Vehicle having a cargo pod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023191923-A1
Application number	US-202117555909-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2021
Priority date	Dec 20, 2021
Publication date	Jun 22, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle having at least one cargo pod. The cargo pod may be rolled into and out of a cargo area of the vehicle. The cargo pod may include at least one battery. The battery may be selectively connectable to a vehicle power network. The battery may be disposed proximate a base of the cargo pod.

First claim

1 . A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle power network comprising a vehicle battery disposed on the vehicle; a cargo area defined in the vehicle; a power network interface that is disposed in the cargo area; and a cargo pod that is removable from the cargo area, the cargo pod comprising:
a base;
a frame that extends upward from the base defining a cavity configured to receive packages; and
a set of wheels that extend below the base and that permit the cargo pod to be rolled into and out of the cargo area,
wherein the cargo pod is removably securable within the cargo area and connectable to the vehicle power network via the power network interface to supply power to the cargo pod.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery that is disposed proximate the base and that is selectively connectable to the vehicle power network.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the battery is disposed in a drawer that slides into and out of the base.

4 . The vehicle of claim 3 or wherein the drawer is disposed between a top side and a bottom side of the base.

5 . The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the drawer extends through an opening that is disposed in a lateral side of the base.

6 . The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the lateral side extends between the top side and the bottom side.

7 . The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the drawer and the opening are disposed between two members of the set of wheels.

8 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the frame includes a set of posts that extend upward from the base.

9 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the cargo pod further comprises a top surface above the posts, defining a top of the cavity.

10 . The vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising a latch mechanism to selectively secure the cargo pod in the vehicle.

11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the cargo pod includes a latch mechanism for selectively coupling the cargo pod with a floor of the vehicle.

12 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the cargo pod is electrically connectable to the vehicle power network with a cable when the cargo pod is disposed in the cargo area.

13 . The vehicle of claim 12 wherein the cable is separated from and not provided with a floor of the cargo area.

14 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the battery provides electrical energy to the vehicle to propel the vehicle when a state of charge of the vehicle battery is less than a predetermined state of charge.

15 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle provides electrical energy to the battery.

16 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the battery provides power to a material handling component of the cargo pod that moves the package with respect to the cargo pod.

17 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the battery provides power to a mobility system and/or a data communication system of the cargo pod.

18 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the mobility system of the cargo pod moves the cargo pod within the cargo area to facilitate package positioning.

19 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein vehicle power network uses electrical energy from the battery to propel the vehicle before using electrical energy from the vehicle battery to propel the vehicle.

20 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the battery of the cargo pod is charged when the battery is electrically connected to the vehicle power network and the vehicle battery is being charged by an external power source.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Kazyak David
• Severinski Paul
• Mollica Anthony
• Weaver Mark
• Jones Jeff

Classifications

• B60L50/66 Primary

  Arrangements of batteries · CPC title

• B60K2001/0405

  characterised by their position · CPC title

• B60L53/00

  Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60K1/04

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60P1/00

  Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading (vehicles for carrying harvested crops with means for self-loading or self-unloading A01D90/00; peculiar to refuse collecting-vehicles B65F; loading or unloading vehicles by means not incorporated therein B65G) · CPC title