Cart Charging Coil Alignment Without Fixed Guiderails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cart charging systems face issues with compatibility due to varying wheel widths and spacing between wheels, leading to incompatibility with guiderails set for specific cart types, limiting the use of non-compatible carts.
Innovation Solution
A cart charging system with a power transmission surface facing the side of the cart, incorporating a front wheel guide to restrict movement, rear wheel guides, and adjustable plates to align power reception and transmission surfaces, allowing for flexible positioning of power feeding units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a guiderail is set to a specific size for particular carts, then power transmission alignment is achieved for those carts, but carts with different wheel widths and spacing become incompatible
Solution Approach 1:
The power transmission coil is mounted on a side surface of the cart rather than being fixed to the floor, allowing the transmission surface to move with the cart. This dynamic positioning eliminates the need for guiderails and enables compatibility with carts of various sizes while maintaining proper alignment for power transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The power transmission surface is oriented perpendicular to the floor surface (vertical orientation) rather than parallel to it. This dimensional change allows the transmission coil to be positioned on the cart's side surface, enabling alignment without relying on floor-based guiderails and accommodating different cart wheel configurations.
2Reliability
If a guiderail is installed to guide carts to storage positions, then power reception and transmission are optimized, but the system size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guiderail component is completely removed from the system. Instead of using a floor-based guiderail to position carts, the invention transfers the alignment function to the cart-mounted power transmission coil, which automatically aligns with the stationary power reception coil at the storage position without requiring mechanical guidance structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The power transmission coil serves dual functions: it is both the power transmission element and the positioning reference. By mounting it on the cart, it eliminates the need for separate guiderails while maintaining reliable power reception alignment, simplifying the overall system structure.
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
Ensures efficient non-contact power transmission and reception by aligning power surfaces, accommodating different cart types without the need for a guiderail, thus enhancing compatibility and reducing system size.
Implementation Method 1
a power transmission coil provided such that a power transmission surface is perpendicular to a floor surface and feeds electric power to a power reception coil provided on a side surface of a cart
Data Source
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AI summary
A cart charging station includes a supporting member, a power transmission device, and an engaging member. The power transmission device is coupled to the supporting member such that a power transmission surface thereof faces a power receiving surface of a power reception device mounted on a cart at the cart charging station. The power transmission device is configured to transmit electric power to the power reception device in a non-contact manner. The engaging member is configured to engage with the power reception device of the cart and restrict movement of the power reception device in a frontward direction and the width directions of the cart.