Battery lock for an electric vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle having an electrically operated drive motor, a battery for the energy supply of the drive motor, the battery being secured by a battery lock in a battery compartment of the vehicle and being removable from the battery compartment after unlocking the battery lock, and a control unit for the battery lock.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: an electrically operated drive motor; a battery for an energy supply of the drive motor that is secured in a battery compartment of the vehicle by an electrically unlockable battery lock and that can be removed from the battery compartment after unlocking the battery lock; an onboard computer is configured to receive data from a sensor and to determine whether the vehicle is in motion from the received data; and a control unit for the battery lock, the control unit blocks the unlocking of the battery lock when it is determined that the vehicle is in motion.

2. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the battery lock is configured to lock automatically after the insertion of the battery into the battery compartment.

3. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is integrated into a motor control for the drive motor.

4. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is implemented in the onboard computer that is attached to the vehicle in a manner removable by a user.

5. The vehicle in accordance with claim 4, wherein the onboard computer has an input actuated by the user to unlock the battery lock.

6. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is integrated into the battery lock.

7. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the battery lock has an operating element that is actuated by a user for unlocking the battery lock.

8. The vehicle in accordance with claim 7, wherein the control unit only permits an unlocking of the battery lock by the operating element as long as the onboard computer is attached to the vehicle.

9. The vehicle in accordance with claim 7, wherein the operating element is manually actuated by the user for unlocking the battery lock.

10. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vehicle has an electrically lockable frame lock that is electrically lockable by removing the onboard computer from the vehicle.

11. The vehicle in accordance with claim 10, wherein the control unit only permits the unlocking of the battery lock when the frame lock is locked.

12. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor is at least one of a motion sensor, positional sensor, speed sensor and pedaling frequency sensor of the vehicle, and wherein the onboard computer is configured to transmit a signal indicating a movement state of the vehicle to the control unit.

13. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the battery lock comprises a latch that locks the battery received in the battery compartment in a locked position and that can be brought by an electric drive into an unlocked position in which the latch releases the battery received in the battery compartment.

14. The vehicle in accordance with claim 13, wherein the electric drive comprises an electromagnetic actuator.

15. A vehicle comprising: an electrically operated drive motor; a battery for an energy supply of the drive motor that is secured in a battery compartment of the vehicle by an electrically unlockable battery lock and that can be removed from the battery compartment after unlocking the battery lock; and a control unit for the battery lock, the control unit is implemented in an onboard computer that is attached to the vehicle in a manner removable by a user, the control unit only permits an unlocking of the battery lock when the onboard computer is attached to the vehicle.

16. The vehicle in accordance with claim 15, wherein the battery lock is configured to lock automatically after the insertion of the battery into the battery compartment.

17. The vehicle in accordance with claim 15, wherein the control unit is integrated into a motor control for the drive motor.

18. The vehicle in accordance with claim 15, wherein the onboard computer has an input actuated by the user to unlock the battery lock.

19. The vehicle in accordance with claim 15, wherein the battery lock has an operating element that is actuated by a user for unlocking the battery lock.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The present disclosure will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to the enclosed drawing and to an embodiment.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a vehicle in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) The vehicle shown in FIG. 1 is an electric bike, for example an e-bike or a pedelec, that is equipped with an electric drive motor 10. In the present embodiment, the drive motor 10 is arranged in the region of a bottom bracket of the vehicle. It is, however, equally possible to attach the drive motor 10 to a front wheel hub or to a read wheel hub of the vehicle.

(4) To control the drive motor 10, a control unit is provided that is implemented in an onboard computer 12 that is attached in the region of handlebars 14 of the vehicle and can be removed by a user of the vehicle on the leaving of the vehicle.

(5) The vehicle furthermore has an electric frame lock 16 that is likewise controlled by the control unit. The control unit is specifically configured such that it automatically triggers a locking of the frame lock 16 when the onboard computer 12 is removed from the vehicle.

(6) A battery 18 that is received in a battery compartment 20 that is formed at a seat tube 21 of a frame 22 of the vehicle is provided to supply both the drive motor 10 and the frame lock 16 with electric energy. It is alternatively possible to integrate the battery 18 and the battery compartment 20 into a luggage carrier 23 of the vehicle.

(7) The battery 18 has a power connection, not shown, that enables a charging of the battery 18 directly at the vehicle. The battery 18 can furthermore be removed from the battery compartment 20 for maintenance purposes or replacement purposes or for a charging remote from the vehicle.

(8) To prevent an unauthorized removal and an unintended falling of the battery 18 out of the battery compartment 20, a battery lock 24 is provided that secures the battery 18 in the battery compartment 20. In the present embodiment, the battery lock 24 is integrated into the battery compartment 20 and is configured such that it automatically adopts a locked state as soon as the battery 18 is inserted into the battery compartment 20, for example in that a latch 26 preloaded by a spring latches into a latching recess of the battery 18 or of a battery housing or blocks a lever pivoted on the insertion of the battery 18. The battery 18 received in the battery compartment 20 is in this manner normally secured by the locked battery lock 24.

(9) The unlocking of the battery lock 24 takes place electrically. For this purpose, the battery lock comprises an electric drive 28 by which the latch 26 can be at least temporarily moved against the restoring force of the spring into an unlocked position releasing the battery 18. For example, the electric drive 28 can comprise an electric motor and an eccentric member that is connected between the electric motor and the latch 26. Alternatively, the electric drive 28 can comprise an electromagnetic actuator; for example, the latch 26 can be formed from a magnetic material and can form an armature surrounded by a coil.

(10) The control unit implemented in the onboard computer 12 is provided to control the battery lock 24 and also controls the drive motor 10 and the frame lock 16. In the present embodiment, the unlocking of the battery lock 24 is triggered by a user input at the onboard computer 12, for example in that the user presses a corresponding button on the onboard computer 12. Alternatively, however, an embodiment is also conceivable in which a corresponding unlocking button is provided at the battery lock itself and the control unit only outputs a release signal to the battery lock 24 that is a requirement for an activation of the unlocking button. In both cases, the battery lock 24 can only be unlocked when the onboard computer 12 is attached to the vehicle such that an unauthorized unlocking and removal of the battery 18 with a removed onboard computer is impossible or at least made more difficult.

(11) Since the frame lock 16 relies on the supply with energy by the battery unit 18 for its locking, the control unit is configured such that it triggers an unlocking of the frame lock 16 on a removal of the onboard computer before the battery lock 24 is unlocked. It is prevented in this manner that the frame lock 16 can no longer lock because the battery 18 has been removed from the battery compartment 20.

(12) The control unit is furthermore configured such that it blocks a locking of the frame lock 16 as long as the vehicle is in motion. The control unit for this purpose receives data from at least one suitable sensor (not shown) provided at the vehicle, e.g. a motion sensor, positional sensor, speed sensor and/or pedaling frequency sensor, and determines the movement state from these data. The control unit also uses the same criterion for the battery lock 24 to prevent the battery lock 24 from accidentally being unlocked during travel.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

(13) 10 drive motor 12 onboard computer 14 handlebars 16 frame lock 18 battery 20 battery compartment 21 seat tube 22 frame 23 luggage carrier 24 battery lock