Charging station for charging electric passenger cars and charging method using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a charging station for charging electric buses and a charging method using the same. The charging station includes a power rail extending in an axial direction above a plurality of electric buses parked in parking spaces, a pantograph disposed at a lower portion of the power rail to be horizontally movable in the axial direction and to be spread in a gravitational direction from above the electric buses to make electrical contact with the electric buses, and a controller configured to calculate a charging order of the electric buses based on position information of the electric buses, wherein the controller is configured to control horizontal movement of the pantograph and electrical contact with the electric buses according to the charging order, thereby supplying electric power applied from an external power grid to the electric buses through the pantograph.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0150792, filed on November 12, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a charging station for charging electric buses and a charging method using the charging station for charging multiple electric buses parked in a parking space. Background Technology

[0004] With the recent trend of strengthening environmental regulations and reducing energy costs, attention and demand for environmentally friendly electric vehicles are exploding. Every country is trying to address environmental problems such as air pollution by regulating vehicle emissions, and providing environmentally friendly electric vehicles is becoming a mandatory requirement for vehicle manufacturers as part of this effort.

[0005] In line with this trend, and as part of low-carbon and green development, there is active focus and research on electric vehicles. To expand the deployment of electric vehicles, building charging infrastructure for their batteries is crucial.

[0006] In recent years, the difficulty in constructing charging stations has been considered a major obstacle to the development of electric buses. Most electric buses currently in use adopt the "plug-in" charging method. In the plug-in case, the charger is located on the ground and has a long and thick cable for charging, making it difficult to install enough chargers in narrow parking spaces.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a charging station that can efficiently charge multiple electric buses that have been parked for a long time in narrow spaces such as bus garages without moving them.

[0008] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore the information it may contain does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art in this country. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention provides a charging station for charging electric buses and a charging method using the charging station, wherein even if multiple electric buses are densely parked in a narrow space, the pantograph can sequentially charge multiple electric buses by moving along the power rail above the multiple electric buses.

[0010] The present invention provides a charging station for charging an electric bus and a charging method using the charging station, wherein the pantograph moves above the electric bus and then opens downward to contact a contact strip installed on the top of the electric bus, thereby charging the electric bus.

[0011] An exemplary charging station for charging electric buses includes: a power rail, a pantograph, and a controller. The power rail extends axially above multiple electric buses parked in parking spaces. The pantograph is positioned below the power rail and is capable of moving horizontally axially and opening up from above the electric buses in the direction of gravity to make electrical contact with them. The controller is configured to calculate the charging sequence of the multiple electric buses based on their location information. The controller may be configured to control the horizontal movement of the pantograph and its electrical contact with the electric buses according to the charging sequence, thereby supplying power applied from the external power grid via the power rail to the electric buses through the pantograph.

[0012] An exemplary charging station may further include: a bus infrared sensor and a main infrared sensor, the bus infrared sensor being disposed at a predetermined position on the roof of the electric bus; the main infrared sensor being disposed at a predetermined position on the pantograph facing the bus infrared sensor, wherein the controller may be configured to adjust the position of the pantograph such that the infrared rays emitted from the bus infrared sensor and the infrared rays emitted from the main infrared sensor match each other.

[0013] An exemplary charging station may further include: a communication unit and a GPS sensor, the communication unit being configured to receive location information of electric buses by communicating with a plurality of electric buses; and the GPS sensor being configured to receive pantograph location information from satellites.

[0014] The controller can be configured to calculate the shortest movement path of the pantograph based on the location information of multiple electric buses and the pantograph, and to calculate the charging sequence of the multiple electric buses based on the calculated shortest movement path.

[0015] The controller can be configured to control the horizontal movement of the pantograph and its electrical contact with the electric bus, so that multiple electric buses parked along the axial direction can be charged sequentially.

[0016] The power rail can be configured to move horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and the controller can be configured to control the power rail to move horizontally according to the charging sequence when multiple electric buses parked along the axial direction have finished charging.

