Electric charging cable management system and related aspects

Abstract

An electric charging cable management system, ECCMS, of an electric charging system CS comprises an electric charging cable, ECC, a cable guide support system, CGSS, an electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS comprising an ECCDS drive mechanism and an ECCDS drive control mechanism, the ECCDS drive mechanism comprising a pair of opposing cable drivers arranged to urge the ECC to be driven into movement in a first direction via a cable feed along the CGSS towards an electric charging point, ECP, on an apparatus to be charged, and into movement in a second direction opposite to that of the first direction along the CGSS to withdraw the ECC away from the ECP via a cable feed to a storage location of the ECC, and a housing for the ECCDS, wherein the ECCMS is configured to be connected to one or more electrical power supplies for charging the apparatus and for powering the ECCDS drive mechanism.

Description

ELECTRIC CHARGING CABLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND RELATED ASPECTS

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to an electric charging cable management system and related aspects, in particular, but not exclusively, to an electric charging cable management system for managing electric charging cables for charging electric vehicles. The electric vehicle charging cable management embodiments may be suitable for use in cross- route, for example, crosspavement, electric vehicle charging cable conditions. For example, embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a type of lateral cable support, for example some embodiments lift the electric charging cable above pedestrian head height so that pedestrians can pass underneath. The electric charging cable management system may also be used to safely deploy cable for charging heavy electric vehicles such as trucks, cabs, and construction machinery, as well as other types of apparatus that may need rapid vehicle type charging, in some embodiments.BACKGROUND

[0002] There is a growing demand for vehicles with electric propulsion systems, so-called electric vehicles, EVs, to replace vehicles with hydrocarbon propulsion systems, such as those which are fueled using petrol and diesel. However, the cost of charging such electric vehicles and the availability of such chargers at suitable times to suit an individual driver’s needs, can be a significant deterrent. A driver whose home has no suitable location to install an electric vehicle charger may be deterred from considering replacing a hydrocarbon propulsion system- based vehicle with a vehicle which has an electric battery-based propulsion system as this would mean they would be reliant on charging their vehicle either at a workplace or at a public charging facility, which may be less convenient as well as more costly.

[0003] A significant number of homes in many developed countries may not have dedicated off- street parking. A typical example of such a home is a so-called tenement, row-house or terrace house, often sharing party walls to either side, where there may be only a small garden or even no garden before a public or private footpath is accessed, which must be crossed over to reach to a public or private roadway or parking area where vehicle parking is permitted. In some countries, vehicle parking on a public highway, also known as on-street parking, is often not allocated and individuals bays may not even be delineated, never mind allocated to an individual house. This means that where a vehicle driver has to use on-street parking at their home location, the vehicle driver has no guarantee that they will be able to park opposite their own home, although they may be able to park one or more few car lengths away further down that street. This means that they may not be confident when parking if they are within reach of the maximum distance they can deploy their electric charging cable.

[0004] T o address how on-street electric vehicle charging may be made more available to drivers, some authorities have allowed electric vehicle chargers to be installed at the curbside in associatedwith specific vehicle charging parking bays. Such schemes are often unpopular as the apparatus installed at the curbside is not aesthetically appealing, and may not be permitted in some historic neighborhoods and conservation areas. In addition to the installation cost, they may block access to the curbside from the adjoining payment and / or be otherwise disruptive to walkers and wheelers wishing to cross the road. In addition, as the chargers themselves are usually profit-focused schemes, individual car owners usually incur a cost for charging that is higher than might be available if they were to have a charger installed on their premises where energy tariffs may be provided on a residential basic for EV charging.

[0005] Public charging apparatus usually is associated with a dedicated parking bay. The loss of street parking to a dedicated bay for electric vehicle charging can also be problematic where parking is very scarce. A car owner may still find it very challenging to charge their car when they want to if there is competition for what may be just one charging bay for one or more streets. If there are not enough parking spaces, the vehicles may park in the dedicated charging bay. Wireless under car charging using induction systems have been proposed but such schemes are likely to be costly to install and disrupt street parking during installation and afterwards may be difficult to access if vehicles on either side are not appropriately parked.

[0006] Boom-type vehicle chargers are known in the art. They provide a cable support mechanism which allows cable to be deployed above a pavement, walkway, or footpath whilst still allowing pedestrian and cycling (if appropriate) access along the pavement, walkway, footpath etc. For example, International Patent Application WO2021043897A1 discloses according to its abstract a cable support comprises an elongate supporting structure configured for attachment to a vertical surface.

[0007] To facilitate more uptake of electric vehicles, it is desirable for electric charging apparatus to be made more available. Whilst electric charging boom supports may provide access underneath for pedestrians to pass along a pavement, they also introduce additional challenges due to their height and the weight of electric charger cable, ECC, they support.SUMMARY

[0008] The invention is defined by the accompanying claims, however, certain aspects and embodiments of the disclosed technology will now be set out in this summary section and include preferred aspects and embodiments.

[0009] The disclosed technology seeks to mitigate or obviate one or more of the problems with known electric charging apparatus by providing an electric cable management system with improved lateral support for cable deployment. This may allow cable deployment to be performed in locations and areas which otherwise may not be able to access a suitable charging point for an electric vehicle.

[0010] Some embodiments of the disclosed cable management system may be provided in a kitform which allows a user to install a charging cable management system to facilitate cable deployment of a charging cable of a existing previously installed vehicle charging system CS.

[0011] Some embodiments of the disclosed system provide a cross-route deployment mechanism which allows a variety of different types of vehicles to be charged even if separated by an area such as a garden, or across a pavement or walk-way, from the cable power supply. In this way, some embodiments of the electric charging cable management system of the disclosed technology seek to avoid the charging cable from creating an obstruction for traffic, for example such as a trip hazard if the charging cable trails over a garden, pavement or walk-way between a charging power supply and the electric charging point on a vehicle or other types of apparatus to be charged. This may reduce the trip and obstruction hazard risk if access is still required by pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, prams, and the like along a pavement or walk-way whilst a vehicle is being charged by the pavement or walkway. In addition, some embodiments of the disclosed technology may provide vehicle guidance to facilitate access to on-street vehicle charging in locations where the on-street parking is unallocated.

[0012] Some embodiments of the disclosed technology relate to providing emergency or temporary power to buildings, equipment, and vehicles which may not have access to other power sources temporarily. For example, a mobile power platform may be guided to a location where there has been a power outage, or along a motorway to where due to a traffic jam one or more vehicles have low or now battery charge for continuing their journey.

[0013] The disclosed aspects and embodiments are primarily described in the context of an electric charging apparatus which comprises an electric charging cable management system and a cable deployment mechanism which is configured to deploy a charging cable towards a vehicle, for example, if the cable is supported overhead when over a pavement to allow cross-pavement cable deployment, the cable may be deployed downwards towards, a charging socket of an electric vehicle in some embodiments, or be deployed across a pavement and upwards in other embodiments where the cable is guided by a channel or conduit across the pavement. The same type of cable deployment mechanism, moreover, can also be used to facilitate deployment of charging cables for other types of use, for example, to charge boat or aircraft for example.

[0014] The electric charging apparatus may be used both inside and outside a building. It may be separated by a route over which its electric charging cable management system may guide and support deployed electric charging cable laterally. The route may not always be defined, for example, the cable may be lifted by a cable guide support system attached to an electric charging cable deployment system to avoid creating an obstruction or trip hazard to passing traffic in a garden, car park, hanger, factory or workshop environment or the like in some embodiments.

[0015] The size and weight of the electric cable to be deployed may vary according to the type of apparatus or vehicle to be charged and the desired speed of charging. For example, a high speedcharging cable for a heavy electric vehicle such as a heavy goods vehicle also known as a five- wheel truck cab or similar types of heavy electric vehicles and electric equipment e.g. construction and mining vehicles and equipment which may be heavy themselves or be used to haul heavy loads and as such have high power demands. The cables used to charge vehicles / equipment / machinery which may have high power loads may be extremely heavy compared to the weight of cables used to provide electric charging to an electric motorbike or scooter or car or other type of electric vehicle which could be either more slowly charged and / or which uses less power to be driven / operated. Slower charging rates may be possible with smaller diameter and accordingly lighter electric cables, but an advantage of the disclosed embodiments is that by suitably configuring the cable guidance support system, various weights and lengths of electric charging cable can be safely deployed laterally over a range of different heights and distances.

[0016] A first aspect of the disclosed technology comprises an electric charging cable management system, ECCMS, for example, an ECCMS suitable for cross-route charging for an electric charging system CS, CS, the ECCMS comprising: a cable guide support system, CGSS, an electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS comprising an electrically powered ECCDS drive mechanism and an electrically powered ECCDS drive control system, the ECCDS drive mechanism comprising: a pair of opposing cable drivers arranged to urge

[0017] an electric charging cable, ECC, to be driven into movement in a first direction via a cable feed along the CGSS towards an electric charging point, ECP, on an apparatus to be charged, and into movement in a second direction opposite to that of the first direction along the CGSS to withdraw the ECC away from the ECP, for example, via a cable feed, to a storage location of the ECC; and a housing for the ECCDS, where the ECCMS is configured to be connected to one or more electrical power supplies for powering the ECCDS drive mechanism and the ECCDS drive control system.

[0018] In some embodiments, the ECCMS further comprises the electric charging cable, ECC. In some embodiments, the ECC deployed by the ECCDS is connected to a different power supply for charging the apparatus. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises an electric vehicle, EV, and the ECC is a charging cable for electrically charging the EV.

[0019] In some embodiments, the electric vehicle, EV comprises a heavy EV, and the ECC is a charging cable for electrically charging the heavy EV. Examples of a heavy EV include a truck, a cab, construction vehicles such as cranes, and also fork-lift trucks and the like.

[0020] In some embodiments, the ECCMS comprises a cross-route ECCMS. For example, for cross-route charging of an electric vehicle and the CGSS comprises a lateral cable support portion at a height above a route along which traffic, for example, pedestrian or wheeled traffic, passes and the ECCMS provides an overhead cable management system for electric vehicle chargingusing an ECC which crosses the route. The route may be a defined route or an undefined route, for example, if the ECCMS is provided in or by a carpark, hanger, factory, workshop or garden a route along which traffic may traverse or cross between the ECCDS and the ECP may not be defined.

[0021] In some embodiments, the ECCDS comprises: a drive motor; a pair of opposing cable drivers, at least one cable driver being driven by the drive motor, and wherein the pair of cable drivers are configured to be capable of moving an electric charging cable disposed between the opposing surfaces of the cable drivers into movement; a drive motor controller configured to at least cause the pair of opposing cable drivers to frictionally deploy an ECC provided between the cable drivers in a first direction towards the ECP of the apparatus to be charged until a first cable deployment stop is triggered; a drive motor actuator configured to actuate the drive motor to deploy the ECC towards the ECP; and a cable retraction mechanism. The drive motor controller may drive the pair of opposing cable drivers indirectly in some embodiments, for example, the motor may drive a master cog or drive element which in turn cause the two cable drivers to deploy and / or retract the ECC.

[0022] In some embodiments, the cable retraction mechanism comprises the drive motor controller being configured to be capable of causing the pair of opposing cable drivers to frictionally deploy the ECC provided between the cable drivers in a second, opposite, direction from the first direction, until a second cable deployment stop is triggered.

[0023] In some embodiments, a first cable deployment stop control signal for the cable drivers comprises a signal generated when the charger at the cable head end engages with the ECP of the apparatus being charged.

[0024] In some embodiments, after the first cable deployment stop has been triggered, slack in the ECC is automatically removed by retracting the ECC back towards the ECCDS until the second cable deployment stop is triggered.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first cable deployment stop is sensed when a charging connector located at one end of the ECC has engaged with the ECP to supply power to the apparatus, and wherein the ECCDS is configured to determine the second cable deployment stop dynamically.

[0026] In some embodiments, the ECCDS determines the second cable stop dynamically by: monitoring tension in the deployed ECC as it retracts; and responsive to the tension exceeding a threshold, cause the cable drivers to cease retraction of the ECC, wherein the length of ECC deployed when retraction ceases is stored as the second cable deployment stop. The opposing cable drivers may comprise opposing drive belts and / or drive wheels.

[0027] In some embodiments, the drive motor actuator comprises an actuator provided using an application executing on a remote device. The remote device comprises a smartphone, tablet, orsmart dashboard display in an EV to be charged, or the like which is configured to send the actuation signal to the drive motor micro-controller, for example, responsive to displaying an actuation affordance on a display which a user selects to trigger the sending of the actuation signal.

[0028] In some embodiments, the ECCDS comprises a cable limit switch, and wherein the drive motor is configured to be stopped when the cable limit switch is activated by a stop element on the ECC as the ECC is moved between the cable drivers.

[0029] In some embodiments, the ECCDS comprises a cable limit switch, and wherein the drive motor is configured to be stopped when the cable limit switch is activated by one or more sensor elements of the drive motor as the ECC is moved between the cable drivers, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is configured to detect when the drive motor is no longer moving smoothly. For example, the sensors may determine when a motor is missing steps audibly or by monitoring vibrations, or by monitoring for any other suitable indication that the motor is not moving smoothly, indicating the cable movement is under increasing strain. For example, the motor controller may perform end position sensing when deploying a cable using a detection mechanism such as sensor or sensorless stall, or equivalently sensorless skip or slip, detection.

