Battery pack and electric vehicle equipped with said battery pack

Abstract

This prevents the theft of electricity from detachable battery packs in electric vehicles. [Solution] This battery pack has a connection part for supplying power to an electric vehicle when mounted on the electric vehicle, and a connection port for supplying power to an external device, which is provided separately from the connection part on the side facing the seat tube of the electric vehicle when mounted on the electric vehicle, and is hidden from view from the front of the electric vehicle by the seat tube or a battery lock part provided on the seat tube. In addition, this battery pack may also have a connection part for supplying power to an electric vehicle when mounted on the battery base of the electric vehicle, a connection port for supplying power to an external device provided near the connection part, and a cover that covers the connection port depending on when mounted on the battery base.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to anti-theft power technology for battery packs detachably attachable to electric vehicles including electrically power assisted bicycles.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an example in which a battery mounted on an electrically power assisted bicycle or an electric vehicle is provided with a terminal that enables power supply to an external device other than the electrically power assisted bicycle. However, when such a battery is left mounted on an electrically power assisted bicycle or an electric vehicle with the bicycle or vehicle left unattended, these documents do not consider the problem that a third party other than an authorized user of the electrically power assisted bicycle or electric vehicle may arbitrarily use the power charged in the battery from the terminal.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Literature 1

Patent Literature 2

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention, according to one aspect, to provide a novel technology for preventing power theft from a battery pack detachably attachable to electric vehicles including electrically power assisted bicycles.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] A battery pack according to a first aspect of the present invention has (A) a connection part for supplying power to an electric vehicle when mounted on the electric vehicle, and (B) a connection port for supplying power to an external device, which is provided separately from the connection part on the side facing the seat tube of the electric vehicle when mounted on the electric vehicle, and is hidden from view from the front of the electric vehicle by the seat tube or a battery lock part provided on the seat tube.

[0006] Furthermore, a battery pack according to a second aspect of the present invention includes (A) a connection part for supplying power to an electric vehicle when mounted on the battery base of the electric vehicle, (B) a connection port provided near the connection part for supplying power to an external device, and (C) a cover that covers the connection port when mounted on the battery base. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] One aspect of this would make it possible to prevent the theft of electricity from detachable battery packs in electric vehicles, including electric-assist bicycles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of the side view of an electric assist bicycle and battery pack according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3A] Figure 3A is a view from the front left at an angle, showing the battery pack attached to the electric assist bicycle in the first embodiment. [Figure 3B] Figure 3B is a view from the front right at an angle, showing the battery pack attached to the electric assist bicycle in the first embodiment. [Figure 4A] Figure 4A is a view from the front right at an angle, showing the state just before the battery pack, with the USB cable connected to the USB port, is attached to the electric assist bicycle in the first embodiment. [Figure 4B]Figure 4B is a view from the front right at an angle, showing the battery pack with a USB cable connected to a USB port attached to an electric assist bicycle in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows a cross-section of the battery pack at the vertical center of the recess. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an overview of the side view of an electric assist bicycle and battery pack according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the side of the battery pack and the USB port according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a view from the front right at an angle, showing the state just before the battery pack, with the USB cable connected to the USB port, is attached to the electric assist bicycle in the second embodiment. [Figure 10A] Figure 10A is a view from the front right at an angle, showing the state just before the battery pack, with the USB cable connected to the USB port, is attached to the electric assist bicycle in the second embodiment. [Figure 10B] Figure 10B is a view from the front right at an angle, showing the battery pack with a USB cable connected to a USB port attached to an electric assist bicycle in the second embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a diagram showing an overview of the side view of an electric assist bicycle and battery pack according to the third embodiment. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to a third embodiment. [Figure 13] Figure 13 shows a perspective view and a side view of the cover provided in the third embodiment. [Figure 14A] Figure 14A is a magnified view of the lower part of the battery pack when it is not attached to the battery base. [Figure 14B] Figure 14B is a magnified view of the lower part of the battery pack when it is mounted on the battery base. [Figure 15] Fig. 15 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-section of a battery pedestal and a battery pack according to a third embodiment. [Figure 16A] Fig. 16A is a diagram for explaining a scene where a cover according to a third embodiment is in an open state. [Figure 16B] Fig. 16B is a diagram for explaining a scene where the cover according to the third embodiment is in a closed state. [Figure 17] Fig. 17 is a diagram showing a state where a USB port to which a USB cable is connected is covered by the cover. [Figure 18] Fig. 18 is a diagram showing a state where a USB port to which a USB cable is connected is covered by the cover. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention are applicable not only to electrically power assisted bicycles that move by assisting human power with the driving force of a motor, but also to electric vehicles that move only by the driving force of a motor. However, in the following embodiments, an electrically power assisted bicycle will be described as an example of an electric vehicle.

