Electrical charging system for a robot

• US 9,840,154 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2016
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Locus Robotics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Locus Robotics Corporation
• Inventors: Kwa, Hian Kai, Fong, Christina Nicole, Sussman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Memula, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US15/088,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/05 Resilient pins or blades carrying separate resilient parts H01R13/15
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00043 using switches, contacts or markings, e.g. optical, magnetic or barcode
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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: 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 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electrical charging system including an electrical charger assembly with a charger base coupled to an electrical power source. There is a first male terminal member terminating in a first electrical contact with at least two curved external surfaces and one flat surface. There is a second male terminal member terminating in a second electrical contact with at least two curved external surfaces and one flat surface. There is a cavity formed between the first male terminal member and the second male terminal member having an opening between the first and second electrical contacts. The cavity is defined by the flat surface of the first male terminal member and the flat surface of the second male terminal member. The flat surface of the second male terminal member has a flared surface portion proximate the opening of the cavity and angled relative to the second axis.

Claims

1. An electrical charging system, comprising:

An electrical charger assembly, including;

A charger base coupled to an electrical power source;

A first male terminal member having a first base affixed to and extending orthogonally along a first axis from a first surface of the charger base and terminating in a first electrical contact, wherein the first male terminal member has a plurality of external surfaces at least two of which are curved from the first base to the first electrical contact and at least one flat surface;

A second male terminal member having a second base affixed to and extending orthogonally along a second axis from the first surface of the charger base and terminating in a second electrical contact, wherein the second male terminal member has a plurality of external surfaces at least two of which are curved from the second base to the second electrical contact and at least one flat surface; and

A cavity formed between the first male terminal member and the second male terminal member having an opening between the first and second electrical contacts, the cavity defined by the at least flat surface of the first male terminal member and the at least one flat surface of the second male terminal member, the at the least one flat surface of the second male terminal member having a flared surface portion proximate the opening of the cavity and angled relative to the second axis.

2. The electrical charging system of claim 1 wherein the at least one flat surface of the first male terminal member has a recessed surface portion proximate the opening of the cavity.

3. The electrical charging system of claim 2 further including an electrical charging port coupled to a battery of a device to be charged, the electrical charging port configured to receive the electrical charger assembly to electrically charge the battery of the device to be charged.

4. The electrical charging system of claim 3 wherein the electrical charging port comprises a first cavity and second cavity, which are configured to receive and engage with the first male terminal member and the second male terminal member, respectively, of electrical charging assembly.

5. The electrical charging system of claim 4 wherein the first cavity includes a first electrical contact comprising spring loaded pins configured to engage with the first electrical contact of the first male terminal member and the second cavity includes a second electrical contact comprising spring loaded pins configured to engage with the second electrical contact of the second male terminal member.

6. The electrical charging system of claim 5 wherein curved surfaces of the first male terminal member and the curved surfaces of the second male terminal member have a first radius of curvature.

7. The electrical charging system of claim 6 wherein the first cavity comprises curved surfaces having a second radius of curvature and the second cavity includes curved surfaces having the second radius of curvature;

wherein the first radius of curvature is substantially equal to the second radius of curvature.

8. The electrical charging system of claim 5 wherein the first cavity has a width and length at its opening which is greater than a width and length of the first male terminal member proximate the first electrical contact and the second cavity has a width and length at its opening which is greater than a width and length of the second male terminal member proximate the second electrical contact.

9. The electrical charging system of claim 5 further including a divider disposed between the first cavity and the second cavity to separate the first cavity and the second cavity, the divider configured to be received in the cavity of electrical charging assembly when the electrical charging assembly and the electrical charging port are mated.

10. The electrical charging system of claim 9 wherein the divider includes a stop on a surface of the divider to prevent the electrical charger assembly from being improperly mated with the electrical charging port if the first male terminal member is being engaged with the second cavity and the second male terminal member is being engaged with the first cavity.

11. The electrical charging system of claim 10 wherein the stop includes an angled surface portion and flat surface portion configured to engage with the recessed surface portion within the cavity of the electrical charging assembly, thereby allowing proper mating of electrical charging assembly and the electrical charging port.

12. The electrical charging system of claim 3 wherein one of the electrical charging assembly and the electrical charging port includes a plurality of magnets and the other of the electrical charging assembly and the electrical charging port includes a corresponding plurality of metal contacts which engage when the electrical charging assembly and the electrical charging port are mated to secure them in place by way of magnetic force.

13. The electrical charging system of claim 12 further including a docking station having a frame to which the electrical charging assembly is affixed.

14. The electrical charging system of claim 13 wherein electrical charging assembly is disposed on a mount and the mount is secured to the frame by way of a plurality of compliant mounting members to allow movement of the electrical charging assembly in all six degrees of freedom.

15. The electrical charging system of claim 14 wherein the docking station includes a fiducial marker identifying the location of the docking station.

16. The electrical charging system of claim 14 wherein the docking station includes a charging unit electrically connected to electrical charging assembly to provide power for charging the device.

17. The electrical charging system of claim 16 wherein the docking station includes a restraining device interconnected to the frame of the docking station and the mount on which the electrical charging assembly is disposed to limit movement of the electrical charging assembly during the un-mating process.

18. The electrical charging system of claim 16 wherein the charging unit includes a transceiver and the electrical charging port includes a transceiver to enable communication between the charging unit and the device during the charging process.

19. The electrical charging system of claim 16 wherein the device being charged is a robot.

20. An electrical charging system for a robot, comprising:

An electrical charger assembly, including;

A charger base coupled to an electrical power source;

A first male terminal member having a first base affixed to and extending orthogonally along a first axis from a first surface of the charger base and terminating in a first electrical contact, wherein the first male terminal member has a plurality of external surfaces at least two of which are curved from the first base to the first electrical contact and at least one flat surface;

A second male terminal member having a second base affixed to and extending orthogonally along a second axis from the first surface of the charger base and terminating in a second electrical contact, wherein the second male terminal member has a plurality of external surfaces at least two of which are curved from the second base to the second electrical contact and at least one flat surface; and

A cavity formed between the first male terminal member and the second male terminal member having an opening between the first and second electrical contacts, the cavity defined by the at least one flat surface of the first male terminal member and the at least one flat surface of the second male terminal member, the at least one flat surface of the first male terminal member having a recessed surface portion proximate the opening of the cavity and the at the least one flat surface of the second male terminal member having a flared surface portion proximate the opening of the cavity and angled relative to the second axis; and

An electrical charging port coupled to a battery of a robot to be charged, the electrical charging port including first and second cavities to receive, respectively, the first and second male terminal members of the electrical charging assembly;

the electrical charging port further including a divider disposed between the first and second cavities, the divider configured to be received by the cavity between the first male terminal member and the second male terminal member of the electrical charger assembly when the electrical charger assembly and the electrical charger port are mated.