[0030] In some embodiments, sensorless stall detection may be implemented by using stepper motor(s) for the cable drivers and by monitoring the stepper motor for back electromagnetic force (EMF) using a stepper motor controller. Alternatively, brushless motor(s) may be used instead of a stepper in which case suitably monitoring the current drawn by the motor(s) may be used to detect stalls in the cable deployment.

[0031] In some embodiments, the CGSS comprises one or more sections forming a Bowden tube within which the ECC is caused to move towards and away from a ECP by the ECCDS.

[0032] In some embodiments, the ECCMS further comprises a cable hood connected to the far end of the CGSS from the ECCDS, the cable hood comprising: an aperture via which the ECC is deployed, the aperture being dimensioned to also at least partially enclose a handle attached to an electric charging connector attached to the deployment end of the ECC; and at least one illuminator located in the cable hood, the illuminator is configured to be automatically actuated when the ECC starts to be deployed or to be retracted.

[0033] In some embodiments, the electric charging connector at the end of the ECC is provided with at least one illuminator which is automatically illuminated when the ECC moves away from a stowage position in the cable guide hood.

[0034] In some embodiments, the cable hood further comprises a sensor for sensing movement in its range of operation around the ECCMS, and wherein if movement is sensed, at least one of the illuminators in the cable hood are activated.

[0035] In some embodiments, the second cable deployment stop is triggered by a sensormechanism located in the cable hood.

[0036] In some embodiments, the storage location is in a stowage housing. In some embodiments, the stowage housing comprises the ECCDS housing.

[0037] Another, second, aspect of the disclosed technology comprises an electric charging system CS, CS, comprising an electric charging cable, ECC configured to be connected to a charging power supply and an ECCMS according to the first aspect or any one of its embodiments disclosed herein, where the electric CS is configured to be connected to one or more electrical power supplies for powering the ECCMS drive mechanism, the ECCMS drive control system and the ECC.

[0038] Another, third, aspect of the disclosed technology comprises a cable hood for an ECCMS, wherein the cable hood comprises: an aperture via which the ECC is deployed, the aperture being dimensioned to also partially enclosing a handle attached to an electric charger at the end of the ECC; and at least one illuminator located in the cable hood, the illuminator is configured to be automatically actuated when the electric charging cable head is deployed. In some embodiments of the cable hood of the second aspect, the ECCMS comprises an ECCMS according to the first aspect or any one of its embodiments disclosed herein.

[0039] Another, fourth, aspect of the disclosed technology comprises an electric charging connector attached at one end to an ECC and having at its other end a plurality of charging connectors, such as pins, configured to engage with an electric charging point, wherein the electric charging connector is configured to be attached to an ECC for supplying electrical energy to charge an apparatus, and the charging connector further comprises: one or more illuminators; and one or more movement sensors, wherein responsive to the sensors detecting movement of the electric charging connector, the illuminators are activated to illuminate an area.

[0040] In some embodiments, the electric charging connector is attached to the ECC via a handle.

[0041] In some embodiments, the illuminators comprise light emitting diodes.

[0042] In some embodiments, the illuminators are powered via an electrical connection to the ECC.

[0043] It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the above aspects and embodiments and the corresponding accompanying independent and dependent claims may form preferred aspects and embodiments in some implementations of the disclosed technology. The features described in the above aspects and embodiments may be combined and / or adapted for combination in any suitable manner known to someone of ordinary skill in the art with each other and / or with the embodiments of the technology described below.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] One or more embodiments of the disclosed will now be described, by way of example only,with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure 1A illustrates schematically an over-head electric charging system CS according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 1 B illustrates schematically a cross-sectional view of a charging cable hood of the over- head electric charging system CS of Figure 1 A according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 1C illustrates schematically another view of the charging cable hood of Figure 1 B according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 2A shows an enlarged view of Figure 1C illustrating how the charging cable head end may be retracted into a charging cable hood; andFigure 2B shows another view of Figure 1C illustrated a view of the charging cable hood without a charging cable in situ;Figure 3 illustrates schematically an example of a charging socket known in the art;Figure 4A illustrates schematically a plan view and Figure 4B illustrates schematically another side view of an embodiment of an electric vehicle charging system CS comprising an electric charging cable deployment system according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 5 illustrates schematically an enlarged and more detailed schematic view of the cable driver mechanism shown in Figure 4B;Figure 6 illustrates schematically an electric charging cable deployment system of a charging system according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 7 illustrates schematically an electric charging cable deployment system of a charging system CS according to at least one other embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 8 illustrates schematically a method of calibrating an embodiment of an electric charging cable apparatus according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology; Figure 9 illustrates schematically a method of setting a first cable stop, which may include a max cable stop, according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 10 illustrates schematically a method of setting a second cable stop according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 11 illustrates schematically a method of requesting electric vehicle charging at a EV CS 100 to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figures 12A and 12B illustrate schematically a mechanism to determine the second cable stop according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 13 illustrates schematically a method of managing a lighting scheme for an electric vehicle charging apparatus according to at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology;Figure 14 illustrates schematically an apparatus configured to implement at least one example of a method according to one or more of the embodiments of the disclosed technology;Figure 15A illustrates schematically a electric cable guide support system for supporting an internal Bowden tube within which an electric charging cable may be deployed according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed technology;Figure 15B illustrates schematically an electric charging cable guide support system having a telescopically extendible lateral support arrangement for an internal Bowden tube via which an electric charging cable may be deployed according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed technology;Figure 16 illustrates schematically an electric charging cable guide support system comprising a telescopic system which externally supports a Bowden tube via which an electric charging cable is deployed according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed technology; andFigure 17 illustrates schematically an electric charging cable guide support system comprising a gooseneck configuration for varying the lateral extent of an electric charging cable’s deployment location according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed technology.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The following description is presented by way of example to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as set out in the claims. The claimed invention is not limited however to only the embodiments described herein but may include as various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to such a skilled person in the art which fall within the scope of the claims.

[0046] Figure 1A of the accompanying drawings shows schematically an example of an embodiment of a charging system, CS, 100 according to the disclosed technology. In Figure 1A, the CS 100 comprises an electric vehicle, EV, charging system, EVCS, 100. The CS 100 according to the disclosed technology comprises an apparatus with a housing 102 suitable for containing an electric charging cable, ECC, deployment system, ECCDS 500, a cable guide and support system, also referred to herein as cable guide support system, CGSS, 150 which allows cable to bedeployed from a cable stowage housing 128, which may be integral or separate from the electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS, housing 102, and a power supply for the ECCDS to control the deployment of an electric charging cable ECC 104 and a power supply to deliver electrical power via the ECC 104 when the ECC 104 is connected to an electric charging point, ECP, 106.

[0047] As shown in Figure 1A, power is drawn from the same power supply source 130 for charging an electric vehicle, EV, 108 as the power drawn to deploy the ECC 104 via the ECCDS 500 however, these may be separate power sources in some embodiments.

[0048] An example of the ECCDS 500 is illustrated schematically in Figure 5 described later below. The ECCDS 500 is configured to electrically or electronically control movement of the ECC 104 towards and away from an ECP 106 located on the apparatus to be charged, of which the example shown in Figure 1A is an electric vehicle, EV, 108.

[0049] The EV 108 may comprise any vehicle having a fully electric propulsion system or a plugin hybrid electric vehicle, PH EV, propulsion system. The EV 108 may comprise a car or coach, or a heavy-duty type of vehicle such as a truck cab or truck container, a caravan, a fork-lift truck or a crane or any other type of construction vehicle, or the like. The EV 108 may be autonomous, semi- autonomous, remote controlled or manually driven.

[0050] It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that the CS 100 may be readily adapted in other embodiments for use in charging other types of apparatus. For example, the CS 100 may be configured to be deployed at different heights depending on its configuration and / or the configuration / type of apparatus to be charged and where the ECP 106 that type of apparatus is located.

[0051] Examples of other types of apparatus which may be charged by a suitably adapted and configured embodiment of the CS 100 include marine vessels, such as boats and ships or surfaced submarines, trams, trains, aircraft or spacecraft, and any other type of apparatus which requires battery replenishment for electrical energy consumption. It is also possible in some embodiments for the ECCDS 500 to deploy an ECC 104 at a different height over the route 110 which lies between the location of the CS 100 and the charging point to which the ECC 104 is to be connected, a lower height than overhead, for example, it may be used to push and retract an ECC 104 underfoot, for example, in a cross-pavement channel, conduit, groove or pipe. In some embodiments, the electric cable charging deployment system, ECCDS 500, may be attached to or part of a mobile platform, e.g. it may be provided on a vehicle, a platform with wheels or configured to glide along rails, or be provided on an aircraft. For example, a vehicle may be deployed with an ECCDS to provide emergency power to nearby vehicles or buildings in the event of a grid power disruption. In this case, the ECCDs will be provided with a cable configured to connect to a local power input port for the relevant building or other infrastructure and will beconfigured to provide power from an onboard battery bank or power generator.

[0052] As illustrated in Figure 1A, the charging system, for example, EV CS 100 is positioned close to the side-edge of route 110. The term route as used herein refers to any suitable path or region or area where traffic may pass along which runs along a side of an area where an apparatus may be located for charging, for example, where a vehicle may park for charging. The traffic may be pedestrian, vehicular, or comprise vessels, aircraft or spacecraft depending on the context of use of the electric charging system CS 100, which term is used interchangeably with electric vehicle charging system EV CS 100 herein. A route may comprise a path, pavement, path, walkway, footpath, cycle- path, bridleway, ditch, wall, drive, lane, platform, pontoon, trainline or subway, or runway, or any other type of region, including carparks, garages, and workshops, where pedestrian traffic and other passing traffic may which to move over or under the ECC 104. In other words, unless the context clearly requires a different interpretation, references to a charging system CS 100 herein also imply a reference to an electric vehicle charging system EV CS 100 and vice versa.

[0053] When deployed from its stowage location by the ECCDS 500, and as shown in Figure 1A, the ECC 104 is supported by the CGSS 15 as the ECC 104 crosses (in other words traverses) the route 110. Unless the CGSS 150 is located under or sufficiently high over, route 110 it would present an obstacle for traffic passing along the route 110. In particular, where the route 110 for passing traffic is a footpath or pavement, the potential trip hazards and the like are reduced by raising the ECC 104 sufficiently above the footpath or pavement so that pedestrian passers-by can pass safely underneath. The term pedestrian is used herein to refer to ambulatory and wheeled movement. The term cross-route as used herein refers to any traversing direction taken by an ECC 104 over a route 110, and does not necessarily imply a traverse at 90 degrees to the direction of the route 110 at the point the ECC 104 crosses the route.

[0054] The example embodiment of the EV CS 100 illustrated schematically in Figure 1A provides cross-route deployment of an ECC 104 via an overhead CGSS 150. The term overhead as used herein refers to the CGSS 150 being located sufficiently high above the route 110 that at least pedestrian traffic may pass underneath but which may be higher, for example, to allow other equipment or vehicles etc. to pass underneath as well. The height of the overhead CGSS 150 shown in Figure 1A is accordingly set in use of the overhead EV charging system CS 100 so that there is no obstruction to passing traffic. The actual height of the lateral support section 118 of the CGSS 150 may be accordingly adjusted depending on the types of permitted passing traffic which may be limited to pedestrians but which may include, for example, one or more of: pedestrians, other vehicles, including for example, scooters, bicycles or perambulators, or animal traffic, e.g., horse riders, depending on the access rights to use the route 110.

[0055] As shown in Figure 1A, EV 108 is parked on a suitable car parking charging location 112, which may be outside or inside within a building such as a garage, car park, workshop or the like. The charging location 112 may, for example, be the side of a road or a designated car parkinglocation. The charging location 112 is separated from the surface 114 on which the ECC deployment system, ECCDS, housing 102 is mounted by the route 110. Surface 114 may comprise any suitable substantially upright surface of a support structure. Examples of surface 114 include but are not limited to a surface which is part of a building, such as a water pipe or wall, or comprise an item of street furniture, such as for example, a lamppost or signage column or any other type of available mounting surface. In some embodiments, the EV CS 100 may be located instead on a substantially horizontal surface, for example, on top of a structure such as a flat roof. In some embodiments, the EV CS 100 may be mounted on or integrated in a dedicated support structure. The EV CS 100 may also be mounted on a mobile platform, e.g. on a platform provided with wheels, or location on rails, or provided on a drone, aircraft, vehicle etc.

[0056] As shown in the example embodiment illustrated in Figure 1A, the EV CS 100 comprises an ECCDS 500 (not shown in Figure 1A, see Figures 5 and 6 and the accompanying description for a description of an example of such a ECCDS 500 according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology). The ECCDS 500 is configured to drive the ECC 104 through the CGSS 150 so that a charging head end 120 of the ECC 104 can be extended towards and engage with an ECP 106 of the vehicle or apparatus 108 to be charged. The CGSS 150 may have any suitable configuration for guiding the deployment of ECC 104 towards an apparatus to be charged and may be formed from one or more guidance and support portions or elements.

