Safe "low voltage" sliding conductive connection devices and associated methods for static and dynamic charging of electric vehicles

Abstract

A conductive, dynamic and static connection device for the electrical supply of an electric propulsion vehicle, comprising one current collector mounted on the vehicle and one fixed conduit with a vertical slot opening into a cavity in the conduit to accommodate the current collector vertically or horizontally, the cavity having an electrical contact surface connected to the power source, the contact surface being recessed so as not to be directly accessible through the slot; the conductive supply consists of at least three conductors, one of which is "earth", the width "L" of the vertical slot in the fixed conduit is less than 12 mm to prevent fingers from entering the slot, and when the current collector enters the conduit vertically, the current collector consists of two current shoe assemblies joined on a longitudinal horizontal axis, the rotation about the longitudinal horizontal axis being less than 60 degrees between the vertical take-off position and the contact position.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of international application PCT / IB2022 / 059996, filed on October 18, 2022 and published on April 27, 2023 under WO 2023 / 067496 A1, which has foreign priority application FR2111004, filed on October 18, 2021 and published under BOPI 23 / 17 under 3.128.415. する " バイパス " is a continuation-in-part application, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an electric skid pavement conductive connection device for static and dynamic charging of electric vehicles.

[0003] The electrification of cars, light vehicles, commercial vehicles, buses and heavy trucks faces the challenge of charging the batteries of these vehicles via an electrical connection, which requires a) immobilizing the vehicle and b) installing cables to manually connect a power source to the on-board battery charger. [Background technology]

[0004] In international application PCT / IB2021 / 051187 (subject of publication WO 2021 / 161247), the applicant proposed a highly automated circulation mode for electric vehicles with a SELV (safety extra-low voltage) dynamic conductive power supply limited to 120 volts DC, but this configuration generates too high an amperage to supply fast charging for larger vehicles, especially for city buses at bus stops.

[0005] The invention provides a new solution for connecting low-voltage vehicles (low voltage < 1,000 Volts AC and 1,500 Volts DC) from a fixed power source. This solution comprises a road conduit that serves as an elongated socket, allows dynamic and static charging, and on the one hand has an elongated slot on its upper surface, the width of which is narrower than the safety standard, which prevents fingers from entering the slot, currently set at 12 mm in Europe (IEC 60529). On the other hand it has a special shape that allows the elongated contact surface under voltage to be placed on an inclined overhang in the cavity, further preventing accidental access to the "hot" surface. This continuous elongated socket is suitable for installation in traffic lanes of motorways and highways where the presence of people is limited but not prohibited, as well as for installations with limited length in parking lots and charging stations. In addition, the invention allows the vehicle-mounted collector to enter the elongated socket above ground. - Vertical for dynamic charging from continuous socket, - Connects horizontally and vertically to length-limited sockets for static charging.

[0006] Previous technology low voltage power configurations with grounded conduits had limitations in terms of electrical protection and power supply capability on busy public roads, including truck traffic: - US 5,960,717 and US 2006 / 0286830 disclose conduits with flexible cover flaps to close the upper slots with different levels of protection, but this is not a viable solution in terms of wear for high levels of traffic on public roads. - US 2,068,403 discloses an elastically flexible track for an electric toy car that uses SELV (Safety Extra Low Voltage) which does not provide an electrical protection solution for low voltage supplies. - US 10,981,459 discloses a charging trough with power transfer blades that offer no electrical protection whatsoever, limiting use on public roads to SELV (Safety Extra Low Voltage) power supplies. - US 2008 / 0105509 and CN102,152,746 disclose vehicle mounted collectors that include separate sub-collectors enclosed within a conduit, which are not suitable for private traffic vehicles on public roads. - CN102,152,746, US 2013 / 0025989, US 8,794,410, US 2015 / 0041273 and DE10 2014 223940 disclose power control systems that energize conductive strips contained in a conduit when an electric vehicle is detected and cut off the voltage when no electric vehicle is present, resulting in limited strip length (1-12 metres), individual power cables and a large number of high power switches (83-1,000 per km) embedded in the pavement.

