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US 10,870,365 B2Granted
Method and system for rapid power exchange
AssigneeAtmo Auto Power LLC
InventorJason Ahrens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for vehicle power exchange includes at least one power terminal disposable on a ground surface on which a vehicle drives. The power exchange terminal has at least a drop mechanism or a lift mechanism. The drop mechanism is associated with the power exchange terminal for releasing a depleted power cell from a vehicle during its power exchange. The lift mechanism is also associated with a power exchange terminal for inserting a charged power cell into the vehicle during power exchange.
Claims16
An above ground system for vehicle power exchange, the system comprising:
- at least one power exchange terminal disposable on a ground surface on which a vehicle travels, the power exchange terminal having a sufficiently low profile such that when disposed on a vehicle driving surface, a vehicle for power exchange can drive over the power exchange terminal during power exchange, the at least one power exchange terminal comprising:
- a lift mechanism disposed completely above ground and connected to a first terminal of the at least one power exchange terminal for inserting a charged power cell into the vehicle during power exchange, the lift mechanism comprising a lift mechanism boom attached to the first terminal at a first end of the lift mechanism boom and the lift mechanism boom having a second end for receiving a charged power cell for insertion into the vehicle for power exchange.
A method for vehicle power exchange, the method comprising:
- receiving a vehicle for power exchange at a first position along a power exchange strip;
- removing a depleted power cell from the vehicle by releasing the power cell from the vehicle at the first position using a drop mechanism associated with the first position, the drop mechanism being completely above ground and comprising a drop mechanism boom attached to the power exchange strip at a first end of the drop mechanism boom and the drop mechanism boom having a second end for receiving a depleted power cell for removal from the vehicle during power exchange, wherein the drop mechanism has a sufficiently low profile for placement on a ground surface to which the vehicle traverses between the first position and the second position;
- receiving the vehicle at a second position along the power exchange strip;
- and
- inserting a replacement power cell into the vehicle at the second position by lifting the replacement power cell using a lift mechanism, wherein the lift mechanism is completely above ground and comprises a lift mechanism boom attached to the power exchange strip at a first end of the lift mechanism boom and the lift mechanism boom has a second end for receiving a charged power cell for insertion into the vehicle for power exchange.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.