Edison really wanted to develop batteries for use in electric machinery and electric vehicles, and his own cement factory also urgently needed them.
However, batteries are really difficult to come up with. Porsche has gone to great lengths to build a pure electric car that can’t run very far. The effective range is only a few dozen kilometers, and it can’t pass the 100-kilometer threshold.
As for this new hybrid car, although it has a driving range of almost 200 kilometers, it weighs 4 tons, which is heavier than the 2.4-ton Japanese tank "Bean Tank" during World War II, so you can imagine its price -
Even if you are selling scrap iron, four tons is not a small amount.
Therefore, Porsche does have a bit of luxury when it comes out, but it is not cheap at the beginning...
Of course, Porsche had not yet established the Porsche Company at this time. Like most small car companies in the United States, he worked with a few people to produce cars in a small workshop and only built one car at a time.
But as long as someone buys it, they can provide manual customized services according to customer needs. After all, sales volume is very low.
It’s really inappropriate to drive such a big thing in a private car. Fortunately, this hybrid car from Porsche is large in size and has enough horsepower to not only haul people, but also cargo.
Edison's purpose of researching alkaline batteries is also to put them in electric vehicles. At present, alkaline batteries are indeed better than the lead-acid batteries used by Porsche, but it is still difficult to reduce the weight.
Moreover, the batteries made by Edison now have a great risk of leakage. They are filled with sodium hydroxide, which is caustic soda. If it leaks, it will be very harmful.
Later, alkaline batteries were still used more often in daily electrical appliances, like Nanfu's AA and AA batteries.
Sierra also knew from the reviewers' evaluation at the patent office that Li Yu's invention was very practical and was well worth the investment in the laboratory.
Anyway, the current electric vehicle market will not last long.
Sierra is already eager to try it, "I will urge them to approve it as soon as possible. I can't wait to see them sell like crazy."
Li Yu now uses lead-acid batteries for the starter motor in this electronic ignition system, because these batteries are widely available, easy to buy, and not expensive.
Edison said a few words casually and then left. He still had a lot of things to do. For him, the most important thing this year was the new movie. As the boss of the company, he needed to find the media to discuss marketing plans and negotiate cooperation with some theaters.
, as well as placing advertisements and film reviews in newspapers.
Ten years ago, in 1893, American Judson registered a zipper patent, but his design was very primitive, and the quality of the zippers produced based on this was simply difficult to pass.
Edison flipped through the document and found that the design drawing was very clear and the drawing level was very high, just like a top engineer.
Edison had seen too many patents in his life, and it was obvious at a glance that they were certain. These patents were not easy to refute.
Just last year, in 1902, an American company bought the patent, registered the trademark and started trying to produce it, but it soon went bankrupt.
Although everyone now thinks that Edison invented the alkaline battery, in fact, before him, the Swedish inventor Jongar was the first to make a battery using alkaline electrolyte. In addition, he also made many other excellent batteries.
technology.
"There are many categories of Chinese proverbs, but many of them have allusions behind them. For a while, there seems to be no such book in English." Li Yu said.
Li Yu could only say: "It's really not simple."
It was because the drawings and designs were extremely perfect, and the expressions were clear, plus the operation of Sierra, that the patent office had nothing to say and directly issued the patent.
Only then did Sierra realize that Edison was coming and was surprised: "Oh my God! It's the genius inventor himself! What a surprise. Mr. Edison, please take a look at these two patents."
Edison suddenly asked: "Will you also get involved in research and development in the field of batteries in the future?"
He just said: "It will definitely not die out."
The button in front of him instantly inspired him.
Li Yu said: "If the product sales are widespread in the future, the shipping costs can be amortized, which is of course a good thing."
Li Yu laughed and said, "He came here with people from the American Astronomical Society. I think it's just a coincidence."
On the other side, Li Yu looked at his button patent and suddenly had some ideas.
"It's interesting." Edison looked at it.
Li Yu laughed and said, "I would like to send you another Chinese saying, sir. It's unintentional."
Edison hoped that his battery would sell well, because in this era, as in later generations, batteries accounted for most of the cost of electric vehicles.
