FACILITY FOR SUPPLYING A CONSUMER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for supplying a consumer, namely a ship, the position of which cannot initially be determined precisely but can later be fixed essentially stationary on a harbor quay, with energy from a stationary supplier, with a movable carriage or slide which is connected to an arm which is movable between a first position and a second position and which has at least one plug part for connection to a power supply line of the ship, wherein the plug part is connected to the supplier via a power supply line.

[0002] Such a device is known from WO 2012 / 116919 A1. This device is a power supply device for a ship moored at a berth in a harbor. The guide device comprises a horizontally movable carriage arranged on land, to which a power supply line provided with a plug part is arranged for supplying the ship with electrical power. The power supply line is electrically connectable to a shore-based power supply network. A plug-side section of the power supply line is arranged on the carriage so that it can be moved vertically via an arm.

[0003] Using the horizontally movable carriage or sled, the section of the power supply line fitted with the plug can be variably positioned, for example, along the ship's berth and also along a ship moored at the berth. This means that the section of the power supply line fitted with the plug can be moved to the point on the berth where it is needed for the ship moored there. This is particularly advantageous because a wide variety of ships can dock at a port's berth, differing in size and design, for example. For each of these ships, the power supply line fitted with the plug and leading from the consumer may be needed at a different point along the berth.The carriage, which can be moved on a suitable guide device that can also accommodate the supplier-side section of the power supply line, prevents the supplier-side section of the power supply line from lying loose and unprotected on or at the ship's berth over long distances.

[0004] Due to the high voltage applied to ships, connecting the plug part connected to the supplier's power supply line to the consumer's power supply line poses the risk of arc ignition and a resulting explosion, which could cause hot gases to escape into a space occupied by people and / or containing flammable objects. In particular, such an arc explosion can endanger people and flammable objects, such as vehicles, on the quayside of a ship's berth.

[0005] From DE 10 2009 006 982 A1 a charging system for charging an energy source of a means of transport is known, which in one embodiment supplies the means of transport with energy from a stationary charging device or in another embodiment from a movable charging device.

[0006] The charging device comprises a robot unit with a robot arm for automatically connecting the charging device to an interface of the consumer-side energy source. The interface can be designed as a plug-in contact. The plug-in contact can be protected from contamination by a protective device. The protective device, which is designed in particular as a sliding protective flap, can be removed, in particular pushed aside, by the robot unit before a charging process.

[0007] WO 2015 / 104080 A1 discloses an electrical charging device for charging a vehicle battery from a stationary power source, comprising a lifting device to which a charging head having a plurality of electrical contacts is coupled. The lifting device comprises a slider with an internal thread, which interacts with a guide having an external thread and is driven by an actuator and is movable along the guide. The slider is connected to an arm movable between a first position and a second position, which arm carries the charging head at its free end. The contacts of the charging head can be protected by a cover suspended from the charging head by springs, wherein when the charging head is pressed against a guide device of the vehicle's electrical connection device, the cover is automatically pushed back to expose the electrical contacts.

[0008] US Pat. No. 5,306,999 A also discloses an electric charging station for an electric vehicle. The charging station has a movable arm with an electrical connector arranged at its free end, with contacts for connection to corresponding contacts of the electric vehicle. The connector is connected to the charging station via a power supply line guided in the arm. The arm can be moved between the charging station and a position in which the contacts of the connector are connected to the corresponding contacts of the vehicle.

[0009] US Pat. No. 5,385,480 A discloses a device for supplying an electric vehicle with electrical energy, comprising a plug connected to a movable power supply line of a supplier, said plug having electrical contacts for connection to corresponding electrical contacts in a receptacle of the vehicle. The plug is designed to be manually inserted into the receptacle using a handle. The plug and the vehicle-side receptacle each have a cover to protect the electrical contacts. The cover only exposes the contacts of the plug and the receptacle when the plug is fully inserted into the receptacle and the contacts are connected to one another.

