End effector for autonomous charging of electric vehicle

Abstract

The robotic arm is configured to move the end effector to facilitate simultaneous engagement of the two or more charging plugs with the two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle. The end effector includes a mounting bracket for connecting the end effector to the robotic arm, a housing associated with the mounting bracket, and an imaging device mounted on the mounting bracket. The housing is configured to hold the two or more charging plugs in a rigid array to mate with a complementary array of the two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle. The imaging device is configured to generate a pose signal indicative of a pose of a complementary array of charging sockets of an electric vehicle, whereby a controller associated with the robotic arm is configured to receive the pose signal and determine a spatial relationship between the array of charging plugs and the complementary array of charging sockets, and using the determined spatial relationship to control the robotic arm to align the housing of the end effector to facilitate engagement of the array of charging plugs with a complementary array of charging sockets.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an end effector, an electric vehicle charging system, and an electric vehicle charging method that facilitates the simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The discussion of the background of this disclosure is intended to facilitate understanding of this disclosure. However, it should be understood that this discussion does not imply an acknowledgment or endorsement that any material mentioned has been published, is known, or is part of common sense as of the priority date of this application.

[0003] To reduce carbon dioxide emissions, there is a growing demand for electric heavy-duty land vehicles, such as buses, trucks, mining equipment, ships, and aircraft, instead of diesel and internal combustion engine-powered vehicles. The range of electric vehicles is limited by the weight, size, and energy storage capacity of their onboard rechargeable batteries. Therefore, it is necessary to charge the batteries frequently but quickly to minimize downtime during charging.

[0004] Several autonomous charging systems for electric vehicles are currently known. Generally, such systems include a robot or other manipulator for engaging the charging plug with an auxiliary charging socket on the vehicle. The robot may be equipped with a manipulator for engaging the charging plug with the charging socket, an imaging device, and a control unit. The robot uses the imaging device to identify the vehicle's position and its charging socket, and then the control unit instructs the manipulator to engage the charging plug with the vehicle's socket. Once the charging process is complete, the robot manipulator immediately unplugs the charging plug from the socket.

[0005] This self-charging system is configured by connecting a single charging plug to a single charging socket. The power supply capacity of each charging plug is physically limited. For example, a single charging plug can only provide 3MWh of power to a rechargeable battery. By using more charging plugs, the charging speed can be appropriately increased.

[0006] Providing separate charging plugs for two or more robots increases the space, cost, and workload required to install these plugs at electric vehicle charging stations. Therefore, there is a need for a single robot with an end effector that can simultaneously engage two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets on an electric vehicle.

[0007] To simultaneously engage two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets using a single robotic manipulator, precise positioning of the charging plugs is required. If even one charging plug is misaligned with its corresponding complementary socket (e.g., rotational or translational misalignment), all charging plugs will fail to engage simultaneously.

[0008] Furthermore, when two or more charging plugs are engaged with two or more charging sockets and charging is in progress, heavy-duty land vehicles may be affected by dynamic forces and movement caused by weather (such as wind loads) or other environmental conditions (such as load transfer, blasting events in mining environments). This movement can put stress on the charging plugs that are fixed in place by the robotic manipulator.

[0009] This disclosure aims to overcome at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages. Summary of the Invention

[0010] This disclosure provides an end effector that facilitates the simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle, as well as an electric vehicle charging system and an electric vehicle charging method.

[0011] In one aspect of this disclosure, an end effector supported by a robotic arm is provided, the robotic arm being configured to move the end effector to facilitate simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle. The end effector includes a mounting bracket for attaching the end effector to the robotic arm; a housing associated with the mounting bracket, the housing being configured to hold two or more charging plugs in a rigid array to engage with a complementary array of two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle; and an imaging device mounted on the mounting bracket, the imaging device being configured to generate a pose signal indicating the pose of the complementary array of charging sockets of the electric vehicle. A controller associated with the robotic arm is configured to receive the pose signal and determine a spatial relationship between the array of charging plugs and the complementary array of charging sockets, and to use the determined spatial relationship to control the robotic arm to align the housing of the end effector, thereby facilitating engagement of the array of charging plugs with the complementary array of charging sockets.

[0012] In one embodiment, the end effector further includes a load sensor associated with a mounting bracket, the load sensor being configured to generate an engagement signal indicating strain associated with engagement of the charging plug and the charging socket, whereby a controller associated with the robotic arm is arranged to control the robotic arm to readjust the orientation of the end effector in response to the engagement signal when the strain indicated by the engagement signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0013] In one embodiment, the load sensor may be configured to provide a signal confirming engagement between the charging plug array and the complementary array of the charging socket.

[0014] In one embodiment, the load sensor includes a strain gauge and a force / torque sensor.

[0015] In one embodiment, the robotic arm is configured to move the end effector in a six-degree motion manner. In other embodiments, the robotic arm may be configured to move the end effector in a three- or four-degree motion manner.

