Vehicle Base Station Battery Replacement Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), face limitations in remote locations due to battery power constraints, necessitating systems and methods for efficient battery replacement and recharging.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle base station system with a platform for positioning vehicles, including a battery replacement assembly and a power source to provide continuous power during battery swapping, utilizing a battery receiver and carriage system for automated battery removal and replacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If autonomous vehicles use battery power for operation, then they can function autonomously in remote locations, but their operational duration is limited by battery capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational durationVSAvoidbattery power constraint

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The base station pre-charges multiple batteries before the vehicle arrives. When the vehicle needs battery replacement, fully charged batteries are already available, eliminating waiting time and ensuring continuous operation without interruption to the vehicle's mission

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If manual battery replacement is used, then battery swapping can be performed, but it requires human intervention and causes operational interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery replacement capabilityVSAvoidoperational interruption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle performs battery replacement autonomously using its own battery receiver and the base station's automated system. The vehicle positions itself, the system automatically transfers batteries between the vehicle and base station, and the vehicle continues operation without human intervention or mission interruption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The base station prepares charged batteries in advance and positions them in battery bays before the vehicle arrives. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the vehicle needs battery replacement, the process can occur instantly without waiting for battery charging or manual retrieval

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If automated battery replacement system is implemented, then continuous operation is enabled, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous operation capabilityVSAvoidbase station system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into independent functional modules: battery receiver on the vehicle, battery bays at the base station, power source, and control system. Each module performs a specific function and can operate independently, simplifying the overall system architecture while enabling automated continuous operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The battery receiver and battery bay interfaces are designed to be universal, allowing the same mechanism to handle multiple battery transfers in both directions (vehicle to base station and base station to vehicle). This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each operation, managing complexity while maintaining continuous operation capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8862288B2Vehicle base station

Publication Date: 2014.10.14 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A vehicle base station comprises a platform on which a vehicle may be positioned, a first battery bay located on a first side of the platform, a battery replacement assembly to remove a battery from the vehicle and to replace the battery with a new battery, and a power source adapted to provide power to the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned on the platform.