Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10737580-B2
Application number	US-201815949778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle body, a positioning mechanism and an electric power supply unit. The vehicle body is configured to be able to carry a sub-mobility device in which a passenger sits. The sub-mobility device includes an electric power receiving unit. The positioning mechanism is provided in the vehicle body and configured to position the sub-mobility device in the vehicle body at a predetermined location. The electric power supply unit is provided in the vehicle body and configured to supply electric power to the electric power receiving unit of the sub-mobility device positioned at the predetermined location, by contacting or approaching the electric power receiving unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body capable of carrying a sub-mobility device in which a seat is provided for a passenger of the vehicle to sit while the vehicle carries the sub-mobility device, the sub-mobility device comprising an electric power receiving unit;
a positioning mechanism provided in the vehicle body and configured to position the sub-mobility device in the vehicle body at a predetermined location;
an electric power supply unit provided in the vehicle body and configured to supply electric power to the electric power receiving unit positioned at the predetermined location by contacting the electric power receiving unit; and
a main non-conductive member including an insulating material and configured to cover the electric power supply unit,
wherein the main non-conductive member is configured to contact a sub-non-conductive member including an insulating material and configured to cover the electric power receiving unit, and
wherein, when the sub-mobility device moves to the predetermined location:
the main non-conductive member is configured to be pushed by the sub-non-conductive member with the mobility device moving to the predetermined location and is further configured to move to expose the electric power supply unit; and
the sub-non-conductive member is configured to be pushed by the main non-conductive member and is further configured to move to expose the electric power receiving unit.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the electric power supply unit is provided on a protruding member protruding from a floor surface or a side surface of the vehicle body, and
wherein the positioning mechanism holds the sub-mobility device moving on the floor surface of the vehicle body toward the protruding member to position the sub-mobility device in the vehicle at the predetermined location.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising a main non-conductive member configured to cover the electric power supply unit before the electric power receiving unit of the sub-mobility device contacts or approaches the electric power supply unit, the main non-conductive member being configured to move to expose the electric power supply unit when the sub-mobility device moves to the predetermined location.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the main non-conductive member is pushed by the sub-mobility device moving to the predetermined location to slide the main non-conductive member.

5. The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the main non-conductive member or the sub-non-conductive member of the sub-mobility device is configured to extend along a direction in which the sub-mobility device moves to the predetermined location, and to be able to function as a guide for the sub-mobility device to move.

6. The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the sub-mobility device comprises the sub-non-conductive member configured to cover the electric power receiving unit, the sub-non-conductive member being configured to move to expose the electric power receiving unit when the sub-mobility device moves to the predetermined location.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the sub-non-conductive member contacts the vehicle body and is pushed by the vehicle body to slide to slide the sub-non-conductive member when the sub-mobility device moves to the predetermined location.

8. The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the sub-mobility device moves on a floor surface of the vehicle body while being carried on a platform slidable on a floor surface to the predetermined location.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the sub-mobility device comprises the sub-non-conductive member configured to cover the electric power receiving unit, the sub-non-conductive member being configured to move to expose the electric power receiving unit when the sub-mobility device moves to the predetermined location.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the sub-non-conductive member contacts the vehicle body and is pushed by the vehicle body to slide the sub-non-conductive member when the sub-mobility device moves to the predetermined location.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein, as the positioning mechanism, a concave portion, configured to receive a wheel of the sub-mobility device, is formed on a floor surface of the vehicle body on which the sub-mobility device moves, and
wherein the electric power supply unit contacts or approaches the electric power receiving unit of the sub-mobility device while the wheel of the sub-mobility device fits in the concave portion.

12. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the main non-conductive member or the sub-non-conductive member of the sub-mobility device is configured to extend along a direction in which the sub-mobility device moves to the predetermined location, and to be able to function as a guide for the sub-mobility device to move.

13. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the sub-mobility device moves on a floor surface of the vehicle body while being carried on a platform slidable on a floor surface to the predetermined location.

14. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the sub-mobility device moves in a driving direction of the vehicle for the contacting or the approaching of the electric power supply unit to the electric power receiving unit of the sub-mobility device.

15. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the electric power supply unit supplies the electric power to the electric power receiving unit of the sub-mobility device positioned at the predetermined location by the contacting with the electric power receiving unit.

16. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the electric power supply unit supplies the electric power to the electric power receiving unit of the sub-mobility device positioned at the predetermined location by approaching to the electric power receiving unit.

17. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the electric power supply unit is provided on a protruding member protruding from a surface of the vehicle body.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the positioning mechanism holds the sub-mobility device moving on the floor surface of the vehicle body toward the protruding member.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Aiuchi Yuji
• Kikuchi Katsumi

Classifications

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• Y02T90/12

  Electric charging stations · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• B60L53/36

  by positioning the vehicle · CPC title