[0017] The number of pantographs can be set to multiple, corresponding to the number of electric buses that can be parked in the parking space along the axial direction, and the controller can be configured to control the electrical contact between the multiple electric buses and the multiple pantographs, thereby supplying power from the external power grid to the multiple electric buses through the multiple pantographs.

[0018] An exemplary charging method for charging electric buses utilizes a charging station for charging electric buses, wherein the charging station includes: a power rail and a pantograph; the power rail extends axially above multiple electric buses parked in parking spaces; the pantograph is disposed below the power rail to be able to move horizontally axially and open from above the electric buses in the direction of gravity, thereby making electrical contact with the electric buses. The charging method includes: receiving position information of the multiple electric buses through communication with the multiple electric buses; calculating a charging sequence of the multiple electric buses based on the position information; controlling the horizontal movement of the pantograph and its electrical contact with the electric buses according to the calculated charging sequence; and supplying power applied from an external power grid via the power rail to the electric buses through the pantograph.

[0019] Supplying power from the external power grid to the electric bus via a pantograph may include: determining whether it is necessary to move the power rail horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction; controlling the horizontal movement of the power rail based on whether it is necessary to move the power rail horizontally; determining whether it is necessary to move the pantograph horizontally along the axial direction; controlling the horizontal movement of the pantograph based on whether it is necessary to move the pantograph horizontally; controlling the pantograph to open along the direction of gravity to make electrical contact with the electric bus; and supplying power from the external power grid to the electric bus via the pantograph.

[0020] An exemplary charging method may further include: adjusting the position of the pantograph before controlling it to open along the direction of gravity to make electrical contact with the electric bus, such that infrared rays emitted from a bus infrared sensor mounted on the roof of the electric bus and infrared rays emitted from a main infrared sensor mounted at a predetermined position on the pantograph match each other.

[0021] Calculating the charging sequence of multiple electric buses may include: calculating the shortest movement path of the pantograph based on the location information of the multiple electric buses and the location information of the pantograph, and calculating the charging sequence of the multiple electric buses based on the calculated shortest movement path.

[0022] An exemplary charging method may further include: after supplying power from an external power grid to an electric bus via a pantograph, determining whether one or more electric buses among a plurality of electric buses need to be charged; and when one or more electric buses among a plurality of electric buses need to be charged, identifying the next electric bus to be charged based on the charging sequence.

[0023] According to the implementation plan, even if multiple electric buses are densely parked in a narrow space, the pantograph can sequentially charge multiple electric buses by moving along the power rail above them.

[0024] According to the implementation plan, a pantograph downward approach is adopted, allowing the pantograph above the electric bus to extend downwards and contact the electric bus to be charged. This reduces equipment costs and the weight of the electric bus. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a charging system for charging an electric bus according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The image shows a front view of the electric bus connected to a charging station.

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The side view shown shows the electric bus connected to the charging station.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic perspective view showing the movement of the power rail and pantograph according to an exemplary embodiment when multiple electric buses are parked in a parking space.

[0029] Figure 5A and Figure 5B Examples of mounting a single pantograph and multiple pantographs on a power rail are shown according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0030] Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown Figure 5A The diagram shows the horizontal movement of the power rail and the movement of the pantograph in the horizontal and gravitational directions when a single pantograph is placed on the power rail.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a charging method for charging an electric bus according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0032] Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 The flowchart shown details the charging process for the electric bus. Detailed Implementation

[0033] In the following description, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, identical or similar components will be denoted by identical or similar reference numerals, and repeated descriptions will be omitted. The terms "module" and / or "unit" used for components in the following description are for ease of description only. Therefore, these terms do not inherently have a distinguishing meaning or function. In describing exemplary embodiments of this specification, detailed descriptions of well-known technologies related to the invention will be omitted where it is determined that such detailed descriptions would obscure the spirit of the invention. The accompanying drawings are provided only to facilitate understanding of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein and should not be construed as limiting the spirit of the disclosure herein. It should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0034] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc., will be used only to describe the various components and will not be interpreted as limiting these components. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from other components.

