Ceiling-Mounted EV Charging Layout for Hazard-Free Cable Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electric vehicle charging systems pose trip hazards and incur significant costs due to ground-level or underground electrical utilities, especially in large facilities like warehouses and parking structures.
Innovation Solution
An overhead-mounted electric vehicle charging system using cable trays for electrical power distribution and integrated EV charger mounting, eliminating floor-level cables and chargers, and allowing for easy expansion by adding modular cable tray sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ground-level or wall-mounted electrical utilities are used for EV charging, then installation is straightforward, but cables and charging handles are placed on floor areas causing damage and trip hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the electrical utility system from the ground level (2D floor plane) to the ceiling level (3D vertical space), thereby removing cables and charging handles from the floor area where they cause trip hazards and damage. This dimensional transition resolves the safety issue while maintaining electrical functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cable trays as an intermediary structure to support and organize electrical cables in the overhead space. These cable trays act as a mediator between the ceiling-mounted electrical utilities and the charging stations, ensuring safe cable routing and management without floor-level hazards.
2Reliability
If underground trenching and floor-installed utilities with bollards and pedestals are used, then electrical power distribution is achieved, but significant installation costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of installing electrical utilities from the ground up (underground trenching → floor pedestals → ceiling), the patent inverts the approach by installing utilities from the ceiling down (ceiling mounting → cable trays → charging stations). This inversion eliminates expensive underground trenching and floor penetration work while maintaining reliable power distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the electrical utility system into modular components: ceiling-mounted distribution points, modular cable tray sections, and individual charging station units. This segmentation allows for phased installation and expansion without requiring complete system installation, reducing initial costs while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If traditional ground-mounted charging systems are used, then charging stations are easily accessible, but the system is difficult to expand in large facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic, flexible cable management system using overhead cable trays that can be easily extended and reconfigured. The cable trays allow charging cables to be dynamically routed to different locations, enabling the system to adapt to changing facility needs and vehicle positions without permanent floor installations.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of an electric vehicle (EV) charging system for implementation in structures that house electric vehicles, such as warehouses or parking structures, are disclosed. The EV charging system can be overhead mounted from a building's ceiling, using cable tray for electrical power distribution and an integrated EV charger mounting system, thus eliminating the risk of EV cables and charging handles being dropped on floor areas. The disclosed ceiling mountable system is especially advantageous for electric vehicle fleet charging applications and multi-level parking lot applications, as the disclosed system enables simplification and lowest-total-installed-cost in comparison to traditional ground-mounted EV charging systems and related electrical infrastructure. Another advantage is the use of open cable tray for electrical power cable routing and support, which is easily expandable to accommodate additional EV chargers by adding modular cable tray or cable runs to load center/drop-out sections for EV chargers and cable management.