamber and to move the depleted battery from the chamber to the receiving end of the conveyor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of replacing a depleted battery with a charged battery comprises advancing the conveyor exactly one battery position forward.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of replacing the depleted battery with the charged battery comprises: extending at least one sprocket forward in an exposed area on the bottom surface of the electrically depleted battery to move the electrically depleted battery away from the battery compartment.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising advancing the vehicle through said transfer station above or below a vertically moving portion of said conveyor without interrupting the battery transfer path between the take-up end and the delivery end of the conveyor.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising a computer connected to said accumulator transport conveyor and wherein said step of replacing comprises advancing said conveyor under computer control.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising an electronic payment system connected to said computer, and wherein said step of advancing said conveyor under computer control is performed automatically by a user via said electronic payment system based on payment.

23. A system for recharging and replacing portable batteries, each battery adapted to be manually installed by a user in a battery powered device, said system comprising:

a safety housing;

a battery conveyor located within said housing, said conveyor having a battery receiving end and a battery output end, said conveyor having a plurality of battery positions for holding a plurality of batteries between said receiving end and output end;

at least one battery charging station positioned along the conveyor;

the storage battery receiving device is used for receiving a partially-depleted storage battery from the outside of the shell and outputting the depleted storage battery to a storage battery receiving end of the conveyor; and

a battery output device for delivering a charged battery from the battery output of the conveyor to a user.

24. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 23, which can be used with an electrically powered bicycle powered by a portable battery.

25. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 24, wherein the bicycle includes a wheel engagement mechanism that provides power assist to the bicycle.

26. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 25, wherein the wheel engagement mechanism comprises at least one roller assembly transversely engaged with a wheel of the bicycle.

27. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 25, wherein the wheel engagement mechanism comprises at least one roller assembly that laterally engages a rim of the bicycle.

28. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 23, wherein the housing includes a single opening and the receiving means receives the partially depleted battery through the opening and the output means outputs the charged battery through the opening.

29. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 23 further comprising a computer coupled to said conveyor such that said computer is programmed to move batteries along said conveyor from said receiving end to said output end.

30. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 29, further comprising:

at least one electronic sensing device connected to said computer, said sensing device being positioned along said conveyor to read the unique identification codes of the batteries on said conveyor; and

a database connected to the computer, the database storing historical data for a plurality of batteries, the stored historical data being associated with a unique identification code for each battery.

31. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 30, wherein the at least one electronic sensing device comprises a bar code reader.

32. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 29, further comprising an electronic payment system operatively connected to said computer, said payment system enabling said conveyor to travel forward in response to payment by a user.

33. The battery charging and exchange system as in claim 32, wherein the payment system is further operable to charge the user based on the amount of power required to recharge a partially depleted battery.

34. A method of replacing and recharging a portable battery of an electrically powered bicycle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a bicycle, the bicycle comprising:

a battery removably connected to a motor to provide power to said motor;

a motor control assembly electrically connected to said electric motor to enable control of said electric motor by a user of said vehicle; and

an electric drive transmission coupled to said electric motor for providing motive assistance to said vehicle;

providing a battery drive and change station comprising:

a safety housing;

a battery conveyor located inside said housing, said conveyor having: a battery receiving terminal for receiving a partially electrically depleted battery; and a battery output for outputting a charged battery, said conveyor having a plurality of battery positions for holding and recharging a plurality of batteries located between said receiving and output terminals; and

at least one opening in said safety housing connected to said conveyor for delivering an electrically partially depleted battery to said battery output;

manually removing a depleted battery from the vehicle;

advancing the electrically depleted storage battery through the housing opening to a receiving end of the conveyor; and

the charged accumulator is automatically advanced from the output end of the conveyor to a position where it can be accessed by the user.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of advancing the electrically depleted battery comprises: automatically advancing the electrically depleted battery from the housing opening to a battery receiving end of the conveyor.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of advancing the electrically depleted battery comprises: the electrically depleted battery is manually placed into the battery receiving end of the conveyor through the housing opening.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said battery charging and replacement station further comprises an electronic payment system connected to said conveyor; and the step of automatically advancing comprises advancing the conveyor in response to payment from the user.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said battery charging and exchange station further comprises a computer operatively connected to said conveyor; and the step of automatically advancing the battery includes: and moving each storage battery along the conveyor from the receiving end to the output end according to a certain program by the computer.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said battery charging and exchange station further comprises an electronic sensing device connected to said computer for detecting a unique identification code for each battery on said conveyor; and the method includes detecting a unique identification code of the electrically depleted battery with the sensing device.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein said battery charging and replacement station further comprises a battery testing device connected to said computer to determine a level of battery depletion placed by a user; and the method comprises detection of the level of the electrically depleted battery with the test device.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein said battery charging and replacement station further comprises an electronic payment system operatively connected to said computer; and the method includes automatically advancing the conveyor in response to payment by the user.

42. The method of claim 38, including sensing the charge level of the electrically depleted battery and charging the user a fee based on the amount of power required to recharge the electrically partially depleted battery.