Wheel stop service port

• US 6,619,342 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Hydrogen Corporation (Plug Power Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Hydrogen Corporation (Plug Power Inc.)
• Inventors: Graham, John David Trevor, Mulvenna, Alan John, Sokoloski, Darren Scott, Mufford, William Edward, Routtenberg, David Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US10/144,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20030075235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 141/94, 141/98, 141/231, 191/4
• US Class Current: 141/231
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• 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: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

This invention relates to a wheel stop service port for coupling to a connectivity device of a wheeled vehicle such that one or more services, namely electricity, data, and fluids, are transferable therebetween. The service port includes a housing having a receptacle recess with a recess opening on an outside surface of the housing; a fastener on the housing for fastening the service port to the ground; a receptacle inside the recess and comprising an opening shaped to receive a service plug of a vehicle connectivity device, and a service engagement portion inside the receptacle for engaging a corresponding service engagement portion on the plug; a service conduit junction coupled to the receptacle and couplable to a service conduit to enable the transfer of a service therebetween; and a wheel contact surface located on the housing outside surface such that upon contact of the contact surface by a wheel of a vehicle, the connectivity device of the vehicle is within coupling range of the service port.

Claims

1. A service port for coupling to a connectivity device of a wheeled vehicle such that one or more services, namely electricity, data, and fluids, are transferable therebetween, the service port comprising:

(a) a receptacle comprising an opening shaped to receive a service plug of a vehicle connectivity device, and a service engagement portion inside the receptacle for engaging a corresponding service engagement portion of the service plug;

(b) a service conduit junction coupled to the receptacle and couplable to a service conduit to enable the transfer of a service therebetween; and

(c) a wheel contact surface located relative to the receptacle such that when a wheel of a vehicle contacts the contact surface, the connectivity device of the vehicle is within coupling range of the service port.

2. The service port of claim 1 further comprising a housing with a recess in which the receptacle is located, the recess having a recess opening on an outside surface of the housing for receiving the plug, and wherein a portion of the outside surface of the housing is the wheel contact surface.

3. The service port of claim 2 wherein the housing further comprises fasteners on the housing for fastening the service port to a parking surface.

4. The service port of claim 3 wherein the housing further comprises a connection bay in the recess between the recess opening and the receptacle, the connection bay having tapered walls tapering from the recess opening to the receptacle opening.

5. The service port of claim 4 wherein the receptacle and connection bay are made of materials including an electrically insulating material.

6. The service port of claim 4 wherein the housing has a width selected to correspond to the wheel track of the vehicle.

7. The service port of claim 6 wherein the housing has a height that enables the front overhang of the vehicle to clear the housing such that the front wheels of the vehicle can contact the wheel contact surface.

8. The service port of claim 4 further comprising a cleaning apparatus mounted to the connection bay such that the cleaning apparatus contacts the plug passing through the connection bay, the contact serving to remove unwanted material from the plug.

9. The service port of claim 4 further comprising a connection bay door movably mounted to the connection bay.

10. The service port of claim 2 further comprising a lateral vehicle guide mountable to the parking surface relative to the housing such that contact between a wheel of the vehicle and the vehicle guide guides the vehicle to a lateral position on the wheel stop contact surface suitable for coupling.

11. The service port of claim 10 wherein the lateral vehicle guide is a raised rail.

12. The service port of claim 10 wherein the lateral vehicle guide comprises a plurality of spaced bumps.

13. The service port of claim 10 wherein the lateral vehicle guide is an elongated groove.

14. The service port of claim 2 further comprising a housing deployment motor assembly connected to the housing to move the housing between an operative position and an inoperative position.

15. The service port of claim 14 wherein the housing is pivotably mounted to the motor assembly such that the motor assembly pivots the housing between an operative position and an inoperative position.

16. The service port of claim 14 wherein the housing is vertically slidably mounted to the motor assembly such that the motor assembly raises the housing into an operative position and retracts the housing into an inoperative position.

17. The service port of claim 2 wherein the receptacle and service conduit junction are located in an integrated module, and the recess is configured to receive the integrated module such that the integrated module is removably mounted to the housing wherein one of the housing and integrated module can be removed from the other of the housing and integrated module without the other being unfastened from the parking surface.

18. The service port of claim 2 wherein the housing has a front, back and top surface, and the recess opening is located on one of these surfaces.

19. The service port of claim 2 further includes a service port controller located inside the housing, and electrically communicative with the receptacle.

20. The service port of claim 18 wherein the recess opening and wheel contact surface are located on the front surface of the housing, and the service port further comprises

(a) a second recess with a recess opening located on the back surface of the housing,

(b) a second receptacle inside the second recess, and

(c) a second wheel contact surface located on the back surface of the housing such that when a wheel of a vehicle contacts the second wheel contact surface, the connectivity device of the vehicle is within coupling range of the second receptacle.

