US 11,641,128 B2Granted

Mobile charging stations with fuel-cell generators for electric-drive vehicles

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsAlan B. Martin, Matthew C. Kirklin, Charles E. Freese, V, Margarita M. Mann, William H. Pettit

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Abstract

Presented are mobile charging stations for recharging electrified vehicles, methods for making/using such mobile charging stations, and parking facilities equipped with such mobile charging stations. A mobile charging station includes a frame with drive wheels and a prime mover operable to drive the wheels to propel the charging station. A hydrogen storage container and fuel cell are mounted to the frame. The fuel cell oxidizes hydrogen received from the storage container to generate electrical current. An electrical coupling mechanism connects the fuel cell to a battery pack of an electric-drive vehicle. A resident or remote controller is programmed to receive charge requests to recharge vehicles, and responsively determines path plan data for the mobile charging station. The controller commands the prime mover to propel the mobile charging station from the charger's origin to a charger destination, and enables the fuel cell to transmit electrical current to the vehicle.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicle charging system for recharging a battery of a vehicle, the vehicle charging system comprising:

a rail network with a rail track leading to a plurality of parking spots of a parking area configured to accommodate multiple vehicles;
a mobile charging station, including:
a charger frame with a plurality of drive wheels movably mounting the charger frame onto the rail track;
a prime mover mounted to the charger frame and operable to drive one or more of the drive wheels to thereby propel the mobile charging station on the rail network;
a fuel container mounted to the charger frame and storing a hydrogen-based fuel;
a fuel cell system mounted to the charger frame, connected to the fuel container, and operable to convert the hydrogen-based fuel into electrical current;
and
an electrical coupling mechanism mounted to the charger frame and configured to operatively connect the fuel cell system to the battery of the vehicle;
and
a mobile charger controller communicatively connected to the prime mover and the fuel cell system, the mobile charger controller being programmed to:
receive a charge request signal to recharge the battery of the vehicle;
responsive to receiving the charge request signal, determine charger path plan data including a charger origin and a charger destination for the mobile charging station;
command the prime mover to propel the mobile charging station from the charger origin to the charger destination;
and
enable the fuel cell system to transmit electrical current to the battery of the vehicle via the electrical coupling mechanism.

12 more elements

A method for operating a vehicle charging system for recharging a battery of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, via a mobile charger controller, a charge request signal to recharge the battery of the vehicle, the vehicle being located in a parking area with a rail network including a rail track leading to a plurality of parking spots in the parking area;
determining, responsive to receiving the charge request signal, charger path plan data including a charger origin and a charger destination for a mobile charging station, the mobile charging station including a charger frame, drive wheels attached to the charger frame and movably mounting the charger frame onto the rail track, a prime mover attached to the charger frame and operable to drive one or more of the drive wheels to thereby propel the mobile charging station, a fuel container attached to the charger frame and configured to store a hydrogen-based fuel, a fuel cell system attached to the charger frame and operable to convert the hydrogen-based fuel into electrical current, and an electrical coupling mechanism configured to operatively connect the fuel cell system to the battery of the vehicle;
commanding the prime mover to propel the mobile charging station on the rail network from the charger origin to the charger destination;
and
enabling the fuel cell to transmit electrical current to the battery of the vehicle via the electrical coupling mechanism.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/484,166Filed 24 Sep 2021 · continuation
Priority: 22 Nov 2019
Published: US 2022/0014038 A113 Jan 2022
Granted: 2 May 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification37 codes

H02J 7/342
Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering: the other DC source being a battery actively…
B60L 53/12
Characterised by the energy transfer between the charging station and the vehicle: inductive energy transfer
B60L 53/14
Characterised by the energy transfer between the charging station and the vehicle: conductive energy transfer
B60L 53/305
Constructional details of charging stations: communication interfaces

Family

Application16/691,921Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Nov 2019
US 2022/0014038 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Jan 2022
US 11,152,814 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2021/0155108 A1Published application
US 11,641,128 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.