Structural bollard assembly for electric vehicle infrastructure

• US 9,561,731 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brightfield Transportation Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Brightfield Transportation Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Matthew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US13/714,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• 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: Y10T 29/49623 Static structure, e.g., a building component

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein is directed to electric vehicle (“EV”) infrastructure, which includes a customizable charging station that comprises a modular bollard assembly having a structural tubular form that is secured to an electrical vehicle supply equipment to provide fuel to an EV. The modular bollard assembly is optionally fashioned with expansion elements, such as a solar canopy, which accommodate EV infrastructure requirements. The invention also includes methods of determining and manufacturing EV infrastructure based upon data pertaining to demographic, energy, EV, financial and geographic metrics.

Claims

1. A customizable charging station, comprising:

at least one modular bollard assembly having a structural tubular form that is

mountable upon a footing, said modular bollard assembly includes a tubular central portion having a hollow inner cavity,

a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion having a first expansion plate welded thereto closing said first end of said hollow inner cavity,

said first expansion plate having a first plurality of apertures therethrough,

said first plurality of apertures constructed and arranged to cooperate with a vertically extending structural trunk member,

a second expansion plate welded to said second end of said tubular central portion,

said second expansion plate extending outside of a perimeter of said tubular central portion and including a second plurality of apertures therethough,

said second plurality of apertures positioned outside the perimeter of said tubular central portion, said second expansion plate constructed and arranged to cooperate with said footing for securing said modular bollard assembly to said footing with fasteners extending through said second plurality of apertures, said tubular central portion including a receiving port through a side wall thereof;

said side wall window sized and shaped to include electrical vehicle supply equipment, said side wall of said central tubular member being constructed of a material and having a sufficient strength to function as a structural support member of an overhead structure.

2. The customizable charging station of claim 1 wherein said structural trunk member is pointed to prevent debris from settling on the top surface of said modular bollard assembly.

3. The customizable charging station of claim 1 wherein said structural trunk member is an extended structural trunk member for support of an overhead structure.

4. The customizable charging station of claim 1 wherein said expansion cap is secured to said first expansion plate with fasteners, said fasteners extending through said plurality of apertures.

5. The customizable charging station of claim 3, wherein said second end including at least one attachment point for a functional unit.

6. The customizable charging station of claim 5 wherein said functional unit is an overhead structure.

7. The customizable charging station of claim 6 wherein said overhead structure includes at least one photovoltaic panel secured thereon.

8. The customizable charging station of claim 6 wherein said overhead structure is a canopy, said canopy including a single vertical support member, said modular bollard assembly forming a portion of said vertical support member.

9. The customizable charging station of claim 6 wherein said overhead structure is a canopy, said canopy including a plurality of vertical support members, at least one said modular bollard assembly forming a portion of each said vertical support member.

10. The customizable charging station of claim 1 wherein said electrical vehicle supply equipment includes a housing and a bezel sealed with a gasket therebetween, said bezel attaching substantially flush to a face of said housing.

11. The customizable charging station of claim 1 wherein said modular bollard assembly includes a service entrance, said service entrance a point of electric utility grid interconnection.

12. The customizable charging station of claim 10, wherein the energy supply unit is fashioned with a cord wrap bezel.

13. The customizable charging station of claim 1, wherein the foundation comprises a concrete footing or at least one geotechnical screw.

14. The customizable charging station of claim 8, wherein said canopy is modular, expandable, and installed in a predetermined orientation.

15. A customizable charging station, comprising:

at least one modular bollard having a form that is mountable upon a footing at one or more bollard attachment points upon a bollard attachment plate, and having at least one expansion attachment element fashioned on a bollard expansion plate, said modular bollard assembly includes a tubular central portion having a hollow inner cavity, a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion having said bollard expansion plate welded thereto closing said first end of said hollow inner cavity, said bollard expansion plate having a plurality of apertures therethrough, said apertures constructed and arranged to cooperate with a vertically extending structural trunk, a second expansion plate welded to said second end of said tubular central portion, said second expansion plate extending outside of a perimeter of said tubular central portion and including a plurality of apertures therethrough, said apertures positioned outside the perimeter of said tubular central portion, said second expansion plate constructed and arranged to cooperate with said footing for securing said modular bollard assembly to said footing, said tubular central portion including a receiving port through a side wall thereof, said side window sized and shaped to cooperate with said electrical vehicle supply equipment, said side wall of said central tubular member being constructed of a material and having a sufficient strength to function as a structural support member of an overhead structure.

16. The customizable charging station of claim 15, wherein the electrical vehicle supply equipment provides grid-based electricity to a vehicle.

17. The customizable charging station of claim 15, wherein the energy supply unit is fashioned with a cord wrap bezel.

18. The customizable charging station of claim 15, wherein the foundation comprises a concrete footing or at least one geotechnical screw.

19. The customizable charging station of claim 15, the modular bollard further comprising an internal cavity and a panel that provides access to said internal cavity.

20. The customizable charging station of claim 15, wherein said bollard expansion plate at said first end of said structural trunk is fixedly engaged with a functional unit.

21. The customizable charging station of claim 20, wherein the functional unit comprises a canopy, a security lamp, a surveillance camera, and/or a beam or a joist.