Contacting system for producing an electrical connection between a primary device and a secondary device

• US 10,840,636 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2017
• Issued: 11/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ease-Link GmbH
• Original Assignee: Ease-Link GmbH
• Inventors: Stockinger, Hermann, Leibetseder, Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Gushi, Ross N
• Application Number:
  US16/087,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20200303874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/22 Contacts for co-operating by abutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2492 multiple contact points
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/44 Means for preventing access to live contacts making use of a switch actuated by engagement of counterpart H01R13/7036
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/60 Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A contacting system for producing an electrical connection between a primary device and a secondary device, comprising a primary transmission element with multiple primary contact surfaces; and comprising a secondary transmission element with multiple secondary contact surfaces. Furthermore, the primary transmission element has multiple primary PE contact surfaces and the secondary transmission element has at least one secondary PE contact surface. An electrical connection between the primary device and the secondary device is produced by contacting of the primary transmission element and the secondary transmission element.

Claims

1. A contacting system for establishing an electrical connection between a primary device and a secondary device with at least two terminals electrically insulated from each other, with:

a primary transmission element which has a plurality of primary contact surfaces arranged in a structured manner, electrically insulated from each other, wherein each primary contact surface is connected to at least one terminal of the primary device via a respective switch, and with

a secondary transmission element which has a plurality of secondary contact surfaces electrically insulated from each other, wherein each terminal of the secondary device is electrically connected to at least one secondary contact surface, wherein the primary transmission element is formed for contacting with the secondary transmission element and wherein, when the primary transmission element and the secondary transmission element are contacted, the secondary contact surfaces are in contact with at least a part of the primary contact surfaces, and with control means which, when the primary transmission element and the secondary transmission element are contacted, are designed to determine primary contact surfaces which are in contact with a secondary contact surface, and which are designed to establish an electrical connection between the individual terminals of the primary device and the individual terminals of the secondary device via the determined primary contact surfaces and the secondary contact surfaces by actuating the switches,

characterized in that on the primary transmission element, several primary PE contact surfaces are formed, which are arranged on the primary transmission element between the primary contact surfaces in a structured manner electrically insulated from the primary contact surfaces, in that on the secondary transmission element, at least one secondary PE contact surface is formed, which is electrically insulated from the secondary contact surfaces, and in that the contacting system has positioning means, which positioning means, during contacting of the primary transmission element with the secondary transmission element, align the secondary transmission element and the primary transmission element with respect to each other, such that the at least one secondary PE contact is in contact with at least one primary PE contact surface.

2. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the primary transmission element and the secondary transmission element are contacted, a switch-free connection is established between the primary device and the secondary device via at least one primary PE contact surface and the at least one secondary PE contact surface.

3. The contacting system according to claim 2, characterized in that the primary PE contact surfaces are permanently connected to the earth potential or in that the at least one secondary PE contact surface is permanently connected to the earth potential.

4. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning means are formed by a magnetic coupling element, which magnetic coupling element has at least one first part and at least one second part, wherein the at least one first part is formed in the primary transmission element and the at least one second part is formed in the secondary transmission element.

5. The contacting system according to claim 4, characterized in that the at least one first part of the magnetic coupling element is formed by an electromagnet or permanent magnet and the at least one second part is formed by a ferromagnetic element, an electromagnet or a permanent magnet.

6. The contacting system according to claim 4, characterized in that a first part of the at least one magnetic coupling element is formed in each primary PE contact surface, and in that a second part is formed in the at least one secondary PE contact surface.

7. The contacting system according to claim 4, characterized in that the at least one first part of the magnetic coupling element is formed by a ferromagnetic element and the at least one second part is formed by an electromagnet or a permanent magnet.

8. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary transmission element has a primary surface and in that the secondary transmission element has a secondary surface, wherein the positioning means are formed by a first spatial structure of the primary surface and a second spatial structure of the secondary surface.

9. The contacting system according to claim 8, characterized in that the first spatial structure of the primary surface represents a negative form of the spatial structure of the secondary surface.

10. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning means are formed by a displacement unit, which displacement unit acts on the primary and/or the secondary transmission element and is formed for contacting the primary transmission element with the secondary transmission element, and formed by at least one sensor, which at least one sensor is formed in the secondary transmission element and/or the primary transmission element wherein, during contacting of the primary transmission element with the secondary transmission element, the at least one sensor detects a relative position between primary transmission element and secondary transmission element and wherein the displacement unit is actuatable in accordance with the detected relative position such that the at least one secondary PE contact surface makes contact with at least one primary PE contact surface.

11. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary transmission element is formed in a road surface of a parking space, an intersection area or a garage and in that the primary device is formed by a power supply unit.

12. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the secondary transmission element is formed to be lowered and lifted on a vehicle, in particular a vehicle with an electric drive, and in that the secondary device is formed by a charging circuitry of the vehicle.

13. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary PE contact surfaces and the at least one secondary PE contact surface are formed round or polygonal, wherein the positioning means, during contacting of the primary transmission element and of the secondary transmission element, align the secondary transmission element and the primary transmission element with respect to each other, such that the at least one secondary PE contact surface entirely covers at least one primary PE contact surface.

14. The contacting system according to claim 13, characterized in that the primary contact surfaces of the primary transmission element are arranged opposite the secondary contact surfaces of the secondary transmission element such that, when the at least one secondary PE contact surface is in contact with at least one primary PE contact surface, each secondary contact surface entirely covers at least one primary contact surface.

15. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning means, during contacting of the primary transmission element with the secondary transmission element, align the secondary transmission element angularly and/or translationally with respect to the primary transmission element.

16. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one secondary PE contact surface is arranged on the secondary transmission element surrounding the secondary contact surfaces, wherein the at least one secondary PE contact surface is formed in particular ring-shaped.

17. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that an alternating voltage is applied to the at least two terminals of the primary device and/or to the at least two terminals of the secondary device.

18. The contacting system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one terminal of the secondary device and one terminal of the primary device are formed to exchange data between primary device and secondary device.