Feeder-lineless traffic system and charging method therefor

• US 7,986,125 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamada, Masaomi, Katahira, Kousuke, Mitake, Masaya, Yamashita, Hiroshi, Morita, Katsuaki, Yamaguchi, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US12/225,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 191/29.R
• US Class Current: 320/109
• 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 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• 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: 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

Abstract

Provided is a railway type feeder-lineless traffic system in which the weight of a vehicle is reduced while the structure of the vehicle is simplified, and it is possible to carry out a quick charge during a brief stopping time at a station or the like. A charging method in a feeder-lineless traffic system in which a vehicle mounted thereon with an electric storage unit runs on a predetermined pathway with the use of a power, and the electric storage unit in the vehicle is charged from a charger set up on the pathway, wherein a contact charging way in which a power feeder 24 connected to the charger 21 set up on the ground is made into contact with a power receiver 6 mounted on a vehicle 1 is carried out when the vehicle 1 comes to a stop, and a commercial electric power is converted by the charger and a charge control unit of the charger into a DC power which is chargeable direct into the electric storage unit 1, and the DC power is quickly charged into the electric storage unit through the intermediary of the power feeder and the power receiver while a current value of the DC power is controlled.

Claims

1. A charging method in a feeder-lineless traffic system in which an electrically powered vehicle with an electric storage unit, runs on a predetermined pathway and wherein the electric storage unit in the vehicle is charged from an external power source by way of a charger set on a predetermined location on a ground, the method comprising:

contacting a planar contactor which is secured to a roof of the vehicle, which extends upright in a vehicle advancing direction, and which has a predetermined thickness, with a power feeder connected to a ground charging equipment, the power feeder comprising a pair of feeding shoes which is supported through a link mechanism so as to be movable into and out of contact with the contactor in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vehicle advancing direction,

converting an electric power from the power source using the charger and a charge control unit of the charger, into DC power, the charge control unit controlling a current value of the DC power to be supplied to the electric storage unit, and

starting charging of the electric storage unit when the charge control unit detects contact between the power feeder and the power receiver in view of a variation in load impedance and a ground supported position sensor detects a stopping of the vehicle or when the charge control unit detects the contact between the power feeder and the power receiver in view of the variation in the load impedance and the contact continuing for a predetermined time is detected.

2. A charging method in a feeder-lineless traffic system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a charging condition of the electric storage unit is compared with a set charge completion condition, and when the charging condition of the electric storage unit reaches a set charge completion condition, the charging is stopped.

3. A charging method in a feeder-lineless traffic system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the power source enables electric storage units in a plurality of vehicles to be charged at the same time, and a vehicle having less residual power is preferentially charged through constant current charging.

4. A charging method in a feeder-lineless traffic system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising detecting charging conditions of electric storage units in a plurality of vehicles using the charge control unit so as to select a vehicle having less residual power in order to charge the thus selected vehicle.

5. A feeder-lineless traffic system in which an electrically powered vehicle with an electric storage unit runs on a predetermined pathway, and wherein the electric storage unit in the vehicle is charged from an external power source, comprising:

a charger set on the pathway and connected with the power source,

a power feeder connected with the charger,

a power receiver mounted on the vehicle and adapted to contact the power feeder when the vehicle is at standstill,

wherein the power receiver is a planar contactor which is secured to a roof of the vehicle, which extends upright in a vehicle advancing direction, and which has a predetermined thickness, the power feeder comprises a pair of feeding shoes which is supported by a ground structure and which is disposed on opposite sides of the contactor, through a link mechanism so as to be movable into and out of contact with the contactor in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vehicle advancing direction, and means for urging the pair of feeding shoes with a resilient force in a direction in which the pair of feeding shoes approaches each other so as to press the pair of feeding shoes against the contactor disposed therebetween,

a charge control unit, the charge control unit and the charger being ground supported and adapted to covert electric power from the power source into a DC power and charge the electric storage unit until the electric storage unit is charged up to a previously set charging condition, and

a ground supported position sensor,

wherein the charge control unit starts charging of the electric storage unit when contact between the power feeder and the power receiver is detected in view of a variation in load impedance and the ground supported position sensor detects a stopping of the vehicle, or when the contact between the power feeder and the power receiver is detected in view of the variation in load impedance and the contact continuing for a predetermined time is detected.

8. A feeder-lineless traffic system as set forth in claim 5, wherein a plurality of power feeders are provided so as to allow electric storage units in a plurality of vehicles to be simultaneously charged, the power receiver in one vehicle in which a charging condition of the electric storage unit reaches a set charge completion condition is individually separated from the associated power feeder.

9. A feeder-lineless traffic system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the plurality of power feeders are associated with a plurality of pathways so as to enable a plurality of vehicles respectively running on the plurality of pathways to be simultaneously charged.

10. A feeder-lineless traffic system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the plurality of power feeders are arranged along a single pathway so as to allow a plurality of trained vehicles to be simultaneously charged.

11. A feeder-lineless traffic system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the power feeder is extended with respect to a plurality of power receivers provided on the vehicle so as to allow the plurality of power receivers to be simultaneously brought into contact with the power feeder.

12. A feeder-lineless traffic system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the power receiver comprises a pantograph and the power feeder comprises a support frame arranged upright adjacent to the pathway.

13. A feeder-lineless traffic system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the pantograph extends laterally outward from the vehicle toward the support frame.

6. A feeder-lineless traffic system in which an electrically powered vehicle with an electric storage unit runs on a predetermined pathway, and wherein the electric storage unit in the vehicle is charged from an external power source, comprising:

a charger set on the pathway and connected with the power source,

a power feeder connected with the charger, and

a power receiver mounted on the vehicle and adapted to contact the power feeder when the vehicle is at standstill,

wherein the power receiver is a planar contactor which is secured to a roof of the vehicle, which extends upright in a vehicle advancing direction, and which has a predetermined thickness,

the power feeder comprises a pair of feeding shoes which is supported by a ground supported structure and which is disposed on opposite sides of the contactor, through a link mechanism so as to be movable into and out of contact with the contactor in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vehicle advancing direction, and means for urging the pair of feeding shoes with a resilient force in a direction in which the pair of feeding shoes approaches each other so as to press the pair of feeding shoes against the contactor disposed therebetween.

7. A feeder-lineless traffic system as set forth in claim 6, further comprising means for moving the feeding shoe which has been moved to the position where the feeding shoe is in contact with the contactor with the resilient force, in a direction in which the feeding shoe moves away from the contactor.