[0007] There is therefore a need to determine the dimensions of a pavement water supply pipe that meets the electrical protection requirements for installation on a public road without the need for complex and expensive power switching systems from a fixed power source. - US 4,129,203 discloses a more practical connection system for ground power supply, but does not teach how to obtain the high current shoe contact surface required for high power transmission and traffic that lasts for seconds rather than minutes, such as rail traffic. Summary of the Invention

[0008] It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to overcome the lack of an electrically protected low voltage ground conduit design and at the same time provide a large contact surface suitable for transmitting high power to a large number of vehicles in heavy traffic.

[0009] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a ground connection in both static and dynamic charging, with at least one of the three wires connected to ground.

[0010] The object of the invention is to limit the rotation of the connected current shoe assembly on a longitudinal horizontal axis to less than 60 degrees as the collector enters the conduit vertically, allowing direct electrical connection to the shoe by large wires on the board.

[0011] A further object of the present invention is to provide a specified pressure to the vehicle current shoe despite wear and dimensional tolerances of the conduit contacts.

[0012] Thus, the present invention describes a conductive dynamic and static power supply device for an electric propulsion vehicle, comprising one or more traction batteries, one current collector mounted on the vehicle, and one fixed conduit for supplying power from a road substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle. The device comprises a vertical slot, opening into a cavity of the conduit to accommodate the current collector vertically or horizontally, the cavity includes at least two electrical contact surfaces connected to a fixed current source, the contact surfaces being recessed so as not to be directly accessible from the slot. The conductive power supply device comprises at least three conductors, one of which is connected to "ground" the vertical slot of the fixed conduit, the width "L" being less than 12 mm, preventing finger insertion into the slot, and when the current collector enters the conduit vertically, the current collector comprises two current shoe assemblies articulated on a longitudinal horizontal axis, the rotation about the longitudinal horizontal axis being less than 60 degrees between the vertical take-off position and the contact position.

[0013] Furthermore, the invention proposes that the contact pressure between the on-board current shoe and the inclined, protruding contact surface of the conduit is controlled by a mechanical or air spring mounted on the conduit.

[0014] The invention then describes an on-board current shoe holder that penetrates horizontally into the conduit electrical socket and is aligned with the conduit by contact between the current shoe holder and the branch side wall of the conduit cavity entrance.

[0015] Finally, the metal structure of the continuous conduit can be plastically bent in the plane of the slot as it leaves the manufacturing line and is wound onto a shipping spool, and plastically straightened when it is laid down on the roadway.

[0016] Conduit lengths beyond the limits of road transport are provided with a polymer body that allows the conduit to be wound onto a spool of smaller dimensions than the road standards, so that the conduit behaves similarly to a cable.

[0017] Conduits according to the invention are preferably installed in a groove cut into the road so that the top surface of the conduit is flush with the road.

[0018] In another embodiment of the invention, the conduit is fixed to the roadway and the elastomeric bodies on either side of the conduit have a cross section that slopes gently along the roadway level.

[0019] The power contact surface has a low coefficient of friction and excellent wear resistance on the side facing the cavity, while on the other opposite side, electrical connection is made by direct lateral contact with the power cable.

[0020] For non-draining asphalt pavements, continuous drainage holes are drilled into the concrete slab within the trench.

[0021] The elastic body of the conduit is reinforced by at least one continuous open metal structure, preferably made from a metal plate partially cut transversely, which reduces the bending inertia in the slot plane. Preferably, the power cable is solid and the metal profile is formed in such a way that the conduit: - When it leaves the production line and is wound onto a transport reel, it is plastically bent, - Straightened by roller bending assembly upon installation in groove.

[0022] Due to the large cross section of the power cable, the underside of the metal profile can be cut transversely and bent or bent longitudinally about a longitudinal axis to allow the power cable to be inserted.

[0023] The slot edges are metallic, electrically "grounded", have a height equal to or greater than the width of the slot, and the collector mounted on the vehicle is in contact with at least one of the metal edges.

