Better Place Gmbh

Seamvad Ltd.

Yoav Heichal

Tal Agassi

Shai Agassi

Ronen Paz

The electric vehicle includes a battery pack that can be exchanged at a battery exchange station. At the battery exchange station, an at least partially spent battery pack is exchanged for an at least partially charged battery pack. A battery bay is configured to be disposed at an underside of the electric vehicle. The battery bay includes a frame which defines a cavity. The cavity is configured to at least partially receive the battery pack therein. The battery bay comprises at least one latch rotatably pivoted about an axis substantially parallel with a plane formed by the underside of the vehicle. The latch is configured to lift, retain the battery pack at least partially within the cavity.

Electric vehicle battery system

The connection system is designed to facilitate electrical and data connections between the battery and the electric vehicle. The connectors are designed with alignment mechanisms to account for initial misalignment of the battery and vehicle while still ensuring positive contact between them. The alignment mechanisms also introduce compliance into the system to ensure that the mechanical components of the system are not placed under unwanted loads or stresses. The connection system houses data connectors carrying communication signals as well as power connectors carrying high voltage electricity. The data connectors are shielded to prevent interference caused by proximity to the high voltage elements. The connection system uses no mechanical latching or locking mechanisms.

System for electrically connecting batteries to electric vehicles

An anastomosis device () for use in coupling two ends of tubular stumps (). The device comprises two hollow tubular members (), adapted to be placed over said tubular stumps. The hollow tubular members are further capable of radially expanding from a first inner diameter to a second, larger inner diameter. Each hollow tubular member, while having the first inner diameter, being further adapted to allow everting of the stump proximal end over the tubular member proximal end. The device further comprises an elastic sleeve (), adapted to be put on said tubular member proximal ends with the everted ends of said stumps, the sleeve further being adaptable to maintain said everted ends in a predetermined distance.

Anastomosis device

At a battery exchange station a discharged battery is removed and a charged battery is inserted into an electric vehicle. The battery exchange station has various mechanisms to make this exchange. In some embodiments, the batteries are stored in a warehouse, where they are given an appropriate amount of charge. The charged batteries are moved from the warehouse by an automated robotic mechanism. The automated robotic system provides the charged battery to a battery exchange system which inserts the charged battery into the vehicle after it removes the discharged battery from the vehicle. The insertion and removal of the battery is done vertically, i.e., into and out of the bottom of the vehicle. The battery exchange system is located in a service bay under the vehicle. A sliding door system creates an opening above the service bay. The opening is of variable size depending on the size of the vehicle.

Battery exchange station

At the battery exchange station a discharged battery is removed and a charged battery is inserted into an electric vehicle. The battery is inserted and removed along a vertical axis, i.e., into and out of the bottom of the vehicle. The battery exchange system is located in a service bay under the vehicle. A sliding door system creates an opening above the service bay. A vehicle is received over the sliding door system, such that at least one wheel of the vehicle rests on the conveyor system. The door slides in a first direction while allowing the conveyor system to slide in a direction opposite the first direction. The conveyor system also supports the at least one wheel of the vehicle while the door and conveyor slide in opposite directions. The sliding of the door and the sliding of the conveyor system occur at least partially simultaneously.

Growing community of inventors

Ganey Yehuda, Israel

Yoav Heichal