[0010] [Embodiment 1] Figure 1 shows a view of a portion of the electric assist bicycle 100, with the battery pack 2 according to this embodiment installed, as seen from the right side. That is, in Figure 1, the left side is the front and the right side is the rear. The frame of the electric assist bicycle 100 includes a seat tube 1, a top tube 5, and a down tube 4. A bottom bracket 7 is provided at the joint between the seat tube 1 and the down tube 4, i.e., near the crank axle. A battery base 8 is provided near this bottom bracket 7, and the battery pack 2 is positioned adjacent to the seat tube 1. When viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100, the battery pack 2 is mounted behind the seat tube 1. Note that the frame configuration is just an example, and there may be cases where, for example, the top tube 5 does not exist. This is also the case in the following embodiments.

[0011] The battery base 8 has terminals for connecting to a connection part located at the bottom of the battery pack 2, and power is supplied from the battery pack 2 to the motor control device located at the bottom of the battery base 8 via this connection part and terminals. In the case of an electric assist bicycle 100 that performs regenerative braking, power may also be supplied from the motor control device to the battery pack 2.

[0012] Furthermore, the seat tube 1 is provided with a battery lock section 3, and the battery pack 2 mounted on the battery base 8 is mechanically locked by the battery lock section 3, making it impossible to remove without a key. Since the lower part of the battery pack 2 is mounted on the battery base 8, the battery lock section 3 secures the relatively upper part of the battery pack 2, thereby stably fixing the entire battery pack 2 to the electric assist bicycle 100.

[0013] In this embodiment, the battery pack 2 is mounted on the battery base 8 from the right side of the electric assist bicycle 100, and the battery level indicator of the battery pack 2 is displayed on the right side of the electric assist bicycle 100.

[0014] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the battery pack 2 according to this embodiment. In Figure 2, the back is the upper part of the battery pack 2, and the front is the lower part of the battery pack 2. The bottom surface of the lower part of the battery pack 2 is provided with a connection part 202 for connecting to terminals provided on the battery base 8. The lower part of the battery pack 2 is also provided with fitting parts 205a and 205b that are inserted into grooves on the battery base 8. When mounted on an electric assist bicycle 100, the left side is the lower left direction of Figure 2 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100, and the right side is the upper right direction of Figure 2.

[0015] The side surface 201 of the battery pack 2 is the surface that directly faces the seat tube 1 of the electric assist bicycle 100. This side surface 201 is provided with a locking part 203 having a structure corresponding to the battery locking part 3, and below this locking part 203 is a recess 204 which is provided with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port (more specifically a USB-PD (Power Delivery) port) 2041, which is an example of a connection port that enables power supply to an external device. The USB port 2041 is also called a USB receptacle, but it may be a terminal conforming to another standard. In Figure 2, the USB port 2041 faces downwards of the battery pack 2. That is, it is provided on the surface 2044 that is perpendicular to the bottom surface 2043 of the recess 204 and faces downwards of the battery pack 2. By providing the USB port 2041 in the recess 204 in this way and accommodating the plug portion of the USB cable, the USB port 2041 becomes less susceptible to external shocks when the USB cable is connected to it.

[0016] Furthermore, because the USB port 2041 faces downwards towards the battery pack 2, it helps to prevent rainwater, dirt, and dust from entering the USB port 2041 when the battery pack 2 is left attached to the electric assist bicycle 100. However, if the USB port 2041 is not facing upwards towards the battery pack 2, that is, if it is facing to the left or right, it will still be possible to some extent to prevent rainwater from entering.

[0017] Since the connector at the tip of the USB cable plug is inserted into the USB port 2041, the bottom surface 2043 of the recess 204 only needs to have enough area to accommodate the USB cable plug, but it is preferable that it has more area than the USB cable plug and the fingers used to grasp the plug. Furthermore, it is preferable that the surface 2042 facing the surface 2044 on which the USB port 2041 is provided is sloped so as to smoothly guide the USB cable out of the recess 204.

[0018] The recess 204 is positioned so as to be hidden by the seat tube 1 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100. In other words, the USB port 2041 is also positioned so as to be hidden by the seat tube 1 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100. The locking part 203 is positioned to correspond to the battery locking part 3 provided on the seat tube 1. In this embodiment, the battery locking part 3 is located to the right of the seat tube 1 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100, so the recess 204 is located to the left of the locking part 203. In this embodiment, since the recess 204 is positioned so as to be hidden by the seat tube 1, the position of the recess 204 is determined by its relative position to the seat tube 1. However, since the locking part 203 is located above the battery pack 2 due to its positional relationship with the battery locking part 3, positioning the recess 204 below the locking part 203 (below the dashed line in Figure 2) avoids interference with the structure of the locking part 203 and offers greater flexibility in placement. Furthermore, when the battery pack 2 is attached to the electric assist bicycle 100 while the USB cable is connected to the USB port 2041, the impact on raising and lowering the seat is also reduced.

[0019] Furthermore, a guard portion 206 is provided on the right side of the recess 204, below the lock portion 203, which is raised one level higher than the side 201, and protects against access to the lock portion 203 from below. When the battery pack 2 is attached to the electric assist bicycle 100, the recess 204 is protected by the guard portion 206. In addition, a side wall 207 is connected to the guard portion 206 on the side adjacent to the side 201 (the side that displays the battery level). The side wall 207 also protects against access to the recess 204.