[0057] The term electric vehicle, EV, should be considered to be mean any suitable type of apparatus that may be equivalently charged, such as a plane or train or truck for example.

[0058] The example embodiment of the CGSS 150 shown in Figure 1A comprises an uplifting tubular cable guide portion or section 116, a tubular guide connecting portion or section 124a linking the ECP port 106 to a lateral cable support portion or section 118 (or a plurality of such sections 118a, 118b for example) which support deployment of the ECC 104 laterally, for example, over a route 110. Another CGSS connecting portion or section 124b then links the lateral cable support portion or section 118 of the CGSS 150 to a cable hood 122 into which the ECC head end 120 can retracted when the ECC 104 is not in use. The ECC head end 120 comprises a suitably configured electric charging connector 138 for engaging with the ECP 106 of the vehicle (or other apparatus) 108 to be charged. The cable hood 122 protects the electric charger connector 138 from inclement weather such as rain, snow, wind and even sunshine. The head end 120 is pushed out of the hood 122 when the ECCDS 500 operates to move the ECC 104 through the CGSS 150 in a first direction towards the ECP 106 and when the ECCDS 500 operates to move the ECC 104 in the other direction the ECC 104 may be pulled back up to locate the electric charger connector 138 within the cable hood 122.

[0059] Although Figure 1 A is schematic and not to scale, a user is sketched in Figure 1 A to provide some sense of how the lateral cable support portion or section 118 of the cable guide support system, CGSS. 150 may be located at a height above route 110 which is sufficiently high to avoidimpairing the movement of a pedestrian moving along route 110 between the EV 108 and the EV CS 100. In some embodiments of the EV CS 100, the overhead lateral cable support portion or section 118 of the CGSS 150 is at a height that allows free passage underneath of other types of traffic and other types passers-by.

[0060] In some embodiments of the EV CS 100, and as mentioned above, to guide and / or support movement of the ECC 104, the CGSS 150 comprises one or more ECC guidance portion members which are configured within, and may be sometimes also referred to herein as being integrated in, or part of, the cable guide support system, CGSS, sections116, 124a, 118, 124b, and optionally a portion forming a cable hood 122. One or more or all of the cable deployment guidance members, especially those laterally supported within CGSS sections 116, 124a, 124b, 118, may be configured as a Bowden tube in some example embodiments of the disclosed technology to reduce frictional drag on the ECC 104 during deployment towards an electric vehicle, EV, 108 and / or retraction towards the cable stowage housing 128 with suitable support for the Bowden tube where required, for example, the Bowden tube may be within a larger diameter tube or sections or tube or provided with other supports.

[0061] The length of ECC 104 that needs to be deployed by the ECCDS 500 which allow the ECC head end 120 to reach a vehicle’s charging point, ECP, 106 may differ with each use of the charging system CS 100 depending on how far away from the ECC deployment mechanism that vehicle is parked. The more cable to be deployed, the bigger the weight of cable to be pushed out and pulled back into the stowage housing 128.This varying amount of cable weight places constraints on the design and configuration of the deployment mechanism used by the ECCDS 500. It is desirable if the deployment mechanism does not require any or much human intervention due to the weight of cable that may need to be deployed, as the distance the EV 108 is from the EV CS 100 may differ considerably with each use in some embodiments depending on how close the EV 108 can park to the EV CS 100 as well as where the ECP 106 is located on the EV 108. illustrated in the example of Figure 1A, the electric charging point, ECP, 106 is located at the front of the electric vehicle, EV, 108, for example, it may be integrated into the vehicle bonnet or hood. Different locations for charging points, ECP, 106 may be provided on a vehicle depending on the car make and model, for example, it may be located on the left or right hand rear side of an electric vehicle EV 108. Accordingly, when an electric vehicle 108 having a charging point 106 located in a different location is parked in the same position as the vehicle illustrated schematically in Figure 1A is parked for charging, the distance the ECC 104 is deployed may need to be adapted so that the ECC head end 120 is long enough to reach the location of the vehicle charging point 106 on the electric vehicle 108.

[0062] In the example embodiment illustrated in Figure 1A, the distal end of the lateral support section 118 comprises an ECC hood 122. The ECC 104 is withdrawn or retracted after use to within the interior 136 of the ECC hood 122. The ECC head end 120 is deployed from within theECC hood 122 downwards to engage with the vehicle charging point , ECP, 106. The ECC hood 122 protects the charging head from wind and rain and also provides other functionality. The ECC hood 122 is shown in an enlarged view in Figure 1 B and described in more detail later.

[0063] In the example shown in Figure 1A of an electric v e h i c l e charging system EV CS 100, the ECC deployment system, ECCDS, feeds out electric charging cable, ECC, 104 from the housing 102. As shown in Figure 1A, the ECC 104 which is not deployed is stored, in otherwords, stowed, in a separate ECC stowage housing 128. Alternatively, the stowage housing 128 may comprise part of the ECCDS housing 102 in some embodiments. Alternatively, surplus cable which has not yet been fed through the ECCDS housing 102 may be suitably coiled or left to freely dangle from the ECCDS housing 102. Figure 5 shows in more detail and described herein below an embodiment of an ECCDS 500.

[0064] As is well known in the art, charging power is provided to the distal end of the ECC 104 from the head end 120 from a suitable power source, shown in Figure 1A as power source 130. Power source 130 may comprise, for example, one or more or all of a mains, solar or battery power source in some embodiments. As shown in the example embodiment of the EV charging system CS 100 shown in Figure 1A, within the cable stowage housing 128 the ECC 104 is connected to draw charging power from charging power source 130. Charging power source 130 may be a different power source to the power source used by the EV CS 100 in some embodiments, however, in Figure 1A the same power source 130 is shown. An example of a power source 130 is a mains or grid power source. As shown in Figure 1A, glands 132, 134 may be provided at points where the ECC 104 and / or wires or cables for the ECCDS power supply enter the ECCDS housing 102 and / or the ECC stowage housing 128. Suitably strong fixing means are used to attach the stowage housing 128 and the ECC deployment system, ECCDS, housing 102 to the surface 114 so that they can support the weight and strain exerted through storage and deployment of the ECC 104 in use of the EV charging system CS 100.

[0065] The ECCDS 500 comprises a ECCDS drive control mechanism 514a (also referred to herein as an ECC) drive control mechanism 514a and an ECCDS drive mechanism 514b (see Figures 5, 6 and 7) for moving the ECC 104 towards an ECP 106 and also for retracting deployed ECC 104 back again to a stowage position. This movement may be configurable and controllable by a user.

[0066] The cable movement is controlled using an electronic or electrical drive control mechanism 514a which may be actuated by a user manually in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments where a manual drive mechanism actuator is provided, the actuator, for example, a switch (not shown in Figure 1A) may be provided on the housing 102 for a user to actuate. The switch may be a mechanical switch or a soft switch if the ECCDS housing 102 includes a suitable touch screen (or hover screen).

[0067] Alternatively, if the ECCDS 500 has data connectivity, for example as shown in Figure 7, then the ECCDS drive control mechanism 514a may be remotely actuated in addition or instead of being manually actuated by a suitable remote device 802. For example, in some embodiments, the electric charging cable drive system, ECCDS, drive control mechanism 514a may be controlled via a computer program executing on a wireless communications enabled device 802 such as a dedicated fob, a smart phone application, or a smart dash component of the EV 108.

[0068] Some embodiments of the EV CS 100 may comprise one or more proximity sensors (not visible in Figure 1A) which, if an approaching EV is recognized and any other pre- configured conditions are met, may automatically remotely authorize the EV 108 for charging via that EV CS 100.

[0069] In some embodiments of the EV CS 100, when an approaching EV is remotely authorized for charging, it may trigger the full or partial deployment of the ECC 104 from the cable hood 122. In some embodiments, the ECC 104 may be configured to be deployed only from the hood 122 when it is in sufficient alignment with the ECP 106 head end 120. When sufficiently aligned, the deployment of the ECC 104 may cause the ECC head end 120 to engage or almost engage with the ECP 106 directly below. In some embodiments, an additional guidance may be provided to guide the ECC 104 to better align and engage with the ECP 106. For example, magnets may be attached around the charging connector 138 and the ECP 106 which are sufficiently strong to allow the deployed ECC 104 to engage with the ECP 106 as it drops down from the cable hood 122.

[0070] In some embodiments for example where the electric vehicle EV 108 is an autonomous EV, or an EV with autonomous parking, the EV 108 may be further configured to generate a cable deployment request automatically when the vehicle senses or is informed, e.g., by the EV charging system CS 100 that it is within a certain proximity. This preauthorized the vehicle for parking without requiring additional user input providing that an individual user’s account information for that EV CS 100 has been previously set up to allow that user to use the EV CS 100 with that particular vehicle.

[0071] In some embodiments the EV CS 100 may be provided with cameras or another type of imaging equipment (not shown in Figure 1 A) to allow automatic number plate recognition to be used to preauthorize charging as a vehicle approaches or is stationary within range of the EV CS. In such embodiments, the EV CS may be provided with suitable processor(s) to execute a suitable image processing tool for performing character recognition in a captured image which includes a number plate. Such image processing tools are well known in the art and many are available either for execution locally or remotely, for example, an artificial intelligence, Al, based tool may be trained for recognizing number plates in images and used to recognize the number plate of a vehicle approaching an EV CS 100 according to some embodiments of the disclosed technology. This is just an example of how an EV CS 100 may be used to recognize an approaching vehicle as a vehicle which will need charging and / or is authorized to be charged. Alternative ways ofrecognizing such a vehicle may use Bluetooth™ tags or a similar wireless communications protocol to allow the remote sensing of an approaching vehicle and authenticating its identity so it can be authorized for vehicle charging.

[0072] Figure 1 B shows schematically an enlarged cut-away side view of the ECC hood 122 and its interior including the stowage position of the ECC charging head end 120 within the hood 122 according to some embodiments of the disclosed technology. In the example illustrated in Figure 1 B, the ECC charging head end 120 is drawn into the hood 122 so that the handle 152 adjacent to the charging connector 138 of the ECC head end 120 is physically sufficiently drawn into the interior 136 of the hood 122 until a cable stop is physically actuated. This is shown in more detail in Figures 12A and 12B. This may be achieved if the connection between the hood 122 and the lateral support section 118 of the CGSS 150 is configured to accommodate the charging cable handle 152 (see Figure 3). Instead of the physical stop triggered by the handle 152 end as shown in Figures 12A and 12B, in some embodiments, the stop may be triggered by the charging connector 138 if this is wider than the handle and the aperture provided in the cable hood can accommodate the handle before the cable stop is actuated.

[0073] Figure 1C shows schematically an enlarged view facing up into the interior of hood 22. In Figure 1 C, ECC head end 120 and charging connector 138 are shown from their end- face on so that the configuration of the individual charging connector elements or pins 140 within the charging connector 138 are visible. The ECC head end 120 shown in Figure 1C is an example of a typical ECC head end which comprises a standard Ell type 2 connector. In other embodiments, the ECC head end 120 may comprise a different type of connector depending on any local standard for such connectors. For example, the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector standard is being standardized as SAE J3400. Another type of charging connector is a combined charging standard (CCS) version 1 connector.

[0074] In Figure 1 C, the ECC 104 has been drawn within the interior 136 of the hood 122 into the CGSS 150 connecting portion o r s e ct i o n 124b with the horizontal cable support portion or section 118. In some embodiments, the CGSS 150 comprises a Bowden tube or series of interconnecting Bowden tubes, for example, one or more of 116, 118, and 124a, b may comprise a Bowden tube. The degree to which the charging connector 138 is capable of being retracted within the cable hood 122 however is dependent on the degree to which the configurations of the cable connector handle 152 (see Figure 1A), the cable hood 122 and connecting portion o r s e cti o n 124b conform to allow such a degree of retraction of the ECC 104 within the cable hood 122.

[0075] Figure 1C also illustrates how in some embodiments the cable hood 122 further comprises a number of lighting elements, such as LEDs, 144 arranged around the periphery of the hood 122. In some embodiments, one more sensors 146, for example, movement or proximity sensors may also be arranged on the hood 122, for example, they may be spaced around the periphery ofhood 122, as is illustrated schematically in Figure 1C. The lighting elements may be powered by a different power source from that used by the ECCDS, for example, they may be powered using a solar battery charged by a solar array mounted on or integrated into the cable hood in some embodiments. Alternatively, an electrical connection may be provided from the ECCDS power supply via the CGSS 150.

[0076] FIGURE 2A shows schematically an enlarged view of an example of a cable hood 122 of Figure 1C with a head end 120 of an ECC 104 in a retracted position. As shown in Figure 2A, the ECC head end 120 is withdrawn with the hood interior 142 until it engages with a stop mechanism 1200 (shown in more detail in Figures 12A and 12B).

