Electric vehicle charging interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9925887-B2
Application number	US-201314442200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2013
Priority date	Nov 13, 2012
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for enabling fast charging of an electric vehicle at a charging station. In one embodiment, an electric vehicle in positioned in a given location for charging and/or discharging. A charging arm comprising a plurality of charging brushes is then positioned relative to the position of the electric vehicle. The plurality of charging brushes on the charging arm is positioned to contact a charging interface of the electric vehicle. The charging brushes are moved relative to the charging interface such that a portion of the charging brushes is removed as a result of the movement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric bus, comprising:
a first charge-receiving electrode and a second charge-receiving electrode positioned on a roof of the electric bus, wherein the first charge-receiving electrode is configured to engage with a first charging electrode of a charging station and the second charge-receiving electrode is configured to engage with a second charging electrode of the charging station when the electric bus connects with the charging station for charging; and
one or more structural filing features positioned on the electric bus and configured remove a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode of the charging station, to recondition the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode, when the electric bus connects with the charging station for charging.

2. The electric bus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more structural filing features includes a plurality of grooves on the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode.

3. The electric bus of claim 2 , wherein the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode includes copper.

4. The electric bus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of grooves are parallel to each other.

5. The electric bus of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of grooves are aligned at an angle between 20 and 60 degrees with respect to a direction of travel of the electric bus.

6. The electric bus of claim 1 , wherein the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode comprise copper impregnated carbon brushes.

7. The electric bus of claim 1 , wherein the first charge-receiving electrode includes a first contact surface that is configured to engage with the first charging electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode includes a second contact surface that is configured to engage with the second charging electrode, and wherein the one or more structural filing features are indentations on the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

8. The electric bus of claim 7 , wherein the indentations on the first contact surface are configured to remove the portion of the first charging electrode when the first charging electrode is in contact with the first contact surface, and the indentations on the second contact surface are configured to remove the portion of the second charging electrode when the second charging electrode is in contact with the second contact surface, wherein during a charging process, the first contact surface is used as a positive electrical connection and the second contact surface is used as a negative electrical connection.

9. The charging interface of claim 8 , wherein the indentations on the first contact surface and the second contact surface include grooves.

10. A method for charging an electric bus at a charging station, comprising:
positioning an electric bus for charging at the charging station, the electric vehicle including a first charge-receiving electrode and a second charge-receiving electrode, wherein the first charge-receiving electrode is configured to engage with a first charging electrode of the charging station and the second charge-receiving electrode is configured to engage with a second charging electrode of the charging station when the electric bus connects with the charging station for charging;
connecting the electric bus with the charging station for charging, wherein the connecting includes removing a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode of the charging station to recondition the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode prior to charging;
establishing electrical contact between (a) the first charging electrode and the first charge-receiving electrode and (b) the second charging electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode; and
charging the electric bus by directing electric current from the charging station to the electric bus through the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode include a plurality of indentations that act to shave off the portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode when the electric bus connects with the charging station for charging.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of indentations are a plurality of grooves aligned at an angle between 20 and 60 degrees with respect to a direction of movement of the electric bus.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein removing a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode includes:
contacting the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode with one or more structural filing features; and
moving the one or more structural filing features with respect to the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode after the contacting to remove the portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more structural filing features are positioned on the electric bus, and wherein moving the one or more structural filing features includes moving the electric bus with respect to the charging station.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein removing a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode includes moving the electric bus with respect to the charging station with the first charging electrode in contact with the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charging electrode in contact with the second charge-receiving electrode.

16. A charging system for charging of an electric bus, comprising:
a charging station comprising a plurality of charging electrodes configured to engage with a plurality of charge-receiving electrodes of the electric bus to direct electric current therethrough; and
an electric bus comprising at least one battery electrically coupled to a first charge-receiving electrode and a second charge-receiving electrode of the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes, wherein the first charging electrode is configured to slide on the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charging electrode is configured to slide on the second charge-receiving electrode when the plurality of charging electrodes engage with the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes, and wherein the first charge-receiving electrode and the second charge-receiving electrode each includes one or more structural filing features configured remove a portion of the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode, to recondition the first charging electrode and the second charging electrode, when the plurality of charging electrodes engage with the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more structural filing features comprise a plurality of grooves parallel to each other.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of grooves are aligned at an angle between 20 and 60 degrees with respect to a direction of movement of the electric bus.

19. The charging system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes are positioned on a roof the electric bus.

20. The charging system of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of charge-receiving electrodes extend along a direction of travel of the electric bus.

Assignees

• Proterra Inc

Inventors

• Mcgrath Seamus
• Sarkar Reuben
• Shah Keyur

Classifications

• B60L2240/36

  Temperature of vehicle components or parts · CPC title

• B60L2240/665

  Light intensity · CPC title

• B60L2270/145

  Structure borne vibrations · CPC title

• B60L53/52

  Wind-driven generators · CPC title

• B60L2240/549

  Current · CPC title