[0016] In one embodiment, two or more charging plugs are arranged in a manner that aligns them perpendicularly to each other. In another embodiment, two or more charging plugs are arranged in a manner that aligns them horizontally to each other. In yet another embodiment, four or more charging plugs are arranged in an array of x×y, where x ≥ 2 and y ≥ 2. In yet another embodiment, three or more charging plugs are arranged in a circular array, a triangular array, or a polygonal array (such as a hexagonal array).

[0017] In one embodiment, the housing is laterally offset from the end of the robotic arm so as not to obstruct the view or line of sight of the imaging device.

[0018] In one embodiment, the upper and lower edges of the housing are equidistant from the load sensor.

[0019] In one embodiment, the end effector further includes a nozzle in fluid communication with a source of compressed air, wherein a controller associated with the robotic arm is arranged to drive the nozzle to spray compressed air into the charging socket to remove particles therein before the array of charging plugs engages with the complementary array of the charging socket.

[0020] The term "particles" used here refers to dust particles, sand, gravel, etc. Additionally, water droplets and condensation on the charging socket can be removed by spraying compressed air onto it.

[0021] In another aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided for simultaneously engaging two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: capturing a first image of two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle by means of an imaging device fixedly mounted on an end effector of a robotic arm, the first image indicating the pose of an array of two or more charging sockets; using the pose of the charging socket array to determine a spatial relationship between the charging socket array and the two or more charging plugs, the two or more charging plugs being held in a complementary rigid array to engage with the charging sockets via a housing associated with the end effector; and deploying the robotic arm to align with the housing to facilitate engagement of the rigid array of charging plugs with the charging sockets.

[0022] In one embodiment, deploying the robotic arm includes capturing multiple consecutive second images of two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle using an imaging device, and determining the sequential spatial relationship between the array of charging sockets and the housing by using the multiple consecutive second images as the robotic arm approaches the electric vehicle, thereby aligning the housing.

[0023] In one embodiment, the method further includes confirming engagement between the charging plug array and the complementary array of the charging socket by means of an engagement signal obtained from a load sensor disposed between the housing and the end of the robotic arm.

[0024] In one embodiment, the method further includes controlling the robotic arm to readjust the orientation of the end effector in response to an engagement signal from the load sensor when the engagement signal indicates that the strain exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0025] In one embodiment, the method further includes directing a compressed airflow to the charging socket to remove particles therein before the charging socket array engages with the complementary array of the charging socket.

[0026] In another aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product having program code stored on a computer-readable medium for performing a method of simultaneously engaging two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle described above.

[0027] In another aspect of this disclosure, an electric vehicle charging system is provided, the system charging unit for providing power to the battery of an electric vehicle, the charging unit having two or more charging plugs for supplying power to the battery of the electric vehicle when engaged with two or more charging sockets in the electric vehicle; and a robotic arm having an end effector as defined above to allow the two or more charging plugs to engage simultaneously with two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle.

[0028] In another aspect of this disclosure, an electric vehicle charging station is provided, comprising a charging unit for supplying power to the battery of an electric vehicle, the charging unit having two or more charging plugs for supplying power to the battery of the electric vehicle when engaged with two or more charging sockets on the electric vehicle; a robotic arm having an end effector as defined above to facilitate simultaneous engagement of the two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle; and another housing for the charging unit and the robotic arm.

[0029] In one embodiment, the robotic arm is movable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, in which the end effector and the robotic arm are housed within another housing, and in the extended configuration, at least a portion of the end effector and the robotic arm are housed outside another housing.

[0030] In one embodiment, the electric vehicle charging station is adjacent to a charging channel arranged to guide the electric vehicle in such a way that, when the robotic arm is in an extended configuration, two or more charging sockets located in the electric vehicle are within reach of the end effector of the robotic arm.

[0031] In one embodiment, markers, barriers, or other guiding devices may be placed on the charging channel to guide the electric vehicle to stop near the housing.

[0032] In another aspect of this disclosure, a manually operated device is provided that facilitates the simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more complementary charging sockets of an electric vehicle. The device includes a housing configured to hold two or more charging plugs in a rigid array to engage with a complementary array of two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle; and a handle associated with the housing for a manual operator to grip and manipulate the device.

[0033] In another aspect of this disclosure, a manually operated electric vehicle charging system is provided, comprising a charging unit for providing power to the battery of an electric vehicle, the charging unit having two or more charging plugs that, when engaged with two or more charging sockets in the electric vehicle, can provide power to the battery of the electric vehicle; and a manual operating device for simultaneously engaging the two or more charging plugs with the two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Although any other form may fall within the scope of the disclosure described herein, specific embodiments will now be described with reference to the following drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a robotic arm with six degrees of motion;

[0036] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the end effector of the robotic arm, showing in particular the mounting flange without the end effector installed;

[0037] Figure 3 It is installed in Figure 2 The diagram shows a perspective view of the end effector on the end-mounted flange of the robotic arm.