[0035] It should be understood that when a component is referred to as being "connected" or "in contact" with another component, it can be directly connected to or engaged with the other component, or it can be connected to or in contact with the other component through other components in between. Furthermore, it should be understood that when a component is referred to as being "directly connected to" or "directly in contact" with another component, it can be directly connected to or directly in contact with the other component without the intervention of other components in between.

[0036] Furthermore, it should be understood that the terms "comprising" or "having" as used in this specification indicate the presence of the stated feature, value, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, values, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a charging system for charging an electric bus according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0038] refer to Figure 1 The charging system 1 for charging electric buses includes a charging station 10 and an electric bus 20.

[0039] The charging station 10 includes a power conversion unit 11, a power rail 12, a pantograph 13, a main GPS sensor 14, a main infrared sensor 15, a main communication unit 16, and a main controller 17. Additionally, the charging station 10 may further include related equipment for charging the electric bus 20.

[0040] The power conversion unit 11 receives commercial AC power from the external power grid 2, rectifies it into DC power, and generates charging power for charging the electric bus 20 by stepping up or stepping down the rectified DC power.

[0041] Commercial AC power can be single-phase AC power suitable for residential or commercial purposes. In South Korea, the commercial voltage is typically 220V single-phase AC; voltages may vary in different countries, but are generally between 85V and 265V. Additionally, the frequency is typically 60Hz, but may also be 50Hz. Commercial AC power is generated by an external power grid 2 and can provide, for example, approximately 3kW to 6kW of power to battery 22 (described below).

[0042] Power rail 12 is a power supply rail that transmits power applied from power conversion unit 11 to pantograph 13. For example, when main controller 17 detects contact between pantograph 13 and electric bus 20 and subsequently sends a charging control signal to power conversion unit 11, power can be supplied to electric bus 20 via pantograph 13 connected to power rail 12. According to an exemplary embodiment, a first side of power rail 12 is connected to external power grid 2, and a second side of power rail 12 may extend to form an axial direction above parking spaces where multiple electric buses 20 are parked.

[0043] The pantograph 13 collects electricity flowing through the power rail 12 and supplies the electricity to the electric passenger car 20. Typically, the pantograph is used as a current collector to supply power to battery-independent electric railway vehicles. According to an exemplary embodiment, the pantograph 13 can supply power to charge the battery 22 of the electric passenger car 20 when it is parked overnight.

[0044] The pantograph 13 can be abbreviated as panto. For example, the pantograph 13 can be constructed as a single-arm and / or double-arm type. The double-arm type has a diamond-shaped linkage structure. The double-arm type is often referred to as a diamond-shaped type. The double-arm type connects the contact surface and the vehicle body via two linkages. The single-arm type has a single linkage structure shaped like a leg. Because the single-arm type is a double-arm type cut in half, it is also called a half-panto, and because of its Z-shaped shape, it can also be called a Z-shaped pantograph or a leg-shaped pantograph. In the single-arm type, only one linkage structure is installed between the contact surface and the vehicle body.

[0045] In the case of an upward-facing pantograph, the pantograph can be installed within the electric bus 20. In this configuration, when the electric bus 20 is in motion, the pantograph is folded and positioned on the roof of the electric bus 20. To initiate charging, the pantograph extends upward and contacts the charging station 10 to receive power. In this case, a pantograph must be installed for each of the multiple electric buses 20. Therefore, costs increase, and the weight of the pantograph is applied to the electric bus 20. Furthermore, because the pantograph is located on the roof of the electric bus 20, it may cause problems with access to tunnels or underground parking lots with low elevations.

[0046] In the case of a pantograph retraction scheme, the pantograph 13 can be installed in the charging station 10. According to an exemplary embodiment, in the idle mode when the electric bus 20 is not charging, the pantograph 13 is folded and located at the bottom of the power rail 12. When entering the charging mode for charging the electric bus 20, the pantograph 13 extends downward and contacts the electric bus 20 to supply power. According to the exemplary embodiment, by implementing the pantograph retraction scheme, the charging station 10 can overcome the disadvantages of the pantograph retraction scheme.