[0024] Preferably, the power cable is made of aluminium with a contact surface of copper or steel, possibly stainless steel, the contact surface being provided with partial transverse cuts which reduce the bending inertia in the plane of the slot.

[0025] The conduit is supplied with direct current and comprises two electrical contact surfaces arranged on inclined ledges on either side of a slot in the cavity, advantageously one of which is supplied with a low voltage with a potential difference lower than "ground" and the other with a low voltage with a potential difference higher than "ground". Preferably, the direct voltages may be +400 volts and -400 volts.

[0026] The vehicle is provided below its structure with a laterally movable collector including a vertical retraction device that allows electrical connection when the contact surface is in a lower position and maintains the vehicle's ground clearance when in an upper position.

[0027] Lateral movement of the collector is accomplished by the pantograph arm rotating laterally on its attachment or sliding on lateral rails fixed on the vehicle structure.

[0028] The dynamic current collector includes at least one current collector shoe that can be tilted within a cavity of the conduit relative to a longitudinal axis that is located below an upper surface of the conduit.

[0029] The conduit has a storm water and debris outlet at the bottom of the cavity that is larger than the width of the slot.

[0030] For static charging, the conduit is short, fixed to the road and does not need to be retractable. The position of the power contact surface can advantageously be the same as for dynamic charging, allowing static and dynamic charging to take place on the same collector. When charging in a covered car park, the power is probably limited to 22 kW at AC current, so that known switching systems allow the traction battery to be recharged on the same collector, but for longer times.

[0031] The lifting device positions the collector perpendicular to the slot when deployed, and the current shoe is tilted laterally to contact the angled power contact surface after passing through the slot and into the cavity. The objects, objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an axisymmetric view of the polymer removal over a short length of the paving channel of a paving groove according to the invention, showing the cut of the metal profile and the cut of the inclined overhang of the contact surface. [Diagram 2] Figure 2 shows an axisymmetric view of a metal profile bent during coil transportation. [Diagram 3] Figure 3 shows an axisymmetric view of two lanes of a highway during the cutting of the trench and subsequent deployment of the conduit on the road. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an axisymmetric view of a collector mounted vertically on a pavement conduit with either a horizontal or vertical storm drain outlet. [Diagram 5] Figure 5 shows an axisymmetric view of a static collector that horizontally engages an electrostatically charged rubber rod of finite length. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows an axisymmetric view of another embodiment of a static collector that enters the static charging bar vertically through a top slit in accordance with the present invention. [Figure 7]Figure 7 shows an axisymmetric diagram of the road surface flow path in a vertically installed storm water drain. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an axisymmetric view of another embodiment of a road pipe according to the present invention with an enlarged storm water outlet. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an axisymmetric diagram of a compression wire power cable with direct support contact surfaces fixed in the insulating sheath of the cable. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 shows a front view of the tangential wheel recessed guide "fingers" within the roadway slot rail used in conjunction with the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows an axisymmetric view of a "finger" with inclined wheels. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 shows a longitudinal DC electrostatic charging bar according to the present invention designed for a tramway with a cross section. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an axisymmetric side view of a tramcar equipped with a collector according to the invention. [Figure 14] Figure 14 shows an axisymmetric rear view of a folding collector on a tram approaching the entrance to the longitudinal section bar. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 shows a rear axisymmetric view of a lowered streetcar current collector about to enter an electrostatic charging bar in accordance with the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 illustrates a front axisymmetric view of a vehicle with a foldable compact collector in close proximity to the electrostatic charging bar with increased lateral placement tolerance in accordance with the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a static charge collector with the current shoe folded and vertically engaged with a rubber bar (not shown). [Figure 18] FIG. 18 shows the same electrostatic charge collector in cross section with a current shoe arranged in accordance with the present invention, with the left side of the rubber bar showing the AC configuration and the right side showing the DC configuration. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 represents an axisymmetric view of a truck with a dynamic collector engaged with a continuous road conduit according to the present invention. [Figure 20]FIG. 20 represents an axisymmetric view of an electrostatic collector with a current shoe having an inclined axis according to the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is an axisymmetric view of a retracted dynamic collector showing a current shoe with a tilted axis in accordance with the present invention. [Figure 22] Figure 22 shows the rear view of the dynamic collector rolling on the road as it approaches the slot in the conduit. [Figure 23] Figure 23 shows the rear axisymmetric view of Figure 22. [Figure 24] Figure 24 is an inclined side view of the Dynamic Collector showing the automatic emergency lift device in case of an obstacle. [Diagram 25] Figure 25 is an oblique side view of the dynamic manifold showing the arrangement for tilting the current shoe and maintaining the contact pressure. [Figure 26] Figure 26 shows a folding rubber rod for charging static electricity.

