Priority Claim:

[0001] This application claims priority from the provisional application numbered 202241009909 filed with Indian Patent Office, Chennai on 24 ^th February 2022 and entitled “A swappable battery assembly for electric vehicles and battery swapping method”, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Technical field of the invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a swappable battery in electric two-wheeler vehicles and a method of swapping the battery assembly.

Background of the invention

[0003] Electric vehicles provide environmentally friendly solutions for commuting. The electric vehicles are operated on batteries which can be charged from time to time and most electric vehicles have swappable batteries which can be swapped when they have to charged. Several electric vehicle models have under seat battery swap options through which drained battery can be replaced by a completely charged battery.

[0004] Electric vehicle battery is swapped for a fully charged one, thereby eliminating the delay involved in vehicle's battery to charge. Battery swapping stations offer a quicker solution to address range anxiety, where each battery swap takes less than 10 minutes and requires much smaller space to install when compared to charging stations. Battery swapping reduces down-time and acquisition cost of a vehicle as the customer pays only for the energy.

[0005] The Patent Application No. US20130177795-A1 entitled “Swappable, configurable and structural battery pack for electric vehicles” discloses an apparatus for swappable battery packaging for electric vehicles. The apparatus offers self-repairable battery packing system to even a novice user thereof, offering each of replacement or recharging operations.

[0006] The Patent Application No. US8146694B2 entitled “Swappable modulated battery packs system for electrically driven vehicle” discloses a system for swappable battery packs for electric vehicle. Here, each battery pack unit comprises a battery compartment housing, a battery carrier rack which is slidable within the battery compartment housing via at least one linear actuator. The battery carrier rack also contains a plurality of modulated battery packs nested into its docking enclosures. In order to transfer or swap the modulated battery packs, the slidable battery carrier rack must project out from its compartment in predetermined direction and distance and then the nested modulated battery packs can easily be detached from its docking enclosures.

[0007] The Patent Application No. US6631775B1 entitled “Electric vehicle chassis with removable battery module and a method for battery module replacement” discloses an electric powered vehicle which includes a chassis defining a battery module compartment and a battery module insertable into the battery module compartment of the chassis. A method of replacing a battery module of an electric powered vehicle provides a service facility including a plurality of battery modules and a system for charging the battery modules. Upon the entry into the service facility of a driver in an electric powered vehicle with a depleted battery module, the depleted battery module is removed from the electric powered vehicle and replaced with a battery module including a fully charged battery. The driver is then charged for the battery module including the fully charged battery.

[0008] The Patent Application No. EP3730359A1 entitled “Swappable modulated battery packs system for electrically driven vehicle” discloses a battery swapping actuating mechanism. The battery swapping actuating mechanism comprises a base, a locking/unlocking unit for locking/unlocking a battery pack, a conveying unit for conveying the battery pack, and a lifting unit. The lifting unit comprises a driving mechanism and a lifting/lowering portion that is able to be driven by the driving mechanism to ascend or descend. Further, one of the locking/unlocking unit and the conveying unit is connected to the lifting/lowering portion, such that the top of the one unit is higher or lower than the other unit, and the other unit is supported on the base. The overall lifting height can be reduced according to the application.

[0009] The majority of electric vehicles in the market have fixed battery units mounted to vehicle frame, and the fixed battery makes it unable to charge the batteries at indoor locations. Additionally, most of the electric vehicle designs have under seat battery swap options. Such designs raise challenges during recharging of the batteries which has to be done at charging stations or only at outdoor locations.

[0010] Even though the batteries in some electric vehicles can be removed from the electric vehicles, there are several difficulties and challenges which arise when the batteries have to be recharged in locations where the charging stations are unavailable or when the batteries have to be recharged in multistoried buildings. Also, the majority of the electric vehicles which are in the market have fixed battery units that are mounted to vehicle frames which cannot be charged indoors.

[0011] Hence, there exists a need for a battery swapping mechanism where the battery can be removed and mounted back to the electric vehicles easily without any difficulty.

Summary of the invention:

[0012] The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior arts by disclosing an electro-mechanical system comprising of body panels, linear electric actuators with electronic control unit to control the speed of actuation, a power unit and aluminum mount rods to connect the body panel lugs. The said system uses a battery swapping mechanism where the panel retracting mechanism is used for battery swapping and battery replacement.