Edison thought so too, and his Monroe Laboratory spent a lot of manpower and material resources on this.
Li Yu said: "It's the best."
Now she is very confident in Li Yu's results, "I don't think Mr. Leland and Mr. Hunter will refuse, and even other car manufacturers will rush to adopt it."
Li Yu felt a little uncomfortable.
"This is why I made a battery, so that direct current will never be silenced forever." Edison said.
Li Yu asked: "Mr. Mark Twain, why are you here?"
"Yes, of course electric vehicles are inseparable from the transmission system." Li Yu said.
After Edison left, Sierra said to Li Yu: "Why is Edison here now? It seems that he is very satisfied with your research results."
However, the patent stipulates many details, which means that there can be other four-wheel drive solutions and electronic ignition systems in the future.
"Then, if you develop in the field of electric vehicles in the future, I think we can cooperate." Edison said.
"That's it," Edison said, "what a pity."
Edison was surprised: "Patent?"
"The shipping cost?" Sierra asked in surprise, "Do you want to set up a factory in China in the future?"
"Of course," Li Yu understood the operation of the automobile industry in later generations. "Isn't the current LY company just the American branch?"
Li Yu said tactfully: "Battery is a very difficult technology, and I don't have the relevant knowledge yet."
Unfortunately, due to the patent litigation with Edison, his battery was not commercialized until 1910.
Before that, you can definitely make some small inventions that can make money.
Li Yu said: "Technology has its place, and of course it should be used where it should be used."
Li Yu thought to himself, I'm afraid you will still be disappointed in the future. Although it is indeed impossible for humans to leave direct current, the application prospects of alternating current are even more unlimited.
——He didn’t know that mechanical drawing was a required course for Li Yu’s previous major.
"He's a big shot," Sierra said. "With his approval, it's not easy."
Li Yu didn't want to compete head-on with him.
Because they still failed to overcome the design difficulties, the zippers they made either couldn't be pulled up or suddenly collapsed. This situation is too embarrassing. Think about what it would be like if the zipper of your pants suddenly collapsed in the front of your pants...
Li Yu breathed a sigh of relief, "You are really a great savior!"
Moreover, this time he designed it by himself. Even though the clothing factory estimated that the patent could only give him US$50,000 to US$60,000, which was far from enough for the loss of US$200,000, he could at least win back his face.
As he spoke, Mark Twain's voice came in: "Miss Sierra, you can drive faster. I already have an idea to buy a car."
The more Mark Twain looked at his button patent, the happier he became. He didn't think it was an unusable design, and he was even happy to be a friend of women.
So Li Yu really didn't want to be involved in patent inventions with Edison, just in case he was in trouble too.
"Thank you for understanding." Li Yu smiled.
"If that's the case, you should also set up a branch factory in the United States, right?" Sierra asked.
Li Yu nodded: "We can go to Detroit after the company is registered."
"There are so many Chinese proverbs," Mark Twain said, "that it makes me want to see if there is a special collection of Chinese proverbs. I will definitely add them to my next novel."
"Show me first."
Edison often either bought the patents he was interested in, or found a way to only apply for them. He had the support of the plutocrats behind him and had abundant funds, and he had done this kind of thing more than once.
Even though Edison was not optimistic about fuel vehicles, the fact that this patented electric vehicle with a four-wheel drive system could be used made him feel disturbed.
The four-wheel drive system and electronic ignition system will definitely not be used on a large scale in the short term, and it will take some time before they can be commercialized.
Of course, they have experienced many technological innovations at that time.
She took out the documents in her hand, and it turned out that Li Yu's four-wheel drive system and electronic ignition system had been applied for by the U.S. Patent Office.
Li Yu knew that alkaline batteries were unlikely to be used in automobiles on a large scale, and in the early years, Edison's alkaline batteries not only had safety hazards, but also did not have particularly strong performance. Even after the risk of leakage was improved around 1909,
It was successfully applied to electric vehicles and allowed the cruising range of electric vehicles to reach more than 100 kilometers. However, at that time, Ford Model T cars also began to roll off the production line in batches, and the end of electric vehicles was coming soon.