[0038] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The exploded view of the end effector shown;

[0039] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 and Figure 4 The side view of the end effector shown;

[0040] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The front view of the end effector shown; and

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the electric vehicle charging system described in this article. Detailed Implementation

[0042] This disclosure relates to an end effector for facilitating the simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle, as well as an electric vehicle charging system and an electric vehicle charging method.

[0043] General terms

[0044] In this specification, unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires, references to a single step, composition of substance, group of steps, or group of compositions of substance shall be construed as including one and more (i.e., one or more) of such steps, compositions of substance, groups of steps, or groups of compositions of substance. Therefore, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein include the plural aspect unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, “a” includes one and two or more; “an” includes one and two or more; “described” includes one and two or more, and so on.

[0045] Unless otherwise specified, each example of this disclosure described herein should be applied mutatis mutandis to every other example. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the specific examples described herein, which are for illustrative purposes only. Functionally equivalent products, compositions, and methods are clearly within the scope of this disclosure.

[0046] The methods, procedures, and operations described herein should not be construed as requiring performance in a specific order unless otherwise specified. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0047] When an element or layer is described as "on," "joined," "connected," or "coupled" to another element or layer, it can be directly on, joined, connected, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers present. Conversely, when an element is described as "directly on," "directly joined," "directly connected," or "directly coupled" to another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers present. Other terms used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted similarly (e.g., "between" vs. "directly between," "adjacent" vs. "directly adjacent," etc.).

[0048] Although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or portions, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. These terms may only be used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or portion from another region, layer, or portion. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the use of "first," "second," and other numerical terms herein does not imply order or sequence. Therefore, a first element, component, region, layer, or portion discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or portion without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0049] References to positional descriptions, such as lower and upper, should be understood in the context of the embodiments described in the figures and should not be construed as limiting the literal interpretation of the invention, but rather as would be understood by a skilled audience.

[0050] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "inside," "outside," "below," "below," "below," "above," "above," etc., are used here to describe the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature shown in the figure. In addition to the orientations described in the figure, spatial relative terms can also be used to encompass different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped over, then other elements or features described as "below" or "below" would be placed "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the example term "below" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used here will be interpreted accordingly.

[0051] The term “and / or”, such as “X and / or Y”, should be understood as “X and Y” or “X or Y”, and should be regarded as providing explicit support for both meanings or either of them.

[0052] In this specification, the word "comprising" or variations of "including" or "comprising" should be understood to include the said element, integer or step, or a group of elements, integers or steps, but do not exclude any other element, integer or step, or a group of elements, integers or steps.

[0053] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Although similar or equivalent methods and materials may be used in the practice or testing of this invention, suitable methods and materials will be described below. In case of any conflict, this specification (including definitions) shall prevail. Furthermore, materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not restrictive.

[0054] The term "about" as used herein means within 5% of a given value or range, more preferably within 1%. For example, "about 3.7%" means from 3.5% to 3.9%, and preferably from 3.66% to 3.74%. When the term "about" is associated with a numerical range, such as "about X% to Y%", the purpose of the term "about" is to modify the lower limit (X) and upper limit (Y) of the range. For example, "about 20% to 40%" is equivalent to "about 20% to about 40%".

[0055] Specific terms

[0056] The term "position" as used herein refers to the location of an object in a Cartesian coordinate system. A change in position ("positioning") is understood as a translation from a first specific position in the Cartesian coordinate system to a second specific position. The term "orientation" as used herein refers to the alignment of an object with respect to the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system. A change in orientation ("orientation") is understood as a rotation about the corresponding axis of the Cartesian coordinate system from a first specific direction to a second specific direction. Position and orientation can be collectively referred to as pose.

[0057] The term "alignment" as used here refers to orienting a first object relative to a second object along a joining or connecting axis, thereby merging or connecting the first and second objects by performing a movement of the first object relative to the second object along the joining or connecting axis.

[0058] The term "simultaneously" or "at the same time" as used here refers to actions that occur or are taken at the same time. In the context of the engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets, simultaneous engagement means that two or more charging plugs are engaged with two or more charging sockets at the same time, rather than sequentially.

[0059] End effector for autonomous charging of electric vehicles

[0060] Please refer to the figure, where the same numbers refer to the same features. The figure shows one embodiment of an end effector 10 supported by a robotic arm 12. The robotic arm 12 is configured to move the end effector 10 to facilitate the simultaneous engagement of two charging plugs with two complementary charging sockets of an electric vehicle.

[0061] Electric vehicles can be any type of vehicle; in particular, they can be heavy-duty land vehicles such as trucks, buses, or heavy-duty mining vehicles such as dump trucks, loaders, excavators, bogies, etc. Electric vehicles can include manned vehicles, semi-autonomous vehicles, and fully autonomous vehicles.

