Patent · US Expired

Optical system for electric vehicle docking

US5343295A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
9References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 1992
Grant dateAug 30, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T90/14
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for positioning an electric powered vehicle (34) relative to an electric recharging unit (36) utilizing an optical docking system (10). A first laser emitting diode (12) generates a first visible beam (18) and a second laser emitting diode (14) generates a second visible beam (20). The first visible beam (18) and the second visible beam (20) intersect at an intersection point (22) remote from the electric powered vehicle (34). This intersection point (22) is aligned with the electric recharging unit (36) thereby positioning the electric powered vehicle (34) at a predetermined distance and a predetermined position relative to the electric recharging unit (36).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.