Electric vehicle charging interface

• US 9,925,887 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proterra Operating Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proterra AG
• Inventors: McGrath, Seamus, Sarkar, Reuben, Shah, Keyur
• Primary Examiner(s): DO, THUAN V
• Application Number:
  US14/442,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20160272074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/24 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/32 Driving direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/665 Light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/42 for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 : using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 : in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 : Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 : DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• 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 53/305 : Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 : by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 : by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 : Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 : Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 : Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/54 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/55 : Capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/56 : Mechanical storage means, e.g. fly wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 : involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 : for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 : for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/26 : Controlling the braking effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 : Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/36 : Single contact pieces along the line for power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 : for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for enabling fast charging of an electric vehicle at a charging station. In one embodiment, an electric vehicle in positioned in a given location for charging and/or discharging. A charging arm comprising a plurality of charging brushes is then positioned relative to the position of the electric vehicle. The plurality of charging brushes on the charging arm is positioned to contact a charging interface of the electric vehicle. The charging brushes are moved relative to the charging interface such that a portion of the charging brushes is removed as a result of the movement.

Claims

1. An electric bus, comprising:

a first charge-receiving electrode and a second charge-receiving electrode positioned on a roof of the electric bus, wherein the first charge-receiving electrode is configured to engage with a first charging electrode of a charging station and the second charge-receiving electrode is configured to engage with a second charging electrode of the charging station when the electric bus connects with the charging station for charging; and

one or more structural filing features positioned on the electric bus and configured remove a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode of the charging station, to recondition the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode, when the electric bus connects with the charging station for charging.

2. The electric bus of claim 1, wherein the one or more structural filing features includes a plurality of grooves on the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode.

3. The electric bus of claim 2, wherein the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode includes copper.

4. The electric bus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of grooves are parallel to each other.

5. The electric bus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of grooves are aligned at an angle between 20 and 60 degrees with respect to a direction of travel of the electric bus.

6. The electric bus of claim 1, wherein the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode comprise copper impregnated carbon brushes.

7. The electric bus of claim 1, wherein the first charge-receiving electrode includes a first contact surface that is configured to engage with the first charging electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode includes a second contact surface that is configured to engage with the second charging electrode, and wherein the one or more structural filing features are indentations on the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

8. The electric bus of claim 7, wherein the indentations on the first contact surface are configured to remove the portion of the first charging electrode when the first charging electrode is in contact with the first contact surface, and the indentations on the second contact surface are configured to remove the portion of the second charging electrode when the second charging electrode is in contact with the second contact surface, wherein during a charging process, the first contact surface is used as a positive electrical connection and the second contact surface is used as a negative electrical connection.

9. The charging interface of claim 8, wherein the indentations on the first contact surface and the second contact surface include grooves.

10. A method for charging an electric bus at a charging station, comprising:

positioning an electric bus for charging at the charging station, the electric vehicle including a first charge-receiving electrode and a second charge-receiving electrode, wherein the first charge-receiving electrode is configured to engage with a first charging electrode of the charging station and the second charge-receiving electrode is configured to engage with a second charging electrode of the charging station when the electric bus connects with the charging station for charging;

connecting the electric bus with the charging station for charging, wherein the connecting includes removing a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode of the charging station to recondition the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode prior to charging;

establishing electrical contact between (a) the first charging electrode and the first charge-receiving electrode and (b) the second charging electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode; and

charging the electric bus by directing electric current from the charging station to the electric bus through the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode include a plurality of indentations that act to shave off the portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode when the electric bus connects with the charging station for charging.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of indentations are a plurality of grooves aligned at an angle between 20 and 60 degrees with respect to a direction of movement of the electric bus.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein removing a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode includes:

contacting the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode with one or more structural filing features; and

moving the one or more structural filing features with respect to the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode after the contacting to remove the portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more structural filing features are positioned on the electric bus, and wherein moving the one or more structural filing features includes moving the electric bus with respect to the charging station.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein removing a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode includes moving the electric bus with respect to the charging station with the first charging electrode in contact with the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charging electrode in contact with the second charge-receiving electrode.

16. A charging system for charging of an electric bus, comprising:

a charging station comprising a plurality of charging electrodes configured to engage with a plurality of charge-receiving electrodes of the electric bus to direct electric current therethrough; and

an electric bus comprising at least one battery electrically coupled to a first charge-receiving electrode and a second charge-receiving electrode of the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes, wherein the first charging electrode is configured to slide on the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charging electrode is configured to slide on the second charge-receiving electrode when the plurality of charging electrodes engage with the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes, and wherein the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode each includes one or more structural filing features configured remove a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode, to recondition the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode, when the plurality of charging electrodes engage with the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more structural filing features comprise a plurality of grooves parallel to each other.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of grooves are aligned at an angle between 20 and 60 degrees with respect to a direction of movement of the electric bus.

19. The charging system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes are positioned on a roof the electric bus.

20. The charging system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes extend along a direction of travel of the electric bus.