Electrical vehicle comprising an energy transfer device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384253-B2
Application number	US-202017779396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2020
Priority date	Nov 28, 2019
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

An energy transfer device is configured for electrically connecting an electrical vehicle to a charging station. The energy transfer device includes a lengthwise link having an upper end and lower end and a crosswise link having an upper end and lower end. The lower ends of the lengthwise link and the crosswise link are configured to be arranged on the electrical vehicle slidably in crosswise direction of the electrical vehicle. The upper end of the crosswise link is connected to the lengthwise link between its ends such that, by sliding the lower ends of the lengthwise link and the crosswise link towards each other, the upper end of the lengthwise link will be moved away from the electrical vehicle for connecting to the charging station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An energy transfer device configured for electrically connecting an electrical vehicle to a charging station, the energy transfer device comprising:
a lengthwise link having an upper end and lower end; and
a crosswise link having an upper end and lower end;
wherein the lower end of the lengthwise link and the lower end of the crosswise link are configured to be arranged on the electrical vehicle slidably in crosswise direction of the electrical vehicle; and
wherein the upper end of the crosswise link is connected to the lengthwise link between its upper and lower ends such that by sliding the lower end of the lengthwise link and the lower end of the crosswise link toward each other, the upper end of the lengthwise link will be moved away from the electrical vehicle.

2. The energy transfer device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second lengthwise link arranged in parallel and distant to the lengthwise link.

3. The energy transfer device according to claim 2 , further comprising a third lengthwise link arranged in parallel and distant to the lengthwise link and to the second lengthwise link, wherein the crosswise link is arranged between the second lengthwise link and the third lengthwise link.

4. The energy transfer device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a lengthwise top plate attached to the upper end of the lengthwise link;
a lengthwise bottom plate attached to the lower end of the lengthwise link and slidably arranged on the electrical vehicle; and
a crosswise bottom plate attached to the lower end of the crosswise link and slidably arranged on the electrical vehicle.

5. The energy transfer device according to claim 4 , wherein the lengthwise top plate is attached to the upper end of the lengthwise link and wherein the upper end of the crosswise link is attached to the lengthwise link by a passive joint.

6. The energy transfer device according to claim 4 , further comprising a pneumatic cylinder and/or an electrical motor coupled to the lengthwise bottom plate and the crosswise bottom plate.

7. The energy transfer device according to claim 1 , wherein the upper end of the crosswise link is attached to the lengthwise link by a passive joint.

8. The energy transfer device according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrical connector element attached to the upper end of the lengthwise link and configured to electrically connect to the charging station.

9. The energy transfer device according to claim 8 , wherein the electrical connector element is attached to the upper end of the lengthwise link via a joint that allows rotation of the electrical connector element around a vertical axis.

10. An electrical vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body that includes a roof;
a plurality of rails coupled to the roof;
a lengthwise bottom plate slidably attached to the rails;
a crosswise bottom plate slidably attached to the rails;
a lengthwise link having an upper end and lower end, the lengthwise bottom plate being attached to the lower end of the lengthwise link;
a crosswise link having an upper end and lower end, the crosswise bottom plate being attached to the lower end of the crosswise link, wherein the upper end of the crosswise link is connected to the lengthwise link between its upper and lower ends such that by sliding the lower end of the lengthwise link and the lower end of the crosswise link toward each other, the upper end of the lengthwise link will be moved away from the roof; and
an electrical connector element attached to the upper end of the lengthwise link.

11. The electrical vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the electrical vehicle is an electrical bus.

12. The electrical vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the lengthwise bottom plate and the crosswise bottom plate are arranged on the rails mounted in a crosswise direction of the electrical vehicle.

13. The electrical vehicle according to claim 10 , further comprising a second lengthwise link arranged in parallel and distant to the lengthwise link.

14. The electrical vehicle according to claim 10 , further comprising a lengthwise top plate attached to the upper end of the lengthwise link.

15. The electrical vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the upper end of the crosswise link is attached to the lengthwise link by a passive joint.

16. The electrical vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the electrical connector element is attached to the upper end of the lengthwise link via a joint that allows rotation of the electrical connector element around a vertical axis.

17. A method for connecting an energy transfer device to a charging station, the energy transfer device comprising a lengthwise link having a lower end slidably attached to an electrical vehicle and a crosswise link having a lower end slidably attached to the electrical vehicle and an upper end crosswise link is connected to the lengthwise link between the lower end and an upper end, the method comprising:
sliding the lower end of the lengthwise link and the lower end of the crosswise link toward each other such that the upper end of the lengthwise link is moved away from the electrical vehicle; and
connecting an electrical connector element arranged at the upper end of the lengthwise link to the charging station.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising aligning the electrical connector element with the charging station prior to connecting.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the aligning comprises sliding the lower end of the lengthwise link and the lower end of the crosswise link in the same direction such that the lengthwise link and the crosswise link are moved in crosswise direction of the electrical vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the aligning comprises rotating the electrical connector element around a vertical axis.

Assignees

• Hitachi Energy Ltd

Inventors

• Lonoce Luigi
• Warner Bruce
• Lauria Michel
• Sudki Bassem

Classifications

• B60L5/22

  Supporting means for the contact bow · CPC title

• B60L5/16

  Devices for lifting and resetting the collector (B60L5/34 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D47/02

  for large numbers of passengers, e.g. omnibus · CPC title

• B60L2200/18

  Buses · CPC title

• B60L5/42 Primary

  for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line · CPC title