Positionally Compliant Charge Connector For Robotic Drive Unit Charging

• US 20190372364A1
• Filed: 05/30/2018
• Published: 12/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brady, Matthew Anthony, Pajevic, Dragan, Pagani, Jennifer, Jonas, Jude Royston, Ropi, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 10,644,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/44 Industrial trucks or floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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

Abstract

An electric charging station for a mobile drive unit includes a frame that defines an interior volume of space. The frame is configured to carry an electrical charging unit positioned above the interior volume of space. The station includes a station charge connector that is configured to be in electrical communication with the electrical charging unit and is also configured for mating with a corresponding charge connector of the mobile drive unit. The station charge connector extends forward within the interior volume of space along a longitudinal direction that is substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction. The station charge connector is connected to the frame by at least one compliant mechanism that is configured to provide the station charge connector with positional compliance with respect to the frame.

Claims

1. A system for charging a plurality of mobile drive units, comprising:

a plurality of electric charging stations disposed on a floor, at least some of the plurality of electric charging stations each comprising;

a frame, comprising;

a upper support member carrying an electrical charge unit;

a pair of side supports extending from a front end of the frame toward a back end of the frame and extending from the upper support member to the floor, wherein the front end of the frame defines a front end of the associated charging station;

a station charge connector in electrical communication with the electrical charging unit and configured to mate with corresponding charge connectors of the mobile drive units, the station charge connector located below the upper support member and between the pair of sides, the station charge connector extending along a longitudinal direction, the station charge connector suspended from the associated frame by a plurality of springs, comprising;

a first spring and a second spring each extending from the frame at least partially along a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the first and second springs are configured to provide the station charge connector with positional compliance along the lateral direction; and

a third spring located rearward of the first and second springs, the third spring extending at least partially along the longitudinal direction, wherein the spring is configured to provide the station charge connector with positional compliance along the longitudinal direction

wherein the front ends of the charging stations collectively define a boundary of a zone of travel for the mobile drive units.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a front end of each station charge connector is recessed from the front end of the associated frame, wherein the station charge connectors are remote from the zone of travel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second springs each extend at least partially along a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal and lateral directions, and the first and second springs are further configured to provide the respective station charge coupling with positional compliance along the vertical direction.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the third spring is aligned with the station charge coupling along the longitudinal direction, and extends between the station charge coupling and a mount extending below the upper support member.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the station charge connector is located underneath the electrical charging unit.

6. An electric charging station for a mobile drive unit, comprising:

a frame defining an interior volume of space, the frame configured to carry an electrical charging unit positioned above the interior volume of space along a vertical direction; and

a station charge connector configured to be in electrical communication with the electrical charging unit, the station charge connector further configured for mating with a corresponding charge connector of the mobile drive unit, the station charge connector extending forward within the interior volume of space along a longitudinal direction that is substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the station charge connector is connected to the frame by at least one compliant mechanism that is configured to provide the station charge connector with positional compliance with respect to the frame.

7. The electric charging station of claim 6, wherein the station charge connector is carried by a mount that at least partially extends within the interior volume, the mount is connected to the frame by the at least one complaint mechanism, and the station charge connector extends forward from the mount.

8. The electric charging station of claim 7, wherein the at least one compliant mechanism comprises a plurality of springs that includes a first spring and a second spring extending between the mount and the frame at least partially along the lateral direction, and the first and second springs are configured to provide the mount with positional compliance along a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction.

9. The electric charging station of claim 8, wherein the first spring and the second spring extend between the mount and the frame at least partially along the vertical direction that, wherein the first and second springs are configured to provide the mount with positional compliance along the vertical direction.

10. The electric charging station of claim 6, wherein the at least one compliant mechanism comprises a spring connected to the station charge connector and the frame, wherein the spring is configured to provide the station charge connector with positional compliance along the longitudinal direction.

11. The electric charging station of claim 10, wherein the spring is located rearward of the station charge connector and extends along the longitudinal direction.

12. The electric charging station of claim 11, wherein the spring is a compression spring configured to bias the station charge connector forward responsive to engagement with the charge connector of the mobile drive unit.

13. The electric charging station of claim 12, wherein the spring surrounds at least a portion of a support member connecting the station charge connector to a mount located rearward of the station charge connector, the mount is rigid with the frame.

14. The electric charging station of claim 13, wherein the at least a portion of the support member is a support tube.

15. The electric charging station of claim 14, wherein the mount defines an opening, and the support tube is received in the opening.

16. The electric charging station of claim 15, further comprising a bushing received in the opening, the support tube extending within the bushing, wherein the support tube defines an outer diameter, the bushing defines an inner diameter that is greater than the outer diameter, and the support tube can move within the opening along the lateral and vertical directions.

17. The electric charging station of claim 16, wherein the support tube at least partially extends within the interior volume and is aligned with the station charge connector along the longitudinal direction, and the support tube is configured to house one or more electrical cables in communication with the station charge connector.

18. The electric charging station of claim 6, wherein the frame comprises an upper support member and a pair of side support members extending downward from the upper support member, wherein the pair of side support members are configured to be mounted to a floor such that the interior volume is defined 1) along the vertical direction between the floor and the upper support member, and 2) along the lateral direction between the pair of side support members.

19. The electric charging station of claim 15, wherein the pair of side support members define a front end of the frame, and the station charge connector defines a front end that is located behind the front end of the frame along the longitudinal direction.

20. The electric charging station of claim 16, wherein the frame defines a back end, and the pair of side walls converge toward one another from the front end of the frame to the back end.