[0013] According to the present invention, the system discloses a compartment in which the battery of the electric vehicle is placed. The said compartment houses the battery packs with suitable mounts or fitting, where the panel retracting mechanism can be used to open the body panels for battery swapping. The said panel retracting mechanism uses the actuator units and double pivot pneumatic struts mounted on the body panel of the electric two-wheeler vehicle. The said body panels of the electric vehicle can be deployed by using linear actuators, which are operated electrically using power from battery pack. The said linear actuators enable deployment and retraction of the battery for replacement of swapping of the battery. The panel retracting mechanism enables the user to easily swap the batteries or remove/replace batteries for charging purposes.

[0014] The complete assembly is mounted to frame of the electric vehicle through plurality of fasteners, where said fastener provisions shall be provided to more than one side walls of the system. The lugs enable the panels to retract at desired angles, further enabling them to open and close during battery swapping and replacements.

[0016] The current invention allows for the simple removal of battery units from electric vehicles for charging and replacement. Further, the present invention provides a system that is easy to repair, and the battery can be replaced without any supervision.

Brief description of the drawings:

[0015] The foregoing and other features of embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like elements.

[0016] FIG 1 illustrates an isometric view of the electro-mechanical system with panel retracting mechanism in closed position. [0017] FIG 2 illustrates an isometric view of the electro-mechanical system with panel retracting mechanism in open position.

[0018] FIG 3 illustrates a side view of the electro-mechanical system with panel retracting mechanism in closed position.

[0019] FIG 4 illustrates a side view of the electro-mechanical system with panel retracting mechanism in open position.

Detailed description of the invention:

[0020] Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the present subject matter, one or more examples of which are shown in the figures. Each example is provided to explain the subject matter and not a limitation. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the invention.

[0021] The present invention discloses an electro-mechanical system comprising of body panels, linear electric actuators with electronic control unit to control the speed of actuation of the panel retracting mechanism, a power unit and aluminum mount rods to connect the body panel lugs. The said system uses a battery swapping mechanism where the panel retracting mechanism is used for battery swapping and battery replacement. The panel retracting mechanism uses the actuator units and double pivot pneumatic struts mounted on the body panel. The said body panels of the electric vehicle can be deployed by using linear actuators, which are operated electrically using power from battery pack.

[0022] FIG 1 illustrates an isometric view of the electro-mechanical system with panel retracting mechanism in closed position. With reference to Figure 1, the electro-mechanical system (100) comprises of a first body panel (101) and a second body panel (101 A) of an electric vehicle, mounted on one or more aluminum rods. The electro-mechanical system (100) includes body panels (101) and (101A) which are made of metallic (Al alloy) and/or plastics, one or more linear electric actuators, an electronic control unit/ solenoid to control the speed of actuation of the panel retracting mechanism, a power unit and an aluminum mount rod to connect the body panel lugs/ hinge unit (102).

[0023] FIG 2 illustrates an isometric view of the electro-mechanical system with panel retracting mechanism in open position. With reference to FIG 2, the body panels (101) and (101A) of the said electric vehicle are mounted to the lugs/hinge unit (102) which enable the panels (101) and (101A) to retract at desired angles, further enabling them to open and close during battery swapping and replacement. The complete assembly of the electro-mechanical system (100) is mounted to the frame of the electric vehicle using one or more fasteners, wherein the said fastener provisions shall be provided to four side walls of the system (100). Further, the electro-mechanical system (100) discloses one or more mounting brackets (104), through which the linear actuators (103) are mounted.

[0024] FIG 3 illustrates a side view of the electro-mechanical system with panel retracting mechanism in closed position. With reference to FIG 3, the electromechanical system (100) discloses the body panels (101) and (101A) which uses the panel retracting mechanism, wherein the panel retracting mechanism further consists of the linear actuator/ actuator units (103) and a double pivot pneumatic strut/ pneumatic strut joint (105) mounted to the body panels (101) and (101A). The said body panels (101) and (101A) can be deployed by using the linear actuators (103).

[0025] The body panels (101) and (101A) are connected to the linear actuators (103) at two locations A and B. And at location C, the body panel (101) is connected with the double pivot pneumatic strut/ pneumatic strut joint (105). The said linear actuator (103) used in is operated electrically using a battery pack, wherein the said actuator (103) is activated causing the spring actuator to trigger first and next to open panels at locations A and B. At location C, the said body panel (101A) is connected to pneumatic strut joint (105), which further deploys the body panel (101A). The said linear actuators (103) enable deployment and retraction of the battery through the body panels (101) and (101A). More particularly, through the controlled motion of the body panels (101) and (101A). The controlled motions of the actuators (103) deploy the body panels (101) and (101A) with ease to replace or swap the batteries.