[0077] Figure 2B shows the same view as is shown in Figure 2A but without a ECC 104 in situ, showing more clearly how the hood interior 142 forms a central aperture, which is aligned with the distal end of connecting portion or section 124b of the CGSS 150 in some embodiments. To facilitate better stowage of the ECC handle 152 within the hood 122, the handle 152 provided at the head end 120 of the ECC 104 may be configured to flex as it is drawn into the cable hood when the ECC 104 is retracted. In some embodiments, the ECC handle 152 is flexed to take a configuration which conforms with the configuration of the interior of the connecting portion or section 124b of the CGSS 150 when the ECC 104 is drawn back into the hood 122. When the ECC 104 is deployed then the handle 152 flex in the opposition way to take another, second, configuration. Preferably the second configuration is a more ergonomically comfortable handle position for a user to grasp the handle 152. This may result in a handle that is less likely to snag on passersby.

[0078] In the embodiments of a cable hood 122 having the form illustrated in Figures 1 C, 2A and 2B, the cable hood 122 may be provided with lighting in the form of a plurality of light emitting diodes 144 arranged around the periphery of the hood, of which 8 are shown in Figures 2A and 2B. In some embodiments, however, different type(s) of lighting may be used instead. Also shown in Figures 1 C, 2A and 2B are sensors 146, which one or all may be of the same type in some embodiments, alternatively, they may comprise different types of sensors in other embodiments. For example, one sensor may comprise weather sensor, another, second sensor may comprise a temperature sensor, and another, third, sensor may comprise an image sensor. In the examples shown in Figures 2A and 2B, three sensors 146 are shown schematically arranged around the peripheral portion of the cable hood 122, which may be all the same or different from each other. Additional sensors (not shown in Figures 2A or 2B) may be mounted on housing 102 and / or 128 in some embodiments. For example, housing mounted sensors may comprise one or more movement detection sensors and / or image sensors such as a camera or the like. These housing mounting sensors may be provided on the EV 108 facing face of the housings 102, 128 to support automatic number plate recognition.

[0079] In some embodiments of the cable hood 122, one or more lighting elements 144 or sensors146 mounted around the periphery of the central aperture of the hood interior 142 of the cable hood 122 may comprise individually or collectively a motion sensor or sensor system.

[0080] The lighting elements 144 of the cable hood 122 may all be the same or some may be infrared in some embodiments. In some embodiments, at least one lighting element may be configured to project a laser beam substantially vertically downwards which may be used by vehicle ranging equipment to guide a vehicle towards a suitable parking position to be charged by the charging system CS 100.

[0081] Figure 3 shows an enlarged view of an example of a head end 120 of a ECC 104 in some embodiments. In the illustrated example, head end 120 comprises a charging connector 138 located at one end of a handle 152 and connected to the ECC 104 which extends from the other end of the handle 152. A plurality of charging connector elements 140 within the charging connector 138 are arranged to engage with corresponding charging connectors of the charging point, ECP, 106 provided on the EV 108. The particular configuration of the connector elements 140 within the charging connector 138 varies in some embodiments according to the local standard(s) for such connector elements 140 and charging connectors 138 and the reciprocally configured elements within electric charging points, ECPs, 106. In some embodiments, the charging connector 138 may take the form of a predominantly male type of connector (e.g., a plug) with a predominately receiving female type of charging point (e.g., a socket), or vice versa. Although there are seven charging connector elements shown in Figure 3, only two connector elements are explicitly labelled 140 for clarity.

[0082] In the embodiment of the head end 120 shown in Figure 3, the charging connector 138 may further comprise one or more illumination means, for example, a plurality of lighting elements such as light emitting diodes, LEDs, 300 are shown in Figure 3. The illumination means 300 which may be provided as an array located on one or more sides (as illustrated in the example of Figure 3) or arranged around the periphery of the charging connectors so that when a user grips the head end 120 of the ECC 104 via handle 152, the light from the lighting elements 300 is not obscured.

[0083] In some embodiments, the lighting elements 300 are configured to automatically illuminate when the charging connector 138 is moved. In some embodiments, the lighting elements may illuminate whenever the ECC head end 120 is not within the hood 122. The automatic illumination of the charging connector 138 at the ECC head end 120 is advantageous in that it first acts like a torch and may aid a user physically engaging the head end with the charging point in low lighting conditions. Also, the illumination of the charging connector 138 at the cable head end 120 serves as a safety mechanism to illuminate the ECC 104 and head end 120 more clearly to pedestrians and other passers by using footpath 110 when the ECC 104 is deployed.

[0084] In some embodiments of the disclosed charging system CS, EV CS, 100, a charging connector 138 may also comprise lighting 400 such as a suitably located an image sensor 400 sothat this can be used as a torch, for example, they may wish or need to scan their own license plate or information within a charging port hood or flap etc. to register automatically for charging.

[0085] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the cable hood 122 may also include one or more light sources 144 for illumination of the area around the charging EV 108. These may be in addition to the light sources 300 located in the charging connector 138 which may help a user in the manner of a torch as they try to plug in the charging connector 138 into the ECP 106 on the EV 108. In some embodiments, in addition or instead, a collimated light source such as a laser may be emitted from the cable hood 122 or from the ECCDS housing 102 (and / or in some embodiments also from any separate stowage housing) to act as light guide(s) to aid vehicles to best align with the EV CS 100 when they are seeking to park and be electrically charged.

[0086] For example, in some embodiments of the disclosed technology, to facilitate automatic street parking by an autonomous electric vehicle at a location where there are no individual parking bays to offer guidance, a narrow vertical light beam such as a laser beam in the red or near infrared part of the spectrum may be provided from the cable hood. An autonomous vehicle may lock onto the vertical laser been to be guided to automatically park at a suitable distance from the electric vehicle charging system EV CS 100 to allow the vehicle to be charged. In some embodiments, the light beam may comprise a pulsed light beam in which the pulse itself conveys information about parking charging rates and / or parking availability. The pulsed light beam may comprise visible light or infra-red light in some embodiments. In some embodiments, a symbol or other means of indicating similar information may be projected by a suitable array of lighting elements in the cable hood onto the pavement to alert pedestrians and / or other passers-by (e.g., cyclists, horse riders, wheelchair users) that a vehicle is charging via an overhead cable. In some embodiments, the spectrum of the light may be varied to indicate a charging status of the vehicle that is remotely visible, for example, amber may indicate a part charge, red not sufficiently charged, or for example, less than 10% charged, green fully charged.

[0087] In some embodiments, the charging system CS may be configured to support public charging and may transmit beacons indicating its presence and / or parking availability status. If a vehicle driving nearby is approaching which requests charging and parking, then additional information may be provide using a wireless communications exchange between the charging system CS 100 and the EV 108. Alternatively, the lighting element(s) 144 located in the hood 122 may change their color or adopt an illumination pattern or a substantially vertical beam pattern may be emitted downwards from hood 122 to convey information associated with the availability of the charging system CS, EV CS, 100 and / or if a charging reservation request is possible. This is useful for unallocated street parking environments and other unallocated parking environments where reservation of the charging system CS 100 does not reserve a parking location in sufficient proximity to allow an EV to be charged. In unallocated street parking zones, access to the charging system CS 100 may depend on where other vehicles are parked, the maximum deployable lengthof the ECC 104, and the physical location of the charging point ECP 106 on the EV 108 seeking for example. The hood 122 may also illuminate to guide drivers to the location of the available charging system CS, for example to guide an autonomous EV towards and EV CS 100 in some embodiments responsive to the CS receiving a charging request and / or when an approaching vehicle with a low battery charge level is detected.

[0088] In some embodiments, lighting within the cable hood 122 does not illuminate until a request is received which the charging system CS 100 accepts and / or until the ECC 104 begins to be deployed. A charging request may be generated locally at the charging system, 100, for example at an electric vehicle charging system, EV CS 100, by a user using a touch-screen type display having suitable affordances or by actuators provided on the electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS, housing 102. Alternatively, a charging request may be generated by a smartphone app after the EV 108 has been parked, or by a smart- dash app of the vehicle, or responsive to actuation of a suitable wireless communication fob. In some embodiments, responsive to receiving a charging request, the EV charging system CS 100 seeks to determine if the proximity of the EV 108 sending the request is parked sufficiently close to allow charging to take place. In some embodiments, a charging request may be generated by an EV 108 as it drives along a street and received by a number of EV charging system CSs 100 located along the street, in which case the charging system CSs 100 may each individually respond with an indication of their availability. Such a response may include an indication of whether that EV charging system CS 100 can sense a parking obstruction, for example, if a vehicle has been parked nearby which is not using that particular EV charging system CS 100 for charging or if there is a skip located by that EV charging system CS. If the EV charging system CS 100 is located off-street, for example, in a parking lot, the system may also response similarly, for example, the hood lighting 144 may glow red if it is being used but may glow white or green temporarily or permanently if it is available.

[0089] Figures 4A and 4B shows another example of an embodiment of an electric vehicle charging system CS, EV CS, 100 which comprises a ECCDS 500 housed within housing 102. In this example embodiment, the EV CS 100 is mounted on a surface 114 which is not facing the EV 108 but which is within a suitable distance to deploy an ECC 104 to charge the EV 108 via ECP 106, for example, surface 114 could comprise the end of a wall running substantially parallel to route 110 or be any other suitable support structure. Figure 4A shows a schematic overhead view of how ECCDS housing 102 is now mounted on a support surface 114 with the CGSS 150 extending parallel to surface 114 toward the EV 108. Figure 4B shows a schematic side view of the EV CS 100 of Figure 4A. The components illustrated in this embodiment which share the same numbering scheme are the same as those described above for the embodiments shown in Figures 1A-1C, Figures 2A, 2B, and Figure 3, although they may be differently configured.

[0090] The CGSS 150 may in this embodiment an in an embodiment of the EV CS 100 shown in Figure 1 , be configured to rotate so that it may, in the embodiment of Figure 1A, lie parallel to theroute 110 when not in use. In other embodiments, however, including the embodiment shown in Figures 4A, and 4B, the CGSS 150 is fixedly mounted, although it may be able to resiliently flex if a sufficient force is exerted.

[0091] In Figure 4B, the internal components of the ECCDS 500 of the EV CS 100 are shown schematically. The ECCDS 500 controls the deployment of the ECC 104. It may be further configured to minimize the amount of ECC 104 deployed dynamically to minimize the degree of slack in the ECC 104 when an EV108 is charging.

[0092] Any suitable tension management system may be used. For example, in some embodiments, the ECCDS 500 manages cable slack by firstly determining when the ECC 104 is engaged with the ECP 106 on the EV 108 and then removes slack by retracting cable until the tension along the ECC 104 is above a threshold. The cable deployment tension can be measured using any suitable mechanism. For example, a suitable strain sensor 506 may be incorporated between the handle 152 and the ECC 104 at the head end 120. An example of a suitable strain sensor may comprise a coiled spring element (not shown in the drawings). Alternatively, a strain sensor or a weight sensor may be incorporated in the lateral cable support section 118.

[0093] The electric cable guide support system CGSS 150 comprises several sections in some embodiments which may be assembled on site or formed off-site. Examples of cable guide support system GCSS sections include the guide sections 116, 124a, 124b and lateral cable support section 118 (which may comprise a plurality of sections, for example, such as Figures 15A, 16, and 17 show schematically and which are described in more detail below).

[0094] The CGSS 150 is designed to reduce frictional drag on the ECC 104, which may be considerably heavy when it is being deployed for any length. For example, one or more or all of the portions or sections 116, 118, 124a, 124b of the CGSS 150 may be provided with suitable friction reducing means. For example, one or more of the sections 116, 118, 124a, b may comprise an inner flexible tube configured to allow the cable to be moved outwards towards the ECP 106 and backwards towards the ECCDS 500 along the axis of the tube with reduced friction whilst mechanical support for the weight of the cable is provided using an outer more rigid tube or multiple support brackets or the light. In some embodiments of the electric charging cable CGSS 150 one or more or all of sections 116, 118, 124a, b may be provided as Bowden tube sections or alternatively the electric charging cable, ECC 104, cable support system, CGSS, 150 may comprise a single Bowden tube to reduce frictional drag. An advantage of providing a sectional CGSS 150 is that it allows for more compact packaging when the CGSS 150 is being delivered to a user for assembly on site. A sectional CGSS 150 also reduces the size and weight of each portion or section of the CGSS 150 piece which may facilitate construction of the EV charging apparatus if delivered to an end user for assembly on site.

[0095] As shown in Figure 4B, the ECCDS 500 comprises an ECCDS drive control system 514aand a drive control mechanism 514b comprising two opposing cable drivers, shown as belts 508a, 508b which are moved using rollers 510a-510d and tensioned using belt tensioners 512a, 512b. A guide element 502 may optionally also be provided in some embodiments to feed in stowed ECC 104 into the ECCDS drive mechanism 514b in some embodiments. Figure 4B is a schematic diagram which is not to scale and the relative locations and size the components of the ECCDS 500 illustrated may differ in physical implementations of the ECCDS 500.

[0096] An embodiment of the ECCDS 500 comprising an ECCDS drive control system 514a and the ECCDS drive mechanism 514b is also shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 described in below.