[0020] Furthermore, when inserting a USB cable into the USB port 2041, it is preferable that the USB port 2041 be positioned slightly higher than the bottom surface of the recess 204 so that the USB cable plug can be inserted along the bottom surface of the recess 204. This is to prevent the electrical circuits inside the USB port 2041 from malfunctioning due to external stress on the USB cable plug or other components.

[0021] Figure 3A shows the battery pack 2 mounted on the electric assist bicycle 100, viewed from the diagonal left front of the electric assist bicycle 100. As mentioned above, the side 201 of the battery pack 2 is directly opposite the seat tube 1, and the USB port 2041 provided in the recess 204 is located behind the seat tube 1 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100, and is hidden by the seat tube 1. In Figure 3A, the USB cable 502 is shown connected to the USB port 2041, and since it is viewed from the diagonal left, part of the USB cable 502 and its plug 501 are visible, but the gap between the seat tube 1 and the side 201 is narrow, so it is impossible to insert the plug 501 of the USB cable 502 in this state. However, as will be described later, there is enough space to mount the battery pack 2 on the battery base 8 with the USB cable 502 connected to the USB port 2041. It can be seen that the battery lock unit 3 is located on the right side of the seat tube 1.

[0022] Figure 3B shows the battery pack 2 mounted on the electric assist bicycle 100, viewed from the diagonal front right of the electric assist bicycle 100. Adjacent to the side 201 of the battery pack 2 is the battery level indicator surface 211. As mentioned above, the side 201 of the battery pack 2 is directly opposite the seat tube 1, and the USB port 2041, located in the recess 204, is positioned behind the seat tube 1 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100, and is hidden by the seat tube 1. From this angle, the recess 204 is visible, but the USB port 2041, USB cable 502, etc., are not visible.

[0023] Figure 4A shows the state immediately before attaching the battery pack 2 to the electric assist bicycle 100, from the same direction as in Figure 3B. As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the battery pack 2 can be attached to the electric assist bicycle 100 with the USB cable 502 connected to the USB port 2041. As shown in Figure 4A, the plug 501 of the USB cable 502 is housed in the recess 204, and the USB cable 502 extending from the plug 501 extends on the surface 2042 and outside the recess 204. In this state, the lower fitting parts 205a and 205b of the battery pack 2 are set diagonally into the corresponding grooves of the battery base 8, and the upper part of the battery pack 2 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, that is, toward the battery lock part 3, thereby attaching the battery pack 2 to the electric assist bicycle 100.

[0024] Figure 4B shows the state after the battery pack 2 has been attached to the electric assist bicycle 100, with the USB cable 502 extending outwards. In this way, the USB cable 502, which was connected to the USB port 2041 before the battery pack 2 was attached to the electric assist bicycle 100, can be used while connected. On the other hand, after the battery pack 2 has been attached to the electric assist bicycle 100, the distance between the seat tube 1 and the side 201 has narrowed, making it difficult to insert the plug 501 of the USB cable 502 into the USB port 2041 in the recess 204. In other words, the battery base 8 is positioned to achieve this distance between the seat tube 1 and the side 201.

[0025] Figure 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the battery pack 2 and seat tube 1 in the vertical central portion of the recess 204. As schematically shown in Figure 5, there is a guard portion 206 on the right side of the recess 204, so once the battery pack 2 is attached to the electric assist bicycle 100, it is difficult to connect the USB cable 502 to the USB port 2041 from the right side. On the other hand, as also shown in Figure 3A, there is no guard portion 206 on the left side of the recess 204, and the recess 204 is visible, but the distance between the seat tube 1 and the side 201 is narrower than the width X of the plug 501 of the USB cable 502, so it is not possible to insert the plug 501 into the recess 204 and plug the connector 503 at the tip of the plug 501 into the USB port 2041. However, if the distance between the seat tube 1 and the side 201 is wider than the diameter of a typical USB cable 502, the situation shown in Figure 4B will be possible. Furthermore, even if the distance between the seat tube 1 and the side 201 is not exactly wider than the diameter of a typical USB cable 502, if the cross-section of the seat tube 1 is circular or elliptical, there may be a partial gap large enough to pull out the USB cable 502, so there may be no problem.

[0026] By adopting the structure of the battery pack 2 and the corresponding structure of the electric assist bicycle 100 as described above, it becomes possible to effectively prevent theft of electricity by third parties other than the legitimate user of the electric assist bicycle 100. In other words, a legitimate user can remove the battery pack 2 from the electric assist bicycle 100 and use the battery pack 2 on its own. It is also possible to attach the battery pack 2 to the electric assist bicycle 100 while the USB cable 502 is connected to the USB port 2041 of the battery pack 2. On the other hand, a third party other than the legitimate user cannot remove the battery pack 2 from the electric assist bicycle 100, and cannot connect the USB cable 502 to the USB port 2041 of the battery pack 2 while it is attached to the electric assist bicycle 100.

