ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Mission Motors => Topic started by: skadamo on November 21, 2011, 01:35:11 AM
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Interesting information on the Mission R here (http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=i0_5AQAAEBAJ).
A frame for an electric vehicle with a motor and a transmission, the frame including a steering head unit, a power unit casing, a left side frame and a right side frame. The steering head unit includes a steering head, a left extension and a right extension, wherein the left extension and right extension extend at an angle from the steering head. The power unit casing encloses the motor and the transmission, orienting the gearbox of the transmission vertically underneath the motor. The left and right side frames mount, on one end, to the left and right extensions of the steering head unit, respectively, wherein the other end mounts to the left and right sides of the power unit casing, respectively. The steering head unit, the power unit, the left side frame and the right side frame form an open cage, configured to accept a battery assembly.
Inventors: KARL ASHLEY JOHNSON, JORAH WYER, JAMES PARKER, JON WAGNER
Current Assignee: Search USPTO Assignment Database
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electric vehicle including a first and a second wheel, the electric vehicle comprising:
a battery assembly including a plurality of coupled cells;
a motor electrically coupled to the battery assembly;
a transmission coupled to the motor, wherein the transmission is substantially vertically positioned below the motor;
a load bearing frame including:
a steering head unit with a steering head, a left extension and a right extension;
a power unit casing enclosing the motor and the transmission;
a left side frame statically coupled to the left extension and the left side of the power unit casing;
a right side frame statically coupled to the right extension and the right side of the power unit casing;
wherein the steering head unit, power unit, left side frame, and right side frame form an open cage with an substantially unobstructed top and bottom;
wherein the battery assembly is substantially located within the cage; and,
wherein the first wheel is substantially centered between the left and right extensions.
2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the power unit casing is a unitary piece.
3. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the frame forms a prismatic cage.
4. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor directly drives the transmission.
5. The electric vehicle of claim 4, wherein the transmission includes a countershaft.
6. The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein the motor includes two end bearings and the countershaft includes two end bearings, wherein the power unit casing locates one end bearing of the motor shaft and both end bearings of the countershaft.
7. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein the motor is an electric motor.
8. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transmission is positioned directly below the motor.
9. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cells are prismatic secondary cells.
10. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery assembly further includes an internal support structure coupled to the cells, wherein the electric vehicle is operable in two modes:
an installed mode, wherein the battery assembly is mounted to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame; and,
an uninstalled mode, wherein the battery assembly is decoupled from the frame.
11. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the electric vehicle in installed mode has a higher resistance to torsion than the electric vehicle in uninstalled mode.
12. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the installed mode is achieved by bolting the internal support structure to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame, and the uninstalled mode is achieved by unbolting the internal support structure from the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame.
13. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the internal support structure is a substantially continuous rectangular prismatic plate.
14. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the battery assembly extends through the top of the open cage.
15. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein a subset of the cells are mounted to the bottom of the internal support structure.
16. The electric vehicle of claim 15, wherein the battery assembly extends through the bottom of the open cage.
17. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further including a rear suspension system coupled to the power unit casing, wherein the rear suspension system further includes a swingarm coupling a second wheel to the power unit casing, wherein the swingarm couples to the axle of the second wheel and to the lower portion of the power unit casing.
18. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the swingarm mounts to both sides of the axle of the second wheel.
19. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the swingarm is a single-sided swingarm and mounts to one side of the axle of the second wheel.
20. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the rear suspension system further includes a seat that mounts to the power unit casing, wherein the left and right side frames couple to the power unit anterior to the seat.
21. An electric vehicle having an vertical center plane extending from the front to the rear, the electric vehicle comprising:
a front wheel aligned in the plane such that the front wheel rotational axis is perpendicular to the center plane;
a rear wheel aligned in the plane such that the rear wheel rotational axis is perpendicular to the center plane;
a steering head unit coupled to the front wheel, the steering head unit including a steering head, a left extension and a right extension, wherein the steering head unit is substantially symmetric about the center plane;
a power unit adjacent the rear wheel, the power unit including:
an electric motor including a shaft, wherein the shaft is disposed horizontally and perpendicularly to the center plane;
a transmission disposed vertically beneath the power unit;
an unitary power unit casing enclosing the electric motor and the transmission;
a left side frame statically coupled to the left extension and to the left side of the power unit casing, wherein the left side frame is disposed to the left of the center plane;
a right side frame statically coupled to the right extension and to the right side of the power unit casing, wherein the right side frame is disposed to the right of the center plane;
a battery assembly comprising a plurality of prismatic secondary cells, stacked in the thickness direction and coupled to an internal support structure, wherein the steering head unit, power unit, left side frame, and right side frame form a substantially prismatic cage with an unobstructed top and bottom, wherein the battery assembly extends through the top and bottom of the cage and removably couples to the steering head unit, power unit, left side frame and right side frame by the internal support structure;
a swingarm rotatably coupled to the transmission portion of the power unit casing and the rear wheel; and
a left and a right footpeg to the left and the right of the center plane, respectively, wherein the left side frame and right side frame couple to the power unit casing anterior to the left and right footpegs, respectively.
