Battery Charging Cabinet Drawers for Faster Micromobility Swaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to efficiently and conveniently charge and swap batteries for micromobility transit vehicles, minimizing downtime and labor burden for fleet managers.
Innovation Solution
A battery charging cabinet system is introduced, featuring a cabinet housing with drawers that contain charging docks and battery chargers. This system allows for easy charging and swapping of batteries, with features like extendable drawers, multiple charging docks, and indicators for charging status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If batteries are charged at centralized locations, then charging infrastructure is simplified, but vehicle downtime increases and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery charging system is extracted from the centralized charging location and placed directly on the micromobility transit vehicle. This allows charging to occur wherever the vehicle is located, eliminating the need to transport vehicles to charging stations and significantly reducing vehicle downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
A portable charging cabinet serves as an intermediary between the power source and the vehicle battery. This mobile charging unit can be positioned at various locations including depots, charging stations, or even at customer sites, providing flexible charging options that reduce vehicle downtime while maintaining infrastructure simplicity.
2Device complexity
If batteries are charged at centralized locations, then charging infrastructure is simplified, but labor burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery charging system is designed to be self-service, allowing automated battery insertion, charging, and removal without requiring manual intervention from fleet managers. The system autonomously manages the charging process, significantly reducing labor burden while maintaining simple infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
By extracting the charging capability from centralized infrastructure and placing it on the vehicle or at distributed locations, the system eliminates the need for labor-intensive vehicle transport to charging stations, thereby reducing labor burden while keeping infrastructure simple.
3Productivity
If multiple charging docks are provided in drawers, then battery swapping efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging cabinet is segmented into multiple drawers, each containing charging docks for different battery types or configurations. This segmentation allows simultaneous charging of multiple batteries with different specifications, improving swapping efficiency while organizing complexity into manageable, modular sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging docks within drawers are designed with universal compatibility to accommodate various battery types and configurations. This multi-functionality allows a single charging cabinet to serve multiple vehicle types and battery specifications, improving productivity without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system significantly reduces downtime and labor costs by enabling efficient battery charging and swapping, allowing micromobility transit vehicles to be quickly returned to service.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of battery chargers may be disposed in corresponding charging docks in the drawers. The battery chargers may charge the battery held in the corresponding charging dock.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery charging cabinet for micromobility transit vehicle batteries may include a cabinet housing, at least one drawer, a plurality of charging docks, and a plurality of battery chargers. The drawer may be configured to extend from and retract into the cabinet housing. The plurality of charging docks may be disposed in the drawer where each of the plurality of charging docks may be configured to interface with a battery for a micromobility transit vehicle. The plurality of battery chargers may be disposed in a corresponding charging dock of the drawer, where the battery charger is able to charge the battery held in the corresponding charging dock. Related systems and methods are additionally disclosed.