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United States Patent | 5,927,938 |
Hammerslag | July 27, 1999 |
A battery transfer and charging system for electrically powered vehicles includes a conveyor loop for conveying batteries from a battery receiving station to a battery delivery station. A displacement assembly removes spent batteries of electric vehicles by placing charged batteries into position within the vehicles so as to laterally displace spent batteries. Spent batteries displaced from vehicles are received by the receiving station, where the batteries are tested both electrically and by comparing battery status data against predetermined criteria. Batteries which fail the battery test are automatically removed from the conveyor loop by a elevator assembly. Batteries are automatically charged as they pass through the conveyor loop in an assembly-line fashion. Following recharge, batteries are conveyed to the displacement station for installation within later vehicles. In one embodiment of the system, vehicles are processed through the system in sequential order, stopping at a specified location for battery installation/removal.
Inventors: | Hammerslag; Julius G. (San Juan Capistrano, CA) |
Assignee: |
Unlimited Range Electric Car Systems Company
(San Clemente,
CA)
|
Appl. No.: | 08/851,621 |
Filed: | May 6, 1997 |
Application Number | Filing Date | Patent Number | Issue Date | ||
745423 | Nov., 1996 | 5711648 | |||
614130 | Mar., 1996 | ||||
178101 | Jan., 1994 | 5549443 | |||
Current U.S. Class: | 414/809 ; 180/68.5; 194/904; 320/109; 414/390; 414/396; 414/398; 414/401 |
Current International Class: | B60K 1/04 (20060101); B60S 5/00 (20060101); B60S 5/06 (20060101); B65G 067/00 () |
Field of Search: | 414/396,398,400,401,584,390,800,806,809 104/34 180/68.5 320/9,DIG.34,FOR 101/ 194/904,205 |
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