Passenger compartment for coupling to an aircraft or to a land vehicle

Abstract

A passenger compartment which has a first connection device, by which the passenger compartment can be coupled to an aircraft, and a second connection device, by which the passenger compartment can be coupled to a land vehicle. The passenger compartment has an electrical circuit with an electrical energy storage. The electrical circuit of the passenger compartment has a coupling device by which electrical energy can be input from the electrical energy storage into an electrical circuit of the aircraft. The electrical circuit of the passenger compartment has a further coupling device by which electrical energy can be input from the electrical energy storage into an electrical circuit of the land vehicle.

Claims

1. A passenger compartment comprising: a first connection device, by which the passenger compartment is coupleable to an aircraft, a second connection device, by which the passenger compartment is coupleable to a land vehicle, and an electrical circuit with an electrical energy storage, wherein the electrical circuit of the passenger compartment has a first coupling device by which electrical energy is transferrable from the electrical energy storage into an electrical circuit of the aircraft, wherein the electrical circuit of the passenger compartment has a second coupling device by which electrical energy is transferrable from the electrical energy storage into an electrical circuit of the land vehicle, wherein, when the passenger compartment is coupled to the land vehicle, a cooling channel is formed between the land vehicle and the passenger compartment through which air flows to cool the electrical energy storage of the passenger compartment, wherein the cooling channel is provided with a plurality of cooling ribs, wherein the electrical circuit of the land vehicle comprises an electrical energy storage which adjoins the cooling channel, and wherein the passenger compartment further comprises a control device which is configured to distribute electrical power between the electrical energy storages of the land vehicle and of the passenger compartment based on (1) a temperature of the energy storages and (2) a current cooling capacity of the cooling channel.

2. The passenger compartment according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage of the passenger compartment has sufficient capacity to supply an electrical drive unit of the aircraft for a flight of the aircraft coupled to the passenger compartment to a landing site.

3. The passenger compartment according to claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit of the aircraft comprises an electrical energy storage which has sufficient capacity to supply an electrical drive unit of the aircraft for a flight of the aircraft coupled to the passenger compartment to a landing site.

4. The passenger compartment according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second coupling devices is configured for wireless transmission of the electrical energy.

5. The passenger compartment according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second coupling devices comprises at least one converter.

6. The passenger compartment according to claim 1, wherein the cooling channel is delimited by a bottom of the passenger compartment, and wherein the electrical energy storage of the passenger compartment adjoins the bottom of the passenger compartment and/or the bottom of the passenger compartment is provided at least in sections by a housing of the electrical energy storage of the passenger compartment.

7. The passenger compartment according to claim 1, wherein the land vehicle comprises a cooling circuit through which a cooling fluid flows for cooling the electrical energy storage of the land vehicle.

8. The passenger compartment according to claim 2, wherein the electrical circuit of the aircraft comprises an electrical energy storage which has sufficient capacity to supply an electrical drive unit of the aircraft for a flight of the aircraft coupled to the passenger compartment to a landing site.

9. The passenger compartment according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second coupling devices is configured for wireless transmission of the electrical energy.

10. The passenger compartment according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second coupling devices comprises at least one converter.

11. The passenger compartment according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second coupling devices is configured for wireless transmission of the electrical energy.

12. The passenger compartment according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second coupling devices comprises at least one converter.

13. The passenger compartment according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second coupling devices comprises at least one converter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention also includes combinations of the described embodiments. Below, an embodiment example of the invention is described. For this purpose, the figures show:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(2) FIG. 1 diagrammatically, a passenger compartment which can be coupled optionally to a land vehicle in the form of a drivable sub-frame or to an aircraft designed in the present case as a quadrocopter, wherein, in addition, respective electrical circuits of the land vehicle, of the passenger compartment and of the quadrocopter are illustrated;

(3) FIG. 2 in a diagrammatic side view, the passenger compartment coupled to the land vehicle, wherein, between the passenger compartment and the land vehicle, a cooling channel through which a headwind flows is formed; and

(4) FIG. 3 diagrammatically, the passenger compartment coupled to the land vehicle in a front view.