[0097] Figure 5, for example, shows an example embodiment of an ECCDS drive control system 514a in which the ECCDS drive mechanism comprises the drive belts 508a, 508b, the drive belt rollers 510a-d, tensioners 512a, b, and drive cogs 608a, 608b, and master drive cog 606, and the drive belt control system 514a and other physical system components which drive the belts to deploy and retract the ECC 104. Figure 5 is not drawn to scale and the relative size of components illustrated may differ in some embodiments. The orientation of the ECCDS 500 and the orientation of the CGSS 150 connection relative to the housing 102 for the ECCDS 500 may also differ from that shown in the drawings in some embodiments.

[0098] The ECCDS drive control system or mechanism 514a controls how the ECCD drive mechanism 514b is operated. For example, the ECCDS drive control system 514a may comprise an ECCDS drive controller component 514a. The drive controller 514a may comprise one or more processors or processing circuitry 714 and memory 712 configured to store computer program code for execution by the one or more processors or processing circuitry 714 to enable one or more computer-implemented methods as described herein below to be performed (see also Figures 6 and 8 for example). In addition, the drive controller 514a may comprise other physical components for actuating the drive control over the drive control mechanism 514b, such as a switch and / or be actuated remotely, for example, if the ECCDS 500 includes additional wireless communications components such as a transmitter and / or receiver for wireless communications signals (see for example, the wireless TX / RX 800 and antenna 808 shown in Figure 7) with a remote device having a TX / RX wireless communications system 802. Examples of suitable wireless communications systems may include Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

[0099] Figure 5 illustrates schematically an example embodiment of an ECCDS 500 for use in an EV CS 100 according to the disclosed technology. In Figure 5, certain features which would be apparent to include to someone of ordinary skill in the art may be omitted for the same of clarity.

[0100] As illustrated in Figure 5, the ECCDS 500 has been rotated onto its side compared with the views illustrated schematically in Figures 1 A, 4A and 4B for clarity. As illustrated in Figure 5, cable feed 600 feeds in ECC 104 through an aperture on the left in housing 102 on the right and cable feed 602 feeds out ECC 104 via an aperture on the right of the housing 102 located to theleft of the ECCDS 500 when the ECC 104 is being deployed towards an ECP 106. As illustrated in Figure 5, if the direction of rotation of cog 606 is reversed, then cable feed 600 feeds in ECC 104 through an aperture in the housing 102 and cable feed 602 feeds out ECC 104 via an aperture in the housing 102 on the right of the ECCDS 500 as shown in Figure 5 when the ECC 104 is being deployed towards an ECP 106. The cable feeds may be reversed in some embodiments of the ECCDS 500.

[0101] In contrast, in the embodiments of the ECCDS 500 of the EV CS 100 shown in Figures 1A and 4A,B, when deploying ECC 104 towards the vehicle, the ECC 104 is fed upwards into the ECCDS 500 via cable feed 600 and outwards towards the ECP 106 via cable feed 602. The cable feed 602 then deploys the ECC 104 further towards the ECP 106 via the CGSS 150. In other embodiments where the cable is deployed over a route 110 such as is shown in Figures 1A and 4B, the ECCDS 500 may be configured to feed the ECC 104 horizontally as shown in Figure 5 (for example, if the EV CS 100 is mounted on a flat roof, then the CGSS 150 may be configured to deploy ECC 104 horizontally from the roof). As shown in Figure 5, the ECC 104 cable feed from the housing 102 is guided into the first portion or section 116 of the CGSS 150, shown here as including a Bowden tube type lining 604 to reduce frictional drag on the ECC 104 as it is urged into movement.

[0102] The ECCDS drive control system 514a is connected to a master cog 606 of the ECCDS drive mechanism 514b. As illustrated in Figure 5, the ECCDS drive mechanism 514b comprises a master drive cog 606 configured to be controlled by the ECC drive control system 514a and belt drive cogs 608a, 608b which are driven by the master cog 606. Cog 608a is connected to belt roller 510c and cog 608b is connected to roller 51 Od. By controlling the direction of rotation of the master cog 606 using the ECCDS drive control system 514a, both of the belt drive cogs 608a, 608 cause the drive belts 612a, 612b to rotate about rollers 510a-510d. Movement of the drive belts frictionally urges the ECC 104 passing between inner belt surfaces 618a, 618b into movement. If the master cog 606 is rotated in a first direction, it causes movement of the ECC 104 head end 120 towards the ECP 106. If the master cog rotates in the opposite direction, then the ECC 104 moves away from the ECP 106 and any deployed ECC 104 is retracted back towards into the ECCDS 500.

[0103] The embodiment of the drive mechanism 514b of the ECCDS 500 illustrated in Figure 5 comprises at least the drive belt support elements 614a, 614b, 616a, 616b which support the opposed surfaces 618a, 618b of the belts 508a, 508b which each face and frictionally urge the ECC 104 into movement. Support elements 616a,b support the belt facing support elements 614a, b and in some embodiments take the form also of stanchions which connect the front housing cover (not shown) to the rear of the housing 102. This type of drive belt support system allows for easier changing of the belt adjacent supports 614a,b to alter the grip force, for example, such as may be needed if 614a, b need to be more rigid or thicker to drive longer cable deployment runs.Alternatively, a longer belt contact region between the belt and the ECC may be used to provide additional grip force for longer deployment runs.

[0104] A suitable drive belt tension adjustment means is also provided. As shown in Figure 5 the belt tension adjustment means comprises a pair of springs 610, each spring being connected at each end to pivoting support elements 620a, 620b which position the tensioning rollers or tensioners 512a, 512b so that the belts 508a, 508b such that they grip the drive rollers 510c, d (or cogs) sufficiently. The drive belt support elements 614a, b and 616a-b support the drive belts so they exert an appropriate amount of frictional force on the ECC 104 as it passes between the opposing surfaces 618a,b of the drive belts 508a, b to move the ECC 104. The springs 610 each sit in a pocket 612 so as to not obstruct the movement of the drive belts etc. Also shown in Figure 5 is the rear mounting plate 622 for the housing 102 to be attached to a supporting surface, which includes at least two apertures 624a, b via which a screw or nail or dowel or other form of fixing means may pass to attach the housing 102 to a support such as a wall or the like.

[0105] Figure 6 comprises a block diagram illustrating components of the electric charging cable deployment system ECCDS 500 such as those comprising an ECCDS drive control system or mechanism 514a, an ECCDS drive mechanism 514b and one or more other elements of the ECC driving mechanism 500 which housed within electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS housing 102.

[0106] In Figure 6 and embodiment of the ECCDS 500 comprises an ECCDS drive control system or mechanism 514a and a drive mechanism 514b shown in Figure 6 as each receiving power from power supply 700. The power supply to EV 108 is different from that of power supply 700 in Figure 6. The power supply 700 has different power output from the charging power supply 130 for the EV 108. The connections with the power supplies may also different in some embodiments.

[0107] As shown in Figure 6, the power connection 720 between the ECCDS 500 and the power supply 700 is wired permanently. The power connection formed by the ECC 104 between charging power supply 130 and the EV 108 is not permanent as it is only formed when the ECC 104 is deployed to delivers power to an ECP 106 of an EV 108.

[0108] The example embodiment of the ECCDS 500 in Figure 6 has a ECCDS drive control system 514a comprising a motor controller 704 which is configured to control the master drive cog 606 of the ECCDS drive mechanism 514b between a first stop position 716 and a second stop position 718. The ECCDS drive controller system 514a of Figure 6 also comprises a drive actuator mechanism 710. In some embodiments, the drive actuator mechanism may, for example, comprise one or more control switches. The drive actuator mechanism 710 is used to set the first and second ECC cable stop positions 716, 718 and / or to urge the ECC 104 to be deployed in a first direction to the first cable stop when the ECC 104 head end 120 has engaged with the EVcharging point, ECP, 106, and to retract the ECC head end 120 back into hood 122 to a second stop position 718 after charging has been completed. Actuators 710 may also be provided for activating lighting 144 in the hood 122 and / or lighting 300,400 in the charging cable head end 120. The ECCDS 514a also comprises a microcontroller 708 for controlled system components such as the motor controller 704 and the drive motor 706 (shown in Figure 6 as part of the ECCDS drive control system 514a, but which may also be implemented as part of the ECCDS drive mechanism 514b in some embodiments).

[0109] Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings shows an alternative embodiment of an ECCDS 500 which further includes a wireless communications component shown as a wireless transmitter / receiver, TX / RX, 800 and an antenna 808 for communicating wirelessly with a remote communications device 802. In addition, in Figure 7, one or more sensor(s) 806a, b may be provided. In Figure 7, the sensor(s) 806a are integral with the ECCDS 500 and may provide means to monitor temperature etc. Sensors 806b may be mounted on housing 102 or provided in its vicinity. Sensors 806a may comprise image sensors enabling automatic number plate recognition in some embodiments. One or more other system components of the ECCDS 500 may include the sensor controller(s) 804 as shown in Figure 7. Sensors 806a, b also instead or in addition include motion sensors. For example, interruption of a light beam emitted by sensor 806b may be used to detect an individual. One or more sensor(s) may also be used to detect the presence of a passerby and if a passerby is detected, the ECCDS may be configured to respond with an audible or visible alert if EV charging is taking place. The power supply 700 to the ECCDS 500 may be wirelessly actuated in some embodiments, for example, responsive to suitable input from wireless remote device 802.

[0110] Figure 8 comprises a flowchart of an example embodiment of a method 810 to set up and configure an ECCDS 500 according to the disclosed technology to enable an EV 108 to be charged. In some embodiments, the method of Figure 8 may be implemented using a kit of parts which when assembled comprises an electric charging system 100 according to any of the embodiments of the technology disclosed herein.

[0111] In Figure 8, the method 810 is performed by a user and comprises the user disconnecting the ECC 104 from a charging power source 130 (if the cable is already connected) in step 812. The user then fits the ECC 104 rear component of ECCDS housing 102 to a support surface in 814, feeds in the ECC 104 between the cable driver belts 508a, 508b, fits the horizontal portion of the CGSS 150 at a desired height in 816, fits the front housing cover to the housing rear portion in 820. The ECC 104 is then fed through the CGSS 150 towards the EV 108 in 822. If the ECC 104 not already connected to power source 130, the next step is to locate the EV charging power source and to attach solution to the EDC. After a power source 130 has been connected to the ECC 104 in 824, a method to determine a first cable stop for the ECC 104 is performed in 1000, for example, using method 900, of Figure 9, followed by a method to determinea second cable stop in 1100.

[0112] Figure 9 shows schematically an example embodiment of a method 900 for determining how a first cable stop for the ECC 104 may be set to provide a more controlled deployment of the ECC 104.

[0113] In the example embodiment of the method shown in Figure 9, the cable driving mechanism 514b is being actuated in a first direction by the cable driving control mechanism 514a to cause a length of the ECC 104 to be deployed towards a ECP 106. Next the ECCDS 500 detects when the ECC charging connector 138 has engaged with an ECP 106 using a suitable wireless sensor mechanism in 904. As the cable unwinds towards the ECP 106, the length of cable deployed may be determined based, for example, on rotations of the master cog 606. This length or a suitable representation of it in terms of the number of cog revolutions is then stored in memory 712. Preferably the maximum length possible for the ECC 104 is deployed in 902 as this deployed length is then set as the maximum possible length by the ECCDS drive control system 514a and stored as the maximum stop length in memory 702 in 906.

[0114] In some embodiments, this maximum stop length may be taken as the first cable stop for the ECC 104 and stored as such in step 912, however this may lead to too much ECC being deployed in some scenarios and this could cause a trip or other type of hazard to passersby and other types of traffic on route 110.

[0115] Accordingly, in some embodiments of the method 900, the ECCDS 500 is configured so it can reduce the amount of excess electric charging cable, ECC, 104 deployed by determining how slack the deployed ECC 104 is in 908. The slack may be determined by weight or by a strain gauge or by any other suitable mechanism. If the cable is determined to be too slack (the tension is below a threshold value for example) in 910, the ECCDS 500 retracts the ECC 104 back towards the cable hood 122 and as it does so, the ECCDS 500 determines the tension in the ECC 104 using a suitable technique.

[0116] Examples of suitable techniques include using a strain gauge, for example one located in the ECC head end 120, for example, between the ECC charger handle 152 and the end of the ECC 104 connected to the handle 152, and / or by suitably weighing the ECC 104 as it is being deployed and determining the weight of the deployed cable and how the amount of weight being supported at the CGSS 150 changes based on the length of cable deployed. The strain gauge sensor may be configured to wirelessly share its data with the ECCDS 500 and weight sensors located in the CGSS 150 may be wireless, but preferably are configured to wirelessly share sensor readings with the ECCDS 500.

[0117] The ECCDS 500 may combine the information shared by such sensors with the deployed length of the ECC 104 as determined using, for example, the number of rotations of master cog 606 to determine how slack the electric charging cable, ECC, 104 is when it is engagedwith the ECP 106 in 910 of method 900. If the charging cable is too slack, for example, below a threshold tension, then the ECCDS driver mechanism 514b is controlled so that the deployed ECC 104 continues to retract back towards housing 102 until the tension is sufficiently high in 910 to remove slack in the ECC 104. At this point, the number of cog turns of cog 606 or some other representation of the cable length is stored as a first cable stop position can be stored in memory 712 in step 912. The method 1000 of determining a second cable stop position can next be performed in some embodiments of method 810 and / or 900.