[0047] The main GPS sensor 14 can measure the current position of the pantograph 13 in real time at predetermined intervals or upon request from the main controller 17. The main GPS sensor 14 can receive the current position information of the pantograph 13 from multiple GPS satellites and can send information about the measured position (hereinafter, position information) to the main controller 17. For example, the main controller 17 can receive the current position information of the pantograph 13 from the main GPS sensor 14 in real time to move the pantograph 13 over the electric bus 20 to be charged.

[0048] The main infrared sensor 15 can accurately measure or adjust the current position of the pantograph 13 using infrared light. For example, the main infrared sensor 15 may include a light emitting unit that emits infrared light and a light receiving unit that receives infrared light.

[0049] The main communication unit 16 can receive the GPS location information and readiness completion signal of the electric bus 20 by communicating with the electric bus 20, and can send the GPS location information and readiness completion signal to the main controller 17. Additionally, the main communication unit 16 can send charging start control signal and charging end control signal from the main controller 17 to the electric bus 20. For example, the main communication unit 16 may include at least one of a short-range wireless communication module, a network connection module, a mobile communication module, and a wireless internet module to communicate with the electric bus 20.

[0050] A short-range wireless communication module can connect to the electric bus 20 to enable data communication via Bluetooth and can store the connection-required information in its memory. A network communication module can connect to the electric bus 20 to enable data communication via WiFi and can also store the connection-required information in its memory. A mobile communication module can transmit or receive wireless signals relative to at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server in a mobile communication network. The wireless signals can include various types of data transmitted and received based on voice call signals, video call signals, and text / multimedia messages. A wireless internet module can be built into or externally installed to the main communication unit 16 as a module for wireless internet connectivity. For example, the wireless internet module can perform WiFi-based wireless communication or WiFi Direct-Connect-based wireless communication.

[0051] The main controller 17 analyzes the location information of the electric bus 20 parked in the parking space and calculates the shortest movement path and charging sequence of the pantograph 13 to control the charging sequence of the electric bus 20. In this case, the parking space is not limited to a bus parking space, but may include a charging location equipped with a battery charging station for charging mobile devices (e.g., electric vehicles) that are powered by charging energy.

[0052] The electric bus 20 may include a contact strip 21, a battery 22, a bus GPS sensor 23, a bus infrared sensor 24, a bus communication unit 25, and a bus controller 26. In this case, the electric bus 20 may be a motor vehicle powered by charging energy, such as a pure electric bus, a pure electric vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

[0053] The contact bar 21 is located on the roof of the electric bus 20 and can be powered by contacting the pantograph 13, which is extended downwards in charging mode.

[0054] Battery 22 is the power source for electric bus 20 and is configured as a rechargeable battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery) capable of repeated charging and discharging. Battery 22 is configured by stacking battery cells in series therein and has a high voltage ranging from approximately 240V to 413V depending on the state of charge. In the following text, the term "charging electric bus 20" is used to mean "charging the battery of electric bus 20".

[0055] The bus GPS sensor 23 can measure the current position of the electric bus 20 in real time at predetermined intervals or upon request from the bus controller 26. The bus GPS sensor 23 can receive the current position information of the electric bus 20 from multiple GPS satellites and can send the measured position information to the bus controller 26.

[0056] The bus infrared sensor 24 can be located on the roof of the electric bus 20, facing the main infrared sensor 15 located in the pantograph 13.

[0057] The bus communication unit 25 communicates with the charging station 10 to send the location information and preparation completion signal of the electric bus 20, and receives charging start control signal and charging end control signal, and sends the charging start control signal and charging end control signal to the bus controller 26. For example, the bus communication unit 25 may include at least one of a short-range wireless communication module, a network connection module, a mobile communication module and a wireless Internet module to communicate with the charging station 10.