(5) The embodiment example explained below is a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment examples, the described components of the embodiment in each case represent individual features of the invention, which are to be considered independently of one another, and which develop the invention in each case also independently of one another and therefore should be considered, individually or in a combination other than the combination shown, as part of the invention. Moreover, the described invention can also be completed by additional described features of the invention.

(6) In the figures, functionally equivalent elements are provided in each case with the same reference numerals.

(7) A passenger compartment 10 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 can optionally be coupled to an aircraft which is represented as quadrocopter 12 in the embodiment example shown. However, the passenger compartment 10 can also be coupled to a drivable sub-frame or to a land vehicle 14. A passenger or several passengers located in the passenger compartment 10 can thus optionally move overland or by air, depending on whether the passenger compartment 10 is coupled to the quadrocopter 12 or to the land vehicle 14.

(8) In the present case, the passenger compartment 10 has a first connection device 16 by means of which the passenger compartment 10 can be coupled to the quadrocopter 12. By means of a second connection device 18 of the passenger compartment 10, the passenger compartment 10 can be coupled to the land vehicle 14. When the quadrocopter 12 is docked to the connection device 16 of the passenger compartment 10 and the passenger compartment 10 is at the same time also coupled to the land vehicle 14, the passenger compartment 10 can also be coupled both to the land vehicle 14 and also to the quadrocopter 12.

(9) In FIG. 1, moreover, an electrical circuit 20 of the passenger compartment 10 is shown. The electrical circuit 20 comprises an electrical energy storage in the form of a high-voltage battery 22, represented highly diagrammatically in FIG. 1. In fact, the high-voltage battery 22 of the passenger compartment 10 comprises multiple battery cells 24 which are also represented diagrammatically in FIG. 2. The electrical circuit 20 of the passenger compartment 10 comprises a first coupling device 26 which can be integrated in particular in the connection device 16. Moreover, the electrical circuit 20 of the passenger compartment 10 comprises a further or second coupling device 28 which can be integrated in particular in the second connection device 18.

(10) The quadrocopter 12 also comprises an electrical circuit 30 with an electrical energy storage which is designed as high-voltage battery 32. By coupling the electrical circuit 20 of the passenger compartment 10 to the electrical circuit 30 of the quadrocopter 12, electrical energy from the high-voltage battery 22 can be made available to an electrical drive unit 34 of the quadrocopter 12. In the present case, only one such electrical drive unit 34 is shown diagrammatically; however, such electrical drive units 34, for example, in the form of a respective electric motor, can be provided in each case for a respective rotor 36 of the quadrocopter 12. When the circuit 20 of the passenger compartment 10 is not coupled to the circuit 30 of the quadrocopter 12, the (for example, four) drive units 34 are then supplied with electrical energy by the high-voltage battery 32 of the quadrocopter.

(11) However, by coupling the circuits 20, 30 to one another by means of the first coupling device 26, both the high-voltage battery 22 of the passenger compartment 10 and also the high-voltage battery 32 of the quadrocopter 12 can be used for supplying the electrical drive unit 34. An alternate current rectifier 38 can ensure the conversion of the direct current made available by the high-voltage batteries 22, 32 into alternating current for the electrical drive unit 34. Preferably, both the high-voltage battery 22 and also the high-voltage battery 32 have a capacity such that the quadrocopter 12 loaded with the passenger compartment 10 (in which at least one passenger is located) can then fly at least some distance or land safely when the high-voltage battery 22 of the passenger compartment 10 or the high-voltage battery 32 of the quadrocopter 12 fails or is switched off. Corresponding switch-off devices which ensure, for example, in the case of a error, that the respective high-voltage battery 22, 32 is switched off, are not represented in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity.

(12) Analogously, via the additional or second coupling device 28, the circuit 20 of the passenger compartment 10 can be coupled to a circuit 40 of the drivable sub-frame or of the land vehicle 14. The electrical circuit 40 of the land vehicle 14 also has an electrical energy storage in the form of a high-voltage battery 42 and at least one electrical drive unit 44 for the movement of the land vehicle 14. The electrical drive unit 44 can drive or move the land vehicle 14 without the passenger compartment 10 being coupled to the land vehicle 14 and also when the passenger compartment 10 is coupled to the land vehicle 14. An alternate current converter 46 is also provided in the circuit 40 of the land vehicle 14.