[0033] Detailed Description Figure 1 shows a conduit 1 with a slot 12 of width "L" which is narrower than the safety standard currently set in Europe at 12mm (IEC60529). The road conduit 1 includes: - the contact surfaces 2 and 3 have an inclined overhang and have an inclined transverse cut-out 13, open at the bottom, which significantly reduces the resistance to bending in the plane of symmetry of the conduit. - The power cables 5 and 6 with the contact surfaces 2 and 3 can advantageously be connected to poles of higher and lower potential difference relative to "earth". -Power cables 7a and 7b are connected to the neutral conductor and have a large cross-sectional area, since in the case of a dual voltage supply of 400 volts / 800 volts, the current flows between one pole and the neutral conductor at 400 volts, and between two poles at 800 volts. - The metal profile 4 advantageously has transverse cuts 10 which reduce its bending strength in the plane of the slots 12 and cuts 14 in the area flush with the road surface to allow the polymer body 9 to pass through and thus increase the anti-slip coefficient SRT. This requirement can also be met by an anti-slip paint. - The body 9 contains an inclined cavity 8 allowing the rainwater to flow through transverse holes 11a opening into a transverse channel 17 between the pavement and the conduit, bounded by a groove 15 cut into the pavement 16. Advantageously, the body 9 may also be provided with longitudinal holes 11 for the purpose of transmitting various information (such as temperature) or in particular medium voltage power.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a metal profile 4' that has been plastically bent so that it can be wound into the coil 21 of FIG.

[0035] Figure 3 shows the installation in the right lane 19 of a motorway or freeway 20, separated by a curb or white line 18. A small groove 15 is milled into the roadway 16 by a horizontal axis rotary grinder 22. The pipe 1 is unwound from the reel 21, straightened by a bender 23 and then realigned by a roller guide assembly 24 into the groove 15 in which the pipe 1 is positioned and possibly fixed by gluing. A cable reel (not shown) is used to span the width of the coil, although an alternative solution of moving the coil laterally is conceivable if the grinder 22 and coil 21 are on the same work vehicle (not shown).

[0036] Figure 4 shows a dynamic collector 140 that vertically engages the slot 12 of a continuous conduit 1, 1' housed within the pavement 16. Figure 4 shows two configurations within the drain 40 for draining water laterally 400 or vertically from the conduit.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows the compact collector 100 in its deployed position, longitudinally entering a rubber bar 120, which includes an inverted four-bar mechanism that vertically elevates the shoe holder 72' above ground level while reducing the collector's longitudinal footprint "l" relative to the collector 100. The current shoe holder (72, 72') penetrates horizontally through the rubber bars 60, 120 and is aligned by contact of the current shoe holder 72, 72' with the side walls 139 of the inlet of the cavity 8, 8'. The collector 100 comprises a frame 101 that is laterally secured by fasteners 102 to a longitudinal member (not shown) of the car 99. A long upper arm 103 is attached to the frame 101 by a joint 104 and at the other end to the knee 105 by a joint 106. The second arm of the mechanism 107 is shorter and is attached to the chassis by joint 108 and to the knee 105 by joint 109. An actuator body 110 is articulated to the frame 101 (hidden) and the actuator rod 111 has a slot 112 into which a pin 113 fixed to the upper arm 103 slides. This opening 112 allows the shoe holder 72' to rise if an obstacle strikes the surface 114 of the knee 105, even when the jacks 110-111 are in the extended position.