[0058] The bus controller 26 can control the battery 22 to be charged using the power applied from the charging station 10. For example, when the electric bus 20 is parked at a predetermined position in the parking space and the battery 22 is in a rechargeable state, the bus controller 26 can send the GPS location information and ready-to-go signal of the electric bus 20 to the charging station 10 through the bus communication unit 25, so that the battery 22 can be charged using the power applied from the charging station 10.

[0059] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The image shows a front view of the electric bus connected to a charging station.

[0060] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The side view shown shows the electric bus connected to the charging station.

[0061] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The pantograph 13 may include a conveying device 131 configured to move the pantograph 13 along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12. The conveying device 131 is movably engaged to the bottom of the power rail 12 and fixedly engaged to the upper end of the pantograph 13. For example, the pantograph 13 may be moved horizontally along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12 via the conveying device 131.

[0062] The main infrared sensor 15 can be located at a predetermined position on the conveyor 131 to face at least one bus infrared sensor 24. For example, when electrical contact is successfully established between the pantograph 13 and the contact bar 21, the infrared rays emitted from the main infrared sensor 15 and the bus infrared sensor 24 can be matched with each other. That is, the infrared rays emitted from the main infrared sensor 15 and the bus infrared sensor 24 can guide the electrical contact between the pantograph 13 and the contact bar 21.

[0063] When the infrared rays emitted from the main infrared sensor 15 and the bus infrared sensor 24 match each other, the main controller 17 can control the pantograph 13 to enter charging mode, in which the battery 22 of the electric bus 20 is charged. The main communication unit 16 can receive the GPS location information and preparation completion signal of the electric bus 20 by communicating with the bus communication unit 250 of the electric bus 20, and can send the received information and signals to the main controller 17. In addition, the main communication unit 16 can send charging start control signal and charging end control signal sent from the main controller 17 to the bus communication unit 250 of the electric bus 20.

[0064] When the pantograph 13 enters charging mode, it extends downwards under the control of the main controller 17, and the bottom of the pantograph 13 can be electrically connected to the contact strip 21 of the electric bus 20 via contact. Figure 3 In the diagram, the pantograph 13 is shown as a single-arm type with a single linkage structure, but the invention is not limited thereto. The pantograph 13 can be formed in various ways, for example, as a double-arm type.

[0065] Figure 4 This is a schematic perspective view showing the movement of the power rail and pantograph according to an exemplary embodiment when multiple electric buses are parked in a parking space.

[0066] Figure 5A and Figure 5B Examples of mounting a single pantograph and multiple pantographs on a power rail are shown according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0067] Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown Figure 5A The diagram shows the horizontal movement of the power rail and the movement of the pantograph in the horizontal and gravitational directions when a single pantograph is placed on the power rail.

[0068] refer to Figure 4 Multiple electric buses 20 can be parked in a row in the parking space along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12. When the multiple electric buses 20 parked in the first row 12a finish charging, the power rail 12 can be moved horizontally to the second row 12b under the control of the main controller 17. At this time, it can be moved from the first row 12a to the second row 12b along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12 (Y-axis).

[0069] exist Figure 4In the diagram, the number of pantographs 13 is shown as corresponding to the number of multiple electric buses 20 that can be parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12, for example, five pantographs 13, but the invention is not limited thereto. The number of pantographs 13 can be set to fewer than the number of multiple electric buses 20, for example, a single pantograph 13 or two pantographs 13.

[0070] Figure 5A An example is shown where five electric buses 20 parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12 can be sequentially charged using a single pantograph 13. Figure 5A In the diagram, electric bus 20 at positions (a) and (b) has finished charging, while electric bus 20 at position (c) is currently charging. Subsequently, pantograph 13 can sequentially charge electric bus 20 at positions (d) and (e) by moving along the axial direction (X-axis) of power rail 12. That is, electric bus 20 at positions (d) and (e) can be in a standby state before charging.

[0071] Figure 5B An example is shown of five electric buses 20 parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12 being charged simultaneously using five pantographs 13. In this case, the cost of equipping the buses with pantographs 13 increases, but the time required to charge multiple electric buses 20 can be reduced.

