Patent ID: 8179091

Claim:
A system for protecting an electrically charged vehicle from a power surge, the system comprising: an electrically powered vehicle having a length and four wheels, each wheel being powered by a separate electric motor, the motors being powered by both a capacitor and a battery; a contact brush for delivering current to the capacitor, an energy switch for selectively opening or closing circuit between the capacitor and battery; a charging station including a rail segment, the rail segment being approximately ⅓ of the length of the electrically powered vehicle; a ground circuit and a ground switch for selectively connecting the rail segment to ground; an up-charge transformer, a feed capacitor, a power line, the up-charge transformer and feed capacitor being electrically coupled to one another, a first switch for selectively completing circuit between the power line and the up-charge transformer, a second switch for selectively completing circuit between the feed capacitor and the rail segment; first and second sensors, the first sensor being activated when the vehicle is at a predetermined distance from the charging station, activation of the first sensor closing the first switch to permit charging of the up-charge transformer, the second sensor detecting when the rail segment is completely underneath the electrically powered vehicle, activation of the second sensor opening the ground circuit to disconnect the rail segment from ground and closing the second switch to connect the rail segment to the feed capacitor and thereby power the rail, activation of the second sensor further opening the energy switch to disconnect the capacitor and battery so as to protect the battery from damage in the event of a power surge.