[0038] Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the AC / DC compact collector 100 for electrostatic charging described in Figure 5, where the compact collector 200 is shown in a semi-lowered position to laterally align the shoe holder 201 with the slit 12 of the rubber bar 300. The sensor 202 controls the rotary motor 203 to swing the arms 107 and 109 laterally to align the front end of the shoe holder 201 with the slit 12, and then lower the shoe holder 201 further into the rubber bar 300 to establish an electrical connection.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a conduit 1' which is slightly different to the conduit 1 of FIG. 1 in that its upper surface is flush with the top of the roadway 16 in which the storm water collection ditch 40 is located.

[0040] Figure 8 shows another embodiment of a road conduit according to the invention with an enlarged storm water outlet 11b. Advantageously, the transverse cutouts 10' are not strictly transverse, but rather have a narrower width 42 at the bottom over some cutouts compared to the width 41 at the top. This allows the cutout width 43 to be enlarged to allow the passage of the larger storm water outlets 11b.

[0041] 9 shows another embodiment of power cables 5' and 6' with twisted compression wires directly supporting the contact surfaces 2', 3' fixed in the insulating sheath 26'. The oblique transverse cutouts 13' of the contact surfaces 2' and 3', open at the bottom of the cable, are advantageously extended at the top by fixing holes in the insulating sheath 39.

[0042] 10 and 11 show a continuously constructed slotted paving guide rail 50, similar to the metal profile 4 but without the contact surfaces 2, 3, and with a transverse cutout 52 at the bottom similar to the cutout 10, thus maintaining the ability to be wound on a spool like the conduit 1. A non-opening slot 51 of width L identical to the slot 12 has two chamfers 53 at its top. The metal profile 54 has a polymeric body 55. The guide finger 56, mounted on a vehicle (not shown) that engages the guide rail 50, is in the form of a rectangular plate 57 with beaks 58 at both ends for ejecting any debris that falls into the slot 51. Three inclined wheels 59 are attached to the plate 57. The wheels 59 rest on the chamfers 53, preventing the body 57 from contacting the metal profile 54 and providing a wear-free and reliable guide sensing device on the guide rail. This helps to reduce the chance of losing visual contact with the road edge when driving autonomously.

[0043] FIG. 12 shows a longitudinal DC electrostatic charging bar 60 according to the invention for use in trams. The two bodies 61a and 61b of the bar are made of polymer and consist of two power strips 34a and 34b of T-shaped cross section, the length of which is much longer than that of the current shoes of the collectors, providing considerable tolerances for the longitudinal positioning of the shoes relative to the bar 60 and therefore of the vehicle carrying them. The connection of these power strips 34a and 34b to the current source is made, in the central zone, by cables connected to the bar by electrical lugs 62. At the bottom of the cavity 8, a conductive folded plate 63a runs along the bottom of the bodies 61a and 61b and consists of transverse electrical lugs 63b, which serve as a support surface for vertical bolts 64 for fastening to the road, the conductive folded plate 63 being thus connected to "ground". The electrical lugs 61 are protected by covers 65.

[0044] FIG. 13 shows a tram equipped with a collector 70 fixed to the frame of the central bogie 71 and engaged with the bar 60, thus achieving rapid charging at each station and limiting the size of the traction batteries.