[0010] WO 2011 / 104422 A1 discloses a charging arrangement for an electric vehicle, in which the vehicle-side socket used for charging is housed on a movable base frame that can be moved between an extended position and an inner position. A protective cover is mechanically coupled to the base frame such that, when the base frame is in the inner position, a protective cover conceals the socket and a plug connected to it. This design is intended for electric vehicles and is not readily suitable for supplying electricity to ships. In particular, it cannot adequately protect against possible arcing between the plug part of the supplier-side power supply line and the connected consumer-side power supply line.

[0011] From WO 2017 / 129572 A1, a device for docking a watercraft to a pier is known, wherein the device has a plug part connected to a supplier-side power supply line for connection to a consumer-side connection of the watercraft.The present invention is based on the object of providing a device for supplying a ship which largely protects a space at risk for persons and flammable objects from the effects of a possible arc ignition between the plug part of the supplier-side power supply line and the consumer-side power supply line connected to the plug part and at the same time considerably facilitates handling for operators.

[0012] According to the invention, this object is achieved according to claim 1 in that a housing is arranged on the movable arm connected to the movable carriage or slide in the region of the free end of the arm, into which housing the energy supply line on the supplier side is led and is guided to the plug part, which is designed as a plug part protruding from the housing and in that a cover part, which is designed as a flap, is pivotally mounted on the housing, and the cover part, which is movable with the movement of the arm, is arranged in such a way that in the first position of the arm it at least partially covers the plug part and in the second position of the arm it exposes the plug part for connection to the energy supply line on the consumer side.

[0013] By means of the cover part, which in the first position of the arm covers the plug part both without its connection to the consumer-side power supply line and when connected to the consumer-side power supply line in the same way, a hazardous area, e.g. on a quayside of a ship's berth, can be shielded against a possible arc ignition between the plug part and the consumer-side power supply line in the first position of the arm.

[0014] In the first position of the arm, the arm can be in a ready position in which the plug part is not connected to a consumer-side power supply line. With the arm in this position, the carriage or slide can be moved to the location where the consumer is located and the consumer-side power supply line can be fed to the device for supplying the consumer. From this first position, the arm connected to the carriage or slide can be moved to its second position in which the cover part exposes the plug part, whereupon the consumer-side power supply line can be connected to the plug part. After the consumer-side power supply line has been connected to the plug part, the arm with the consumer-side power supply line can be moved from its second position to the first position in which the cover part at least partially covers the plug part.In this position, the arm is then in its operating position, in which the consumer can be supplied with energy by the fixed supplier.

[0015] The cover part can be arranged on the arm in its first position so that it covers the plug part in the direction away from the consumer and preferably also in both directions of travel of the carriage or slide.

[0016] In its second position, the arm is preferably arranged such that the plug part is easily accessible to an operator located on a stationary base surface relative to which the carriage or slide is movable, so that he or she can easily connect, in particular, a consumer-side power supply line having a greater weight and thickness to the plug part.

[0017] The cover part can have a wall facing away from the consumer, with which it covers the plug part in the first position of the arm. Furthermore, the cover part can have side walls adjoining its wall facing away from the consumer, facing in the direction of the travel path of the carriage or slide, which, together with the wall facing away from the consumer, cover the plug part in the first position of the arm.

[0018] The cover part can be locked to the arm in the first position.

[0019] The movement of the cover part can be coupled to the movement of the arm between its first and second position, in particular by a mechanical coupling between the cover part and the arm.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the arm is pivotable between its first position and its second position, wherein the pivot axis can be arranged horizontally and parallel to the travel path of the carriage or slide.

[0021] The carriage or sled can be arranged in a shaft in the stationary base area, e.g. a quay, so that the arm connected to the carriage or sled can be arranged in its second position substantially horizontally, but at least at an angle of less than 30°, in particular less than 20°, to the horizontal for the purpose of easy accessibility of the plug part by an operator.

[0022] If it is an energy supply device for a ship lying at a berth in a port, the carriage or sledge is preferably arranged in a guide device attached to the quay wall on the ship's side, so that the arm connected to the carriage or sledge can also be arranged in its second position substantially horizontally, but at least at an angle of less than 30°, in particular less than 20°, to the horizontal at a height above the quay that is easily accessible to an operator.