[0072] Figure 6A The diagram shows the power rail 12 moving horizontally along the direction perpendicular to the axial direction (X-axis) (Y-axis), and the pantograph 13 extending downwards from above the electric bus 20 along the direction of gravity (Z-axis). Figure 6B The pantograph 13 is shown moving horizontally along the axial direction (X-axis) to sequentially charge multiple electric buses 20 parked along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12.

[0073] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a charging method for charging an electric bus according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 The flowchart shown details the charging process for the electric bus.

[0074] refer to Figure 7 First, in step S110, the main controller 17 receives the location information of the multiple electric buses 20 by communicating with the multiple electric buses 20 through the main communication unit 16.

[0075] The electric bus 20 includes a bus GPS sensor 23, which receives location information from multiple GPS satellites in real time or at predetermined intervals. For example, when the electric bus 20 is parked in a parking space after operation has ended or is parked overnight, it can send the current GPS location information collected by the bus GPS sensor 23 to the charging station 10.

[0076] Subsequently, in step S120, the main controller 17 can calculate the charging sequence of the multiple electric buses 20 based on the location information of the multiple electric buses 20.

[0077] The main controller 17 can calculate the shortest movement path of the pantograph 13 based on the location information of the multiple electric buses 20 and the location information of the pantograph 13, and then calculate the charging sequence of the multiple electric buses 20 according to the calculated shortest movement path. For example, in order to calculate the charging sequence or move the pantograph 13 according to the charging sequence, the main controller 17 can receive the current location information of the pantograph 13 from the main GPS sensor 14 in real time or at predetermined intervals.

[0078] Subsequently, in step S130, the main controller 17 can charge the electric bus 20 by supplying power from the external power grid 2 to the electric bus 20 using the pantograph 13.

[0079] The main controller 17 can control the horizontal movement of the pantograph 13 and its electrical contact with the electric bus 20 according to the calculated charging sequence, so as to charge multiple electric buses 20 parked in the parking space in sequence.

[0080] refer to Figure 8 First, in step S131 of step S130, the main controller 17 can determine whether it is necessary to move the power rail 12 horizontally (i.e., along the direction perpendicular to the axial direction (X-axis) (Y-axis)).

[0081] According to an exemplary embodiment, the pantograph 13 can be installed on the power rail 12 in a number less than the number of electric buses 20 parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12. In this case, by controlling the pantograph 13 to move horizontally along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12 and to open along the direction of gravity (Z-axis), the main controller 17 can sequentially charge the electric buses 20 parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis).

[0082] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5AWhen all the electric buses 20 parked in the first row 12a along the axial direction (X-axis) have finished charging, the main controller 17 can control the horizontal movement of the power rail 12, so that the power rail 12 in the first row 12a moves above the electric buses 20 parked in the second row 12b. For example, if one or more electric buses 20 in the first row 12a are not yet charging, the main controller 17 will not move the power rail 12 horizontally. Instead, the main controller 17 can control the pantograph 13 to move horizontally above the not-yet-charging electric buses 20, and then control the pantograph 13 to open along the direction of gravity (Y-axis), thereby sequentially charging the one or more not-yet-charging electric buses 20. Figure 4 In the diagram, the number of pantographs 13 is shown as corresponding to the number of multiple electric buses 20 parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12, but the invention is not limited thereto. The number of pantographs 13 may be set to be less than the number of multiple parked electric buses 20.

[0083] According to another exemplary embodiment, the number of pantographs 13 that can be set in the power rail 12 corresponds to the number of electric buses 20 parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12. In this case, the main controller 17 can simultaneously charge the electric buses 20 parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis) by controlling the horizontal movement of the power rail 12 and the opening of the pantographs 13 along the direction of gravity (Y-axis).

[0084] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5B When the charging of multiple electric buses 20 parked in a row along the axial direction (X-axis) is completed, the main controller 17 can control the power rail 12 to move horizontally to position it above the multiple electric buses 20 parked in the next row. For example, when the charging of multiple electric buses 20 parked along the first row 12a is completed, the main controller 17 can move the power rail 12 horizontally to the second row 12b.

