JPH04285405A - Electric automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To solve problems of conventional electric automobile which requires to return to a charging station after traveling a predetermined distance, which can not travel during charging operation, and which thereby has low rate of operation. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of batteries to be mounted on an electric automobile are individually unitized and contained in a unit box 3. The unit box 3 is provided with engaging protrusions 31a, 31b and engaging recesses 32a, 32b for enabling detachable mounting of the unit box and a pair of electrodes 33a, 33b which are connected electrically with the terminals of a battery and automatically connected with an adjacent battery upon mounting of the battery through the unit box.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric vehicle whose drive system is electrically operated by a battery, and more particularly to a battery mounting structure.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional electric vehicles have batteries that are large and heavy, so they are charged while the batteries are still installed. Additionally, to protect your battery,
The battery was charged for a long time using a small current.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, conventional electric vehicles have had to return to a charging base for charging every time they have traveled a predetermined distance. Also, since charging time is required,
During the charging period, the vehicle could not be driven and its operating rate was poor.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is an electric vehicle equipped with a plurality of large-capacity batteries and in which the parallel outputs of these batteries are used as a power source for a drive system. A unit member having a removable engaging portion, and a pair of electrodes that are electrically connected to terminals of a battery and automatically connected to an adjacent battery when the battery is attached by the unit member. I did it like that. Furthermore, each unit is equipped with a check terminal to check the battery voltage while the battery is still attached.

[0005]

[Operation] When a unit with decreased output voltage is identified,
Electrical connections can be made at the same time by pulling out the unit by sliding the engaging part and engaging the fully charged unit in the same way. Battery replacement can be done in an extremely short time. Also, at the charging base, the voltage of the unit can be easily checked using the check terminal.

[0006]

[Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an electric vehicle according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the battery section shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the unit box shown in Fig. 2. It is. In these drawings, a large-capacity battery unit 2 mounted on an electric vehicle 1 is composed of twelve batteries 21. The 12 batteries 21 are housed in the unit box 3 in groups of 4 and unitized, and are held in the body of the electric vehicle by a holding member (not shown). As shown in FIG. 3, the unit box 3 has a pair of engagement protrusions 31 formed of conductive metal on one outer surface and the opposite outer surface, respectively.
a, 31b and a pair of engagement recesses 32a, 32b in the vertical direction, which slide vertically to engage with the engagement recesses 32a, 32b and engagement protrusions 31a, 31b of the adjacent unit box 3. will be combined. Connection terminals 33a, 33b are provided on the upper end surfaces of the engaging protrusions 31a, 31b.
are provided, and the engagement protrusion 31a and the engagement recess 32a and the engagement protrusion 31b and the engagement recess 32b are connected at the bottom surface of the unit box 3, and the engagement protrusion 31a, 31
b and the engaging recesses 32a and 32b each constitute a pair of electrodes. 34a and 34b are check terminals for checking the battery voltage of each unit.

Four batteries 2 constituting one unit
1, as shown in FIG. 2, each positive electrode terminal 22a and each connecting terminal 33a and each negative electrode terminal 22b and each connecting terminal 33b are connected by cables 4, and adjacent units are connected to connecting terminals 33a, 33b. Convex portions 31a, 31b
-(hereinafter, adjacent unit side) engaging recesses 32a, 32b-
Since the engaging protrusions 31a, 31b are connected to the connecting terminals 33a, 33b, all the batteries 21 are connected in parallel.

FIG. 4 is a connection circuit diagram of the battery shown in FIG. 2, in which the batteries 21 are commonly connected for each unit, and each common connection point is connected to power lines 5a and 5b via backflow prevention diodes 40a and 40b. Connected. Each common connection point has a check terminal 34 for individually checking the output voltage of the unit without being affected by the output voltage of other units by means of diodes 40a and 40b.
a and 34b are connected. In the embodiment with the above configuration, when the electric vehicle 1 returns to the charging base, the check terminal is used to check the output voltage of each unit and identify the unit whose output voltage has decreased. The unit whose output voltage has decreased can be released from the engaged state by sliding the engaging convex parts 31a, 31b and the engaging concave parts 32a, 32b upward while the cable is still connected, and release the engaged state from the other unit which is already fully charged. exchange with. As a result, battery replacement work can be completed in an extremely short time.

[0009] In the above description, the case where the electric vehicle returns to the charging base has been explained, but batteries may be prepared in advance for each predetermined distance traveled, or batteries may be loaded in the electric vehicle as a spare. In this case, there is no problem if you have a portable battery checker.

[0010] In the above embodiment, the engaging protrusion and the engaging recess are used as electrodes for connecting units, but they may also be dedicated electrodes that are connected when the units are engaged independently of the engaging part. .

Further, although the engaging portion is provided in the vertical direction on the outer surface of the unit box, the shape and direction thereof are not limited. Furthermore, although the explanation was made using a unit box,
Any unit member may be used as long as it unitizes the battery.

Further, although the output voltage of each unit is checked manually, it is also possible to automatically check the output voltage of each unit constantly or periodically by the control section of the electric vehicle, and to display an alarm for a unit whose output voltage has decreased.

[0013]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the electric vehicle according to the present invention can be used simply by preparing a charged battery in advance.
It is possible to travel long distances and for long periods of time. In addition, by simply replacing the battery, the electric vehicle does not need to be charged for a long period of time while it is parked, which significantly improves the operating rate.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an electric vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery section shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the battery box shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a connection circuit diagram of the battery shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Electric car 2 Battery part 3 Unit box 31a, 31b Engagement protrusion 32a, 32b Engagement recess 33a, 33b Connection terminal 34a, 34b Check terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: In an electric vehicle that is equipped with a plurality of large-capacity batteries and uses the parallel outputs of these batteries as a power source for a drive system, the plurality of batteries are individually unitized, and an engaging part that can be attached and detached for each unit is provided. and a pair of electrodes that are electrically connected to terminals of a battery and automatically connected to an adjacent battery when the battery is mounted by the unit member. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a check terminal for checking the battery voltage of each unit while the battery is attached.