[0027] [Embodiment 2] Figure 6 shows a view of a portion of the electric assist bicycle 100b from the right side with the battery pack 2b according to this embodiment installed. That is, in Figure 6, the left side is the front and the right side is the rear. The frame of the electric assist bicycle 100b includes a seat tube 1, a top tube 5, and a down tube 4. A bottom bracket 7 is provided at the joint between the seat tube 1 and the down tube 4, i.e., near the crank axle. A battery base 8 is provided near this bottom bracket 7, and the battery pack 2b is positioned adjacent to the seat tube 1. When viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100b, the battery pack 2b is mounted behind the seat tube 1.

[0028] The battery base 8 has terminals for connecting to a connection part located at the bottom of the battery pack 2b, and power is supplied from the battery pack 2b to the motor control device located at the bottom of the battery base 8 via this connection part and terminals. In the case of an electric assist bicycle 100b that performs regenerative braking, power may also be supplied from the motor control device to the battery pack 2b.

[0029] Furthermore, the seat tube 1 is provided with a battery lock section 3b, and the battery pack 2b mounted on the battery base 8 is mechanically locked by the battery lock section 3b, making it impossible to remove without a key. The battery lock section 3b has a different shape from the battery lock section 3 in the first embodiment, and includes a cover section 31 that directly faces the seat tube 1 and covers a part of the side of the battery pack 2b.

[0030] Furthermore, since the lower part of the battery pack 2b is attached to the battery base 8, the battery locking part 3b secures the relatively upper part of the battery pack 2b, thereby enabling the entire battery pack 2b to be stably fixed to the electric assist bicycle 100b.

[0031] In this embodiment, the battery pack 2b is mounted on the battery base 8 from the right side of the electric assist bicycle 100b, and the battery level indicator surface of the battery pack 2b is visible on the right side of the electric assist bicycle 100b.

[0032] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the battery pack 2b according to this embodiment. In Figure 7, the back is the upper part of the battery pack 2b, and the front is the lower part of the battery pack 2b. The lower bottom surface of the battery pack 2b is provided with a connection part 202 for connecting to terminals provided on the battery base 8. The lower part of the battery pack 2b is also provided with fitting parts 205a and 205b that are inserted into grooves on the battery base 8. When mounted on an electric assist bicycle 100b, the left side is the lower left direction of Figure 7 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100b, and the right side is the upper right direction of Figure 7.

[0033] The side surface 201 of the battery pack 2 is the surface that directly faces the seat tube 1 of the electric assist bicycle 100b. A locking part 203 having a structure corresponding to the battery locking part 3b is provided on this side surface 201, and below this locking part 203 (i.e., below the dashed line in Figure 7), there is a guard part 206 that is one step higher than the side surface 201 and guards against access to the locking part 203 from below. A USB port 2061, which is an example of a connection port that enables power supply to an external device, is formed on the downward-facing surface of this guard part 206.

[0034] The USB port 2061 is also called a USB receptacle, as in the first embodiment, but it may be a terminal conforming to a different standard. In Figure 7, the USB port 2061 is facing downwards towards the battery pack 2b.

[0035] The fact that USB port 2061 faces downwards on battery pack 2 helps to prevent rainwater, dirt, dust, etc. from entering USB port 2061 when battery pack 2b is left attached to the electric assist bicycle 100b.

[0036] The guard portion 206, on which the USB port 2061 is formed, is positioned so as to be hidden by the battery lock portion 3b, which is provided on the seat tube 1 and has a cover portion 31, when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100b. In other words, the USB port 2061 is also positioned so as to be hidden by the battery lock portion 3b when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100b. Furthermore, the lock portion 203 is provided in a position corresponding to the battery lock portion 3b provided on the seat tube 1, and in this embodiment, since the battery lock portion 3 is provided to the right of the seat tube 1 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100b, the guard portion 206 on which the USB port 2061 is formed is also provided to the left of the seat tube 1 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100b.

[0037] In this embodiment, the USB port 2061 is formed in the guard portion 206 below the lock portion 203. When the battery pack 2b is attached to the electric assist bicycle 100b with the USB cable connected to the USB port 2061, the effect on raising and lowering the seat is reduced.

[0038] Furthermore, the guard section 206 also has a side wall 207 connected to the side adjacent to the side 201 (the side that displays the battery level). When the battery pack 2b is mounted on the battery base 8 of the electric assist bicycle 100b, the side wall 207, together with the cover section 31 of the battery lock section 3b, guards access to the USB port 2061 formed in the guard section 206.

[0039] As shown in Figure 7, if the battery pack 2b is held independently, a USB cable can be freely connected to the USB port 2061.

[0040] Figure 8 shows a cross-section of the USB port 2061. The USB port 2061 is located on the downward-facing surface of the guard portion 206, but is positioned slightly higher than the side surface 201 of the battery pack 2b to match the shape of the plug 501 of the USB cable 502. The connector 503 at the tip of the plug 501 of the USB cable 502 is inserted into the USB port 2061, and the height of the USB port 2061 is set so that the bottom surface 5011 of the plug 501 contacts the side surface 201 of the battery pack 2b. In other words, the USB port 2061 is positioned higher than the side surface 201 by a height corresponding to the difference in length between the bottom surface 5011 of the plug 501 and the bottom surface 5031 of the connector 503. In this way, even if external stress is applied to the plug 501, the plug 501 will not move, preventing damage to the internal circuitry of the USB port 2061.

