16353results about "Propulsion by batteries/cells" patented technology

A method and apparatus for charging energy supplies in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The present invention relates to a UAV that comprises an inductive charging device that utilizes the electromagnetic field emanated by overhead/utility power lines, to charge the energy supplies. The UAV also includes a releasable latch for holding power lines to allow for the perching of the UAV on power lines during the charging process. The latch and the inductive charging device may be provided on a single device, a battery augmentation trap (BAT). The UAV may be perched in an upright orientation to allow for takeoff after the charging of energy supplies on the power line.

A tunable frangible battery pack system for use in an electric vehicle is disclosed. The tunable frangible battery pack system includes a two piece clamshell housing. The system also includes a plurality of battery cells arranged within the housing and a collector plate secured to each piece of the housing. The system also includes a wire conductor arranged between each of the battery cells and collector plates to create a frangible disconnect system when the battery pack system and electric vehicle are exposed to a predetermined mechanical or thermal force or event.

An automatic recharging docking station for electric vehicles or hybrid electric vehicles in which standardized uniform charging stations are positioned in public parking facilities, private parking facilities, rest stops, or the like, and by means of a retractable vehicle probe, allow the owner/user of the vehicle to attach to the charging station and recharge the batteries or storage cells of the vehicle while the owner/user is at work, shopping, or otherwise not requiring the use of the vehicle. The particular vehicle and vehicle probe would have an encrypted identification means so that its identity would be recorded when it connected to a particular recharging station, regardless of which electrical jurisdiction that charging station was located, such that the respective electric utility companies or other entity would be able to identify and bill the owner/user for the quantity of electricity drawn during a specified time period.

A method and system for efficient distribution of power using wireless means, and a system and method for wireless power distribution to provide electric devices, such as vehicles with a way to continuously and wirelessly collect, use and charge their power systems and thereby use the transmitted power for operation. The system and method allows a hybrid, simplified and less costly way to charge devices, such as vehicles so that the devices continuously operate while charging/recharging.

The electrical vehicle energy storage system permits the electric refueling of the electric vehicle just like an automobile would be refueled with gasoline at a gas station. Circuitry on board the vehicle accessible by the electric refueling station enables the determination of the energy content of the battery module or modules returned to the electric refueling station and the owner of the vehicle is given credit for the energy remaining in the battery module or modules which have been exchanged. Selective refueling may take place for given battery modules by removing them from the battery system and charging them at home, office or factory. A process for operating an electric vehicle is also disclosed and claimed.

An electric vehicle includes plurality of batteries accommodated in a rear portion of a battery box, and an electric part is accommodated in an electric part accommodating chamber provided in a front portion of the battery box. Cooling air supplied from a cooling fan to the rear portion of the battery box cools the batteries having a large thermal resistance, while being passed through a first cooling air passage around outer peripheries of the batteries at a low flow rate. A second cooling air passage having a smaller sectional area than that of the first cooling air passage is provided below the electric part accommodating chamber, and cooling fins protruding downwards from the electric part are exposed within the second cooling air passage. The second cooling air passage extends continuously the first cooling air passage in a downstream direction of airflow, so that cooling air which has first cooled the batteries then cools the electric part having a smaller thermal resistance, while being passed through the second cooling air passage at a higher flow rate than that in the first cooling air passage.

Redox flow devices are described in which at least one of the positive electrode or negative electrode-active materials is a semi-solid or is a condensed ion-storing electroactive material, and in which at least one of the electrode-active materials is transported to and from an assembly at which the electrochemical reaction occurs, producing electrical energy. The electronic conductivity of the semi-solid is increased by the addition of conductive particles to suspensions and/or via the surface modification of the solid in semi-solids (e.g., by coating the solid with a more electron conductive coating material to increase the power of the device). High energy density and high power redox flow devices are disclosed. The redox flow devices described herein can also include one or more inventive design features. In addition, inventive chemistries for use in redox flow devices are also described.

During periods of vehicle inactivity, a vehicle-based APU electric generating system may be coupled into a regional electric grid to send electricity into the grid. A currently-preferred APU is a solid oxide fuel cell system. When a large number of vehicles are thus equipped and connected, substantial electric buffering can be effected to the grid load. A vehicle-based APU can also function as a back-up generator to a docking facility in the event of power failure of the grid. Gaseous hydrocarbon is readily supplied by pipe in many locations as a commercial and residential heating fuel source, and a hydrocarbon reformer on the vehicle can be attached to the fuel source, enabling an APU to operate as a stationary power source indefinitely. An optional storage tank on the vehicle may be refueled with gaseous fuel, for example, while the battery is being electrically recharged by the grid.

A plug-in hybrid propulsion system includes a fast energy storage device that preserves battery life, where the energy storage elements of the hybrid drive train may be charged with externally supplied electricity as well as energy from the engine or regenerative braking. Electronic switches, passive electronics, an enclosure, controller circuitry, and/or control algorithms are used to manage the flow of power between a fuel powered engine, a battery, a fast energy storage system, traction motors, a charger, ancillary systems, an electrical distribution system, and/or a drive train.