[0023] In its first position, the arm can be pivoted out from its second position such that the plug part is arranged higher than in the second position of the arm. In its first position, the arm can be arranged at an angle greater than 60°, in particular greater than 70°, to the horizontal. In this position, the carriage or slide, together with the arm, takes up a relatively small space extending horizontally and perpendicular to the travel path of the carriage or slide. On the stationary base surface, e.g. a quay, the carriage or slide, together with the arm, therefore takes up a relatively small space in its first position, hardly restricting the freedom of movement of people and vehicles located there.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover part can be designed as a flap which can be pivoted on the arm about an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the arm, wherein the axis is arranged at a distance from the plug part in the direction of the free end of the arm.

[0025] When the arm is in its first position, preferably approximately vertical, the flap can also be in a vertical pivot position. The wall facing away from the consumer and the side walls of the flap facing in the direction of travel of the carriage or slide can then also be vertical.

[0026] By coupling the pivoting movement of the flap with the pivoting movement of the arm, the flap can be pivoted away from the arm when the arm pivots from its first position to the second position, so that the connector part is exposed in the second position of the arm. The flap can also be in a vertical position in the second position of the arm.

[0027] The arm and the flap can be designed in such a way that the flap, in the second position of the arm in which it is pivoted away from the arm, is supported on a stationary base surface, e.g. the quay of a ship's berth.

[0028] The flap can have a preferably substantially rectangular wall facing away from the consumer and laterally adjoining, preferably substantially rectangular, side walls facing in the direction of the carriage or sled's travel path. The flap can then protect a vulnerable spatial area away from the consumer and laterally from the effects of an arc explosion in the connection area between the plug part and the consumer-side power supply line. When the device according to the invention is used to supply power to a ship moored at a quay in a port, this design of the flap provides protection perpendicular to the carriage's or sled's travel path toward the quay and in both directions of the travel path.

[0029] The wall facing away from the consumer and, where appropriate, the side walls of the flap may be arranged substantially perpendicular to the arm in the second position of the arm.

[0030] The flap can be coupled to the arm by a lever mechanism such that it is pivoted simultaneously by the pivoting movement of the arm between its first and second positions.

[0031] For this purpose, the lever mechanism can have an articulated rod which is pivotably mounted on the flap in one of its end regions and pivotably mounted on a lever arm which is fixedly connected to the carriage or slide and points away from the consumer in its other end region.

[0032] A cable duct extending along the arm can be arranged on or in the arm, in which the at least one power supply line is arranged in the region of the arm.

[0033] The arm can be plate-shaped, with the cable duct arranged on the arm.

[0034] In particular, a cable duct can be arranged in the area of ​​one of the two long sides of the arm.

[0035] The cable duct can be designed to be flexible in the pivoting direction, at least in the area of ​​the pivoting connection of the arm to the carriage or slide.

[0036] A housing is located near the free end of the arm, into which the power supply cable is routed and connected to a plug portion extending from the housing toward the consumer. The cable duct can terminate at the housing.

[0037] In the first position of the arm, the cover part can be flush with the housing on the side facing away from the consumer, the sides facing in the direction of the carriage or slide's travel path, and the side facing away from the carriage or slide. Thus, in the first position of the arm, the cover part and the housing form a largely closed cover of the plug part in the direction facing away from the consumer, as well as in the lateral direction of the carriage or slide's travel path and in the direction of the arm facing away from the carriage or slide. Hot gases generated by arc ignition can thus be diverted into a safe space.

[0038] The cover part, designed as a flap, is pivotably mounted on the housing.

[0039] The energy supply line on the supplier side can be laid in an area between the stationary supplier and the carriage or slide in at least one energy guide chain, which has a first connection arranged stationary to the supplier and a second connection arranged on the carriage or slide, from which the energy supply line is guided via at least one cable duct to the pivotable arm.

[0040] The energy guiding chain can have a first strand connected to the first connection and a second strand connected to the second connection, which are connected to each other via a deflection region. The two strands can be arranged one above the other, with the lower strand preferably connected to the first connection and the upper strand preferably connected to the second connection.

[0041] The energy guiding chain can be arranged in a guide device, particularly one that is trough-shaped. When using the device according to the invention for a ship moored at a quay in a port, the guide device with the energy guiding chain can be arranged on the side of the quay wall facing the ship.