[0041] Figure 9 shows the battery pack 2b attached to the electric assist bicycle 100b, viewed from the front right of the electric assist bicycle 100b. As can be seen from this figure, the USB port 2061 is hidden by the cover portion 31 provided on the battery lock portion 3b and the side wall 207 provided at the point where the battery level display surface 211 and the side surface 201 of the battery pack 2b meet, thus protecting access to the USB port 2061.

[0042] On the other hand, Figure 10A shows the state immediately before attaching the battery pack 2b to the electric assist bicycle 100b. In this embodiment as well, the battery pack 2b can be attached to the electric assist bicycle 100b with the USB cable 502 connected to the USB port 2061. When the connector 503 provided at the tip of the plug 501 of the USB cable 502 is inserted into the USB port 2061, as shown in Figure 10A, the plug 501 is positioned on the side 201, and the USB cable 502 connected to the plug 501 also extends on the side 201. In this state, the lower fitting parts 205a and 205b of the battery pack 2b are set diagonally into the corresponding grooves of the battery base 8, and the upper part of the battery pack 2 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, that is, toward the battery lock part 3b, thereby attaching the battery pack 2b to the electric assist bicycle 100b.

[0043] Figure 10B shows the state after the battery pack 2b has been attached to the electric assist bicycle 100b, with the USB cable 502 extending outwards. As shown, the USB cable 502, which was connected to the USB port 2061 before the battery pack 2b was attached to the electric assist bicycle 100b, can be used while connected because there is an uncovered opening on the bottom. However, after the battery pack 2b has been attached to the electric assist bicycle 100b, the length of the cover portion 31 and the side wall 207 from the side of the guard portion 206 where the USB port 2061 is located is sufficiently long, making it difficult to insert the plug 501 of the USB cable 502 into the USB port 2061.

[0044] By adopting the structure of the battery pack 2b and the corresponding structure of the electric assist bicycle 100b as described above, it becomes possible to effectively prevent theft of electricity by third parties other than the legitimate user of the electric assist bicycle 100b. In other words, a legitimate user can remove the battery pack 2b from the electric assist bicycle 100b and use the battery pack 2b on its own. It is also possible to attach the battery pack 2b to the electric assist bicycle 100b while the USB cable 502 is connected to the USB port 2061 of the battery pack 2b. On the other hand, a third party other than the legitimate user cannot remove the battery pack 2b from the electric assist bicycle 100b, and cannot connect the USB cable 502 to the USB port 2061 of the battery pack 2b while it is attached to the electric assist bicycle 100b.

[0045] [Embodiment 3] Figure 11 shows a view of a portion of the electric assist bicycle 100, with the battery pack 2c according to this embodiment installed, as seen from the right side. That is, in Figure 11, the left side is the front and the right side is the rear. The frame of the electric assist bicycle 100 includes a seat tube 1, a top tube 5, and a down tube 4. A bottom bracket 7 is provided at the joint between the seat tube 1 and the down tube 4, i.e., near the crank axle. A battery base 8 is provided near this bottom bracket 7, and the battery pack 2c is positioned adjacent to the seat tube 1. When viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100, the battery pack 2c is mounted behind the seat tube 1.

[0046] The battery base 8 has terminals for connecting to a connection part located at the bottom of the battery pack 2c, and power is supplied from the battery pack 2c to the motor control device located at the bottom of the battery base 8 via this connection part and terminals. In the case of an electric assist bicycle 100 that performs regenerative braking, power may also be supplied from the motor control device to the battery pack 2c.

[0047] Furthermore, the seat tube 1 is equipped with a battery lock section 3, and the battery pack 2c mounted on the battery base 8 is mechanically locked by the battery lock section 3, making it impossible to remove without a key.

[0048] Furthermore, since the lower part of the battery pack 2c is attached to the battery base 8, the battery locking part 3 secures the relatively upper part of the battery pack 2c, thereby enabling the entire battery pack 2c to be stably fixed to the electric assist bicycle 100.

[0049] In this embodiment, the battery pack 2c is mounted on the battery base 8 from the right side of the electric assist bicycle 100, and the battery level indicator of the battery pack 2c is displayed on the right side of the electric assist bicycle 100.

[0050] Thus, the electric assist bicycle 100 is the same as the electric assist bicycle 100 according to the first embodiment, and the battery pack 2c has a different structure from the battery packs 2 and 2b according to the first and second embodiments. A USB port and a cover for the USB port are provided at the bottom of the battery pack 2c, more specifically, near the battery base 8 when the battery pack 2c is mounted on the battery base 8.