[0062] The propulsion system of an electric vehicle can be powered by an onboard energy storage device (such as a car battery). After prolonged operation, the onboard energy storage device will be depleted and needs to be recharged. This recharging can be achieved by coupling the onboard energy storage device with an electrical energy source.

[0063] In the embodiments described herein, the electric vehicle may be equipped with two charging sockets arranged perpendicularly to each other on one side of the electric vehicle. These two charging sockets are electrically connected to an onboard energy storage device to supply power when two charging plugs are engaged with the charging sockets of the electric vehicle.

[0064] It is understood that in other embodiments, the electric vehicle may provide two or three charging sockets arranged perpendicularly to each other, or two or three charging sockets arranged horizontally to each other. In other embodiments, the electric vehicle may be equipped with an array of charging sockets, such as 2x2, 2x3, 3x3, etc., or an array in which an even number of charging sockets are horizontally aligned with each other and an odd number of charging sockets are horizontally aligned with each other alternately. In addition, two or more charging sockets may also be arranged in a circular array, a triangular array, or a polygonal array (such as a hexagonal array).

[0065] When two or more charging plugs are connected to two or more complementary charging sockets located in an electric vehicle, the charging plugs are electrically connected to the charging unit via corresponding cables to provide power to the electric vehicle's battery. The charging unit provides a fixed power limit, such as 3 MWh, through each charging plug. Therefore, when two charging plugs are plugged into a charging socket, twice the power can be provided to the electric vehicle's battery; when three charging plugs are plugged into a charging socket, three times the power can be provided, and so on.

[0066] like Figure 1 As shown, the robotic arm 12 includes a fixed base plate 14, a turntable 16, a first linkage arm assembly 18, a second linkage arm assembly 20, a third linkage arm assembly 22, and a wrist assembly 24.

[0067] The fixed base plate 14 can be installed on the concrete slab of the electric vehicle charging station 200 to accommodate the electric vehicle charging unit 202. The fixed base plate 14 is equipped with a lifting bracket 26 for positioning the robotic arm 12 in the electric vehicle charging station 200, and also has multiple conduits 28 for providing power and communication to the robotic arm 12.

[0068] The turntable 16 is mounted on a fixed base plate 14 and can rotate clockwise and counterclockwise around a base axis A1, with a maximum rotation angle of ±185°. The base axis A1 coincides with the central longitudinal axis of the turntable 16. A first linkage arm assembly 18 is mounted on the turntable 16. The first linkage arm assembly 18 includes a first linkage arm 30, the fixed end 32 of which is mounted on the turntable 16, and the free end 34 extending generally laterally from the turntable 16. A body 36 extends from the fixed end 32 of the first linkage arm 30 in a direction generally opposite to that of the first linkage arm 30 to balance the weight of the first linkage arm 30. The first linkage arm assembly 18 also includes a motor 38 for rotating the turntable 16 and the first linkage arm assembly 18 around the base axis A1 at a maximum speed (rated effective load) of 105° / s.

[0069] The second linkage arm assembly 20 includes a second linkage arm 40, one end 42 of which is pivotally connected to the free end 34 of the first linkage arm 30 for pivoting about the first arm axis A2. It also includes a motor 44 for driving the second linkage arm 40 to pivot about the first arm axis A2 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, with an angle range of -120° to 70° and a maximum rotational speed (rated effective load) of 101° / s. The first arm axis A2 is perpendicularly aligned with the free end 34 of the first linkage arm 30.

[0070] The third linkage arm assembly 22 includes a third linkage arm 46 pivotally connected to the opposite end 48 of the second linkage arm 40 for pivoting about the second arm axis A3, and a motor (not shown) for driving the third linkage arm 46 to pivot about the second arm axis A3 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, with an angle range of -120° to 168° and a rotational speed (rated effective load) up to 110° / s.

[0071] The third linkage arm assembly 22 also includes another motor 52, which is mounted at the free end 54 of the third linkage arm 46 and is used to drive the third linkage arm 46 to rotate around the third arm axis A4, which is longitudinally aligned with its center. The motor 52 drives the third linkage arm 46 to rotate in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, with an angle range of ±350° around the third arm axis A4, and a maximum rotational speed (rated effective load) of 150° / s.

[0072] The wrist assembly 24 includes a wrist 56 located on the opposite end 58 of the third linkage arm 46. The wrist 56 is rotatable about a wrist axis A5, which is vertically aligned with the third linkage arm 46, within an angle range of ±125°. The pivotal movement of the wrist 56 is driven by a motor mounted internally near the opposite end 58 of the third linkage arm 46. The wrist 56 can also be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise about the central longitudinal axis A6 of the wrist via a motor 59, with an angle range of ±350° around axis A6 and a maximum rotational speed (rated payload) of 260° / s. The end portion 60 of the wrist 56 is provided with a mounting flange 62 for supporting the end effector 10 described herein during use.