[0026] FIG 4 illustrates the side view of the electro-mechanical system (100) with panel retracting mechanism in closed position. The electro-mechanical system

(100) discloses the body panels (101) and (101A) which uses the panel retracting mechanism, wherein the panel retracting mechanism consists of the actuator unit (103) and the double pivot pneumatic strut (105) mounted to the body panels (101) and (101A). The linear actuators (103) are mounted on the mounting brackets (104). The double pneumatic strut (105) is disclosed in retracted position where the body panel (101) is in open position and is supported by the lugs/hinge unit(102), wherein the said lugs (102) act as hinge support and enable the body panel (101) to retract at desired angles and thus enabling open and close operation during the battery swapping or replacement.

[0027] The present invention discloses the use of lugs (102) where body panels

(101) are mounted to the lugs (102) and the complete assembly of the electromechanical system (100) is connected to the frame of the electric vehicle using fasteners, wherein said fastener provisions shall be provided to four side walls of the system (100). The lugs (102) on the body panels (101) and (101A) are connected to the strut rods which are further attached to the frame of the electro-mechanical system (100) and act as hinges enabling opening and closing of the body panels (101) and (101A).

[0028] According to the present invention said body panels (101) and (101A) may be deployed by using the linear actuators (103), in which the body panel (101) is attached to the linear actuator unit (103) which when triggered, activates and retracts the body panel (101) in outward direction. The body panels (101) are connected to the actuators (103) at two locations A and B. At location C, the body panel (101A) is connected to the double pivot joint mechanical actuator (Pneumatic strut joint) (105). The linear actuators (103) mounted on the frame of the electromechanical system (100) are connected to the body panel (101) in order to actuate the mechanism. [0029] In an embodiment, the system (100) discloses a compartment containing the battery of the electric vehicle. The battery packs are housed in the said compartment with appropriate mounts or fittings, and the panel retracting mechanism is used to open the body panels for battery swapping. The actuators (103) and the double pivot pneumatic struts (105) mounted on the body panels (101) and (101A) of the electric two-wheeler vehicle are used in the panel retracting mechanism. The electric vehicle's body panels (101) and (101A) may be deployed using linear actuators (103), which are powered electrically by the battery pack. The aforementioned linear actuators (103) enable battery deployment and retraction for battery replacement or swapping. The retractable panel mechanism allows the user to easily swap batteries or remove/replace batteries for charging purposes.

[0030] The process of operation of the panel retracting mechanism includes activation of the linear actuators (103) causing triggering of the spring actuator first and next opening of the panel (101) at location A, with the mounting bracket (104) located at the location B.; and further the process of operation includes deploying the body panel (101A) which is connected to the only actuator at location C and swapping or replacing the battery.

[0031] In an embodiment, the swappable battery assembly (100) may comprise one or more wheels at one comer for making the assembly handy, and to be carried easily from one place to another for charging purposes. The provision of wheels may help the battery pack to carry in high rise apartments for charging purposes. The swappable battery assembly may comprise a retractable handle to hold the mechanism easily and further to detach the assembly easily from the electric vehicle.

[0032] The mechanism disclosed in the present invention enables swapping, removal or replacement of the batteries for charging. The motion of the panels (101) and (101A) may be controlled using different types of mechanisms which may further include electrical linear actuators, servo motors and hydraulic/pneumatic actuators. The electrical linear actuators are simple and can be controlled by using the power from the battery pack of the electric vehicle having a self-locking force of more than 1500N.

[0033] There are several advantages of using linear actuators (103) in the panel retracting mechanism wherein the linear actuators (103) work efficiently at -20 to 63 degrees Celsius. The linear actuators (103) are preferably made up of aluminum frame design, which has an extension tube. The compact design of the linear actuators (103) contains a limiting switch with low noise and is moisture proof.

[0034] There are several advantages of the present invention which includes easy removal of the battery units from the electric vehicle for recharging and replacements. Another advantage is that the electric vehicle can be plugged in by battery of any make and can be maintained with minimum investment. The assembly (100) is easy to repair, and the battery can be replaced without any supervision.

Reference numbers: