Title:
ELECTRIC VEHICLE PHOTOVOLTAIC CHARGING SYSTEM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2000046056
Kind Code:
A9
Abstract:
A PV roof assembly (6) includes a roof (12) mountable to an electric car (4), and a PV assembly (10) at the upper part of the roof. The PV assembly may be mounted to a separate roof surface (34) or the PV assembly may itself constitute all or part of the roof. The PV assembly may include a monolithic PV panel (14) with a plurality of PV cells (20). The roof may define a storage region (32) accessible through a closable access opening (44). The roof may include a circumferential lip (24) which extends around and above the PV assembly to help prevent damage to the PV panel. The roof may include a protective, at least semi-transparent top layer (60), an at least semi-transparent bottom layer (62) and a semi-transparent PV layer (64) secured between and in contact with the top and bottom layers to create a roof which is itself semi-transparent. The ratio of PV cells to the number of battery cells may be chosen to create a self-regulating design. A misting system (55) with roof-mounted misting outlets (53) can be used for enhanced comfort during hot weather. A graphical display may be used to provide the driver with, for example, energy production and battery charge level.
Inventors:
SHUGAR DANIEL S
DINWOODIE THOMAS L
DINWOODIE THOMAS L
Application Number:
PCT/US2000/002135
Publication Date:
September 13, 2001
Filing Date:
January 28, 2000
Export Citation:
Assignee:
POWERLIGHT CORP (US)
International Classes:
B60L8/00; B60K1/04; B60L11/18; H01M10/44; H01M10/48; H02J7/00; H02J7/35; (IPC1-7): B60K1/00
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