[0073] As described above, the robotic arm 12 is configured to move six degrees about axes A1-A6. The movement of the robotic arm 12 is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC), which controls corresponding electric motors 38, 44, 52, and 59 to pivot or rotate the turntable 30, the first linkage arm assembly 18, the second linkage arm assembly 20, the third linkage arm assembly 22, and the wrist assembly 24 as described above. The pivoting and / or rotational movements about all six axes A1-A6 are coordinated by the PLC to move the end effector 10 from a first position to a second position along the shortest path in a smooth, coordinated motion.

[0074] The controller may be an electronic controller that performs operations logically, executes control algorithms, stores and retrieves data, and performs other necessary operations. The controller may include or access memory, secondary storage devices, a processor, and any other components running applications. Memory and secondary storage devices may be in the form of read-only memory (ROM) or random access memory (RAM), or may be in the form of integrated circuits accessible to the controller. The controller may be a single controller or may include multiple controllers for controlling various functions and / or characteristics of the robotic arm 12. The term "controller" as used herein should be understood in the broadest sense, including one or more controllers and / or microprocessors that may be associated with the robotic arm 12 and cooperate to control various functions and operations of the robotic arm 12 and the end effector 10. The functionality of the controller may be implemented through hardware and / or software, without regard to its specific function.

[0075] The end effector 10 includes a mounting bracket 66 for coupling the end effector 10 to the robotic arm 12, an imaging device 68 for sensing an array of electric vehicle charging sockets when the electric vehicle is within the line of sight of the imaging device, a load sensor 70, and a housing 72 configured to hold two or more charging plugs 74 in a rigid array to cooperate with a complementary array of two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle.

[0076] Mounting bracket 66 includes a panel 76 configured to be mounted face-to-face on mounting flange 62 by a plurality of fasteners; an upper plate 78 arranged perpendicularly aligned with the panel 76; and a cylindrical member 80 extending forward from the panel 76 and longitudinally aligned with the wrist 54 of the robotic arm 12, the cylindrical member 80 having a flange 82 at its end.

[0077] An upper plate 78 supports an imaging device 68 and a housing 84 for the imaging device 68. The imaging device 68 shown in the figure is a camera. The imaging device 68 may include any other type of imaging device known in the art, which, in use, is capable of sensing an array of charging sockets for an electric vehicle when the electric vehicle is within the line of sight of the device 68, and generating images or other signals indicating the pose of the electric vehicle charging sockets. It should be noted that this disclosure is not limited to the type of imaging device 68. In other embodiments, the imaging device 68 may include a camera, closed-circuit television (CCTV), a depth camera, a laser scanner, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, etc. It should also be noted that this disclosure is not limited to a single imaging device 68; within the scope of this disclosure, the imaging device 68 may include one or more imaging devices of the same or different types to generate one or more images that, when combined, indicate the pose of the electric vehicle charging sockets.

[0078] The imaging device housing 84 may be a box to prevent dust from entering when the imaging device 68 is not in use. The housing 84 may have a front door 84', which can be opened, for example, by a pneumatic actuator, so that the imaging device 68 has an unobstructed view or line of sight when in use.

[0079] The load sensor 70 can be any suitable sensor capable of providing a signal confirming engagement between the array of charging plugs 74 and the complementary array of charging sockets. Specifically, the load sensor 70 can be a strain gauge or a force / torque sensor. The load sensor 70 can be mounted on the flange 82 of the cylindrical component 80 of the mounting bracket 66.

[0080] When the charging plug array 74 engages with the complementary charging socket array, the electric vehicle may be affected by dynamic forces caused by wind loads or load movement, even if the electric vehicle remains stationary. Therefore, during the charging operation, the electric vehicle body and the charging socket array may move, thereby introducing load strain onto the robotic arm 12 and the end effector 10.

[0081] Advantageously, the load sensor 70 can generate an engagement signal indicating strain associated with the engagement of the charging plug 74 and the charging socket, thereby arranging a controller associated with the robotic arm 12 to control the robotic arm 12 to realign the end effector 10 in response to the engagement signal when the strain indicated by the engagement signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0082] In the embodiment shown in the figure, housing 72 is configured to keep the two charging plugs 74a, 74b vertically aligned with each other. It will be understood that in other embodiments, housing 72 may be configured to accommodate two charging plugs 74a, 74b horizontally aligned with each other, or to accommodate two or more charging plugs vertically or horizontally aligned with each other, or these charging plugs may be arranged in another array to match the charging socket array on the electric vehicle described above.

[0083] The housing 72 includes a pair of opposing side plates 86, which are interconnected by an upper plate 88, a lower plate 90 and a plurality of intermediate plates 92, providing structural rigidity to the housing 72 and defining the upper portion 96 and the lower portion 98 of the housing 72.

[0084] An L-shaped bracket 94 extending laterally from one side of the side plate 86 is provided on the housing 72. A first component 94a of the L-shaped bracket 94 is mounted in the middle of the side plate 86, and a second component 94b of the L-shaped bracket 94 is provided with a flange portion 94b' for mounting to the load sensor 70, thereby rigidly fixing the housing 72 to the mounting bracket 66, with the load sensor 70 located between the two. A web component 96 may be present between the first and second components 94a and 94b of the L-shaped bracket 94 to improve the rigidity of the L-shaped bracket 94.