[0045] Figures 14 and 15 show the tram collector 70 in the folded position (Figure 14) when travelling between stations and lowered when approaching a station (Figure 15). The collector 70 comprises a deformable parallelogram mechanism for vertically retracting the shoe holder 72 above ground level. The upper arm 73 is connected to an axle 74 on a support 75 fixed to the bogie frame 71. At the other end of the upper arm 73, an auxiliary support 76 is connected to an axle 77. The lower arm 78 is connected to the support 75 and to an axle 79, and to the auxiliary support 76 and to an axle 80, closing the deformable parallelogram. The body 81 of the working cylinder is attached to the support 75. A transverse shaft 83 (hidden), fixed vertically to the rod of the actuating cylinder 82, slides in an integral slot (hidden) and is parallel to the upper arm 73, so that the shoe holder 72 can rise in case of hitting an obstacle on the track, even when the cylinder is in the lowered position. The auxiliary support 76 consists of a block of insulating elastomer 84, on which the conductive arms 85 and 86 are vertically connected, forming a horizontally deformable parallelogram to allow lateral alignment tolerances between the bar 60 and the shoe holder 72. The current shoes 87 (visible) and 88 (hidden) are provided with two vertical pins 89 and 90 for mechanical and electrical connection to the bars 85 and 86. The shoe holder 72, made of insulating material, has two metal wheels 91 and 92 with a horizontal axis, spring-loaded to roll on a ramp 93 at the entrance of the bar 60 and then on a conductive folding plate 63a connected to ground. The springs of the metal wheels 91 and 92 provide the appropriate pressure between the current shoes 87, 88 and the power bars 34a, 34b. Two large cross-section cables 94 electrically and flexibly connect the power strips 34a and 34b of the bar 60 through the shoes 87, 88 and the conductor arms 85, 86 to terminal blocks (not shown) mounted on the central bogie frame 71.As the shoe holder 72 enters the bar 60 , one of the sides 95 contacts the inside surface 96 of the side of the inlet funnel, and the rotation of the arms ( 85 , 86 ) brings the shoe holder 72 into lateral alignment with the bar 60 .

[0046] FIG. 16 shows a car 99 with a compact static electricity collector 100, which senses the presence of a charging socket bar 120 with an enlarged funnel lateral catch 121 with a sensor 131 and extends after lowering the shoe carrier 72' to contact the lateral surface 129 of the funnel 121 to align the connection plug. To facilitate connection, a left front wheel catch frame 130 is positioned on the side of the charging socket bar 120. The static electricity charging bar 120 has an increased lateral catch capacity compared to the bar 60 due to the larger funnel 121 with the catch lateral surface 129 (not shown). The electrical connection to the power source is concealed by a cover 132.

[0047] 17 shows in front and partial cross-section a present shoe carrier 201 for a vertical electrostatic charging connection comprising a support frame 205 containing an actuator 209 suspended from swinging lateral arms 107 and 109 (not shown) where gravity holds the actuator 209 in an upward position within the support frame 205. This upward position keeps the shoes 210, 211 folded back to back in a vertical position. The shoes 210, 211 are connected to the support frame 205 by torsion springs 206, 207 hinged to a shaft 208 which are held under tension by a freely rotating ring 204 on the shaft 208 which is provided with two pins to prevent the torsion spring arms from loosening. The upper arms of the torsion springs 206, 207 ride along cam profiles 213, 214 on the actuator 209. This causes the shoes 210, 211 to tilt outward as the support frame 205 rests on the rubber bars 60, 120, 300 (not shown) and the pivoting side arms 107 and 109 (not shown) push down on the actuator 209 to assume a lower position within the support frame 205.

[0048] 18 shows a static load bar 60, 120, 300 wired for single / three phase AC power connected to a deployed shoe carrier 201. Similar to 60 bar, the body 121 has two T-slots 122 for accepting either DC power bars 34a, 34b (not shown) or an AC power source, which contain two conductors joined into pairs 123-124, 125-126 by insulating material 139. These four conductors are connected on the shoe carrier to three phases and neutral for AC, or joined into pairs for DC. The slide pad holder 72', similar to the slide pad holder 72 of Figures 14 and 15, consists of four slide contact surfaces 133, 134, 135, and 136 (135 and 136 are DC coupled) and two "CP" contacts 137 and "PP" contact 138 used by known charging protocols to exchange information between the vehicle and the power source.

[0049] FIG. 19 shows a truck 170 equipped with a dynamic collector 140 according to the invention and engaged with a conduit 1'. The collector 140 is mounted on a transverse rail 141, advantageously located at the front of the truck 170. The collector 140 is equipped with a bumper 142 and fairings 143a, 143b on both sides to reduce air resistance. In FIG. 20, the collector 140 is engaged with a conduit 1' whose upper surface is flush with the road surface, while the same collector 140 engaged with the conduit 1' can be inserted into a cushion (not shown) having a lateral opening for the flow of storm water and garbage, the dimensions of which are greater than the width of the slot 12 of width "L". This represents a great advantage of the invention, which makes it possible to operate the conduits 1, 1' in or on the road grooves. It is thus possible to realize road sections or pavement sections with alternating protrusions of conduits 1, 1', such as highway work areas where the lateral position of the lanes must be temporarily changed, without the need to install grooves with storm water management functions.