[0042] Alternatively, the guide device with the energy chain can also be arranged in a shaft provided in a stationary base, relative to which the carriage or sled is movable, e.g., a quayside of a port. The guide device can also be arranged on the stationary base, e.g., a quayside of a port.

[0043] An embodiment of the present invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawing. In the drawing: Fig. 1: a frontal plan view of a device for supplying a consumer, wherein the arm connected to the carriage or slide with the plug part is in its second position, with a first position and an intermediate position shown in dashed lines, Fig. 2: a perspective plan view of the device for supplying a consumer according to Fig. 1 , wherein the arm connected to the carriage or slide is in its second position, and Fig. 3: a perspective top view of the device for supplying a consumer according to Fig. 1 , with the arm connected to the carriage or sled in its first position.

[0044] As can be seen from the drawing, the device 1 for supplying a consumer (not shown in the drawing), whose position cannot initially be precisely determined but can later be essentially fixed, comprises a movable carriage or slide 2 connected to a pivotable arm 3. The arm has at least one plug part 4 for connection to a power supply line 5 of the consumer, wherein the plug part 4 is connected to the stationary supplier (not shown in the drawing) via a power supply line 6.

[0045] As is particularly evident from Fig. 1As can be seen, the arm 3 connected to the carriage or slide 2 can be pivoted between a first position 7 and a second position 8. On the arm 3, in the region of its free end, a cover part 9 is arranged which can be pivoted with the pivoting movement of the arm 3 and whose pivoting movement is coupled to the pivoting movement of the arm 3 in such a way that the cover part 9 at least partially covers the plug part 4 in the first position 7 of the arm 3 and in the second position 8 of the arm 3 the plug part 4 is exposed for connection to the consumer-side power supply line 5.

[0046] The carriage or slide 2 is perpendicular to the drawing plane of the Fig. 1movable in both directions. The axis about which the arm 3 connected to the carriage or slide 2 can be pivoted is arranged parallel to the travel path of the carriage or slide 2. As can also be seen from the drawing, the arm 3 is arranged substantially vertically in its first position 7 and substantially horizontally in its second position 8.

[0047] At the Fig. 1 In the intermediate position of the pivotable arm 3 shown, the consumer-side power supply line 5 is not shown for the sake of clarity of the drawing.

[0048] In the exemplary embodiment considered, the arm 3 can be pivoted via a hydraulic drive 10 which engages in an articulated manner on a hood-shaped cover 11 of the carriage or slide 2 and on a fork-shaped web 12 arranged on the arm 3 at its end region opposite the free end.

[0049] The cover part 9 is designed as a flap 13, which is pivotable on the arm 3 about an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the arm 3, wherein the axis is arranged at a distance from the plug part 4 in the direction of the free end of the arm 3. As can be seen from the drawing, the flap 13 has a substantially rectangular wall 14 facing away from the consumer and, laterally adjoining it, substantially rectangular side walls 15, 16 facing in the direction of the travel path of the carriage or slide 2. The flap can thus protect a hazardous spatial area, which according to the drawing is a quay for a ship (consumer) to be berthed there, away from the consumer and laterally from the effects of a possible arc explosion in the connection area between the plug part 4 and the consumer-side power supply line 5.

[0050] In the vertical position of the arm 3 in its first position 7, the flap 13 is also in its vertical pivoting position, with the wall 14 facing away from the consumer and the side surfaces 15, 16 of the flap 13 facing in the direction of travel of the carriage or slide 2 also running vertically. The flap 13 is, as can be seen in particular from Fig. 1 , is coupled to the arm 3 by a lever mechanism 17 in such a way that it is pivoted simultaneously by the pivoting movement of the arm 3 between its first position 7 and second position 8. The lever mechanism 17 has an articulated rod 18, which is pivotably arranged on the flap 13 in one of its end regions and pivotably arranged on a lever arm 19 which is fixedly connected to the carriage or slide 2 and points away from the consumer.

[0051] As in particular the Figures 2 and 3show, the arm 3 is plate-shaped, with a cable duct 20 being located in the region of one of the two long sides of the plate-shaped arm 3, in each of which an arm-side region of the power supply line 6 is arranged.

