Detachable EV Compartments for Power Handoff and Delivery Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicles face inefficiencies when running low on power, leading to potential delays or failures in delivering loads, especially when manually operated vehicles run out of power en route to recipient locations.
Innovation Solution
A compartmentalized electric vehicle (EV) with detachable compartments, each equipped with a power supply, motor, and autonomous operation features, allows for power transfer between compartments and detachment at intermediate destinations to ensure delivery of loads to final destinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional vehicle delivers loads manually, then delivery service is provided, but the vehicle may run out of power and fail to deliver loads on time
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is divided into multiple detachable compartments, each with its own power supply and motor. This segmentation allows individual compartments to operate independently, ensuring that if one compartment runs low on power, other compartments can continue delivering loads, thereby maintaining delivery reliability while managing power consumption across multiple independent units.
2Reliability
If a vehicle runs out of power before reaching the destination, then emergency services are required, but this causes delays and additional costs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by enabling automatic detachment of compartments before the main vehicle runs out of power. When power levels are monitored to be insufficient for completing the journey, the system proactively detaches compartments that can still reach their destinations, allowing them to continue delivery without requiring emergency services or causing delays.
3Productivity
If multiple vehicles are used to deliver loads to the same location, then delivery capacity is increased, but operational complexity and coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple detachable compartments are merged into a single vehicle platform, sharing common control systems, navigation, and power management infrastructure. This merging approach increases delivery capacity by allowing multiple compartments to operate simultaneously while reducing system complexity compared to using entirely separate vehicles, as the compartments share the burden of complex subsystems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures timely and efficient delivery of loads by allowing compartments to detach and continue to their destinations even when one compartment runs out of power, enhancing operational reliability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the plurality of detachable compartments may further include a magnet attached to an external surface of the compartment. The plurality of detachable compartments may be attached to each other via magnetic attraction from the magnets.
Implementation Method 2
A first compartment of the plurality of compartments may be configured to receive power from a second compartment of the plurality of compartments to charge the power supply in the first compartment.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for power transfer and routing in a compartmentalized electric vehicle (EV) having detachable compartments, and for handing off a load from one EV to another EV for delivering the load to a destination are described herein. Each detachable compartment in the compartmentalized EV may have a separate power supply, motor, set of wheels, and/or autonomous operation features. The detachable compartments may attach to each other, such that each of the detachable compartments combine to form a compartmentalized EV that travels to a particular location.