Mark Twain said: "I went to the patent office with Miss Sierra to apply for a patent, and my patent was approved. It's so worth celebrating! I have to show it to Tesla and you, but I just went to Tesla's experiment
room, but he was not there."
Li Yu smiled and said: "Thank you Mr. Edison for the compliment. It's such an honor to have your recognition!"
In fact, it is no different from later movie promotions, except that there is no rating website.
And although the sales of electric vehicles are pretty good now, it won't be long before Ford will use the Model T to put a complete and temporary end to electric vehicles, and this end will lock out electric vehicles for hundreds of years.
In the context of the current widespread popularity of gentlemanly demeanor, it can be called social death.
"It's hard to say. If it can also be used in electric vehicles, I feel that the market will not be bad in the future."
Li Yu nodded: "That's right."
"Unfortunately," Mark Twain said, "I'm afraid the only Americans who know these proverbs are sinologists and China connoisseurs."
Edison also saw it, "Let me just say, DC will not be completely buried, it can't be separated from it."
There is a design that is very common in later generations and does not exist at all at present, and it is also very widely used - zippers.
"That is to say, not only the factory, you will also set up a head office in China?"
This is also the best way Li Yu can think of to make money at present, and it is also a way to expand the laboratory.
Mark Twain sat on the chair and prepared to wait for Tesla to come back. He must tell Tesla the news in order to redeem himself from the failure of being defrauded of $200,000 by a typesetter.
Edison could only sigh: "A very excellent patent."
Fortunately, Sierra came back at this time. She walked in and said, "I got the patent, but there are still some procedures to go through to register the company."
Sierra thought for a while, opened her mouth and said, "This is your wish, I can't say more."
But he felt very strange. Could this Li Yu have been doing research a long time ago? Otherwise, how could it be so fast? At least a few weeks ago, he didn't know that a new laboratory had been moved to Fifth Avenue.
Li Yu said: "Actually, it's just a gadget. Compared with your lamp, gramophone, battery, and movie, it's far behind."
Sierra has already driven an improved Buick sedan. Although it may sound less elegant to modern people than Cadillac, Buick was actually a luxury sedan in its early days.
Edison looked at these transmission systems again: "They should also be used in electric vehicles, right?"
But at this time, electric vehicles still have a few more happy years.
Edison's alkaline batteries are much more expensive.
Li Yu relaxed and asked: "Mr. Edison, you are a regular customer of the Patent Office. Do you think these patents are okay?"
Mark Twain seemed to have accepted this reality, "I asked the designers at the clothing factory, and they also said that it is more suitable for underwear. Alas, my breeches and vest are poor."
Li Yu immediately said: "No, I don't understand battery technology."
However, Edison's alkaline batteries have since opened up the market in the industrial and railway fields by virtue of their advantages of not easily losing power when stored for a long time and being able to be overcharged for a long time.
Li Yu took Mark Twain's patent certificate, which was improved to look more like an underwear button. Li Yu said with a smile: "Maybe Mr. Mark Twain will also be a friend of women in the future."
There are plutocrats behind Edison, and the people behind Sierra are not weak, and they are also members of their own family.
Lead-acid batteries have not been eliminated. Even more than a hundred years later, they are still used as batteries in fuel vehicles, such as to power in-car equipment and to power vehicle starter motors.
Li Yu explained: "Yes, and I also want to put the general company in Shanghai or Tianjin. After all, I think the United States is not the only market for automobiles."
Therefore, it is inevitable that the company will fail.
At this time, the zipper was immature, both in terms of tooth design and locking device.
In fact, it is also a matter of design concept. From the perspective of Li Yu, who majored in mechanical design more than 100 years ago, zippers are not even a class assignment. Compared with four-wheel drive systems, they are not too simple.
Moreover, underwear can only be used by women, while zippers can be used by both men and women. This improvement patent can be sold for at least 100,000 US dollars, and it may be more than that.
Anyway, it's okay, Li Yu is going to get this small invention patent and make some money.