ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an energy transmission system according to the features of claim 1.

[0002] US Patent 3,604,381A discloses a power transmission system for watercraft in which a cable is located on board the vessel and can be extended and retracted via powered pulleys to supply the vessel with shore power. The connection to the shore power supply must be made manually.

[0003] German patent application DE 10 2019 214 552 A1 discloses a charging station for charging an electrical energy storage device of a road vehicle, which has a two-part overhead contact line system with a pantograph having at least one lifting and lowering contact strip per contact pole. The charging station comprises at least two charging contacts per contact pole, which are arranged above a charging position for the road vehicle and side by side in such a way that at least two contact points can be established between the contact strip and the charging contacts for each contact pole. This allows higher charging currents to be transmitted, which reduces the charging time for the energy storage device.

[0004] CN 110 562 401 A discloses an energy transmission system for supplying a watercraft from land via a vertical contact strip running along the watercraft.

[0005] Watercraft, such as ferries, are supplied with shore power after docking. Relative movements between the shore and water-side units must be compensated for to prevent damage to the shore power supply. Typically, one system is passive and the other active, meaning it is mobile and can compensate for these relative movements. Furthermore, there is a desire for easy connection of these systems, ideally without complicated plug connections. Such connections should be quick to establish and just as quick to disconnect. These power transmission systems must be robust, compact, and capable of transmitting high currents.

[0006] The invention is based on the objective of demonstrating an energy transmission system that meets these requirements.

[0007] The invention solves this problem by means of an energy transmission system with the features of claim 1.

[0008] The dependent claims relate to advantageous further developments of the invention.

[0009] The energy transmission system according to the invention for a watercraft provides that vertically extending conductor rails are arranged on the watercraft, with an active contacting system located on land. The watercraft, with its vertically extending conductor rails (i.e., perpendicular to the water surface), is the passive system of the energy transmission system. It is contacted from land via an active contacting system. For this purpose, the land-side contacting system has a movable arm and, at the end of the arm, a contact unit that can be pressed horizontally against the conductor rails from the land. The movement of the arm is achieved via a driven mechanism that ensures a constant contact force is established between the contact unit and the conductor rail.According to the invention, the contact unit has several contact bodies arranged successively in the longitudinal direction of the busbars, which are flexibly mounted independently of one another in the contact direction on the busbars.

[0010] The multiple contact bodies belong to the same current-carrying conductor. Because several contact surfaces of the individual contact bodies are arranged one above the other for each current-carrying conductor, the overall contact surface adapts much better to the busbar. The contact surfaces or contact bodies are mounted independently and flexibly, allowing them to retract separately when a certain restoring force is exceeded. They align themselves individually with the ship's busbar, resulting in more contact points than a single, monolithic contact surface of the same size. Due to the higher number of contact points, more current can be transmitted with the same overall dimensions.

[0011] The energy transmission system according to the invention takes into account that the contact surfaces between the busbars and a contact unit have a certain macroscopic unevenness due to manufacturing processes and also due to wear, i.e., operational factors. The surface of the contact unit therefore has three points through which it is pressed statically and stably against the busbar. Thus, there are always three contact points between two contacting land- and water-side contact surfaces. The entire current flows through these three contact points. In the invention, the land-side contact surface is divided into individual contact bodies, each with a smaller partial contact area, wherein each individual contact body is flexibly mounted, so that each individual contact body has three contact points with its partial contact area.This allows a larger amount of current to be transmitted with the same overall contact area size, without exceeding the permissible current density in the material of the contact body.

[0012] The term "landside" includes installations that are associated with the landside, i.e., located on land, including floating installations attached to land, such as a floating pier or a floating supply unit.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, all contact elements are configured identically. They define a common contact surface, particularly in a common plane, from which they can be independently displaced upon contact with the busbar in order to bring themselves into a statically stable three-point contact. The contact elements extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the busbar and are preferably also wider than the busbar. The vertically oriented busbar compensates for fluctuations in the vertical direction, for example, during the loading of a ferry or due to tidal movement. The contact force is ensured and maintained by the mechanism of the movable arm. For secure contact, the individual contact elements need only be able to displace a few centimeters, preferably less than 30 mm, to ensure static stability and thus reliable contact with the busbar.

[0014] Preferably, at least three contact bodies are arranged one above the other for each current-carrying conductor. Preferably, five contact bodies are provided for each current-carrying conductor. Half the number of contact bodies for conductors P1 and P2 is sufficient for the neutral conductor (PE). If there is an odd number of contact bodies per conductor (e.g., five), three contact bodies are used for the neutral conductor; that is, the number of contact bodies for the neutral conductor is rounded up.

[0015] The arm with the end-mounted contact unit preferably has a gimbal bearing over which the contact unit is held. The gimbal bearing compensates for any rolling of the watercraft around its longitudinal axis. The individual contact elements within the contact unit no longer need to be gimbal-mounted. Preferably, they are only movable in a single common direction, i.e., only in the contact direction. All contact elements are movable parallel to each other. In a practical embodiment, the contact elements are connected to a counterpart of the contact unit via fastening bolts on their rear sides. This connection is translational, with the fastening bolts being fixed to the contact element and able to move relative to the counterpart. For return to the original position, a restoring force is provided between the rear sides of the contact elements and the contact unit.The restoring force is preferably generated by spring elements, in particular by one or more compression springs. The spring elements can be arranged between the rear faces of the contact bodies and the contact unit. Since the contact bodies preferably have a significantly larger width than the busbars, it is provided that the individual contact bodies are guided within the contact unit by at least two mounting bolts spaced apart from each other. To prevent jamming, it is provided that the mounting bolts are preferably guided in guide sleeves of the contact unit. It is also advantageous to arrange several spring elements between the contact body and the mating part. Two spring elements are advantageous, and these should preferably be arranged adjacent to the mounting bolts. In particular, the mounting bolts pass through the spring elements. This holds and guides the spring elements.The guide sleeve for the fastening bolts also serves to center the spring elements.