[0051] Figure 12 shows a perspective view of the battery pack 2c according to this embodiment. In Figure 12, the rear side is the top of the battery pack 2c, and the front side is the bottom of the battery pack 2c. The bottom surface of the battery pack 2c is provided with a connection part 202 for connecting to the terminals provided on the battery base 8. When mounted on the electric assist bicycle 100, the front is to the left of Figure 12 when viewed from the front of the electric assist bicycle 100, and the rear is to the right of Figure 12.

[0052] Side 201 is the side that directly faces the seat tube 1 when the battery pack 2c is mounted on the electric assist bicycle 100. Side 201 is provided with a locking part 203, which has a structure corresponding to the battery locking part 3, although it is shown in a simplified manner in Figure 12. The battery level display surface 211 is the side adjacent to side 201, and a USB port is provided below the battery level display surface 211, facing in the direction normal to the display surface 211. However, it is not visible in Figure 12.

[0053] In this embodiment, a cover 22 is provided near the USB port located at the bottom of the battery pack 2c to cover the USB port. As shown in Figure 13, the cover 22 has a cover opening / closing link 221 that protrudes toward the connection part 202 and is pushed upward when attached to the battery base 8, a cover body 222 having a gap (also called a slit) for the USB cable, a connecting part 223 that connects the cover opening / closing link 221 and the cover body 222, and a protrusion 224 for locking the cover 22 in the open or closed state. In this embodiment, the cover body 222 and the cover opening / closing link 221 are parallel to each other.

[0054] Figure 14A shows a magnified view of the lower part of the battery pack 2c when it is not attached to the battery base 8. A USB port 209 is provided at the bottom of the battery pack 2c, and below it, the cover opening / closing link 221 and connecting part 223 of the cover 22 are inserted, and a hole 23 that defines the range of motion of the cover 22 is also provided. Since it is not attached to the battery base 8, the cover body 222 of the cover 22 is lowered, allowing access to the USB port 209.

[0055] Figure 14B shows an enlarged view of the lower part of the battery pack 2c when it is attached to the battery base 8. The cover opening / closing link 221 of the cover 22 is pushed from below upward, and the cover body 222 is also pushed upward together with the connecting part 223. As a result, the USB port 209 is covered by the cover body 222. However, the cover body 222 is provided with a slit that the plug 501 cannot pass through but the USB cable 502 can, so that the battery pack 2c can be attached to the battery base 8 while the USB cable 502 is connected to the USB port 209.

[0056] Figure 15 shows the main parts of the AA' cross-section shown in Figure 11. When the battery pack 2c is attached to the battery base 8, the lower tip of the cover opening / closing link 221 is pushed upward by the bottom surface 81 of the battery base 8, causing the entire cover 22 to move upward. As a result, the cover body 222 is also pushed up to the position of the USB port 209, covering the USB port 209. The dotted line for the cover 22 in Figure 15 represents the first state in which the battery pack 2c is not attached to the battery base 8. In the first state, the protrusion 224 engages with the first recess of the battery pack 2c to hold the cover 22 open. The solid line for the cover 22 represents the second state in which the battery pack 2c is attached to the battery base 8. In the second state, the protrusion 224 engages with the second recess of the battery pack 2c to hold the cover 22 closed.

[0057] Figure 16A shows an enlarged view of the structure near the cover 22 in Figure 15. Figure 16A is a diagram illustrating the first state. The cover opening / closing link 221 of the cover 22 passes through a hole 24 provided in the bottom of the battery pack 2c, and the connecting part 223 passes through the hole 23 and is located at the bottom of the hole 23. Inside the hole 23 of the battery pack 2c, there is a first recess 25 for holding the cover 22 in the first state and a second recess 26 for locking it in the second state. In the first state, the first recess 25 and the protrusion 224 of the cover 22 are interlocked. The USB port 209 is located above the hole 23, and in the first state, it is not covered by the cover body 222, so a USB cable can be freely plugged in and unplugged from the USB port 209.

[0058] Figure 16B shows a diagram illustrating the second state. The tip of the cover opening / closing link 221 of the cover 22 is pushed upward to a position along the bottom surface of the battery pack 2c. As a result, the protrusion 224 also moves from the first recess 25 to the second recess 26 and engages with the second recess 26. Similarly, the connecting part 223 is also pushed upward to the top of the hole 23. The cover body 222 is also pushed upward by the same amount, so that it covers the USB port 209.

[0059] Figure 17 shows the case where the USB cable 502 is connected to the USB port 209 in the second state shown in Figure 16B. With the connector 503 inserted into the USB port 209, the plug 501 is housed between the surface of the battery pack 2c on which the USB port 209 is located and the inner surface of the cover body 222. The USB cable 502 then extends outward through a gap in the cover body 222, allowing power charged in the battery pack 2c to be supplied to external devices even when the battery pack 2c is mounted on the battery base 8.