[0052] The two cable ducts 20 are, as can be seen in particular from the Figures 2 and 3 is designed to be flexible in the pivoting direction of the arm 3.

[0053] In the area of ​​the free end of the arm 3, a housing 21 is arranged, into which the cable ducts 20 end and the area of ​​the power supply line 6 arranged therein is guided to the plug part 4 projecting on the housing 21 in the direction of the consumer.

[0054] The flap 13 is pivotably mounted on the housing 21. As in Fig. 3As shown, in the first position 7 of the arm 3, the flap 13 closes with the housing 21 on the side facing away from the consumer, the sides facing in the direction of the travel path of the carriage or slide 2 and the side facing away from the carriage or slide 2 with the housing 21, without any significant gaps being created between the flap 13 and the housing 21 on these sides, through which hot gases generated in the event of a possible arc ignition can escape in the aforementioned directions. Such hot gases generated by an arc ignition can thus be diverted into a safe space, in the present example between the quay wall 22 and the ship (not shown in the drawing). It should be noted that in this example, the ship is spaced far enough from the quay wall 22 by means of folders (not shown in the drawing) that the carriage or slide 2 and its guide device are not touched by the ship.

[0055] The supplier-side power supply line 6 is laid in the area between the stationary supplier and the carriage or slide 2 in a power guide chain 23, which has a first connection (not shown in the drawing) fixed to the supplier and a second connection 24 arranged on the carriage or slide 2, from which the power supply line 6 is guided via at least one cable duct 25 to the pivotable arm 3. The power guide chain 23 has a lower run 26 connected to the first connection and an upper run 27 connected to the second connection 24, which are connected to one another via a deflection region. The power guide chain 23 is arranged in a guide trough 28, which also guides the carriage or slide 2, connected to the second connection 24, along its travel path on rollers 29. The guide trough is arranged stationary on brackets 30 on the quay wall 22.

[0056] Due to the guide channel 28 attached to the side of the quay wall 22 with the carriage or slide 2 arranged thereon, the pivot axis of the arm 3 is arranged relatively low with respect to the base surface 31 of the quay, so that the arm 3, in its second, essentially horizontal position with the plug part 4, is easily accessible to an operator located on the quay. In the second position 8 of the arm 3, the flap 13 is supported by one or more support elements 32 on the base surface 31 of the quay. The plug part 4 can be connected by the operator to the consumer-side power supply line 5 and the connection can be locked by a locking mechanism 33. Likewise, after the power supply to the consumer has been terminated, the consumer-side power supply line 5 can be detached from the plug part 4 in the second position 8 of the arm 3 by releasing the lock.

[0057] Furthermore, a locking device (not shown in the drawing) is provided on the arm 3 and the flap 13, with which the flap 13 can be locked to the arm 3 in the first position 7 of the arm 3, so that in the event of an arc explosion between the plug part 4 and the consumer-side power supply line 5 connected to the plug part 4, the flap 13 cannot be swung open by the explosion pressure. List of reference symbols

[0058] 1Device 2Slide 3Arm 4Connector 5Power supply line 6Power supply line 7First position 8Second position 9Cover 10Hydraulic drive 11Cover 12Bridge 13Flap 14Wall 15Side surface 16Side surface 17Lever mechanism 18Joint rod 19Lever arm 20Cable duct 21Housing 22Quay wall 23Cable guide chain 24Second connection 25Cable duct 26Lower run 27Upper run 28Guide trough 29Roller 30Console 31Base surface 32Support element 33Locking mechanism

Claims

1. A device (1) for supplying a consumer, namely a ship, the position of which initially cannot be exactly determined but which can later be substantially stationarily fixed at a quay of a ship berthing dock, with electrical power from a stationary power supply comprising a displaceable carriage or slide (2) connected to an arm (3) which is moveable between a first position (7) and a second position (8) and which has at least one plug connector part (4) for connection to a power supply line (5) of the ship, wherein the plug connector part (4) is connected to the power supply by way of a power supply line (6), characterised in - that on the arm (3), in a region of a free end of the arm (3), a housing (21) is arranged into which the power supply-side second power supply line (6) is passed and is guided to the plug connector part (4), which is arranged to be projecting from the housing (21), and - that a cover part (9), which is in the form of a flap (13), is mounted pivotably to the housing (21) and is arranged moveable with the movement of the arm and - that the cover part in the first position (7) of the arm (3) at least partially covers the plug connector part (4) and in the second position (8) of the arm (3) exposes the plug connector part (4) for connection to the ship-side power supply line (5).

