QUICK-RECHARGING ENERGY FEEDING SYSTEM FOR MEANS OF TRANSPORT WITH ELECTRIC TRACTION

• US 20090272587A1
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sequoia Automation S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Sequoia Automation S.r.l.
• Inventors: Ippolito, Massimo
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/42 for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)
• 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 quick-recharging energy feeding system is described, for a transport vehicle with electric traction, performed in every foreseen stop of the vehicle by means of a connection that can be directly and automatically performed next to such stop, through a road bed, comprising at least one recharging subsystem arranged on the vehicle and at least one stationary system cooperating with the recharging subsystem for transmitting electric energy.

Claims

1. A quick-recharging energy feeding system for a transport vehicle with electric traction, performed in every foreseen stop of the vehicle by means of a connection that can be directly and automatically performed next to the stop, through a road bed, where the system comprises at least one recharging subsystem arranged on the vehicle and at least one stationary system cooperating with the recharging subsystem for transmitting electric energy.

2. The feeding system of claim 1, where the recharging subsystem comprises:

(a) at least one tap counter-array placed on a lower part on a flatbed of the vehicle, the tap counter-array comprising electric conduction contacts and with at least one positioning system;

(b) switching devices of at least one conversion and control electronics; and

(c) at least one battery of super-capacitors connected in order to reach voltages and amperages that are compatible with the switching devices.

3. The feeding system of claim 1, where the stationary system comprises:

(a) at least one insulating mat comprising plane metal contacts, placed on the road bed;

(b) switching devices of at least one managing and control electronics; and

(c) at least one battery of super-capacitors arranged next to the mat, connected in order to reach voltages and amperages compatible with the switching devices of at least one managing and control electronics.

4. The feeding system of claim 2, where the electric conduction contacts are spring contacts.

5. The feeding system of claim 3, where the plane metal contacts are arranged according to an array-type arrangement on the insulating mat.

6. The feeding system of claim 1, where the stops are provided with cantilever roofs comprising the mat, the battery of super-capacitors with electro-chemical accumulation capacities.

7. The feeding system of claim 6, where the cantilever roofs are connected to an electric mains.

8. The feeding system of claim 6, where the cantilever roofs comprise at least one photovoltaic solar panel adapted to produce energy to be accumulated and transferred to the vehicle.

9. The feeding system of claim 3, where a connection between the insulating mat and the tap counter-array occurs automatically during foreseen stops of the vehicle through a casual overlapping that cannot be predetermined.

10. The feeding system of claim 3, where the plane metal contacts are arranged as a honeycomb.

11. The feeding system of claim 3, where the plane metal contacts are exposed to the surface and connected to a single lead embedded into the insulating mat, all the leads converging to a side of the mat in order to reach connections of said the managing and control electronics.

12. The feeding system of claim 2, where the tap counter-array comprising the spring contacts arranged so that a crown of spring ferrules performs a contact with a ground potential, the ferrules being spaced to avoid short-circuit phenomena through spring ferrules arranged at a center of the tap counter-array, at least one diameter of cells of the plane metal contacts of the mat comprising insulation.

13. The feeding system of claim 2, where the tap counter-array is actuated by at least three linear actuators to descend towards the mat until a contact is stably established with the plane metal contacts of the mat.

14. The feeding system of claim 3, where the plane metal contacts and the mat comprise at least two real-time diagnostics systems operating in parallel.