US5233227A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solar battery systems for vehicles
Assignee: Mazda Motor Corp
•
Filing: 1991-03-28
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Granted: 1993-08-03
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Expires: 2011-03-28
Abstract
Abstract A solar battery system for a vehicle comprises a solar battery mounted on a body of the vehicle, a load connector for connecting selectively at least one of electric equipments provided in the vehicle with the solar battery so as to apply an output of the solar battery to the electric equipment connected thereby with the solar battery, a battery output checker for detecting the magnitude of the output of the solar battery, and a controller operative to select in response to the magnitude of the output of the solar battery detected by the battery output checker one or more of the electric equipments provided in the vehicle, which operate with power consumption corresponding appropriately to the output of the solar battery, as one or more electric equipments to be connected by the load connector with the solar battery.
Inventors
- 👤 Shinshi Kajimoto
- 👤 Tooru Niitani
- 👤 Osamu Michihira
- 👤 Mitsutoshi Kuroiwa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 03:10
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60L; B60L1/00; B60H; B60H1/00; B60H1/00421; B60H1/00428; B60H1/24; B60H1/247; B60L8/00; B60L8/003; H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/34; H02J7/35; H02S; H02S10/00; H02S10/40; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/95; H10F77/953; H10F77/955; B60L2250/00; B60L2250/16; B60R; B60R16/00; B60R16/02; B60R16/03; H02J2105/00; H02J2105/30; H02J2105/33; H02J2105/37; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/7072; Y02T10/80; Y02T10/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
254 words
A solar battery system for a vehicle comprising: a solar battery mountable on a body of a vehicle for converting solar energy to electric energy so as to produce, without charging electric power converted from solar energy, an output of electric power which varies proportionally in response to changes in quantity of solar radiation supplied to the body, load connecting means for connecting selectively at least one of electric equipments provided in the vehicle with said solar battery so as to directly apply said output electric power produced by said solar battery to the electric equipment connected thereby with said solar battery, battery output checking means for detecting the magnitude of said output of electric power produced by the solar battery, and control means operative to select, in response to the magnitude of the output of electric power produced by said solar battery detected by said battery output checking means, one or more of electric equipments which are to be connected through said load connecting means with said solar battery so as to operate with power consumption corresponding appropriately to the output of electric power produced by said solar battery so that the solar battery is maintained to work at a relatively marrow operating area including an optimal operating point in its output characteristic, said control means being further operative to select none of the electric equipments when the magnitude of the output of electric power produced by said solar battery detected by said battery output checking means is less than a predetermined level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
254 words
A solar battery system for a vehicle comprising: a solar battery mountable on a body of a vehicle for converting solar energy to electric energy so as to produce, without charging electric power converted from solar energy, an output of electric power which varies proportionally in response to changes in quantity of solar radiation supplied to the body, load connecting means for connecting selectively at least one of electric equipments provided in the vehicle with said solar battery so as to directly apply said output electric power produced by said solar battery to the electric equipment connected thereby with said solar battery, battery output checking means for detecting the magnitude of said output of electric power produced by the solar battery, and control means operative to select, in response to the magnitude of the output of electric power produced by said solar battery detected by said battery output checking means, one or more of electric equipments which are to be connected through said load connecting means with said solar battery so as to operate with power consumption corresponding appropriately to the output of electric power produced by said solar battery so that the solar battery is maintained to work at a relatively marrow operating area including an optimal operating point in its output characteristic, said control means being further operative to select none of the electric equipments when the magnitude of the output of electric power produced by said solar battery detected by said battery output checking means is less than a predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A solar battery system according to claim 1, wherein said control means is operative further to determine the number of electric equipments connected by said load connecting means with said solar battery in response to the magnitude of the output of said solar battery detected by said battery output checking means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A solar battery system according to claim 2, wherein said load connecting means is operative to connect one or more fan motors for driving ventilating fans provided in the body of the vehicle, the number of which is determined by said control means, with said solar battery.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A solar battery system according to claim 3, wherein said ventilating fans are disposed at front and rear portions of the body of the vehicle, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A solar battery system according to claim 1, wherein said load connecting means is provided for connecting a plurality of electric equipments selected by said control means in parallel with each other with said solar battery.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A solar battery system according to claim 5, wherein said control means is operative further to determine the number of electric equipments connected by said load connecting means with said solar battery in response to the magnitude of the output of said solar battery detected by said battery output checking means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A solar battery system according to claim 6, wherein said load connecting means is operative to connect one or more fan motors for driving ventilation fans provided in the body of the vehicle with said solar battery, and said control means determines the number of the ventilation fans which are connected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A solar battery system according to claim 5 further comprising display means connected with said control means for indicating the electric equipments selected by said control means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A solar battery system according to claim 8, wherein said load connecting means comprises a coupling device for coupling detachably with the electric equipments selected by said control means so as to connect said electric equipments with said solar battery.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