[0060] Figure 18 shows the main part of the BB' cross-section shown in Figure 11. Similar to Figure 17, with the connector 503 inserted into the USB port 209, the plug 501 is housed between the surface of the battery pack 2c on which the USB port 209 is located and the inner surface of the cover body 222. The USB cable 502 extends outward through a gap in the cover body 222. The width of the gap in the cover body 222 is slightly wider than the USB cable 502 but narrower than the plug 501, preventing the USB cable 502 from being connected later while the USB port 209 is covered by the cover body 222.

[0061] By adopting this structure for the battery pack 2c, it becomes possible to effectively prevent theft of electricity by third parties other than the legitimate user of the electric assist bicycle 100. In other words, a legitimate user can remove the battery pack 2c from the electric assist bicycle 100 and use the battery pack 2c on its own. It is also possible to attach the battery pack 2c to the electric assist bicycle 100 while the USB cable 502 is connected to the USB port 209 of the battery pack 2c. On the other hand, a third party other than the legitimate user cannot remove the battery pack 2c from the electric assist bicycle 100, and cannot connect the USB cable 502 to the USB port 209 of the battery pack 2c while it is attached to the electric assist bicycle 100.

[0062] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, depending on the purpose, any configuration in the battery pack and electric assist bicycle may be removed, or any configuration may be added to expand functionality.

[0063] In the example described above, power was supplied to an external device from a USB port. However, it is also possible to supply power to the USB port from an external device (such as a wind turbine or solar power generator). Furthermore, if the external device is a mobile device such as a smartphone, the configuration may not only supply power to the external device but also enable data communication with the external device.

[0064] The embodiments described above can be summarized as follows:

[0065] The battery pack according to the first aspect of this embodiment has (A) a connection part for supplying power to an electric vehicle when it is mounted on the electric vehicle, and (B) a connection port (e.g., a USB port) for supplying power to an external device, which is provided separately from the connection part on the side facing the seat tube of the electric vehicle when it is mounted on the electric vehicle, and is hidden from view from the front of the electric vehicle by the seat tube or a battery lock part provided on the seat tube.

[0066] By arranging the connection ports in this way, when the battery pack is installed in an electric vehicle, the connection ports will be hidden by the vehicle's seat tube or battery lock, thus preventing theft of electricity by third parties other than the legitimate user of the electric vehicle.

[0067] More specifically, the battery pack described above is mounted on the electric vehicle adjacent to the seat tube, and the connection port may be positioned so that, when the battery pack is mounted on the electric vehicle, the seat tube or battery lock prevents access to the connection port by the plug portion of the cable connected to the connection port. This ensures that theft of electricity by a third party other than a legitimate user is prevented.

[0068] Furthermore, the connection port mentioned above may be located below the locking mechanism, which has a structure corresponding to the battery locking mechanism provided on the seat tube. In a typical battery pack, the locking mechanism is located above the battery pack, so placing the connection port below the locking mechanism offers advantages such as greater flexibility in placement. Typically, "below the locking mechanism" can also be expressed as the connection mechanism or, when mounted on an electric vehicle, the ground.

[0069] Furthermore, the connection port described above may be located within a recess that is hidden from view from the front of the electric vehicle by the seat tube when the vehicle is mounted on the electric vehicle. For example, as in the first embodiment, providing the connection port in a recess makes it possible to suppress the impact of external shocks when a cable is connected to the connection port. Preferably, this recess has a shape that can accommodate the plug portion of the cable connected to the connection port.

[0070] Furthermore, the connection port described above may be positioned in the recess so that it faces downward, to the right, or to the left when viewed from the front of the electric vehicle when the battery pack is attached to the electric vehicle. This prevents rainwater, dust, and other debris from accumulating in the connection port even when the battery pack is left attached to the electric vehicle.

[0071] Furthermore, the recess mentioned above may also have a guide slope for the cable connected to the connection port. This ensures that even when the battery pack is mounted on the electric vehicle with the cable still connected to the USB port, the cable will be routed smoothly outwards.

[0072] Furthermore, in electric vehicles, when a battery pack with a connection port provided in the recess described above is installed, it is preferable that the battery base is positioned such that the distance between the seat tube and the side surface described above allows the battery pack to be installed on the electric vehicle after connecting a cable to the connection port, but prevents the cable from being connected to the connection port after the battery pack has been installed on the electric vehicle. By setting the above distance, it is possible to reliably deter theft of electricity by third parties other than legitimate users.

[0073] Furthermore, the connection port described above may be located in a position where it is hidden from view of the front of the electric vehicle by the battery lock when the battery pack is attached to the electric vehicle, and may be provided at a predetermined distance from the side toward the seat tube. For example, as in the second embodiment, the arrangement may be such that the USB port is hidden by the battery lock. The predetermined length described above may be the length corresponding to the difference between the side that the plug portion of the cable connected to the connection port contacts and the bottom surface of the connector provided at the tip of the plug portion. In this way, even if external stress is applied to the plug portion, it is possible to avoid damage to the inside of the connection port.

[0074] In addition, an element that guards the connection port, along with the battery lock, may be provided near the connection port. This is to ensure that electricity theft is prevented. The element may also completely cover the connection port.

[0075] Furthermore, the connection port mentioned above may be positioned so that it faces downwards when viewed from the front of the electric vehicle when the battery pack is attached to the electric vehicle. This is to prevent rainwater, dust, and other debris from accumulating in the connection port even when the battery pack is left attached to the electric vehicle.

[0076] Furthermore, in some cases, a side wall is provided near the connection port to guard against lateral access to the connection port. For example, if the side wall prevents access from the side, but the bottom is left open, the battery pack can be attached to the electric vehicle while the cable is still plugged into the connection port.

[0077] The battery pack according to the second aspect of this embodiment includes (A) a connection part for supplying power to an electric vehicle when mounted on the battery base of the electric vehicle, (B) a connection port provided near the connection part for supplying power to an external device, and (C) a cover that covers the connection port when mounted on the battery base. In this way, access to the connection port is prevented when mounted on the battery base, thus preventing theft of electricity by a third party other than a legitimate user.

[0078] Furthermore, the cover mentioned above may have a gap narrower than the plug portion of the cable connected to the connection port, yet still large enough for the cable to pass through. This allows the battery pack to be attached to the electric vehicle while the cable remains connected to the connection port.

[0079] Furthermore, the cover described above may have a structure that locks in a position that allows a cable to be connected to the connection port before it is attached to the battery base, and locks in a position that covers the connection port after it is attached to the battery base.

[0080] Furthermore, the cover described above may also have a first part (e.g., a cover opening / closing link) that is pushed up in response to being attached to the battery base, and a second part (e.g., the cover body) that is pushed up in response to the first part being pushed up and covers the connection port. The cover described above can be formed with a simple structure.

[0081] Such configurations are not limited to those described in the embodiments, and may also be implemented with other configurations that produce substantially the same effect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Seat tube 3,3b Battery lock section 2,2b,2c Battery Pack 2041, 2061, 209 USB ports 501 Plug 502 USB Cable 503 Connector

Claims

1. A connection part for supplying power to an electric vehicle when installed on the electric vehicle, A connection port for supplying power to an external device is provided separately from the connection portion on the side facing the seat tube of the electric vehicle when mounted on the electric vehicle, in a position that is hidden from view from the front of the electric vehicle by the seat tube or a battery lock portion provided on the seat tube, A battery pack that has [a certain feature].

2. The battery pack is mounted on the electric vehicle so as to be adjacent to the seat tube, The aforementioned connection port is positioned such that, when the battery pack is mounted on the electric vehicle, the seat tube or the battery lock portion prevents the plug portion of the cable connected to the connection port from accessing the connection port. The battery pack according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned connection port, It is located below the locking part, which has a structure corresponding to the battery locking part provided on the seat tube. The battery pack according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned connection port, The battery pack is located in a recess that is hidden from view from the front of the electric vehicle by the seat tube when the battery pack is mounted on the electric vehicle. The battery pack according to claim 1.

5. The connection port in the recess faces downward, to the right, or to the left when viewed from the front of the electric vehicle, when the battery pack is mounted on the electric vehicle. The battery pack according to claim 4.

6. A guide slope for the cable connected to the connection port is provided in the recess. The battery pack according to claim 4.

7. An electric vehicle in which, when the battery pack according to claim 4 is installed, the battery base is positioned such that the distance between the seat tube and the side surface is such that the battery pack can be installed on the electric vehicle after the cable is connected to the connection port, and the cable cannot be connected to the connection port after the battery pack is installed on the electric vehicle.

8. The aforementioned connection port, The battery pack is located in a position that is hidden from view from the front of the electric vehicle by the battery lock portion when the battery pack is mounted on the electric vehicle, and is provided at a predetermined distance from the side toward the seat tube. The battery pack according to claim 1.

9. The predetermined length is the length corresponding to the difference between the side surface to which the plug portion of the cable connected to the connection port makes contact and the bottom surface of the connector provided at the tip of the plug portion. The battery pack according to claim 8.

10. An element is provided near the aforementioned connection port to guard the connection port in conjunction with the battery lock portion. The battery pack according to claim 9.

11. The aforementioned connection port faces downward when viewed from the front of the electric vehicle, when the battery pack is mounted on the electric vehicle. The battery pack according to claim 9.

12. A side wall is provided near the aforementioned connection port to guard against lateral access to the connection port. The battery pack according to claim 11.

13. A connection part for supplying power to an electric vehicle when mounted on the battery base of the electric vehicle, A connection port for supplying power to an external device is provided near the aforementioned connection part, Depending on the mounting to the battery base, a cover is provided to cover the connection port, A battery pack that has [a certain feature].

14. The cover is provided with a gap that is narrower than the plug portion of the cable connected to the connection port, and through which the cable connected to the connection port can pass. The battery pack according to claim 13.

15. The cover is locked in a position that allows a cable to be connected to the connection port before being attached to the battery base, and is locked in a position that covers the connection port after being attached to the battery base. The battery pack according to claim 13.

16. The cover has a first portion that is pushed up when the battery is mounted on the battery base, and a second portion that is pushed up when the first portion is pushed up to cover the connection port. The battery pack according to claim 13.

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