22. A frame for an electric vehicle with a motor and a transmission, the frame comprising:
a steering head unit including a steering head, a left extension and a right extension, wherein the left extension and right extension extend at an angle from the steering head;
a power unit casing enclosing the motor and the transmission;
a left side frame mounted to the left extension and the left side of the power unit casing;
a right side frame mounted to the right extension and the right side of the power unit casing, wherein the steering head unit, the power unit, the left side frame and the right side frame form an open cage; and
an internal support structure, wherein the frame has two modes:
an uninstalled mode, wherein the internal support structure is decoupled from the cage; and
an installed mode, wherein the internal support structure is coupled to the cage, wherein the frame in installed mode is more resistant to torsion than the frame in uninstalled mode.
23. The frame of claim 22, wherein the internal support structure is coupled to the cage by mounting to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame.
24. The frame of claim 23, wherein the internal support structure supports a battery assembly, wherein the battery assembly is located within the open cage.
25. The frame of claim 24, wherein the internal support structure traverses substantially horizontally through the interior of the open cage.
26. The frame of claim 24, wherein the internal support structure is a flat prismatic plate.
27. The frame of claim 23, wherein:
the steering head unit and the power unit casing each further include a plurality of side frame attachment points, wherein the left and right side frames mount to the steering head unit and the power unit casing by clamping over the side frame attachment points;
the installed mode is achieved by bolting the internal support structure to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame, and
the uninstalled mode is achieved by unbolting the internal support structure from the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame.
28. The frame of claim 22, wherein the uninstalled mode is achieved by removing the internal support structure through the top of the cage.
29. The frame of claim 22, wherein the power unit casing is a substantially unitary piece.
30. The frame of claim 29, wherein the power unit casing encloses a substantially cylindrical motor positioned directly over the transmission, wherein the power unit substantially traces a portion of the profile of the motor, wherein the shaft of the motor is horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the left side frame and right side frame.
31. The frame of claim 22, wherein the left and right extensions each include a truss on the face forming a cage interior face.
32. The frame of claim 22 further including a rear suspension assembly, wherein the rear suspension assembly comprises a seat coupled to the top portion of the power unit casing and a swingarm coupled to the lower portion of the power unit casing.
33. The frame of claim 32 wherein the left and right side frames couple to the power unit casing substantially anterior to the seat.
34. The frame of claim 22, wherein the angle formed between the left and right extensions facing the cage interior is less than 180°.
35. The frame of claim 22, wherein the steering head includes bearings.
35. A frame for an electric vehicle comprising:
a steering head unit including a steering head and a left and right extensions extending at an angle from the steering head to the left and right, respectively;
a unitary power unit casing with a left and right side, the power unit casing configured to enclose a motor and a gearbox, wherein the substantially cylindrical motor is positioned substantially directly above the gearbox;
a left side frame clamped to the left extension and the left side of the power unit casing;
a right side frame clamped to the right extension and the right side of the power unit casing, wherein the steering head unit, power unit casing, left side frame and right side frame form an open cage substantially unobstructed on the top and bottom;
a substantially flat internal support structure that supports a battery assembly, the internal support structure including battery attachment points on the top and bottom surfaces, the internal support structure operable in two modes:
an installed mode, wherein the internal support structure is fastened to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, and the left and right side frames, such that the battery assembly is located within the open cage;
an uninstalled mode, wherein the internal support structure is unfastened from the steering head unit, the power unit casing, and the left and right side frames;
a front suspension assembly including a steering tube, wherein the steering tube extends concentrically through the interior of the steering head;
a rear suspension assembly including a seat and a swingarm, wherein the seat is coupled to the top portion of the power unit casing and the swingarm is rotatably coupled to the lower portion of the power unit casing;
wherein the left and right side frames clamp to the power unit casing anterior to the seat.
