Underbody charging of vehicle batteries

US11541765B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Zoox, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Bryan Booth · San Francisco, US
• Moritz Boecker · Millbrae, US
• Kyle Matthew Foley · Rue de l'Église, US
• Da-Ming Liu · Taipei, TW
• Timothy David Kentley-Klay · Stanford, US
• Robert Alan Ng · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 12, 2020
• Grant date: Jan 3, 2023
• Expiry date: Nov 19, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T90/16
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A system for charging one or more batteries of a vehicle may include a charging box mounted to a vehicle to facilitate connection to a charge coupler from under the vehicle. The charge coupler may be configured to provide an electrical connection between an electrical power source and the charging box. A vehicle including the charging box may maneuver to a position above the charge coupler, after which electrical contacts of the charging box and the charge coupler may be brought into contact with one another. The charge coupler and/or the charging box may be configured to provide electrical communication between the electrical power source and the one or more batteries, so that the electrical power source may charge one or more of the batteries. Thereafter, the electrical contacts may be separated from one another, and the vehicle may maneuver away from the charge coupler.