[0085] The length of the second component 94b has the function of offsetting the housing 72 relative to the end of the robotic arm 12, so that the housing 72 does not obstruct the line of sight of the imaging device 68.

[0086] The L-shaped bracket 94 can be installed in the middle of the side plate 86 of the housing 72, so that the upper plate 88 and lower plate 90 of the housing 72 are equidistant from the load sensor 70. In this way, the load sensor 70 can easily detect strain imbalance between the upper part 96 and the lower part 98 of the housing 72, especially when the charging plug 74 is rigidly fixed in the housing 72 and engaged with the charging socket of the electric vehicle, as will be described in detail below.

[0087] The housing 72 is arranged to rigidly fix the first of the two charging plugs 74a in the upper part 96 of the housing 72, and to rigidly fix the second of the two charging plugs 74b in the lower part 98 of the housing 72, perpendicularly aligned with the charging plug 74a. Each charging plug 74a, 74b has lugs 100 on opposite sides. In use, the lugs 100 are arranged to insert and secure between a corresponding pair of L-shaped brackets 102, which are mounted on each opposite surface 104 of the opposite side plates 86 in the upper part 96 and lower part 98 of the housing 72.

[0088] L-shaped bracket 102 is mounted to the opposing surface 104 of the opposing side plate 86 by fasteners passing through holes 106, 106' in the opposing side plate 86. The diameter (i.e. tolerance) of the rearward-arranged hole 106' may be larger than that of the forward-arranged hole 106 to allow for tilt adjustment of the bracket 102.

[0089] The lug 100 can also be fixed between the brackets 102 by one or more washers or shims, in conjunction with threaded fasteners and nuts, thereby achieving a small vertical adjustment of the lug 100 relative to the brackets 102.

[0090] In some embodiments, the end effector 10 further includes a nozzle 108 in fluid communication with a source of compressed air. The nozzle 108 may be fixed adjacent to the charging plugs 74a, 74b between the L-shaped supports 102. In use, a controller associated with the robotic arm 12 is arranged to drive the nozzle 108, directing a flow of compressed air toward the charging sockets to remove particles from the charging plugs 74a, 74b before they engage with a complementary array of charging sockets on the electric vehicle.

[0091] Electric vehicle charging station

[0092] See Figure 6 The figure shows an electric vehicle charging station 300, including a charging unit 302 for power supply, a robotic arm 12 and an end effector 10 (as previously described), and its housing 304. The robotic arm 12 is conveniently located near the charging unit 302. As previously described, the charging cable 306 can provide up to 3 MWh of power from the charging unit 302 to the charging plugs 74a, 74b of the electric vehicle 306.

[0093] The housing 304 can be a freestanding shelter, such as a shed or a shipping container equipped with an entrance (e.g., a roller shutter door). It is understood that the shape and dimensions of the housing 304 can be arranged such that the robotic arm 12 can move between a retracted configuration (where the end effector 10 and the robotic arm are housed within the housing 304) and an extended configuration (where at least a portion of the end effector 10 and the robotic arm 12 are housed outside the housing 304). The weight of the charging cable can be supported by spring-loaded balance supports on the roof of the housing 304.

[0094] Electric vehicle charging station 300 is adjacent to charging lane 310, which guides electric vehicles 306 when the robotic arm 12 is in an extended configuration (i.e., "approaching the electric vehicle charging station"), with two or more charging sockets in the electric vehicle 306 within reach of the end effector 10 of the robotic arm 12. Charging lane 310 may be equipped with markings, barriers, or other guiding devices to guide the electric vehicle to stop near the housing 304. For example, charging lane 310 may be equipped with a camera, such as a closed-circuit television, located outside the housing 304 to detect the distance between the electric vehicle and electric vehicle charging station 300. Traffic lights may also be used to indicate the fine-tuning of the electric vehicle relative to electric vehicle charging station 300. Alternatively or additionally, charging lane 310 may also be equipped with a load sensor to detect whether an electric vehicle is approaching electric vehicle charging station 300.

[0095] When the electric vehicle 306 approaches the electric vehicle charging station 300, the controller may receive a signal to open or raise the access door of the housing 304 and deploy the robotic arm 12, moving the robotic arm 12 from a retracted configuration to a partially deployed configuration. The term "partially deployed configuration" as used herein refers to a configuration of the robotic arm in which at least a portion of the end effector 10 and the robotic arm 12 may be located outside the housing 304, but the end effector 10 has not yet engaged the rigid array of charging plugs 74a, 74b with the charging socket on the electric vehicle.

