Sliding conductor transmission cable

• US 7,973,516 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto Charging Systems, Inc. (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Flack, Albert Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fantu; Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US12/833,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 320/137
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/34 electric cords or electric power cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 51/10 with opposed coacting surfaces, e.g. providing nips
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/368 with pulleys
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/38 involving the use of a core or former internal to, and supporting, a stored package of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4471 Housing enclosing the reel
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/08 through tubing or conduit, e.g. rod or draw wire for pushing or pulling inserting electrical cables into tubes using wallbores E21B17/206; for optical cables G02B6/4401
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/003 using gravity-loaded or spring-loaded loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 2200/10 Prevention of theft of valuable metals
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0487 with a non-circular cross-section H02G3/0468, H02G3/0475 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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

Methods and devices for connecting a current source to a target storage device via a transmission cable extendable and/or retractable via a conduit that may be repositioned.

Claims

1. A battery charging device comprising:

a conduit segment configured to receive an extending transmission cable, wherein the conduit segment is further configured to slidably conduct the transmission cable;

the transmission cable connectable to a current source; and

a transmission cable drive mechanism configured to extend the transmission cable into the conduit segment.

2. The battery charging device of claim 1 wherein the transmission cable is disposed about at least one drive wheel aligned to extend the transmission cable in a direction away from a transmission cable housing and into the conduit segment.

3. The battery charging device of claim 1 wherein the transmission cable drive mechanism comprises a tow wire and drive pulley.

4. The battery charging device of claim 1 wherein the transmission cable drive mechanism is further configured to retract the transmission cable from the conduit segment.

5. The battery charging device of claim 1 further comprising a conduit assembly comprising the conduit segment and a handle-connector assembly comprising a transmission cable connector and a target port connector.

6. The battery charging device of claim 5 wherein the transmission cable drive mechanism comprises a pressure differential generator effecting a pressure differential, the pressure differential having a volume of lower pressure effected proximate to the handle-connector assembly.

7. The battery charging device of claim 1 wherein the transmission cable is air-cooled within the conduit segment.

8. The battery charging device of claim 1 further comprising a housing comprising:

the transmission cable; and

the transmission cable drive mechanism configured to extend the transmission cable into the conduit segment.

9. The battery charging device of claim 1 wherein the transmission cable is comprised of at least two conductive cables.

10. The battery charging device of claim 1 wherein the transmission cable is comprised of four conductive cables.

11. The battery charging device of claim 1 wherein a coating having a low coefficient of sliding friction is interposed between the transmission cable and the conduit segment.

12. The battery charging device of claim 1 wherein the transmission cable drive mechanism comprises a first wheel opposing a second wheel, wherein at least one of the first wheel and the second wheel is a drive wheel and wherein at least one of the first wheel and the second wheel is configured to retractably engage the transmission cable.

13. The battery charging device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first wheel and the second wheel is configured to retractably engage the transmission cable via a powered solenoid.

14. A method of charging a target storage device comprising:

engaging a target storage device electrical receptacle with the target port connector of a conduit assembly comprising a conduit segment, wherein the conduit segment is further configured to slidably conduct a transmission cable;

extending the transmission cable, within the conduit segment and away from a conduit assembly support structure, by a transmission cable drive mechanism, to engage the target port connector via the conduit segment; and

initiating current flow to the target storage device from a current source via the transmission cable.

15. The method of charging a target storage device of claim 14 wherein the transmission cable is disposed about at least one drive wheel aligned to extend the transmission cable in a direction away from the housing and into the conduit segment.

16. The method of charging a target storage device of claim 14 wherein the transmission cable drive mechanism comprises a tow wire and drive pulley.

17. The method of charging a target storage device of claim 14 further comprising:

stopping current flow to the target storage device from the current source via the transmission cable and

retracting the transmission cable from the conduit segment.

18. The method of charging a target storage device of claim 14 further comprising air cooling the transmission cable within the conduit segment.

19. The method of charging a target storage device of claim 14 wherein a housing comprises the conduit assembly support structure.

20. The method of charging a target storage device of claim 14 wherein a coating having a low coefficient of sliding friction is interposed between the transmission cable and the conduit segment.

21. A battery charging device comprising:

a conduit segment configured to receive a transmission cable, wherein the conduit segment is further configured to slidably conduct the transmission cable;

wherein the transmission cable is connectable to a current source; and

wherein the transmission cable is configured to extend into the conduit segment.

22. The battery charging device of claim 21 wherein the transmission cable is air-cooled within a volume between the transmission cable and the conduit segment.

23. The battery charging device of claim 21 wherein a coating having a low coefficient of sliding friction is interposed between the transmission cable and the conduit segment.