21. The service port of claim 1 wherein the service conduits include fluid conduits, and the service port further comprises a heat transfer fluid circuit thermally coupled to at least one the fluid conduits, service conduit junction, and receptacle.

22. The service port of claim 1 wherein the service conduits include fluid conduits, and the service port further comprises a heat tracing electrical circuit thermally coupled to at least one the fluid conduits, service conduit junction, and receptacle.

23. The service port of claim 1 further comprising a service port status indicator electrically coupled to the service conduit junction.

24. The service port of claim 1 wherein the service conduit includes an electrical conduit for transferring electricity between the service port and an electricity grid and the service port further comprises a power filter electrically couplable to the service conduit.

25. The service port of claim 1 wherein the service conduit includes an electrical conduit and the service port further includes a bi-directional electricity meter electrically couplable to the electrical conduit to measure the electricity transmitted through the electrical conduit.

26. A service port for coupling to a connectivity device of a wheeled vehicle such that one or more services, namely electricity, data, and fluids, are transferable therebetween, the service port comprising:

(a) a housing comprising a receptacle recess with a recess opening on an outside surface of the housing;

(b) a receptacle inside the recess and comprising an opening shaped to receive a service plug of a vehicle connectivity device, and a service engagement portion inside the receptacle for engaging a corresponding service engagement portion on the plug;

(c) a connection bay inside the recess between the receptacle and the recess opening, the connection bay having tapered walls tapering from the recess opening to the receptacle;

(d) a service conduit junction coupled to the receptacle and couplable to a service conduit to enable the transfer of a service therebetween; and

(e) a wheel contact surface located on the housing outside surface such that upon contact of the contact surface by a wheel of a vehicle, the connectivity device of the vehicle is within coupling range of the service port.

27. The service port of claim 26 further comprising a fastener on the housing for fastening the service port to a parking surface.

28. The service port of claim 26 wherein the receptacle and connection bay are made of materials including an electrically insulating material.

29. The service port of claim 26 wherein the housing has a width selected to correspond to the wheel track of the vehicle.

30. The service port of claim 29 wherein the housing has a height that enables the front overhang of the vehicle to clear the housing such that the front wheels of the vehicle can contact the wheel contact surface.

31. The service port of claim 26 further comprising a lateral vehicle guide mountable to the parking surface and relative to the housing such that contact between a wheel of the vehicle and the vehicle guide guides the vehicle to a lateral position on the wheel stop contact surface suitable for coupling.

32. The service port of claim 31 wherein the lateral vehicle guide is a raised rail.

33. The service port of claim 31 wherein the lateral vehicle guide comprises a plurality of spaced bumps.

34. The service port of claim 31 wherein the lateral vehicle guide is an elongated groove.

35. The service port of claim 26 further comprising a housing deployment motor assembly connected to the housing to move the housing between an operative position and an inoperative position.

36. The service port of claim 35 wherein the housing is pivotably mounted to the motor assembly such that the motor assembly pivots the housing between an operative position and an inoperative position.

37. The service port of claim 35 wherein the housing is vertically slidably mounted to the motor assembly such that the motor assembly raises the housing into an operative position and retracts the housing into an inoperative position.

38. The service port of claim 26 wherein the service conduits include fluid conduits, and the service port further comprises a heating fluid transfer circuit thermally coupled to at least one the fluid conduits, service conduit junction, and receptacle.

39. The service port of claim 26 wherein the service conduits include fluid conduits, and the service port further comprises a heat tracing electrical circuit thermally coupled to at least one the fluid conduits, service conduit junction, and receptacle.

40. The service port of claim 26 further comprising a service port status indicator electrically coupled to the service conduit junction.

41. The service port of claim 26 further comprising a cleaning apparatus mounted to the connection bay such that the cleaning apparatus contacts the plug passing through the connection bay, the contact serving to remove unwanted material from the plug.

42. The service port of claim 26 further comprising a connection bay door movably mounted to the connection bay.

43. The service port of claim 26 wherein and the recess is configured to receive the integrated module such that the integrated module is removably mounted to the housing wherein one of the housing and integrated module can be removed from the other of the housing and integrated module without the other being unfastened from the parking surface.

44. The service port of claim 26 wherein the housing has a front, back and top surface, and the recess opening is located on one of these surfaces.

45. The service port of claim 26 wherein the service conduit includes an electrical conduit for transferring electricity between the service port and an electricity grid and the service port further comprises a power filter electrically couplable to the service conduit.

46. The service port of claim 26 wherein the service conduit includes an electrical conduit and the service port further includes a bi-directional electricity meter electrically couplable to the electrical conduit to measure the electricity transmitted through the electrical conduit.

47. The service port of claim 26 further includes a service port controller located inside the housing, and electrically communicative with the receptacle.