[0085] In step S132 of step S130, when the power rail 12 needs to be moved horizontally (as in S131), the main controller 17 controls the power rail 12 to move horizontally.

[0086] In step S133 of step S130, when the power rail 12 does not need to move horizontally (No in S131), or when the required horizontal movement in step S132 ends, the main controller 17 determines whether the pantograph 13 needs to be moved horizontally along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12.

[0087] In step S134 of step S130, when it is necessary to move the pantograph 13 horizontally (as in S133), the main controller 17 controls the pantograph 13 to move horizontally.

[0088] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5A When one or more electric buses 20 parked in the first row 12a are not yet charged, the main controller 17 can control the pantograph 13 to move and position itself above the one or more electric buses 20 that are not yet charged. That is, when the electric buses 20 parked at their current positions along the axial direction (X-axis) of the power rail 12 are not yet fully charged, and one or more electric buses 20 remain awaiting charging, the main controller 17 can control the pantograph 13 to move horizontally to charge the electric buses 20 awaiting charging.

[0089] In step S135 of step S130, when the pantograph 13 does not need to move horizontally (No in S133), or when the horizontal movement ends in step S134, the main controller 17 can adjust the position of the pantograph 13 so that the pantograph 13 can accurately contact the contact bar 21 of the electric bus 20 when it is opened.

[0090] The main controller 17 can adjust the position of the pantograph 13 so that the infrared light emitted from the bus infrared sensor 24 located on the roof of the electric bus 20 matches the infrared light emitted from the main infrared sensor 15 located at a predetermined position on the pantograph 13.

[0091] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The main infrared sensor 15 can be located at a predetermined position in the conveyor 131, so as to face at least one bus infrared sensor 24. When the infrared rays from the main infrared sensor 15 and the bus infrared sensor 24, which are facing each other, are mismatched, the main controller 17 can horizontally adjust the position of the pantograph 13 until the infrared rays are matched.

[0092] In step S136 of step S130, the main controller 17 can control the pantograph 13 to extend along the direction of gravity to make electrical contact with the electric bus 20. That is, when the position of the pantograph 13 is adjusted so that the infrared beams match each other, the main controller 17 can control the pantograph 13 to extend along the direction of gravity in the adjusted position.

[0093] In step S137 of step S130, the main controller 17 charges the electric bus 20 using the pantograph 13 with power applied from the external power grid 2.

[0094] During the charging mode, the main controller 17 can send the charging start control signal and the charging end control signal to the bus communication unit 250 of the electric bus 20 through the main communication unit 16.

[0095] Subsequently, in step S140, the main controller 17 can determine whether there are one or more electric buses 20 that need to be charged among the plurality of electric buses 20.

[0096] Subsequently, when there are one or more electric buses 20 that need to be charged (as in S140), in step S150, the main controller 17 identifies the next electric bus 20 to be charged based on the charging sequence, and then repeats step S130 for the next electric bus 20 to be charged.

[0097] For example, if a total of twenty electric buses 20 are parked in a parking space waiting to be charged, when the twelfth electric bus 20 finishes charging, the main controller 17 can check the position of the thirteenth electric bus 20. The main controller 17 can set the movement path from the current position of the pantograph 13 to the position of the thirteenth electric bus 20, and can control the power rail 12 and / or the pantograph 13 based on whether it is necessary to move the power rail 12 horizontally and whether it is necessary to move the pantograph 13 horizontally.

[0098] Subsequently, when there are no electric buses 20 that need charging (No in S140), the main controller 17 ends the charging process.

