Modular electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017203801-A1
Application number	US-201615216232-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Jan 20, 2016
Publication date	Jul 20, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A modular electric vehicle includes a first body module having a lateral connecting side, a second body module having a lateral connecting side, two first wheels mounted to the first body module, two second wheels mounted to the second body module, and a connection unit. The connection unit includes a first electrical connector disposed at the lateral connecting side of the first body module, and a second electrical connector disposed at the lateral connecting side of the second body module. The first electrical connector is operable to be selectively and electrically coupled to the second electrical connector, so that the first and second body modules can be selectively assembled to form a relatively light electric vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A modular electric vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body unit including a first body module and a second body module, said first body module having a lateral connecting side, said second body module having a lateral connecting side; a wheel unit including two first wheels that are mounted to said first body module and that are arranged in a front-rear direction, and two second wheels that are mounted to said second body module and that are arranged in the front-rear direction; a driving unit including a first driving motor for driving rotation of one of said first wheels, and a second driving motor for driving rotation of one of said second wheels; a power source unit providing electrical power for driving said modular electric vehicle, and including a first battery that is disposed on said first body module; a connection unit including a first electrical connector that is disposed at said lateral connecting side of said first body module, and a second electrical connector that is disposed at said lateral connecting side of said second body module, that corresponds in position to said first electrical connector, and that is electrically coupled to said second driving motor; and a controller disposed at said first body module, and electrically coupled to said first driving motor, said first battery and said first electrical connector; Wherein, said first electrical connector is operable to be selectively and electrically coupled to said second electrical connector, so that said controller is able to be electrically coupled to said second driving motor by virtue of said first and second electrical connectors, and that said first battery provides electrical power to said controller and said first and second driving motors for driving the one of said first wheels and the one of said second wheels.

2 . The modular electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one of said first and second electrical connectors is configured as a female electrical connector, and the other one of said first and second electrical connectors is configured as a male electrical connector that is operable to be electrically coupled to said female electrical connector.

3 . The modular electric vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the other one of said first and second electrical connectors includes an inner terminal seat, an outer connecting seat and a plurality of conductive terminals, said inner terminal seat being fixedly disposed on said lateral connecting side of the corresponding one of said first and second body modules, said outer connecting seat being rotatably mounted to said inner terminal seat, and having two wing sections that radially extend away from each other, said conductive terminals being disposed on said inner terminal seat; the one of said first and second electrical connectors includes a mounting seat disposed in said lateral connecting side of the corresponding one of said first and second body modules, and a plurality of electrical contacts, said mounting seat being formed with a retaining groove, and a plurality of terminal holes that are in spatial communication with said retaining groove, said retaining groove having two extending groove portions that are diametrically opposite to each other, said electrical contacts being respectively disposed in said terminal holes; and when said first and second electrical connectors are electrically coupled, said outer connecting seat is retained in said retaining groove, said conductive terminals are respectively inserted into said terminal holes, and are respectively in contact with said electrical contacts, and said wing sections of said outer connecting seat respectively engage said extending groove portions of said retaining groove by rotating said outer connecting seat, so as to maintain the electrical connection between said first and second electrical connectors.

4 . The modular electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said connection unit further includes a first connector that is disposed at said lateral connecting side of said first body module, and a second connector that is disposed at said lateral connecting side of said second body module and that corresponds in position to said first connector, said first connector being operable to be selectively coupled to said second connector.

5 . The modular electric vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein one of said first and second connectors is configured as a female connector, and the other one of said first and second connectors is configured as a male connector that is operable to be coupled to said female connector.

6 . The modular electric vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein:
the other one of said first and second connectors includes an inner seat and an outer connecting seat, said inner seat being fixedly disposed on said lateral connecting side of the corresponding one of said first and second body modules, said outer connecting seat being rotatably mounted to said inner seat, and having two wing sections that radially extend away from each other; the one of said first and second connectors includes a mounting seat disposed in said lateral connecting side of the corresponding one of said first and second body modules, said mounting seat being formed with a retaining groove, said retaining groove having two extending groove portions that are diametrically opposite to each other; and when said first and second connectors are coupled, said outer connecting seat is retained in said retaining groove, and said wing sections of said outer connecting seat respectively engage said extending groove portions of said retaining groove by rotating said outer connecting seat, so as to maintain the connection between said first and second connectors.

7 . The modular electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said connection unit further includes a plurality of connecting blocks that are disposed at said lateral connecting side of one of said first and second body modules, and a plurality of connecting grooves that are disposed at said lateral connecting side of the other one of said first and second body modules and that respectively correspond in position to said connecting blocks, each of said connecting blocks being operable to be selectively coupled to the corresponding one of said connecting grooves.

8 . The modular electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said vehicle body unit further includes a third body module that has a first lateral connecting side, and a second lateral connecting side opposite to said first lateral connecting side; said power source unit further includes a second battery that is disposed on said second body module and that is electrically coupled to said second electrical connector, and a third battery that is disposed on said third body module; said connection unit further includes a third electrical connector and a fourth electrical connector, said third electrical connector being disposed at said first lateral connecting side of said third body module, and corresponding in position to said first electrical connector, said fourth electrical connector being disposed at said second lateral connecting side of said third body module, corresponding in position to said second electrical connector, and being electrically coupled to said third electrical connector and said third battery; and said first electrical connector is operable to be selectively and electrically coupled to said third electrical connector and said fourth electrical connector is operable to be selectively and electrically coupled to said second electrical connector, so that said controller is able to be electrically coupled to said second driving motor by virtue of said first, second, third and fourth elect

Assignees

• Univ Nat Taiwan Normal

Inventors

• Hung Yi-Hsuan
• LI Cheng-Sian
• CHO Min-Chen
• Han Hsueh-Chung
• Hu Chen-Wei
• Chang Shao-Wei

Classifications

• B60L50/60

  using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) · CPC title

• B60L2220/46

  Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel · CPC title

• B60L2260/28

  Four wheel or all wheel drive · CPC title

• B62D61/12

  with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels (for manoeuvring purposes only B60S) · CPC title

• B60L2200/46

  Vehicles with auxiliary ad-on propulsions, e.g. add-on electric motor kits for bicycles · CPC title