Anti-idling System for Ambulances and Other Vehicles

• US 20160059804A1
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MOVE Systems International, LLC.
• Original Assignee: MOVE Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Dubrovsky, Michael, Rickman, Cody, Horowitz, Azra, Kholodkova, Yelizaveta, Verssimo, Tom Rey, Hoffman, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 9,776,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/34 Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles positioning means for charging devices using inductive energy transfer B60L53/38
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• 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 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

The Anti-idling System for Ambulances and Other Vehicles is a novel system for making electricity available to vehicles which idle curbside in urban and suburban environments. The invention comprises a pedestal with a specialized electricity plug, a cord and cord reel, an onboard microcontroller with GSM and RFID card reader which controls the flow of electricity and communicates with a cloud-based management system, and a cloud-based management system which controls user authentication. This enables an ambulance or other vehicle operator to approach the pedestal, access the plug and cord and turn on the flow of electricity using an RFID card or mobile phone, and use the pedestal to power their vehicle while in proximity to the pedestal. When the vehicle engine is started, the system detects the auto-ejection of the plug from the vehicle, turns off the flow of electricity, and automatically retracts the plug and cord into the pedestal.

Claims

1. An anti-idling system for vehicles comprising a pedestal or other housing with a retractable cord and plug

2. A method of securing the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising a swinging spring-lock door

3. A method of securing the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising an electromechanical sliding door

4. A method of securing the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising an actuated plug cover tube

5. A method of retracting the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising an actuated spring retractor system

6. A method of retracting the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising a motorized retractor system

7. A method of authenticating to access the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising an SMS text message or mobile app

8. A method of authenticating to access the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising an RFID card reader

9. A method of authenticating to access the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising a fingerprint reader

10. A method of determining that the plug and cord in claim 1 are no longer being used by a vehicle comprising a current clamp

11. A method of shutting off power to the plug and cord in claim 1 comprising of a relay and contactor

12. A method of clearing debris from the swinging spring-lock door in claim 2 comprising a container of compressed air, a solenoid, and an IR sensor

13. A method of clearing debris from the electromechanical sliding door in claim 3 comprising a container of compressed air, a solenoid, and an IR sensor