A solar battery system according to claim 9, wherein said control means is provided with switching means for causing said control means to select one or more electric equipments which can be supplied with electric power sufficient for operating properly through said load connecting means from said solar battery under a situation in which at least one electric equipment is coupled with said coupling means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A solar battery system according to claim 1 further comprising display means connected with said control means for indicating said one or more electric equipments selected by said control means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A solar battery system according to claim 11, wherein said load connecting means comprises a coupling device for coupling detachably with said one or more electric equipments so as to connect said one or more electric equipments with said solar battery.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A solar battery system according to claim 12, wherein said coupling means comprises a plurality of coupling devices for coupling detachably with the electric equipments selected by said control means so as to connect said electric equipments with said solar battery.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
A solar battery system according to claim 13, wherein said control means is provided with switching means for causing the control means to select one or more electric equipments which can be supplied with electric power sufficient for operating properly through said load connecting means from said solar battery under a situation in which at least one electric equipment is coupled with said coupling means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A solar battery system according to claim 14, wherein said control means is operative further to cause said display means to indicate said one or more electric equipments selected by said control means under the situation in which at least one electric equipment is coupled with said coupling means when said switching means is made effective.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
256 words
A solar battery system for a vehicle comprising: a solar battery mountable on a body of a vehicle for converting solar energy to electric energy so as to produce, without charging energy converted from solar energy, an output of electric power which varies proportionately in response to changes in quantity of solar radiation supplied to the body, loan connecting means for connecting selectively at least one of fan motors for driving ventilation fans provided in the vehicle with said solar battery so as to directly apply said output of electric power produced by said solar battery to the fan motor connected thereby with said solar battery, battery output checking means for detecting the magnitude of said output of electric power produced by the solar battery, and control means operative to select, in response to the magnitude of the output of electric power produced by said solar battery detected by said battery output checking means, one or more of fan motors which are to be connected through said load connecting means with said solar battery so as to operate with power consumption corresponding appropriately to the output of electric power produced by said solar battery so that the solar battery is maintained to work at a relatively marrow operating area including an optimal operative point in its output characteristic, said control means being further operative to select none of the fan motor when the magnitude of the output of electric power produced by said battery detected by said battery output means is less than a predetermined level.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
256 words
A solar battery system for a vehicle comprising: a solar battery mountable on a body of a vehicle for converting solar energy to electric energy so as to produce, without charging energy converted from solar energy, an output of electric power which varies proportionately in response to changes in quantity of solar radiation supplied to the body, loan connecting means for connecting selectively at least one of fan motors for driving ventilation fans provided in the vehicle with said solar battery so as to directly apply said output of electric power produced by said solar battery to the fan motor connected thereby with said solar battery, battery output checking means for detecting the magnitude of said output of electric power produced by the solar battery, and control means operative to select, in response to the magnitude of the output of electric power produced by said solar battery detected by said battery output checking means, one or more of fan motors which are to be connected through said load connecting means with said solar battery so as to operate with power consumption corresponding appropriately to the output of electric power produced by said solar battery so that the solar battery is maintained to work at a relatively marrow operating area including an optimal operative point in its output characteristic, said control means being further operative to select none of the fan motor when the magnitude of the output of electric power produced by said battery detected by said battery output means is less than a predetermined level.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A solar battery system according to claim 1, further comprising a parking detecting circuit for detecting a parking condition of the vehicle and generating a signal indicative of a parking condition of the vehicle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
A solar battery system according to claim 17, wherein said control means is operative to cause said load connecting means not to connect any electrical equipment with the solar battery in the absence of a parking condition of the vehicle being detected by the parking detecting circuit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
A solar battery system according to claim 16, further comprising a parking detecting circuit for detecting a parking condition of the vehicle and generating a signal indicative of a parking condition of the vehicle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
A solar battery system according to claim 19, wherein said control means is operative to cause said load connecting means not to connect any fan motors with the solar battery in the absence of a parking condition of the vehicle being detected by the parking detecting circuit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-08-02 | 1997-02-01 | 1997-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-08-02 | 2001-02-01 | 2001-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-08-02 | 2005-02-01 | 2005-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |