EV Charging Contact Cover for Dirt- and Water-Protected Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle charging systems are cumbersome and prone to contamination and water exposure due to the manual handling of charging cables and the placement of charging contacts on the vehicle underside, which is vulnerable to dirt and spray water.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle with an electrical contacting unit featuring a displaceable cuboidal cover that protects electrical contacts from dirt and water, driven by an external power source along a longitudinal guide, allowing for automatic charging while maintaining a compact design through an eccentric drive arrangement and reinforcement with a flexural beam to prevent warping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the charging cable is manually handled and stored in the luggage compartment, then the vehicle can be charged, but the handling becomes cumbersome and the luggage compartment volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The charging cable is extracted from manual handling and stored in the luggage compartment, and instead integrated directly into the charging socket assembly. The cable is permanently mounted in the charging socket housing, eliminating the need for users to manually store and retrieve the cable from the luggage compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging socket assembly automatically manages the cable through integrated retraction and storage mechanisms. The cable is automatically retracted into the charging socket housing after use, and the system self-manages cable deployment and storage without requiring user intervention.
2Ease of operation
If the charging cable is accommodated in the luggage compartment, then the vehicle can be charged, but the luggage compartment volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The charging cable is extracted from the luggage compartment and permanently integrated into the charging socket assembly. The cable is mounted within the charging socket housing, completely eliminating the need for luggage compartment storage space.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable storage function is transitioned from three-dimensional luggage compartment space to the structural space within the charging socket housing. The cable is routed through and stored within the charging socket assembly structure, utilizing vertical and lateral space within the socket housing rather than requiring separate luggage compartment volume.
3Extent of automation
If the electrical contacts are placed on the vehicle underside for automated charging, then automatic charging is enabled, but the contacts are exposed to spray water and dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The charging socket assembly is designed with movable and adjustable components that allow dynamic positioning and protective covering of the electrical contacts. The cable management system includes movable guides and protective shields that can adjust their position to protect contacts while maintaining automated connection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Protective shields and guiding structures are introduced as intermediary elements between the electrical contacts and the external environment. These intermediaries protect the contacts from spray water and dirt while allowing automated charging robots to maintain proper alignment and connection.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a cover is used to protect the electrical contacts, then protection against dirt and water is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover function is merged with the charging socket housing structure. The housing itself serves as the protective enclosure, integrating the protection function into the existing structural components rather than adding separate protective elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging socket housing performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, houses the electrical contacts, manages cable routing, and protects the contacts from environmental contaminants. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protective components.
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle has an electrical contact-making unit, which is fixed to the vehicle, for making electrical contact with an external charging cable. The contact-making unit includes electrical contacts and a movable cover which can be moved between a protective position, in which the cover covers the electrical contacts and thereby protects them against soiling and/or water, and a charging position, in which the electrical contacts are accessible from the area surrounding the vehicle. The cover here is cuboidal and in the protective position it at least partially surrounds the electrical contacts. In the charging position, the cover is located next to the electrical contacts, wherein the cover can be moved between the charging position and the protective position in a manner operated by external force.