A method for determining output torque limits of a powertrain including an electrically variable transmission relies upon a model of the electrically variable transmission. Transmission operating space is defined by electric machine torque constraints, engine torque constraints and battery power constraints. Output torque limits are determined at the limits of the transmission operating space.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating electrical power from multiple vehicles powered by fuel cells while the vehicles are parked in a parking lot. A plurality of spaced-apart electrical receptacles are provided for receiving an electric cable for connection to a parked vehicle for electrically connecting the fuel cell in each of the parked vehicles to the plurality of electrical receptacles. An electric power grid is electrically connected to the plurality of electrical receptacles for transferring D.C. electrical power from the fuel cells in the parked vehicles to the electric power grid. At least one electric power collection station is electrically connected to the electric power grid for collecting at a common point the D.C. electric power in the electric power grid. In addition, at least one inverter is electrically connected to the electric power collection station for converting the D.C. electric power to A.C. electric power. Apparatus is provided for supplying the A.C. electric power to a load or a utility grid.

PCT No. PCT/NZ97/00053 Sec. 371 Date Nov. 3, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Nov. 3, 1998 PCT Filed May 2, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO97/42695 PCT Pub. Date Nov. 13, 1997Loosely coupled inductive power for charging batteries is rectified from a first power pickup winding and the resulting current source is connected to a battery unit. Each current source is controlled by shorting a second resonant winding. Battery banks may be charged using multiple isolated position-tolerant pickups independently controlled according to the condition of the connected battery unit and by overall commands communicated over an isolated link. The battery unit may be a single cell. In a self-stabilizing bank or monoblock a primary inductive conductor is energized using all the cells, individual cells are separately monitored by control means and any below-average cell can be individually charged from the inductive conductor, thus correcting between-cell variations. The charge in all cells within a bank can be held within 30% to 70% of full charge and prevented from drifting towards full or empty during repetitive charge and discharge times.

A railroad vehicle (1500) for carrying freight is described. The railroad vehicle (1500) comprises power regeneration capability through a traction motor (1530) linked to a driving wheel (1520D), an electrical energy storage system (1550), a controller (1570) that may selectively operate the traction motor (1530) in a motoring mode, a coasting mode, or a dynamic braking mode. In the dynamic braking mode electrical energy from the traction motor (1530) is transmitted to the electrical energy storage system (1550). The controller (1570) is in communication with a communication link (1580) that receives control commands from an external control source (1595), and those control commands indicate the operating mode for a particular period of time.

This invention relates to plug-in hybrid propulsion systems where the energy storage element of the hybrid drive train may be charged with externally supplied electricity as well as energy from the engine or regenerative braking. The invention is a plug-in hybrid system with a fast energy storage and delivery system. In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a fuel powered engine, a battery, a fast energy storage system, power converters, controllers, drive motors, an electrical distribution system, and a drive train. Additionally, the invention relates to plug-in hybrids that provide services to the electrical utility when the vehicle is connected to the utility grid.

An inverter unit for vehicle (20) is formed in such a manner that a capacitor module (40) is stacked on the upper portions of a main inverter circuit module (32) and a sub inverter circuit module (34) so as to connect the corresponding external terminals by a bolt (66). Here, by matching a positive electrode terminal (44) and a negative electrode terminal (46) of the capacitor module (40) with a positive side electrode terminal (45) and a negative side electrode terminal (47) of the main inverter circuit module (32), and at the same time by matching a positive electrode terminal (48) and a negative electrode terminal (50) of the capacitor module (40) with a positive side electrode terminal (49) and a negative side electrode terminal (51) of the sub inverter circuit module (34), responsible terminals are connected with this bolt (66) each other.

A recharging trailer for applying electrical energy to an electric vehicle has an electrical power coupling. The recharging trailer includes a trailer frame configured to be coupled to the electronic vehicle. An electrical generation unit is disposed on the trailer and is configured generate electrical power. The electrical generation unit is also configured to be electrically coupled to the electrical power coupling of the electric vehicle. A trailer propulsion unit is configured to propel the trailer while the electrical vehicle is moving so that the trailer moves without applying a substantial load to the electric vehicle.

An apparatus and method is disclosed for the housing, removal, recharging, and replacing of electric vehicle batteries. The apparatus includes a modular battery carriage and a vehicular battery carriage compartment allowing replacement of electric vehicle batteries to suit the needs of the operator at the service station and an automated service station for the rapid replacement of discharged batteries in electric vehicles with replenished batteries.

A storage battery system includes a battery module A with a first nonaqueous electrolyte battery including a negative-electrode material which has an average grain size of 2 μm or more and is used to occlude and discharge lithium ions, a battery module B with a second nonaqueous electrolyte battery set at a lithium-ion-occluding potential of 0.4V (vs.Li/Li) or more, and including a negative-electrode material which has an average grain size of primary particles of 1 μm or less and is used to occlude lithium ions, and a controller configured to intermittently connect the module A to the module B to intermittently supply power from the module A to the module B to set a charge state and a discharge depth of the second nonaqueous electrolyte battery within a range of 10 to 90%, when no power is supplied to the module B at least from an outside.

A battery transfer and charging system for electric vehicles is described. A station removes one or more spent batteries of electric vehicles having multiple batteries. The receiving system includes an engagement device for engaging with engagement structures of the batteries, in order to assist the removal of spent batteries. Spent batteries removed from vehicles may be tested and charged as they progress through the system in an assembly-line fashion. Following recharge, batteries may be transferred to the displacement station for installation within later vehicles. Batteries which cannot adequately be recharged can be automatically removed from the system.

A battery pack is provided including universal battery modules and a master control module. By selecting proper rated universal battery modules and connecting them either in series and/or parallel, a high performance and long life battery pack is assembled that is suitable for high power applications such as electrical vehicles whereby the master control module acts as the battery pack control and interface module.