SIDE-FACING VEHICLE CHARGING SYSTEM

• US 20150314695A1
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proterra Operating Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proterra AG
• Inventors: McGRATH, Seamus, GOTTSCHALK, Marc, SHAH, Keyur, WALKER, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,718,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/36 with means for collecting current simultaneously from more than one conductor, e.g. from more than one phase
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/42 for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A vehicle charging system comprises a plurality of retractable conductor bars in a housing of a vehicle. The plurality of conductor bars includes a positive conductor bar and a negative conductor bar. Individual conductor bars of the plurality are electrically isolated from one another. The vehicle charging system further comprises a charging system having a receiver mounted on a support structure. The receiver comprises a plurality of electrical contact members in electrical communication with a power source. The receiver is configured to bring individual conductor bars of the plurality in contact with the electrical contact members for charging an energy storage device of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A charging station for charging an electric vehicle, comprising:

a receiver comprising a plurality of side-facing tracks that are each configured to accept a conductor bar among a plurality of conductor bars of said electric vehicle, wherein said receiver comprise electrical contact members in the plurality of side-facing tracks, at least a subset of which are in electrical communication with a power source, and wherein said plurality of side-facing tracks are configured to guide the plurality of conductor bars towards the electrical contact members for vehicle charging.

2. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said electrical contact members comprise a first set of contact members and a second set of contact members that are each in electrical communication with an opposing pole of said power source.

3. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said electrical contact members are brushes.

4. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said electrical contact members comprise a plurality of electrical brushes in electrical communication with said power source, wherein said receiver is configured to bring individual conductor bars of the plurality in contact with said electrical brushes for providing charge to said vehicle.

5. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said receiver is mounted on a stand that permits the receiver to rotate along a direction of vehicle movement.

6. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises an upper funnel wall and a lower funnel wall, wherein said upper funnel wall is wider than said lower funnel wall.

7. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the receiver further comprises a plurality of polymeric inserts situated along a portion of each of the side-facing tracks.

8. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a body comprising a motion-inducing device;

an energy storage device coupled to said motion-inducing device; and

a plurality of conductor bars that are configured to extend away from and retract towards a side of said body, wherein said plurality of conductor bars comprise a positive conductor bar and a negative conductor bar, wherein individual conductor bars of said plurality are electrically isolated from one another and are individually electrically coupled to an opposing pole of said energy storage device.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said body is formed of aluminum, steel, a magnesium alloy or fiberglass.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said conductor bars extend and retract in unison.

11. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said body comprises a chamber to house said plurality of conductor bars in a retracted position.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said conductor bars are spaced apart from one another.

13. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said plurality of conductor bars further comprises a ground bar between said positive conductor bar and said negative conductor bar.

14. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said positive conductor bar and said negative conductor bar each comprises one or more conductor surfaces.

15. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said positive conductor bar and said negative conductor bar are flexible.

16. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said conductor bars extend out of and retract towards said side of said body by pivoting along a pivot point.

17. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said conductor bars extend out of and retract towards said side of said body with the aid of a retraction guide coupled to (i) a retraction mechanism and (ii) both of said conductor bars.

18. A method for charging an electric vehicle, comprising:

a) directing said electric vehicle towards a charging station, wherein said electric vehicle comprises a body, an energy storage device and a plurality of conductor bars that are configured to extend away from and retract towards a side of said body, wherein said plurality of conductor bars comprise a positive conductor bar and a negative conductor bar, wherein individual conductor bars of said plurality are electrically isolated from one another and are individually electrically coupled to an opposing pole of said energy storage device;

b) extending said conductor bars away from said side of said body towards a receiver of said charging station;

c) electrically coupling said positive conductor bar and said negative conductor bar to separate electrical contact members of said receiver; and

d) charging said energy storage device through electrical contact established between said electrical contact members and said conductor bars.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising retracting said conductor bars towards said body after charging.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, in (b), said conductor bars are extended away from said body as said electric vehicle approaches said charging station.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising delivering at least about 50 kWh of energy in a time period that is less than about 15 minutes.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising retracting said conductor bars away from said charging station.