(13) When the passenger compartment 10 is coupled to the land vehicle 14, it is preferably provided that the respective high-voltage battery 22, 42 alone has sufficient capacity to provide sufficient electrical power in order to move the land vehicle 14 coupled to the passenger compartment 10, even when the land vehicle is coupled to the passenger compartment 10 (occupied by at least one passenger). This results in an increased reliability with regard to a error of the energy supply with regard to the two high-voltage batteries 22, 42, when the passenger compartment 10 is coupled to the land vehicle 14.

(14) The coupling devices 26, 28 can be implemented by plug systems or by wireless energy transmission technologies. Moreover, the coupling devices 26, 28 preferably have DC-DC converters in order to compensate for different electrical charges of the high-voltage batteries 22, 32, 42 or different voltages of the high-voltage battery 22, 32, 42.

(15) In the case of the purely electrically operated quadrocopter 12 or the purely electrically operated land vehicle 14 as well as in the case of the electrical circuit 20 of the passenger compartment 10, the cooling of the high-voltage batteries 22, 32, 42 is of great importance with regard to their useful life and their capacity.

(16) In FIG. 2, the passenger compartment 10 is diagrammatically shown coupled to the land vehicle 14. In this state of the passenger compartment 10 coupled to the land vehicle 14, a cooling channel 50 is formed between the bottom 48 of the passenger compartment 10 and the land vehicle 14, through which air can flow for cooling the high-voltage battery 22. The high-voltage battery 22 of the passenger compartment 10 adjoins this bottom 48. The air, in the form of a headwind, is represented diagrammatically by flow arrows 52 in FIG. 2.

(17) The cooling channel 50 formed between the bottom 48 of the passenger compartment 10 and an undercarriage 54 of the land vehicle 14 can be seen clearly in FIG. 3. Accordingly, the cooling channel 50 is delimited, on the one hand, by the bottom 48 of the passenger compartment 10 and, on the other hand, by the undercarriage 54 of the land vehicle 14 in the vertical direction. The vertical direction or the vehicle vertical direction z is illustrated by an arrow in FIG. 3.

(18) In the present case, the undercarriage 54 has a plate-shaped area arranged between wheels 56 of the land vehicle 14, through which air or the headwind flows when the passenger compartment 10 is coupled to the land vehicle 14. In this plate-shaped or flat area, the circuit 40 of the land vehicle 14 with the high-voltage battery 42 is preferably also accommodated. Thus, during the drive, the high-voltage battery 42 is also cooled by the headwind.

(19) The passenger compartment 10 and/or the land vehicle 14 can have a control device 58 or a control unit which controls or regulates the power distribution between the high-voltage batteries 22, 42. Here, the control device 58 can adapt the power configuration of the high-voltage batteries 22, 42 so that more power is removed from the better-cooled high-voltage battery 22, 42 or, respectively, introduced during the charging of the high-voltage batteries 22, 42 into the respective high-voltage battery 22, 42. The less well-cooled high-voltage battery 22, 42 is accordingly less stressed. The control device 58 can implement such a power distribution in particular by a regulation or current control of DC-DC converters which are preferably part of the coupling devices 26, 28.

(20) In the cooling channel 50, cooling ribs can ensure an increase in the effective cooling surface and thus provide a better cooling capacity for the high-voltage batteries 22, 42. Due to the air cooling of the high-voltage battery 22, a cooling circuit in the passenger compartment 10 through which a cooling fluid flows can be dispensed with. However, for cooling an interior 60 of the passenger compartment 10, an air conditioning device with an evaporator can be provided. Moreover, the land vehicle 14 can have a cooling circuit through which a cooling fluid flows during operation, for cooling the high-voltage battery 42 of the land vehicle 14. Here too, in addition or alternatively, a refrigerant circuit with an evaporator can be provided.