[0118] An example embodiment of method 1000 for determining a second cable stop position is shown schematically in Figure 10 of the drawings. The illustrated example of method 1000 comprises detecting the charging connector 138 has been removed from the ECP 106 in 1002. The ECCDS driving mechanism 514b is then actuated either automatically or manually to retract the cable connector backwards into the cable hood 122 in 1004. When the charging connector 138 has been retracted fully into the hood 122, it will trigger an actuator (see later Figures). This indicates the cable head end 120 is now in a stowage position within the cable hood 122 and / or the CGSS 150 in 1006. The length of ECC 104 when this occurs is then set as the second cable stop position in 1008. Once the first and second cable stops have been set, the ECCDS 500 can determine if a vehicle is sufficiently close to the ECCDS 500 to be charged, as the maximum ECC deployment length is known. Once the second stop position has been determined, the ECCDS 500 system may use is able to subsequently determine if the ECC 100 has been sufficiently retracted or not or at all by monitoring if the stop has been triggered and from this determine the state of the deployed ECC 104.

[0119] Figure 11 shows schematically an example embodiment of a method 1100 for automatically requesting access for an EV 108 to be charged by an embodiment of an EV CS 100 according to the disclosed technology, for example, an EV CS 100 comprising a wireless communications enabled ECCDS 500 such as the example shown schematically in Figure 7.

[0120] In Figure 11 , the method 1100 comprises first detecting a request for EV charging in 1102 from a remote entity which may be using a mobile device, a wired device, or a vehicle or other type of apparatus to be charged. The request may be generated electronically and it may be transmitted, for example, using a suitable data communications protocol from a remote device 802 such as a dedicated fob, or an app on a smartphone or similar device including a smart watch, bracelet, headphone or ear piece or the like or an app executing in the requesting EV. Once the requesting entity associated with an EV has been identified, the identified requesting entity undergoes a suitable authentication protocol and their access rights for using the CS 100 verified in 1104. The request is then either granted or rejected in 1106. If the request is granted, the EV 108 approaching the EV CS 100 is deemed to be duly authorized to receive electric charging via the EV CS 100 and the ECC is then deployed in 1108.

[0121] When the EV 108 is deemed sufficiently close to the EV CS 100, the ECCDS drivecontrol system or mechanism 514a may be suitably actuated in 1108 either manually or remotely or automatically to cause electric charging cable, ECC, 104 to be deployed to a first stop. Once the ECC connector 152 has subsequently been detected as engaged with the ECP 106 on the EV 108, charging may be initiated in 1110. Once the EV 108 is sufficiently charged in 1114, the ECC 104 charging connector 138 may be removed (or in some embodiments, it may be automatically releasable), and the ECC 104 can be retracted back into hood 122 for safe stowage in 1112 by actuating the ECC drive control system 514a until the second stop is reached when the charging connector 138 is located within the cable hood 122.

[0122] Figures 12A and 12B show schematically how the second stop may be detected using a cable stop mechanism 1200. Embodiments of the cable stop mechanism as illustrated comprises a trigger element in the form of a hinged physical lever or latch or similar mechanism 1202 which is attached on one side via a suitable hinge 1202 to the interior of cable hood 122 or within the CGSS 150. The other end of the physical lever, latch or similar mechanism 1202 abuts a second stop detection mechanism or trigger 1204 of the EV CS according to the disclosed technology..

[0123] In Figure 12A, the cable stop mechanism trigger is not yet depressed, and so the ECCDS continues to retract ECC 104 backwards. However, at some point, the ECC 104 will have been sufficiently retracted and the cable stop mechanism 1200 is actuated, as is shown in Figure 12B where the stop trigger has been shut down.

[0124] Figure 13 shows schematically a method 1300 of providing illumination when seeking to charge and charging an EV 10 according to some embodiments of the disclosed technology. The embodiment of method 1300 shown in Figure 13 comprises the ECCDS determining an ECC is being deployed in 1302 , which causes actuation of the cable hood lighting 144 in 1304. Then a trigger event for the charging endpoint lighting to be actuated is detected in 1306, for example, the proximity of the charging connector 138 to the ECP 106 may be determined by the ECCDS 500 using a suitable configuration of wireless communication enabled proximity sensors on the charging connector 138 and / or the ECP 106. When the proximity is sufficiently close, the lighting elements 300 on the periphery of the charging connector 138 shown in Figure 3 are actuated in 1308. When the charging connector 138 is detected as engaged with the ECP 106 in 1310, the lighting elements 300 are suitably deactivated in 1312. In some embodiments, the lighting elements 300 may be switched off but in others the colour of the lighting elements 300 may change or they may be only dimmed. Whilst the EV 108 is charging, the overhead cable hood lighting 144 may be kept on in some embodiments, however, this may not always be suitable in some environments, and it may be configured to automatically switch off a certain amount of time after the charging connector 138 has engaged with the ECP 106.

[0125] In some environments, movement sensors 146 in the cable hood may monitor the area around the EV CS and EV being charged in 1350 and only if movement is detected in 1316,does the cable hood lighting 144 turn back on in 1320. Later, after the EV 108 has been charged, the charging connector 138 is removed from the ECP 106. This triggers in 1320 the charger lighting 300 to turn back on in 1322. As the ECC 104 is retracted towards its stowage position in the hood 122, the charger lighting 300 may remain on so that it is clear in low ambient light conditions where the charging connector is.

[0126] Advantageously, by providing lighting in the cable hood 122 and charging connector 138 the location of the charging connector and ECC 104 is made more visible. This may help prevent pedestrians and / or any other type of traffic passing along route 110 from colliding accidentally with the charging connector 138 and / or head end 120 of the ECC 104 as they are retracted back into the hood with the ECC 104. Another trigger event accordingly switches the lights 300 off in 1320. In some embodiments, the trigger event is time-dependent, for example, the charging connector lights 300 may be deactivated or switched off automatically after a certain amount of time after the charging connector 138 has disengaged with the ECP 106.

[0127] In some embodiments, the trigger event for turning off the cable hood lights 144 is when the head end 120 of the cable sufficiently enters cable hood 122 to trigger the second stop mechanism 1200 shown in Figure 13 as 1322. This may be detected using proximity sensors, the physical 2ndstop mechanism shown in Figure 12 or any other suitable mechanism, for example, by the ECCDS 500 counting when a certain number of cog revolutions have been reached in an earlier deployment. By detecting when the cable head end 120 is sufficiently stowed in the cable hood 122 in 1322, both the cable hood peripheral lighting 144 and the charger lighting 300 may be subsequently automatically deactivated in 1324.

[0128] Figure 14 shows schematically a block diagram of an example embodiment of a ECCDS 500 comprising computer code 1400 stored in memory 712 or computing circuitry for implementing one or more or all of the methods described in above such as methods 900, 1000, 1100, 1300. In the example shown in Figure 14, the computer code 1400 comprises in memory user account information 1402, and charging permissions 1404 to indicated who may use the EV CS 100. Such charging permissions indicate if the associated EV CS 100 is capable of being used by third parties. In some embodiments, the computer code may also include transaction related information 1406 and credentials and other security related data 1406. Also shown in Figure 14 is a data communications input / output data interface 1410 via which information is received and sent using one or more wireless communications protocols to other devices.

[0129] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications to the above embodiments of the disclosed technology are possible. For example, the ECCDS 500 may be installed on the end of the CGSS 150, in other words at the end of a boom arm, via which the ECC 104 is reaches the ECP 106 on an EV 108 or other apparatus to be charge when deployed.

[0130] The above disclosed technology seeks to provide an electric charging system CS,CS 100, which is particularly suited for charging EVs 108 in urban environments as it allows heavy electric charging cable ECC 104 to be better managed. Accordingly, some embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a cable management system which allows electronic deployment and retraction of the ECC 104 from a storage or stowage location or housing 128 to an ECP 106 on an apparatus to be charged. In some embodiments, but not all, the storage or stowage location or housing 128 may comprise a free-space location where one or more coils or loops of ECC are formed when the ECC is retracted by the ECCDS away from the ECP 106. Examples of such apparatus including an electric vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, including heavy vehicles such as trucks and cabs, and construction machinery such as cranes, forklift trucks, and the like, which may have very different control systems and charging power requirements to those used for domestic vehicles.

[0131] The cable management system allows the ECC 104 to be stowed in a location which requires it to cross a route 110 such as a path, bridlepath, pavement, broad walk, or other type of footpath, walkway, bridlepath to connect to and charge an EV 108 in some embodiments, and other types of apparatus such as marine vessels, spacecraft or aircraft in other embodiments. Similar types of situations such as may be encountered on industrial sites and factory environments, including across or over production lines. Preferably, the ECC storage location 128 is located at a height which allows access by a user to configure the charging cable management system at floor or ground level, and preferably in close location to a power source.

[0132] Locating such a cable management system at floor or ground level whilst allowing overhead deployment of the cable provides several advantages. For example, advantageously, some embodiments of the apparatus also allow a user to retrofit the charging cable management system to an existing electric charging power source apparatus without requiring the electric charging cable to be disconnected. This is very advantageous from a cost perspective in some countries where otherwise a suitably competent and / or qualified contractor may be required to connect the electric cable to an electric charging power source. The cable housing unit may also provide cable deployment controls which are reachable by users of various heights who may be standing or seated, for example, in a wheelchair. The cable housing unit may also be configured with a display which is located at a suitable height to convey information to a user on the power consumption and / or energy storage levels of the apparatus being charged. The cable deployment controls may be provided on the housing unit and accessible as physical or soft switches, for example, as actuatable affordances presented on a touch screen (or touch hover screen) in some embodiments. The cable deployment system is provided using a cable support boom or arm or the like which is suspended at a height such that it does not obstruct access along any passage between where the cable housing unit is located and the location of the apparatus to be charged. In other words, the cable housing 128 and / or ECCDS housing 102 may be mounted on or in a wall, down-pipe, or street furniture such as a phone booth or street lamp, and pedestrians may stillpass over pavement between the cable housing and, for example, an electric vehicle being charged using a cable deployed by the cable management system from the cable housing. By configuring the cable management system to control the cable deployment so that only sufficient cable is deployed to allow a vehicle to be charged without overly deploying cable, cable is avoided from trailing across the pavement, which reduces the hazard risk of curbside charging of electric vehicles where it is not possible to locate the electrical supply in or at the roadside.

[0133] In some embodiments of the disclosed technology, an electric charging cable, ECC, 104 management system comprises an electrically actuated ECCDS 500 according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein arranged to deploy and retract the ECC 104. The ECCDS 500 comprises a drive motor; a pair of opposing cable drivers, for example, a belt or wheel, at least one cable driver being driven by the drive motor. The pair of cable drivers belts are configured to bidirectionally move a charging cable provided between opposing surfaces of the cable drivers. The ECCDS 500 further comprises a drive motor controller configured to at least cause the pair of opposing cable drivers to frictionally deploy a charging cable provided between the cable drivers in at least a first direction towards a charging point until a first stop is triggered, a drive motor actuator configured to actuate the drive motor to deploy the charging cable towards the charging point, and a cable retraction mechanism, which may be provided by the cable drivers being driven in the opposite direction so as to cause the deployed cable to be withdrawn. The ECC management system may also comprise an ECC storage housing 128 and a housing 102 configured to house the ECCDS, and a power supply for powering the ECCDS 500. One end of the ECC 104 may configured to be permanently connected to an electric charging power source 130 and the other end, the head end, 120 of the ECC is deployed by the ECCDS 500 from its stowage housing 128 (or if no stowage housing, from however it is stored) towards the apparatus to be charged. In some embodiments, the apparatus to be charged comprises an EV 108 such as that shown in Figure 1 A of the accompanying drawings.

[0134] In some embodiments, the ECCDS 500 is configured to deploy head end 120 of the electric charging cable, ECC, 104 from its stowage location, which may be within housing 102 if sufficient large or provided by a cable stowage housing 128, via a charging cable guide support system, CGSS, 150 towards the electric charging point, ECP, 106 the cable must connect or engage with in order to deliver power to an apparatus such as an electric vehicle 108.

[0135] In some embodiments, a different cable retraction mechanism may be provided within the ECCDS 500. For example, instead of using the cable drivers to drive the ECC 104 towards a stowage housing 128 for example, an automatic recoil mechanism may be used.

[0136] When the ECCMS system is in use, one end of the ECC 104 is connected to an electrical charging power source 130 and other end, comprising an electric charging connector 138 comprising a plurality of charging elements, such as pins, 140, is deployed by the ECCDS 500 from its storage location, for example, within the ECCDS housing 102 or from a stowage housing128 or storage location in tree-space, towards the ECP 106. In some embodiments, the ECC 104 is guided around obstacles or prevented from forming an obstacle to passing using a CGSS 150. In some embodiments of the CGSS 150, the ECC is lifted upwards and over a route so as to avoid forming an obstacle or trip hazard. A cable hood may be provided into which a charging connector of the ECC may be housed when the ECC is not in use. In some embodiments, the ECC 104 is deployed downwards from the cable hood 122 towards the ECP 106.

[0137] In some embodiments, the ECCDS 500 is configured with an electrical connection which allows an ECC to be removably connected to a charging power source 130 within its cable stowage location in the ECCDS housing 102. Advantageously, by being able to disconnect both ends of the ECC, it may facilitate replacement of faulty ECCs and / or maintenance of the ECCDS 500, and / or allow a different length of ECCs to be used.

[0138] In some embodiments, one end of the ECC is connected to an electrical charging power source and the other, cable head, end of the cable, is automatically deployed responsive to an actuation control signal towards the charging point at least until a charger 138, for example, a charging plug attached to the charging cable head end 120 is able to engage with an electric charging point, ECP, 106, for example, an electric charging socket of an electric vehicle or other type of electric apparatus 108 to be charged.

[0139] In some embodiments, the ECC 104 further comprises a data communications system configured to receive a transmitted actuation control signal which is generated remotely by an application executing on a mobile device and / or by the apparatus to be charged, for example, an electric vehicle, responsive to receiving at least one user input. The user input may come from a human or from another computer system, for example, it may comprise a suitable autonomous or semi-autonomous control system or robot in some embodiments.

[0140] In some embodiments, the drive motor is manually actuated to cause the cable to be sufficiently deployed towards an apparatus to be charged to allow engagement of the charging cable head with a cable charging point of the apparatus. For example, the actuator which is manually activated may comprise by a switch, or a button. Alternative mechanisms include a physical interaction with a screen (a user interface affordance) either part of a display of the actual cable feeds system housing or on a remote device such as an app.

[0141] In some embodiments, the drive motor actuator mechanism of the cable management system is configured to be remotely controlled by a fob or by another type of {authorized} device, which may comprise an authorized app on a mobile communications device such as a smart phone or watch. By limiting the ability to deploy the cable only to authorized devices rather than just limiting the ability to charge via the deployed cable only to authorized user accounts / devices, opportunities for vandalism are limited and there will always be a record of who deployed the cable.

[0142] Advantageously, by only allowing cable to be deployed if the deployment is triggered by authorized device, damage to the charging cable and risk of injury to passers-by who may trip on the cable if deliberately over extended can be better traced and may be reduced and / or eliminated. A user who does not have an authentication device, which may, for example, comprise a fob, key, or suitably configured mobile phone with an authentication application (an “app”) cannot cause the charging cable to be extended and in embodiments where the charging cable head housing is located overhead, if the head housing is sufficiently high off the ground, the likelihood of acts of vandalism on the cable head may be greatly reduced. The authentication process to deploy charging cable may be different or the same as the authentication process to allow charging of an apparatus to take place using the charging cable.

[0143] Some embodiments of the disclosed technology comprise a method of electric charging cable management performed by an electric cable management system, the method comprising: responsive to sensing engagementof a charging head plug of an electric charging cable with a charging socket, automatically: triggering a first stop of a cable driving mechanism; and removing slack in the charging cable by retracting the charging cable back towards a charging cable stowage housing by: monitoring tension in the charging cable; and responsive to the tension exceeding a threshold, causing the cable drivers to cease to retract the cable back towards the charging cable stowage housing at a second stop position.

[0144] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: responsive to determining an actuation of the cable driving mechanism, stowing excess cable in the charging cable stowage housing by reversing the operation of cable drivers which deployed the cable to operate so as to retract the cable backwards to stow the excess cable in the charging cable stowage housing; and, responsive to sensing a charging cable head is located within the cable hood, ceasing the reverse operating of the cable drivers at a third stop location.

[0145] In some embodiments of the electric cable management system, the cable driving mechanism comprises opposing cable drivers, for example, opposing drive belts or drive wheels.

[0146] In some embodiments, the electric charging cable management system comprises a drive motor actuator which is configurable to be controlled via an actuator application executing on a remote device such as on a phone or the like which sends the actuation signal to the drive motor micro-controller. The executing application may be configured to present charging information showing an amount of energy, an energy cost, for example, based on a tariff keyed in by a user or provided by another application. The application may also cause presentation of an affordance on a display to allow the user to lock the cable deployment mechanism.

[0147] In some embodiments, the electric charging cable management system includes a display to show charging information.

[0148] In some embodiments, the electric charging cable management system has a lockmechanism to prevent unauthorized deployment of the ECC 104.

[0149] In some embodiments, the electric charging cable management system comprises a contactless payment mechanism, for example, it may include a contactless payment card reader.

[0150] In some embodiments, the electric charging cable management, ECCM, system includes an image sensor system, for example, a camera, which takes images of users and / or the apparatus to be charged. For example, in some embodiments, a vehicle number plate may be imaged and the image is then suitably processed to recognize the number plate. The ECCM system may then automatically perform a search for an associated user account and generate an electronic payment request for that account. The electronic payment request may be generated when the vehicle has been sufficiently charged to a preset limit for that user’s account. The preset limit may be a cost amount, a % of the battery capacity, or a time limit. Advantageously, this avoids a user of the apparatus needing to have an app open on a device before the apparatus is charged. Alternatively, a user account may use facial or other biometric driver recognition to bill user for charging an apparatus.

[0151] In embodiments where the ECCMS includes a manual cable deployment mechanism, the drive motor actuator is mechanically operable. An example of a mechanically operable drive motor actuator includes a switch, lever, toggle or button or physical pull on the cable itself configured to mechanically actuate the drive motor. Operating the mechanical drive motor actuator is sensed and generate an electric signal which when detected by a microcontroller causes the drive motor to be actuated.

[0152] In some embodiments, the drive motor of the ECCMS is configured to be stopped when a cable limit switch is activated by a ring element on the electric vehicle charging cable. The cable limit switch may be limited by a mechanical sensor or by an optical switch, for example, if a light beam is provided by a laser diode and a light sensor is aligned with the light beam so that it senses the present (or absence) of the light beam when the cable head is retracted, a signal may be generated to cause the cable limit switch to be activated at the third stop position of the charging cable.

[0153] In some embodiments, the cable stowage housing is configured with cable inlet guide and exit guide which orientate the cable relative to the opposing surfaces of the cable drivers, so that the charging cable can be deployed and retracted in vertical directions at the stowage housing, for example, upwards and downwards.

[0154] The CCMS includes, in some embodiments, a data communications element for long range data exchanges over wireless and / or wired data networks with a remote monitoring station. The CCMS may also comprise one or more short range data communications for forming wireless data connections with a remote actuator, for example, a key fob or mobile communications device on which an application is provided. Examples of short range wireless datacommunications include Bluetooth, ZigBee, and NFC.

[0155] The CCMS may be connected to a mains or locally generated electric power source, for example, a wind or solar power source, or to a battery store. Power may be obtained via an existing connection to an electric charge point.

[0156] The CCMS comprises driver belts which are tensioned using a tensioning spring so that sufficient frictional force is exerted via pulleys from drive motor. Depending on the cable dimensions additional compression may be provided using a suitable element such as a shim arranged between belt support and the internal belt surface. Or use a tensioning screw or some other mechanism.

[0157] The cable is inserted through cable guides, for example, using low friction tube, such as one or more Bowden tubes (see 1600 in Figure 16) which extend into the drive mechanism. It is also possible to remove the cable stowage housing (and cable deployment mechanism housing cover if different) to place the cable between the opposing driver belts in some embodiments. Placing the cable between the opposing driver belts may require temporary removal of a retaining component such as a spring or clip or similar component.

[0158] The features of the CGSS 150 shown in each of Figures 15A, 15B, 16, and 17 may be suitably combined with features from each other either shown in the description or described herein below and / or combined with the features shown in the Figures and / or the descriptions of the other Figures hereinabove.

[0159] Figure 15A illustrates schematically a non-adjustable, in other words, fixed or rigid, electric cable guide support system, CGSS, 150 for supporting an internal Bowden tube within which an electric charging cable, ECC, may be deployed according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed technology.

[0160] Figure 15B illustrates schematically by way of contrast an electric charging cable, ECC, cable guide support system, CGSS, 150 having a telescopically extendible lateral support arrangement for an internal Bowden tube via which an electric charging cable, ECC, 104 may be deployed according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed technology; The CGSS 150 comprises a support arm as shown in Figure 15B having a lateral section 118 which is telescopic which separates two bent sections 124a, 124b. The length of the telescopic section may be set and fixed by an installer in some embodiments, with the inner Bowden tube via which the electric charging cable is deployed, being adjusted, for example, cut, to an appropriate length on site by the installer.

[0161] Figure 16 illustrates schematically an electric charging cable guide support system, CGSS, 150 comprising a laterally extended arm support section 118 comprising a plurality of sections 118a, 118b, as shown. An example of such a laterally extended arm system portion or section 118 of the CGSS 150 may be implemented by a plurality of sections such as the twosections 118a,b shown in Figure 15A and 16, or, for example, a telescopic system, which may instead be provided. Alternatively, some embodiments may use a different mechanism for extending the arm substantially laterally for example, any suitable mechanism for extending a gantry type platform or the like may be used, such as an articulated jib or pantograph mechanism. The extending lateral arm support section of the CGSS 150 externally supports a cable feed 1600 provided by an internally low friction tube or other support mechanism 1600 which presents a low friction surface to guide the electric charging cable 104 along its length as it is deployed. An example of such a low friction support mechanism 1600 is a Bowden tube via which an electric charging cable, ECC, 104 is deployed according to some embodiments of the disclosed technology.

[0162] The configuration of the CGSS 150 in Figure 16 is similar to that shown in Figure 15B, in that the lateral length of the support arm of the CGSS 150 is variable using a telescopic mechanism, for example a gantry style scissored hinge and / arm extending system and / or an articulated jib, for example. The extended or extendable arm portion or section 118 of the CGSS 150 carries the weight of the Bowden tube 1600 (or any other type of low friction tubular support with which the electric charging cable is in contact), and the cable within it, including the weight of the head etc. However, the Bowden tube and the electric charging cable within the Bowden tube hang down via support elements below the arm in an arc formation which allows for a slightly larger radius of curvature for the cable than the bends at each end of the lateral support arms. Alternatively, the Bowden tube may be provided parallel with the same degree of curvature as the CGSS bent sections or even provided on supports above the lateral arm of the CGSS. The Bowden tube length can be changed by a user which may also adjust the flex and curvature of Bowden tube and electric charging cable accordingly.

[0163] Figure 17 illustrates schematically an electric charging cable guide support system comprising a positionable flexible arm lateral portion or section 118 such as a positional flexible “gooseneck” arm capable of being deformed to adopt a S-shaped or gooseneck or similar configuration with one or multiple bends, which may be in opposing orientations, which retains its deformed position. By deforming the CGSS 150 positionable flexible arm, the lateral extent of the electric charging cable’s deployment location can be varied according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed technology.

[0164] Positionable flexible arms such as positionable flexible gooseneck arms are already known in the art, for example, for machining purposes and an example of a positionable flexible arm is marketed for example by SnakeClamp™. These are strong positionable flexible arms which can be deformed manually or using simple tools to adopt rigid gooseneck arm configurations. The gooseneck sections may be hollow and configured to interlink to other gooseneck sections and / or to telescopic sections. The laterally positionable and flexible arm portion or section 118 of the cable guide support system, CGSS, 150 shown in Figure 17 has ainterior passage along its length via which a Bowden tube or similar low friction internal surface may be provided along which the electric charging cable, ECC, 104 may be deployed. Alternatively, the Bowden tube 1600 may be suitable supported externally as Figure 16 shows by way of example.

[0165] In some embodiments, where the CGSS is configured to adopt a gooseneck configuration, the support arm for the Bowden tube may be fully or partially articulated which may be flexed initially or repeatedly so that the electric charging cable, ECC, 104 can be deployed from the support section of the CGSS 150 forming the electric cable hood 122 at varying locations, illustrated schematically in Figure 17 as locations A, B, and C. This allows a user to change the reach of the CGSS by flexing the gooseneck arm section which in turn will flex the inner Bowden and internal electric charging cable.

[0166] In some embodiments of the disclosed technology, the electric charging cable management system, ECCMS, for an electric charging system CS comprises: a cable guide support system, CGSS, an electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS, comprising an electrically powered ECCDS drive mechanism and an electrically powered ECCDS drive control system, the ECCDS drive mechanism comprising: a pair of opposing cable drivers arranged to urge an electric charging cable, ECC, to be driven into movement in a first direction via a cable feed along the CGSS towards an electric charging point, ECP, on an apparatus to be charged, and into movement in a second direction opposite to that of the first direction along the CGSS to withdraw the ECC away from the ECP to a storage location of the ECC; and a housing for the ECCDS. The ECCMS is configured to be connected to one or more electrical power supplies for powering the ECCDS drive mechanism and the ECCDS drive control system. The electric charging cable management system, ECCDS, drive mechanism comprises: a drive motor; a pair of opposing cable drivers, at least one cable driver being driven by the drive motor. The pair of cable drivers are configured to be capable of moving the electric charging cable disposed between the opposing surfaces of the cable drivers into movement along the cable guide support system, CGSS. The cable guide support system, CGSS, is configured to support the electric charging cable, ECC, at least partially in a substantially lateral direction as it is deployed in the first and second directions.