[0096] Then, the imaging device 68 can capture a first image of the charging socket array of the electric vehicle 306, the first image indicating the pose of the charging socket array. The controller uses the first image to determine the spatial relationship between the charging socket array and the charging plugs 74a, 74b, and then drives the robotic arm 12 to move the end effector 10 closer to the charging socket array on the electric vehicle 306, optionally aligning it with the housing of the end effector.

[0097] Then, the imaging device 68 can continuously capture more second images of the electric vehicle charging socket array. After receiving each of the multiple second images, the controller determines the spatial relationship between the end effector 10 and the charging socket array on the electric vehicle 306, as the robotic arm 12 continuously approaches and extends to align the housing, thereby facilitating the engagement of the rigid charging plug arrays 74a, 74b with the charging sockets of the electric vehicle.

[0098] Load sensor 70 sends an engagement signal to the controller to confirm engagement between charging plug array 74 and the complementary array of charging socket of electric vehicle 306. The controller can then communicate with the vehicle communication system of electric vehicle 306 and charging unit 302 to initiate charging. Optionally, before initiating charging, the controller can confirm electrical contact between corresponding pins in the charging socket and charging plug.

[0099] Once communication is established, the electric vehicle 306 can choose to lock the charging plugs 74a and 74b in the socket via an electric actuator.

[0100] In embodiments where the electric vehicle 306 is a manually operated electric vehicle, the electric vehicle charging station 300 may optionally be equipped with a human-machine interface 308 associated with the housing 304 and communicating with the controller. When the electric vehicle 306 stops at the electric vehicle charging station 300, the operator of the electric vehicle 306 can leave the electric vehicle 306, and the operator can then interact with the human user interface 308 to provide the controller with various instructions regarding the deployment of the robotic arm 12 and the end effector 10, thereby charging the electric vehicle 306.

[0101] During charging operations, while the charging plugs 74a and 74b are engaged with the charging socket array, the load sensor 70 continues to monitor the load strain on the robotic arm 12 and the end effector 10. If the electric vehicle 306 is subjected to dynamic forces due to wind loads or load movement, the load sensor 70 may generate an engagement signal indicating that the strain exceeds a predetermined threshold. In response to the engagement signal indicating that the strain exceeds the predetermined threshold, a controller associated with the robotic arm 12 is arranged to control the robotic arm 12 to realign the end effector 10 to reduce the load strain below the predetermined threshold.

[0102] Once charging is complete or the battery level of the electric vehicle 306 reaches the required percentage, the controller can communicate with the vehicle's onboard communication and charging unit 302 to stop charging. The controller can then unlock the charging plugs 74a and 74b and drive the robotic arm 12 to retract the end effector 10, disengaging the rigid array of charging plugs 74a and 74b from the charging socket of the electric vehicle 306. The robotic arm 12 is then driven into a retracted configuration within the housing 304. The electric vehicle 306 can then exit the charging channel 310.

[0103] This disclosure may also relate to a computer program product having program code that can be stored and read by a computer for instructing a controller to perform the method described above for simultaneously engaging two or more charging plugs 74a, 74b with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle.

[0104] Computer program products can be stored in virtual storage facilities (such as the "cloud") or computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be the computer's internal memory or removable storage devices such as floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives, and memory cards. Thus, the method according to this disclosure can be provided to a computer, which can be a controller for the robotic arm 12 and the end effector 10.

[0105] Those skilled in the art will understand that many variations and / or modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the broad overall scope of this disclosure. Therefore, these embodiments should be considered exemplary and not restrictive in all respects.

[0106] The scope of this disclosure also includes providing a manually operated device to facilitate the simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more complementary charging sockets of an electric vehicle. The device may include a housing as described above, wherein the housing is configured to hold two or more charging plugs in a rigid array to engage with a complementary array of two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle. The device may also include a handle associated with the housing for a manual operator to grip and manipulate the device. In this particular embodiment, the manual operator manipulates the device to engage two or more charging plugs simultaneously with two or more complementary charging sockets of the electric vehicle, rather than engaging two or more charging plugs sequentially with two or more complementary charging sockets (e.g., one at a time).

[0107] In this alternative embodiment, the manually operated electric vehicle charging system may include a charging unit (as described above) for supplying power to the electric vehicle's battery and the aforementioned manual operating device to facilitate the simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle.

[0108] In the following claims and the foregoing description, unless the context requires otherwise by explicit language or necessary implication, the word “comprising” or variations such as “including” or “consisting of” are used in the sense of inclusion, that is, indicating the presence of the stated feature, but not excluding the presence or addition of other features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. An end effector supported by a robotic arm, the robotic arm being configured to move the end effector to facilitate simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle, the end effector comprising: Mounting brackets are used to attach the end effector to the robotic arm; A housing associated with the mounting bracket, the housing being configured to hold two or more charging plugs in a rigid array to mate with a complementary array of two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle; and An imaging device mounted on a mounting bracket is configured to generate a pose signal indicating the pose of the complementary array of charging plugs and charging sockets of an electric vehicle. A controller associated with the robotic arm is configured to receive the pose signal and determine the spatial relationship between the charging plug array and the complementary array of charging sockets, and to use the determined spatial relationship to control the robotic arm to align the end effector housing, thereby facilitating engagement of the charging plug array and the complementary array of charging sockets.

2. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein, The end effector also includes a load sensor associated with a mounting bracket, the load sensor being configured to generate an engagement signal indicating strain associated with the engagement of the charging plug and the charging socket, thereby arranging a controller associated with the robotic arm to readjust the orientation of the end effector in response to the engagement signal when the strain indicated by the engagement signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. The end effector of claim 2, wherein the load sensor is configured to provide a signal confirming engagement of the charging plug array with the complementary array of the charging socket.

4. The end effector according to claim 3, wherein the load sensor comprises a force-torque sensor.

5. The end effector of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the end effector in a three-dimensional, four-dimensional, or six-dimensional manner.

6. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein: a) The two or more charging plugs are arranged in a manner that aligns them perpendicularly to each other; b) The two or more charging plugs are arranged in a manner that aligns them horizontally with each other; c) The four or more charging plugs are arranged in an array of xxy, where x≥2, y≥2; or d) Three or more charging outlets are arranged in a circular, triangular, or polygonal array (such as a hexagonal array).

7. The end effector of claim 1, wherein the housing is laterally offset from the end of the robotic arm so as not to obstruct the view or line of sight of the imaging device.

8. The end effector according to claim 2, wherein the upper and lower edges of the housing are equidistant from the load sensor.

9. The end effector of claim 1, wherein the end effector further comprises a nozzle in fluid communication with a compressed air source, wherein a controller associated with the robotic arm is arranged to drive the nozzle to spray compressed air into the charging socket to remove particles therein before the charging plug array engages with the complementary array of the charging socket.

10. A method for engaging two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: A first image of two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle is captured by an imaging device fixedly mounted on the end effector of a robotic arm. The first image indicates the pose of the array of two or more charging sockets. The pose of the charging socket array is used to determine the spatial relationship between the charging socket array and two or more charging plugs, which are held in a complementary rigid array so as to mate with the charging socket via the housing associated with the end effector; and Deploy the robotic arm to align with the housing to facilitate engagement of the rigid array of the charging plugs with the charging socket.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the deployment of the robotic arm comprises: By capturing multiple consecutive second images of two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle using an imaging device, and As the robotic arm approaches the electric vehicle, it aligns with the housing by using multiple consecutive second images to determine the continuous spatial relationship between the charging socket array and the housing.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises confirming engagement of the charging plug array with the complementary array of the charging socket by means of an engagement signal obtained from a load sensor disposed between the housing and the end of the robotic arm.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises controlling the robotic arm to readjust the orientation of the end effector in response to an engagement signal from the load sensor when the engagement signal indicates that the strain exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises directing a compressed air stream to the charging socket to remove particles therein before the charging plug array engages with the complementary array of the charging socket.

15. A computer program product having program code stored on a computer-readable medium for performing the method of simultaneously engaging two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle as described in claim 10.

16. An electric vehicle charging system, comprising: A charging unit for supplying power to the battery of an electric vehicle, the charging unit having two or more charging plugs that supply power to the battery of the electric vehicle when engaged with two or more charging sockets in the electric vehicle; and A robotic arm having an end effector as defined in claim 1, so as to allow two or more charging plugs to engage simultaneously with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle.

17. An electric vehicle charging station, comprising: A charging unit for supplying power to the battery of an electric vehicle, the charging unit having two or more charging plugs that supply power to the battery of the electric vehicle when engaged with two or more charging sockets on the electric vehicle; A robotic arm having an end effector as described in claim 1 to facilitate simultaneous engagement of the two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle; and Another housing for the charging unit and the robotic arm.

18. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 17, wherein the robotic arm is movable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, wherein in the retracted configuration the end effector and the robotic arm are disposed within another housing, and in the extended configuration at least a portion of the end effector and the robotic arm are disposed outside the other housing.

19. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 18, wherein the electric vehicle charging station is adjacent to a charging channel arranged to guide the electric vehicle in such a way that, when the robotic arm is in an extended configuration, two or more charging sockets disposed in the electric vehicle are within reach of the end effector of the robotic arm.

20. A manually operated device for facilitating the simultaneous engagement of two or more charging plugs with two or more complementary charging sockets of an electric vehicle, the device comprising a housing configured to hold two or more charging plugs in a rigid array to engage with a complementary array of two or more charging sockets of the electric vehicle; and a handle associated with the housing for a manual operator to grip and manipulate the device.

21. A manually operated electric vehicle charging system, comprising: A charging unit for providing power to the battery of an electric vehicle, the charging unit having two or more charging plugs that, when engaged with two or more charging sockets in the electric vehicle, can provide power to the battery of the electric vehicle; and A manual operating device for simultaneously engaging two or more charging plugs with two or more charging sockets of an electric vehicle, as described in claim 20.

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