[0016] The energy transmission system according to the invention has the advantage that complex plug connections are unnecessary. The passive ship-side system with the busbars is preferably integrated into the ship's structure. The active, shore-side system serves not only for contacting but also for cable management and represents a multi-contact interface for power transmission between land and ship. To protect against external influences, an enclosure can be provided on the shore side, into which the retractable arm can be retracted when not in use. The enclosure can have a closable opening that opens when the arm is extended. The opening can be closed, for example, with a roller shutter.

[0017] The energy transmission system according to the invention has a simple, exceptionally robust design. The movable nature of the individual contact elements ensures that each contact element makes three-point contact, so that the permissible current density in the materials used is never exceeded. More current can be transmitted over the same contact area with the same or smaller dimensions. The position of the partial contact surfaces adjusts automatically, even in the case of a slightly moving watercraft.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment.

[0019] The Figure 1Figure 1 shows a vertically extending conductor rail 1, which is attached to a watercraft (not shown in detail). On the shore side, there is an active contacting system 2 with a movable arm 3 (shown only schematically), at the end of which, pointing towards the conductor rail 1, a contact unit 4 is arranged. The contact unit 4 has several contact bodies 5 arranged one above the other in the longitudinal direction L of the conductor rail 1, i.e., in the vertical direction. All contact bodies 5 are identically configured. Together, they define a shore-side contact surface of the energy transmission system 11. They have a cuboid cross-section and are significantly wider than the narrow conductor rail 1. Figure 2 It shows the relative sizes to some extent.

[0020] The arm 3 is designed to press the contact unit 4 against the busbar 1 under a defined contact force. This can be a multi-phase system, in particular a three-phase system. The contact unit 4 then has three groups of the illustrated independently movable contact elements 5, the three groups being electrically insulated from each other.

[0021] The contact bodies 5 have back surfaces 6 into which mounting bolts 7 are inserted. These are, in particular, screw bolts. The mounting bolts 7 are guided linearly in guide sleeves 8 of the contact unit 4. Each of the contact bodies 5 can therefore retract independently of the other contact bodies 5 against the contact direction A when pressed against the busbar by means of a translational movement. The contact direction A is perpendicular to the busbar 1 because the contact unit 4 is gimbal-mounted relative to the arm 3. A force transmitted from the arm 3 to the contact unit 4 is directed against the busbar, but due to the gimbal mounting, no subsequent correction of the force direction is necessary.

[0022] The return of the contact bodies 5 to their initial position as shown, i.e., when they are not pressed against the busbar 1, is effected by spring elements 9, which are located between the rear surfaces 6 of the contact bodies 5 and a counterpart 12 of the contact unit 4. The mounting bolts 7 extend longitudinally through the spring elements 9. Each contact body 5 is held by two mounting bolts 7, though this is not shown in detail. The mounting bolts 7 each have a widened head 10, which holds the individual contact bodies 5 against the counterpart 12 under the influence of the spring force and always presses them into the initial position shown when unloaded. When loaded, the individual contact bodies 5 spring back independently. This results in significantly more contact points P, as illustrated by example in the Figure 2This is indicated. With theoretically three contact points P per contact body 5, fifteen contact points P result for the entire contact area shown, so that larger currents can be transmitted without exceeding the maximum current density of the materials used. Reference symbol:

[0023] 1 - Busbar 2 - Contacting system 3 - Arm 4 - Contact unit 5 - Contact body 6 - Back 7 - Mounting bolt 8 - Guide sleeve 9 - Spring element 10 - Head 11 - Power transmission system 12 - Counterpart A - Pressing direction L - Longitudinal direction of 1 P - Contact point

Claims

1. An energy transfer system (11) for a watercraft, characterized in that vertically extending busbars (1) are disposed on the watercraft, wherein an active contact system (2) is disposed on land, which has a displaceable arm (3) and at the end of the arm (3) a contact unit (4) which can be pressed horizontally against the busbars (1) from land, wherein the contact unit (4) has a plurality of contact bodies (5) following one another in the longitudinal direction (L) of the busbars (1), which contact bodies are resiliently mounted independently of one another in the pressing direction (A) on the busbars (L).

2. The energy transfer system (11) according to claim 1, characterized in that all contact bodies (5) are configured identically and define a common contact surface from which they can be displaced independently of one another upon contact with the busbar (1).

3. The energy transfer system (11) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact bodies (5) extend transversely to the longitudinal direction (L) of the busbar (1), wherein the contact bodies (5) are wider than the busbar (1).

4. The energy transfer system (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least three contact bodies (5) are disposed one above the other for each current-carrying conductor.

5. The energy transfer system (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contact bodies (5) are displaceable in a single direction within the contact unit (4).

6. The energy transfer system (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the contact bodies (5) are connected to the contact unit (4) at their rear sides (6) via fastening bolts (7), wherein spring elements (9) are disposed between the rear sides (6) and a counterpart (12) of the contact unit (4).

7. The energy transfer system (11) according to claim 6, characterized in that the fastening bolts (7) are guided in guide sleeves (8) of the contact unit (4).

8. The energy transfer system (11) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that each contact body (5) is supported on the counterpart (12) of the contact unit (4) via at least two spring elements (9).

9. The energy transfer system (11) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the fastening bolts (7) pass through the spring elements (9).