Drawings
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The background is interesting to read...
To match the power and range capabilities of gas powered vehicles, electric vehicles typically require a battery assembly with a substantially high power density. Battery assemblies for electric vehicles, as a result, require a substantially large number of cells. The cells within the battery assembly are preferably arranged to achieve a substantially high power density within the battery assembly, allowing the electric vehicle to carry a substantial amount of electric power. The cells within the battery assembly are also preferably arranged to increase efliciency within the battery assembly. For example, the cells within the battery assembly are preferably arranged to minimize resistance within the battery assembly. Increased resistance may lead to power dissipation in the form of heat, decreasing the efliciency of the battery assembly. One method to minimize resistance is to decrease the length of wiring between each cell within the battery assembly. Individual cells are preferably coupled to each other to decrease the length of wiring between each cell, thus forming a unitary battery assembly. A unitary battery assembly may also facilitate maintenance of the vehicle by simplifying the process of replacing the battery assembly by allowing one unitary battery assembly to be swapped out (or “hot swappedâ€) for another unitary battery assembly. However, because the number of cells is substantially large, the resulting unitary battery assembly is typically very large, and though commonly available frames for two-wheeled electric vehicles (for example, motorcycles) may provide a suitable volume to accommodate gas powered systems, they do not provide a volume that can accommodate to such a large battery assembly. For example, conventional side frames generally curve in to join at the steering head unit, limiting the volume available to accommodate a substantially coherent battery assembly to either the volume above the join and below the rider’s chest (when in tucked riding position), or to the volume below the join and above the ground (limited by the motorcycle’s lean-angle planes).
[0004] Thus, there is a need in the two-wheeled electric vehicle field to create a new and useful electric vehicle with a frame that provides a substantially large volume to accommodate to large battery assemblies, thus providing twowheeled electric vehicles with the capability of storing enough electric power in an eflicient manner to substantially match the power and range of gas powered two-wheeled vehicles.
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wow, good luck. We were making electric motorcycles long before mission ever breathed it's first breath.....
might give my USPTO friend a heads up....
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Hey frodus, looks like they are trying to patent the frame design. I really hope patenting an electric motorcycle is impossible. :D
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I'd be stunned if they weren't granted a patent for putting a battery in a motorcycle or putting cells in series and parallel. The patent system is deeply and completely broken.
Here's the wheel being patented:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn965-wheel-patented-in-australia.html (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn965-wheel-patented-in-australia.html)
Here's a novel method for swinging a child on a swing:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2178-boy-takes-swing-at-us-patents.html (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2178-boy-takes-swing-at-us-patents.html)
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Hey frodus, looks like they are trying to patent the frame design. I really hope patenting an electric motorcycle is impossible. :D
Trying to patent things like having bearings in the steering head or a stacked gearbox. They're even trying to patent having the swing arm mount to the gearbox and patenting having the batteries stick out past the frame.
Lets say that again slowly, they're trying to patent having the battery stick out past the frame.
Their "extensions" of the steering head aren't there in the "prior art" that they've shown, but have a look at any decent racing frame designed in the last 50 years and you can see something similar. The steering head is always enclosed in a framework that spreads the loads around.
Here's a photo of a harris frame that shows two large lateral extensions on each side of the steering head
https://www.harris-performance.com/website/acatalog/info_PB_R71.html (https://www.harris-performance.com/website/acatalog/info_PB_R71.html)
Here's a photo that shows parts protruding above the frame (claim 14)
https://www.harris-performance.com/website/acatalog/info_PB_PROMO.html (https://www.harris-performance.com/website/acatalog/info_PB_PROMO.html)
It's a crock of shite but they're bound to be successful.
=:)
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I'll see what I can do to show prior art for each claim.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electric vehicle including a first and a second wheel, the electric vehicle comprising:
a battery assembly including a plurality of coupled cells;
http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?21028 (http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?21028)
a motor electrically coupled to the battery assembly;
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-72Volt-electric-motorcycle/step2/Components-and-tools/ (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-72Volt-electric-motorcycle/step2/Components-and-tools/)
a transmission coupled to the motor, wherein the transmission is substantially vertically positioned below the motor;
http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?21193 (http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?21193)
a load bearing frame including:
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/au/lightest (http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/au/lightest)
a steering head unit with a steering head, a left extension and a right extension;
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/au/lightest (http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/au/lightest)
a power unit casing enclosing the motor and the transmission;
http://www.e-ride.ca/Electric_Scooters/images/New-geared-motor_Full.gif (http://www.e-ride.ca/Electric_Scooters/images/New-geared-motor_Full.gif)
a left side frame statically coupled to the left extension and the left side of the power unit casing;
https://www.harris-performance.com/website/acatalog/info_PB_PROMO.html (https://www.harris-performance.com/website/acatalog/info_PB_PROMO.html) (ok so it's not electric, but you can see the left side connect to the left and the right to the right of the power unit.
