Power delivery system for electric vehicle charging station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019061542-A1
Application number	US-201715685557-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 24, 2017
Priority date	Aug 24, 2017
Publication date	Feb 28, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle charging station includes a track configured to extend across a plurality of vehicle parking spaces. The charging station further includes a movable charging apparatus supported by the track and translatable along the track between the plurality of vehicle parking spaces. The charging station further includes a first contact wire extending approximately parallel to the track. The charging station further includes a first conductor pole configured to couple the movable charging apparatus to the first contact wire at a plurality of locations along a width of the first contact wire. The first conductor pole is configured to move with the movable charging apparatus. In such a manner, a one-to-many charging station can be accomplished.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle charging station comprising:
a track configured to extend across a plurality of vehicle parking spaces; a movable charging apparatus supported by the track and translatable along the track between the plurality of vehicle parking spaces; a first contact wire extending approximately parallel to the track; and a first conductor pole configured to couple the movable charging apparatus to the first contact wire at a plurality of locations along a width of the first contact wire, wherein the first conductor pole is configured to move with the movable charging apparatus.

2 . The vehicle charging station of claim 1 wherein the track is disposed on the ground.

3 . The vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the track is disposed above the ground, such that the movable charging apparatus is substantially located between the ground and the track.

4 . The vehicle charging station of claim 1 , further comprising a second contact wire extending approximately parallel to the track.

5 . The vehicle charging station of claim 4 , further comprising a second conductor pole configured to couple the movable charging apparatus to the second contact wire at a plurality of locations along a width of the second contact wire, wherein the first conductor pole is configure to move with the movable charging apparatus.

6 . The vehicle charging station of claim 5 , wherein:
the second contact wire comprises a wire wrapped by an insulator; and the insulator comprises a plurality of cutouts that correspond to each of the plurality of vehicle parking spaces, such that the second conductor pole couples to the first contact wire via one of the plurality of cutouts.

7 . The vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the movable charging apparatus comprises a charger coupled to a driving unit, wherein the driving unit is configured to move the movable charging apparatus along the track.

8 . The vehicle charging station of claim 7 , wherein the driving unit comprises a motor configured to move the movable charging apparatus along the track.

9 . The vehicle charging station of claim 1 , further comprising a second movable charging apparatus supported by the track and translatable along the track between the plurality of vehicle parking spaces.

10 . The vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein:
the first contact wire comprises a metal wire wrapped by an insulator; and the insulator comprises a plurality of cutouts that correspond to each of the plurality of vehicle parking spaces, such that the first conductor pole couples to the first contact wire via one of the plurality of cutouts.

11 . The vehicle charging station of claim 10 , wherein:
the metal wire is selected from copper and aluminum; and the insulator comprises rubber.

12 . The vehicle charging station of claim 10 , wherein:
the first conductor pole comprises a pair of connection pads coupled to the conductor pole; and the first conductor pole is arranged to connect and disconnect to the first contact wire via the connection pad.

13 . The vehicle charging station of claim 12 , wherein:
the pair of connection pads is configured to partially wrap around the contact wire when in the connected position.

14 . The vehicle charging station of claim 12 , wherein:
the pair of connection pads is configured to move between the connected and disconnected state via vertical movement of the conductor pole.

15 . The vehicle charging station of claim 12 , wherein the pair of connection pads are movable via a mechanical coupling to the conductor pole.

16 . The vehicle charging station of claim 12 , wherein the pair of connection pads are movable via an electromagnetic coupling to the conductor pole.

17 . The vehicle charging station of claim 12 , wherein:
the first conductor pole is configured to be movable along the width of the contact wire while in a disconnected state.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Zhao Xiang
• Huang Ningjian
• Zhang Lei
• Ye Changfu

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

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

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• B60L53/31

  Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60L53/16 Primary

  Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title