2. A device (1) according to claim 1 characterised in that in its second position (8) the arm (3) is so arranged that the plug connector part (4) is easily accessible to an operator disposed on a stationary base surface (31), relative to which the carriage or slide (2) is displaceable.

3. A device (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the cover part (9) has a wall (14) directed away from the ship and side walls (15, 16) which laterally adjoin the wall (14) and which face in the direction of the path of travel of the carriage or slide (2) and which cover the plug connector part (4) in the first position (7) of the arm (3).

4. A device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the cover part (9) can be locked and unlocked in the first position (7) of the arm (3).

5. A device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the movement of the cover part (9) is coupled to the movement of the arm (3) between its first position (7) and its second position (8), in particular by a mechanical coupling between the cover part (9) and the arm (3).

6. A device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the arm (3) is pivotable between the first position (7) and the second position (8).

7. A device (1) according to claim 6 characterised in that the axis about which the arm (3) is pivotable extends horizontally and parallel to the path of travel of the carriage or slide (2).

8. A device (1) according to claim 6 or claim 7 characterised in that in its second position (8) the arm (3) is arranged substantially horizontally, but at least at an angle of less than 30°, in particular less than 20°, relative to the horizontal.

9. A device (1) according to one of claims 6 to 8 characterised in that in its first position the arm (3) is arranged substantially vertically, but at least at an angle of greater than 60°, in particular greater than 70°, with respect to the horizontal.

10. A device (1) according to one of claims 6 to 9 characterised in that the cover part (9) is in the form of a flap (13) pivotable on the arm (3) about an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the arm, wherein the axis is arranged at a spacing from the plug part (4) in a direction towards the free end of the arm (3).

11. A device (1) according to claim 10 characterised in that in a vertical position of the arm (3) in its first position (7) the flap (13) is also in a vertical pivotal position.

12. A device (1) according to claim 10 or claim 11 characterised in that in the second position (8) of the arm (3) the flap (13) is in a vertical pivotal position.

13. A device (1) according to one of claims 10 to 12 characterised in that the arm (3) and the flap (13) are of such a configuration that the flap (13) is supported on a stationary base surface (31) in the second position (8) of the arm (3).

14. A device (1) according to claim 3 and one of claims 10 to 13 characterised in that the wall (14) facing away from the ship and the side walls (15, 16) of the flap (13), that adjoin the wall (14), are arranged substantially perpendicularly to the arm (3) in the second position (8) of the arm (3).

15. A device (1) according to one of claims 10 to 14 characterised in that the flap (13) is coupled to the arm (3) by a lever mechanism (17) in such a way that it is simultaneously also pivoted by the pivotal movement of the arm (3) between its first position (7) and its second position (8).

16. A device (1) according to one of claims 10 to 15 characterised in that the arm (3) is of a plate-shaped configuration and arranged on the arm (3) is a cable passage (20) which extends along the arm (3) and in which the at least one power supply-side power supply line (6) is arranged in the region of the arm (3), wherein the cable passage (20) is of a flexurally flexible configuration in the pivotal direction at least in the region of the pivotal connection of the arm (3) to the carriage or slide (2).

17. A device (1) according to claim 1 characterised in that the cover part (9) in the first position (7) of the arm (3) terminates with the housing (21) at the side directed away from the ship, the sides facing in the direction of the path of travel of the carriage or slide (2) and the side facing away from the carriage or slide (2).

18. A device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 17 characterised in that the power supply-side power supply line (6) in a region between the stationary power supply and the carriage or slide (2) is guided in at least one energy guide chain (23) which has a first connection arranged stationarily relative to the power supply and a second connection (24) arranged at the carriage or slide (2), from which the power supply line (6) is guided by way of at least one cable passage (25) towards the moveable arm (3).