a right side frame statically coupled to the right extension and the right side of the power unit casing;
wherein the steering head unit, power unit, left side frame, and right side frame form an open cage with an substantially unobstructed top and bottom;
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-72Volt-electric-motorcycle/step4/Wiring/ (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-72Volt-electric-motorcycle/step4/Wiring/)
wherein the battery assembly is substantially located within the cage; and,
wherein the first wheel is substantially centered between the left and right extensions.
2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the power unit casing is a unitary piece.
http://www.e-ride.ca/Electric_Scooters/images/New-geared-motor_Full.gif (http://www.e-ride.ca/Electric_Scooters/images/New-geared-motor_Full.gif)
3. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the frame forms a prismatic cage.
http://www.visordown.com/news/images/zero-x-electric-motorcycle-09-frame.jpg (http://www.visordown.com/news/images/zero-x-electric-motorcycle-09-frame.jpg)
4. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor directly drives the transmission.
http://www.e-ride.ca/Electric_Scooters/images/New-geared-motor_Full.gif (http://www.e-ride.ca/Electric_Scooters/images/New-geared-motor_Full.gif)
5. The electric vehicle of claim 4, wherein the transmission includes a countershaft.
http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?15675 (http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?15675)
6. The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein the motor includes two end bearings and the countershaft includes two end bearings, wherein the power unit casing locates one end bearing of the motor shaft and both end bearings of the countershaft.
http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?15675 (http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?15675) (seriously, you're trying to patent bearings??)
7. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein the motor is an electric motor.
http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?15675 (http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?15675)
8. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transmission is positioned directly below the motor.
http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?21193 (http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?21193)
9. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cells are prismatic secondary cells.
http://evalbum.com/img/3500/3500h.jpg (http://evalbum.com/img/3500/3500h.jpg)
10. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery assembly further includes an internal support structure coupled to the cells, wherein the electric vehicle is operable in two modes:
(I can't find a reference to making the battery pack a stressed member. This one *might* fly but seems pretty absurd)
an installed mode, wherein the battery assembly is mounted to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame; and,
an uninstalled mode, wherein the battery assembly is decoupled from the frame.
11. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein the electric vehicle in installed mode has a higher resistance to torsion than the electric vehicle in uninstalled mode.
12. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the installed mode is achieved by bolting the internal support structure to the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame, and the uninstalled mode is achieved by unbolting the internal support structure from the steering head unit, the power unit casing, the left side frame and the right side frame.
13. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the internal support structure is a substantially continuous rectangular prismatic plate.
14. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the battery assembly extends through the top of the open cage.
15. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein a subset of the cells are mounted to the bottom of the internal support structure.
16. The electric vehicle of claim 15, wherein the battery assembly extends through the bottom of the open cage.
http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?20097 (http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?20097)
17. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further including a rear suspension system coupled to the power unit casing, wherein the rear suspension system further includes a swingarm coupling a second wheel to the power unit casing, wherein the swingarm couples to the axle of the second wheel and to the lower portion of the power unit casing.
Electric Ducati walkaround from Jozzbikes. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QRBmHOPl70#)
18. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the swingarm mounts to both sides of the axle of the second wheel.
You're not serious. http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?15675 (http://www.evalbum.com/popupimg.php?15675)
19. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the swingarm is a single-sided swingarm and mounts to one side of the axle of the second wheel.
http://www.modernvespa.com/pix/uploads/img_0360_140.jpg (http://www.modernvespa.com/pix/uploads/img_0360_140.jpg)
20. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the rear suspension system further includes a seat that mounts to the power unit casing, wherein the left and right side frames couple to the power unit anterior to the seat.
http://motomalaya.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ducati-panigale-1199-frameless-frame-640x359.jpg (http://motomalaya.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ducati-panigale-1199-frameless-frame-640x359.jpg)
All the following claims are the previous claims repeated.
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It has been my experience that patents are used primarily to give potential investors some level of comfort that another person/company can not step in and simply take the business out from under the company seeking financing. They also seem to be useful to patent trolls as a mechanism to extract tolls.