[0050] 20 shows an asymmetrical view of the shoe holder 201 of the electrostatic charging compact collector 200, showing that the torsion springs 206, 207 hold the shoes 210, 211 at their lower arms and form a rocking axis 212 to advantageously provide good uniform contact between the shoes and the conduit electrical contact surfaces (123, 124, 125, 126) to which rubber bars for direct current charging are connected in pairs.

[0051] FIG. 21 shows in an asymmetrical view a dynamic collector 140 with an air spring emergency retractable cylinder 220 and shaft 213 to allow uniform contact between the shoe and the conduit electrical contact surfaces (2, 2', 3, 3', 13).

[0052] FIG. 22 shows a cross-sectional detail of a conduit 1' which differs slightly from the conduit 1 with rigid conductors 5, 6, 7 in that it has an enlarged cavity 8', a metal profile 4b which is V-shaped at the bottom and an insulator 26' which has compressed wire power cables 5' and 6' which act as anchors to the contact surfaces 2', 3'.

[0053] 22 and 23 show the collector 140 in the approach phase engaged in the slot 12, where the wheels 147a and 147b are in contact with the road and support the weight of the collector 140 moving laterally on a carriage 148 sliding on a rail 141. This displacement during travel is obtained by the action of a motor / encoder 149 acting on a belt 150 connected to the carriage 148. Similarly, when the truck changes lanes, the front 151 of the upper arm 152 contacts tilt stops 153a and 153b fixed to the rail 141, mechanically raising the collector 140.

[0054] Figures 24 and 25 show details of the collector 140 with a vertically deformable parallelogram constituted by an upper arm 152 connected to the axle 157 of the carriage 148 and a lower arm 154 also connected to the carriage 148, these two arms being connected in a parallelogram to a frame 162 carrying a wheel 147b. The wheel 147a is attached to a bumper 142 that slides in the frame 162 by means of a slot 164a and a pin 164b. The bumper is held in the forward position by a spring 165. The wheel 155, which may have a central flange, is carried by a support 156 connected to the axle of the wheel 147b. As the collector rolls over the wheels 147a and 147b before engaging the slots 12, gravity holds the wheels 155 in a lowered position, and the connecting rods 172a, 172b and shoe holders 171a, 171b hinged to the frame 162 on a vertical axis 163 via the spreader bar 159 hold the shoes 160a and 160b vertically within the vertically extruded volume of the wheels 147a and 147b, as shown in FIG. As the wheels 147a and 147b drop into the slot 12, the other wheel 155 contacts the upper surface of the conduit 1' and pushes the wheel 155 up into the upper position, and the shoe holders 171a and 171b, through the action of the connecting rods 172a 172b, tilt the shoes 160a and 160b. The current shoe 160b is mounted on the tilt shaft 163 and contacts the contact surfaces 2' and 3' of the conduit 1'. To apply constant pressure to the shoes, rods 172a and 172b are not directly connected to shoe holders 171a and 171b, but to pushers 174a and 174b coupled to tilt shaft 163 and apply constant pressure to current shoe holders 171a and 171b via springs 176a and 176b. Cable 166 electrically connects current shoes 160a and 160b to carriage 148.

[0055] When an obstacle strikes stopper 142, spring 165 is compressed and the wedge-shaped rear portion (not shown) of stopper 142 rests on inclined surfaces 177a and 177b of support 156, moving wheel 155 to a downward position, which causes frame 162 of collector 140 to rise together with it, and shoes 160a and 160b to tilt to a vertical position.

