Charging station and charging station module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10843573-B2
Application number	US-201715820447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 27, 2016
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A charging station is provided herein for being adapted to bear an unmanned vehicle. The charging station includes a platform and a charging mechanism. The charging mechanism is disposed on the platform, and the charging mechanism may be electrically connected to the unmanned vehicle for charging by a movement over the platform. In addition, a charging station module including a plurality of the aforesaid charging stations is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charging station, adapted to bear an unmanned vehicle, comprising:
a platform; and
a charging mechanism, disposed on the platform and adapted to be electrically connected to a conductive structure of the unmanned vehicle by a movement over the platform, wherein when the unmanned vehicle is docked at a position which is not specified in advance on the platform, the conductive structure and the charging mechanism are located within a range of the platform, and a height of the conductive structure and a height of the charging mechanism correspond to each other with respect to the platform,
wherein the charging mechanism comprises:
a first driving motor, disposed on the platform;
a first moving electrode, coupled to the first driving motor and moving toward a first direction over the platform to be electrically connected to the conductive structure of the unmanned vehicle when the first driving motor is turned on; and
when the first driving motor is turned on, the first moving electrode is driven by the first driving motor to rotate over the platform.

2. The charging station as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the platform is a conductor and configured to be electrically connected to the unmanned vehicle.

3. The charging station as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first moving electrode provides a first voltage to the unmanned vehicle, and the platform provides a second voltage to the unmanned vehicle.

4. The charging station as recited in claim 1 , wherein
The charging mechanism comprises:
a second driving motor, disposed on the platform;
a second moving electrode, coupled to the second driving motor and moving toward a second direction over the platform to be electrically connected to the conductive structure of the unmanned vehicle when the second driving motor is turned on.

5. The charging station as recited in claim 4 , wherein the first moving electrode provides a first voltage to the unmanned vehicle, and the second moving electrode provides a second voltage to the unmanned vehicle.

6. The charging station as recited in claim 4 , wherein when the second driving motor is turned on, the second moving electrode is driven by the second driving motor to rotate over the platform.

7. The charging station as recited in claim 1 , wherein when the first driving motor is turned on, the first moving electrode provides a first voltage and a second voltage to the unmanned vehicle, wherein the first voltage and the second voltage are different from each other.

8. The charging station as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one stand disposed on a bottom portion of the platform.

9. The charging station as recited in claim 1 , wherein the platform further comprises an airflow guiding structure, the unmanned vehicle comprises a plurality of holders, a spacing distance is between any two of the holders, and the spacing distance is greater than a diameter of the airflow guiding structure.

10. The charging station as recited in claim 9 , wherein the airflow guiding structure is at least one hole or a mesh formed on the platform.

11. The charging station as recited in claim 9 , further comprising an air-exhaustion device disposed in the airflow guiding structure and configured to exhaust a downward airflow occurring when the unmanned vehicle is landed.

12. The charging station as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a guiding device disposed in the platform and transmitting an optical message to guide the unmanned vehicle to dock on the platform.

13. The charging station as recited in claim 4 , wherein the conductive structure of the unmanned vehicle comprises a first conductive ring and a second conductive ring, the first moving electrode is electrically connected to the first conductive ring to provide a first voltage to the unmanned vehicle, and the second moving is electrode electrically connected to the second conductive ring to provide a second voltage to the unmanned vehicle.

14. The charging station as recited in claim 13 , wherein a height of the first conductive ring with respect to the platform corresponds to the height of the first moving electrode with respect to the platform, such that a surface of the first conductive ring completely or partially contacts the first moving electrode, and a height of the second conductive ring with respect to the platform corresponds to the height of the second moving electrode with respect to the platform, such that a surface of the second conductive ring completely or partially contacts the second moving electrode.

15. The charging station as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one load cell disposed under or inside the platform and configured to measure a weight of an object borne on the platform.

16. The charging station as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a charging station cover having a main body, at least one bearing board and a supporting structure, the main body having an accommodation space, and the at least one bearing board being disposed inside the accommodation space of the main body, wherein the platform is disposed on the at least one bearing board, the unmanned vehicle is located in the accommodation space, and the supporting structure is disposed on a bottom portion of the main body.

17. The charging station as recited in claim 16 , wherein the supporting structure comprises a plurality of moving wheels.

18. A charging station module, adapted to bear a plurality of unmanned vehicles and comprising a plurality of charging stations, wherein each of the charging stations is adapted to bear one of the unmanned vehicles, each of the charging station comprising:
a platform; and
a charging mechanism, disposed on the platform and adapted to be electrically connected to a conductive structure of the unmanned vehicle by a movement over the platform, wherein when the unmanned vehicle is docked at a position which is not specified in advance on the platform, the conductive structure and the charging mechanism are located within a range of the platform, and a height of the conductive structure and a height of the charging mechanism correspond to each other with respect to the platform,
wherein the charging stations are combined in an array,
wherein the charging mechanism comprises:
a first driving motor, disposed on the platform;
a first moving electrode, coupled to the first driving motor and moving toward a first direction over the platform to be electrically connected to the conductive structure of the unmanned vehicle when the first driving motor is turned on; and
when the first driving motor is turned on, the first moving electrode is driven by the first driving motor to rotate over the platform.

19. The charging station module as recited in claim 18 , wherein the platform of each of the charging stations presents a hexagonal shape, and the platforms abut against one another to form a honeycomb-like appearance.

Assignees

• Ind Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Chen Yung-Chao
• Lin Chien-Hung
• Lee Yu-Sheng
• Chen Tsung-Hsien

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title