[0167] In some embodiments, the cable guide support system, CGSS, is rigidly deformable and capable of being configured to extend in one or both of a lateral direction and a vertical direction, wherein the extended configuration of the CGSS is sufficiently rigid to support a deployed electric charging cable, ECC.

[0168] In some embodiments, the electric charging cable management system, ECCMS comprises a cable guide support system, CGSS, having a tube having a low-friction interior surface via which the electric charging cable, ECC, is configured to be deployed in the first and second directions.

[0169] In some embodiments, the tube having the low-friction interior surface comprises a rigid Bowden tube, but in some embodiments, particularly if the CGSS is flexible, the Bowden tube is a flexible Bowden tube which holds its configuration sufficiently strongly once deformed to be capable of supporting deployment of an ECC. An example of such a flexible or deformable cable guide support system, CGSS, is a CGSS which is configured to be capable of adopting a gooseneck shape or configuration, for example, a CGSS may be provided with an arm section or sections which comprise a number of inter-linked components which are rigidly deformable along the length of the arm so that various configurations can be adopted. By using a flexible Bowden tube supported within an interior passage or channel or tube of the gooseneck fixture, the Bowden tube may lengthen as the gooseneck extends the cable support reach from, say, position A as shown in Figure 17 to position C (the furthest from the cable deployment system).

[0170] In some embodiments, the cable guide support system, CGSS, supports a Bowden tube having a minimum radius of curvature which enables the electric charging cable, ECC, to be deployed within the Bowden tube around the minimum radius of curvature. This may reduce friction between the ECC and the interior of the Bowden tube that may otherwise occur if the bend(s) in the CGSS are too tight for the thickness of ECC being deployed.

[0171] In some embodiments, the cable guide support system, CGSS, is configured to be variably laterally extended to support more than one length of electric charging cable, ECC as it is used to charge an apparatus.

[0172] In some embodiments, the cable guide support system, CGSS, comprises an extendable telescopic arrangement configure to support a Bowden tube containing an electric charging cable either internally or externally.

[0173] In some embodiments, the cable guide support system, CGSS, comprises a plurality of flexible ball joints, wherein the ball joints are configured to rotate relative to each other whilst retaining a sufficiently large internal aperture to allow a Bowden tube to pass through them via which the electric charging cable, ECC, is deployable in the first and second directions.

[0174] Another aspect of the disclosed technology comprises an electric vehicle charger system, CS, configured with a cable guide support system, CGSS, 150, for guiding an electric charging cable 104 laterally in free space, the CGSS 150 comprising a support arm 118 for a low- friction guide 1600 within which the electric charging cable 104 is deployable in a first direction from a stowage location towards a charging location, and vice versa. In some embodiments, the support arm 118 is deformable and capable of adopting a rigid gooseneck configuration whilst supporting the electric cable when attached to a charging point on the electric vehicle. In some embodiments, the support arm 118 comprises one or more sections or portions which are capable of being telescopically extended primarily in a lateral direction. The telescopic or goose neck lateral portions or sections 118a, 118a, 118b, of the CGSS 150 shown in Figures 15A,16, and 17and described herein may be used by any one of the embodiments of an electric charging system, CS 100 disclosed herein, including those shown schematically in Figures 1A, 1 B, and 4B.

[0175] The description of the disclosed technology and the accompanying drawings are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications may be made in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations. As used herein, the term “component” is intended to be broadly construed as hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. It will be apparent that systems and / or methods described herein may be implemented in different forms of hardware, firmware, and / or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and / or methods is not limiting of the implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and / or methods are described herein without reference to specific software code - it being understood that software and hardware can be used to implement the systems and / or methods based on the description herein. As used herein, satisfying a threshold may, depending on the context, refer to a value being greater than the threshold, greater than or equal to the threshold, less than the threshold, less than or equal to the threshold, equal to the threshold, and / or the like, depending on the context. Although particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of various implementations. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification.

[0176] No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Further, as used herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more items referenced in connection with the article “the” and may be used interchangeably with “the one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, the term “set” is intended to include one or more items (e.g., related items, unrelated items, a combination of related and unrelated items, and / or the like), and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the phrase “only one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open- ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Also, as used herein, the term “or” is intended to be inclusive when used in a series and may be used interchangeably with “and / or,” unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., if used in combination with “either” or “only one of”).

Claims

CLAIMS1. An electric charging cable management system, ECCMS, for an electric charging system, CS, (100) wherein the electric charging cable management system, ECCMS, comprises: a cable guide support system, CGSS, (150), an electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS, (500) comprising an electrically powered ECCDS drive mechanism and an electrically powered ECCDS drive control system, the ECCDS drive mechanism comprising a pair of opposing cable drivers arranged to urge an electric charging cable, ECC, (104) to be driven into movement in a first direction via a cable feed 1600 supported by the CGSS, (124a, 118, 118a, 118b, 124b) towards an electric charging point, ECP, (106) on an apparatus or to be charged, and into movement in a second direction opposite to that of the first direction to withdraw the ECC (104) away from the ECP (106) to a storage location (102, 124) of the ECC; and a housing (102) for the ECCDS, wherein the electric charging cable management system ECCMS is configured to be connected to one or more electrical power supplies for powering the electric charging cable deployment system ECCDS drive mechanism and the ECCDS drive control system, and wherein the electric charging cable management system, ECCDS, drive mechanism comprises: a drive motor; a pair of opposing cable drivers, at least one cable driver being driven by the drive motor, and wherein the pair of cable drivers are configured to be capable of moving the electric charging cable, ECC, (104) disposed between the opposing surfaces of the cable drivers into movement in at least the first direction, wherein the cable guide support system, CGSS, 150 is configured to support the electric charging cable, ECC, 104 at least partially in a substantially lateral direction as it is deployed in the first and second directions.

2. The ECCMS of any one of the previous claims, wherein the cable guide support system, CGSS, is rigidly deformable and capable of being configured to extend in one or both of a lateral direction and a vertical direction, wherein the extended configuration of the CGSS is sufficiently rigid to support a deployed electric charging cable, ECC, 104.

3. The electric charging cable management system, ECCMS, of claim 1 , wherein the cable guide support system, CGSS, 150 comprises a tube having a low-friction interior surface via which the electric charging cable, ECC, is configured to be deployed in the first and second directions.

4. The ECCMS of claim 3, wherein the tube having the low-friction interior surface comprises either a rigid Bowden tube or a flexible Bowden tube.

5. The ECCMS of any one of the previous claims 1 to 4, wherein the cable guide support system, CGSS, is capable of adopting a gooseneck configuration.

6. The ECCMS of claim 5 when dependent on claim 4, wherein the Bowden tube is a flexible Bowden tube supported within an interior passage or channel or tube of the gooseneck fixture.

7. The ECCMS of claim 6, wherein the cable guide support system, CGSS, supports a Bowden tube having a minimum radius of curvature which enables the electric charging cable, ECC, to be deployed within the Bowden tube around the minimum radius of curvature.

8. The ECCMS of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cable guide support system, CGSS, maintains rigidity as it is laterally extended to support weights of different lengths of electric charging cable, ECC as it is used to charge an apparatus.

9. The ECCMS of any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the cable guide support system, CGSS, comprises an extendable telescopic arrangement configure to support a Bowden tube containing an electric charging cable either internally or externally.

10. The ECCMS of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the cable guide support system, CGSS, comprises a plurality of flexible ball joints, wherein the ball joints are configured to rotate relative to each other whilst retaining a sufficiently large internal aperture to allow a Bowden tube to pass through them via which the electric charging cable, ECC, is deployable in the first and second directions.

11. The ECCMS of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising the electric charging cable, ECC.

12. The ECCMS of claim 11 , wherein the ECC deployed by the ECCDS is connected to a different power supply for charging the apparatus.

13. The ECCMS of any one of claims 11 to 12, wherein the apparatus comprises an electric vehicle, EV, and the ECC is a charging cable for electrically charging the EV.

14. The ECCMS of claim 13, wherein the electric vehicle, EV comprises a heavy EV, and the ECC is a charging cable for electrically charging the heavy EV.

15. The ECCMS of any one of the previous claims, wherein the ECCMS comprising a cross-route ECCMS for cross-route charging of an electric vehicle wherein the CGSS comprises a lateral cable support portion at a height above a route along which traffic passes and the ECCMS provides an overhead cable management system for electric vehicle charging using an ECC which crosses the route.

16. The ECCMS of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the ECCDS further comprises: a drive motor controller configured to at least cause the pair of opposing cable drivers to frictionally deploy an electric charging cable, ECC, provided between the cable drivers in the first direction towards the ECP of the apparatus to be charged until a first cable deployment stop is triggered; a drive motor actuator configured to actuate the drive motor to deploy the ECC towards the ECP; and a cable retraction mechanism configured to retract the ECC.

17. The ECCMS of claim 16, wherein the cable retraction mechanism comprises the drive motor controller being configured to be capable of causing the pair of opposing cable drivers to frictionally deploy the electric charging cable, ECC, provided between the cable drivers in a second, opposite, direction from the first direction, until a second cable deployment stop is triggered.

18. The ECCMS of claims 16 or 17, wherein a first cable deployment stop control signal for the cable drivers comprises a signal generated when the charger at the cable head end engages with the electric charging point, ECP, of the apparatus being charged.

19. The ECCMS of claim 18, wherein after the first cable deployment stop has been triggered, slack in the electric charging cable, ECC, is automatically removed by retracting the ECC back towards the electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS, until the second cable deployment stop is triggered.

20. The ECCMS of claim 19, wherein the first cable deployment stop is sensed when a charging connector located at one end of the electric charging cable, ECC, has engaged with the electric charging point, ECP, to supply power to the apparatus, and wherein the electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS, is configured to determine the second cable deployment stop dynamically.

21. The ECCMS of claim 20, wherein the electric charging cable deployment system, ECCDS, determines the second cable stop dynamically by: monitoring tension in the deployed electric charging cable, ECC, as it retracts; and responsive to the tension exceeding a threshold, cause the cable drivers to cease retraction ofthe ECC, wherein the length of ECC deployed when retraction ceases is stored as the second cable deployment stop.

22. The ECCMS of any one of previous claims 16 to 21 , wherein the opposing cable drivers comprise opposing drive belts and / or drive wheels.

23. The ECCMS of any one of previous claims 16 to 22, wherein the drive motor actuator comprises an actuator provided using an application executing on a remote device;24. The ECCMS of claim 23, wherein the remote device comprises a phone or the like which sends the actuation signal to the drive motor micro-controller.

25. The ECCMS of any one of previous claims 16 to 24, wherein the ECCDS comprises a cable limit switch, and wherein the drive motor is configured to be stopped when the cable limit switch is activated by a stop element on the ECC as the ECC is moved between the cable drivers.

26. The ECCMS of any one of previous claims 12 to 23, wherein the ECCDS comprises a cable limit switch, and wherein the drive motor is configured to be stopped when the cable limit switch is activated by one or more sensor elements of the drive motor as the ECC is moved between the cable drivers, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is configured to detect when the drive motor is no longer moving smoothly.

27. The ECCMS of any one of the previous claims, wherein the CGSS comprises one or more sections forming a Bowden tube within which the ECC is caused to move in the first and second directions, for example, towards and away from a ECP, by the ECCDS.

28. An ECCMS according to claim 27, further comprising a cable hood connected to the far end of the cable guide support system, CGSS, from the ECCDS, the cable hood comprising: an aperture via which the ECC is deployed, the aperture being dimensioned to also partially enclosing a handle attached to an electric charger at the end of the ECC; and at least one illuminator located in the cable hood, the illuminator is configured to be automatically actuated when the electric charging cable head is deployed.

29. An ECCMS according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the electric charger at the end of the ECC is provided with at least one illuminator which is automatically illuminated when the ECC moves away from a stowage position in the cable guide hood.

30. An ECCMS according any one of claims 24 or 25, wherein the cable hood further comprises a sensor for sensing movement in its range of operation around the ECCMS, and wherein if movement is sensed, at least one of the illuminators in the cable hood are activated.

31. An ECCMS according to any one of claims 23 to 26, wherein the second cable deployment stop is triggered by a sensor mechanism located in the cable hood.

32. An ECCMS according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the storage location is in a stowage housing.

33. An ECCMS according to claim 32, wherein the stowage housing comprises the ECCDS housing.

34. An electric charging system CS, CS, comprising: an electric charging cable, ECC configured to be connected to a charging power supply; and an ECCMS according to any one of claims 1 to 34, wherein the electric CS is configured to be connected to one or more electrical power supplies for powering the ECCMS drive mechanism and the ECC.

35. An electric vehicle charger system, CS, configured with a cable guide support system, CGSS, 150, for guiding an electric charging cable 104 laterally in free space, the CGSS 150 comprising a support arm 118 for a low-friction guide 1600 within which the electric charging cable 104 is deployable in a first direction from a stowage location towards a charging location, and vice versa, and wherein the support arm 118 is deformable and capable of adopting a rigid gooseneck configuration whilst supporting the electric cable when attached to a charging point on the electric vehicle.

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