[0056] When the pin 164b reaches the end of its travel in the slot 164a, at the end of the travel of the bumper 142, the arm 178 of the bumper 142 pulls the connecting rod 179, and the ball / groove arrangement releases the ring 180 of the cylinder rod 181, and the spring 183 instantly raises the collector to avoid the obstacle. In fact, the body of the cylinder 182 is attached to the carriage 148, and the ring 180 via the pins 184 raises the upper arms 152. These pins 184 also slide in slots 185 of the upper arms 152, allowing the upper arms to rise in case of an obstacle hitting the bumper 142, even when the cylinders 182-181 are in the retracted position.

[0057] FIG. 26 shows in an asymmetrical view another embodiment of electrostatic charging conduit 300 that is collapsible 301 to advantageously avoid the rubber bar becoming an obstruction if a vehicle wheel rides over it, and has an end opening 302 for storm water and debris flow that is dimensioned greater than the width of slot 12 of width "L".

[0058] It should be noted that the position of the collector 140 on the lateral rails is provided by a motor / encoder 149, and by placing the collector 140 at the front of the vehicle, the information provided by the encoder makes it possible to control the direction of the vehicle even in highly automated driving when visual reference of the boundary line is lost in rainy, dark or snowy weather, providing an additional level of safety to the automated driving system. Furthermore, guide fingers 56 operable on the conduits 1, 1' or on the guide rails 50 can be retractably mounted parallel to the rails 141 on both sides of the manifold 140, allowing a higher degree of automation of the driving process, especially when turning, by engaging a short section of the guide rail 50 on the right or left side of the main conduit 1, 1' to take a left or right branch of the highway or freeway, or to take an exit towards a logistics hub or a rest parking lot if the driver is feeling drowsy. The guide fingers 56 can also ensure the movement of the unmanned shuttle in urban or suburban areas in cooperation with the rails 50. The static charging bar 60 at the stop position is positioned parallel to and at a certain distance from the rails 50.

[0059] The invention aims to provide a solution that allows dynamic charging of electric vehicles and allows a reduction in the size of the batteries, especially for heavy trucks, by a factor of 3-5, impacting the weight, cost, the need to harden vehicles of ICE design and the environmental impact imposed to date by the size of the batteries of the latest generation of electric vehicles without dynamic charging.

[0060] Of course, the device according to the invention can be adapted to other connection configurations, the examples given here being only specific illustrations and not limiting of the field of application of the invention.

Claims

[Claim 1] A connection device for conductive dynamic and static charging of an electric vehicle, the connection device comprising one or more traction batteries, a current collector (70, 100, 140, 140', 200) mounted on the vehicle, and a fixed conduit (1, 1', 60, 120, 300, 301) for the supply of power from the road surface (16), the conduit being substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle, and a cavity in the conduit (1, 1', 60, 120, 300, 301) for receiving the current collector (70, 100, 140, 140', 200). a vertical slit (12) opening into a cavity (8, 8') containing at least two electrical contact surfaces (2, 2', 3, 3', 123, 124, 125, 126, 135, 136) connected to a fixed current source, the contact surfaces (2, 2', 3, 3', 123, 124, 125, 126, 135, 136) being set back from direct access through the slit (12) and arranged on inclined overhangs (1, 1', 60, 120, 300, 301), characterized in that: The cavities (8, 8') of the conduits (1, 1', 60, 120, 300, 301) have a dual access capability and can be accessed to establish a conductive electrical connection by either: Vertical entry by the current collector (140, 140', 200) through a vertical slit (12), or horizontal entry by a separate current collector (70, 100) through an inlet (95) located at at least one end of the conduit for static conductive charging; The connection is established over at least three cables (5, 6, 5', 6', 7a, 88, 63), one of which is connected to "ground" (7a, 7b, 63), The width "L" of the vertical slit (12) in the fixed conduit (1, 1', 60, 120, 300, 301) is less than 12 mm; The vertical entry collector (140, 140', 200) comprises two current shoe carriers articulated on a longitudinal horizontal axis (163, 208), and the current shoe holders (160a, 160b, 171a, 171b) rotate about the longitudinal horizontal axis (163, 208) by an angle of less than 60 degrees between the vertical entry / collection position and the lateral connection position.

Images