[0099] While the invention has been described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments now regarded as practical, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalents contained within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A charging station for charging electric buses, comprising: The power rail extends axially above multiple electric buses parked in the parking space. A pantograph is disposed at the lower part of the power rail so that it can move horizontally in the axial direction and can be deployed from above the electric bus in the direction of gravity to make electrical contact with the electric bus. The bus infrared sensor is installed at a predetermined position on the roof of the electric bus; as well as The main infrared sensor is set at a predetermined position on the pantograph so as to face the infrared sensor of the bus. as well as The controller is configured to calculate the charging sequence of multiple electric buses based on their location information. The controller is configured to control the horizontal movement of the pantograph and its electrical contact with the electric bus according to the charging sequence, thereby supplying power from the external power grid to the electric bus via the pantograph. The controller is configured to adjust the position of the pantograph so that the infrared rays emitted from the bus's infrared sensor and the infrared rays emitted from the main infrared sensor are matched. The pantograph is configured to be multiple, corresponding to the number of electric buses that can be parked in the parking space along the axial direction. The controller is configured to control the electrical contact between multiple electric buses and multiple pantographs, thereby supplying power from the external power grid to the multiple electric buses through the multiple pantographs. The controller is configured such that when all electric buses parked in a row along the axial direction are fully charged, the power rail moves horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction to position itself above the multiple electric buses parked in the next row.

2. The charging station for charging electric buses according to claim 1, further comprising: A communication unit configured to receive the location information of electric buses by communicating with multiple electric buses; as well as The GPS sensor is configured to receive pantograph location information from satellites.

3. The charging station for charging electric buses according to claim 2, wherein, The controller is configured to: calculate the shortest movement path of the pantograph based on the location information of multiple electric buses and the location information of the pantograph, and calculate the charging sequence of the multiple electric buses based on the calculated shortest movement path.

4. The charging station for charging electric buses according to claim 3, wherein, The controller is configured to control the horizontal movement of the pantograph and its electrical contact with the electric buses, so that multiple electric buses parked along the axial direction are charged sequentially.

5. A charging method for charging electric buses, the charging method utilizing a charging station for charging electric buses, the charging station including a power rail and a pantograph, the power rail extending axially above a plurality of electric buses parked in a parking space, the pantograph being disposed below the power rail to be movable horizontally in the axial direction and to be able to extend from above the electric buses in the direction of gravity to make electrical contact with the electric buses, the charging method comprising: The location information of multiple electric buses is received by communicating with multiple electric buses. The charging sequence of multiple electric buses is calculated based on their location information. The pantograph is controlled to move horizontally and make electrical contact with the electric bus according to the calculated charging sequence. Power is supplied to the electric bus from the external power grid via the pantograph using the power rail. When the simultaneous charging of all the electric buses parked in a row along the axial direction is completed, the control power rail moves horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction to position itself above the multiple electric buses parked in the next row. The steps of supplying power from the external power grid to the electric bus via a pantograph include: Determine whether the power rail needs to be moved horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction; The horizontal movement of the power rail is controlled based on whether it needs to be moved horizontally. Determine whether the pantograph needs to be moved horizontally along the axial direction; The pantograph's horizontal movement is controlled based on whether it needs to be moved horizontally. Control the pantograph to extend along the direction of gravity, thereby making electrical contact with the electric bus; Electricity is supplied to the electric bus from the external power grid via a pantograph; Before the step of controlling the pantograph to open along the direction of gravity to make electrical contact with the electric bus, the method further includes: adjusting the position of the pantograph so that the infrared rays emitted from the bus infrared sensor mounted on the roof of the electric bus and the infrared rays emitted from the main infrared sensor mounted at a predetermined position on the pantograph match each other.

6. The charging method according to claim 5, wherein, The steps for calculating the charging sequence of multiple electric buses include: calculating the shortest movement path of the pantograph based on the location information of the multiple electric buses and the location information of the pantograph, and calculating the charging sequence of the multiple electric buses based on the calculated shortest movement path.

7. The charging method according to claim 5, further comprising, after the step of supplying power from the external power grid to the electric bus via a pantograph: Determine whether one or more electric buses among a group of electric buses require charging; When one or more electric buses among multiple electric buses need to be charged, the next electric bus to be charged is identified based on the charging sequence.

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