EV Charging Station Pulley Cable Storage for Long-Reach Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle charging stations face challenges in managing charging cables, including incorrect arrangement, damage, and space occupancy, due to their length and lack of effective retraction mechanisms, which complicates user interaction and increases maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A charging station with a containment body housing independent electric charging systems, a computerized control system, and a pulley mechanism for winding and unwinding charging cables, allowing automatic or user-initiated retraction and storage within the station, reducing cable damage and improving space management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If charging cables are made long to guarantee recharging regardless of vehicle positioning, then recharging accessibility is improved, but cable management and space occupancy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The charging cable is transformed from a static, fixed-length cable to a dynamic, retractable cable through the pulley mechanism. The cable can extend when needed for charging and automatically retract when not in use, adapting its length based on operational requirements. This resolves the contradiction by providing long cable reach during charging while minimizing space occupancy during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable management function is extracted from manual user handling and transferred to an automated pulley retraction mechanism. The pulley system automatically winds and stores the cable after charging sessions, eliminating the need for users to manually manage the cable and ensuring consistent, correct cable arrangement without requiring user skill or effort.
2Adaptability or versatility
If charging cables are made long to reach vehicles not positioned close to the station, then charging coverage is improved, but cable arrangement and positioning deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley mechanism provides self-service cable management by automatically retracting and arranging the cable after charging sessions. The system performs its own cable organization task without external intervention, ensuring consistent and correct cable arrangement while maintaining extended charging coverage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pulley mechanism performs preliminary action by pre-arranging and storing the cable in its proper position during the charging process. The cable is systematically wound onto the pulley as charging progresses, ensuring neat arrangement is achieved before the session ends, rather than leaving disorganized cables for post-charging management.
3Ease of operation
If support elements are provided for cable arrangement, then cable positioning is improved, but device complexity and production costs worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley mechanism serves multiple functions: it enables cable extension for charging, automatically retracts the cable after use, and provides neat cable storage. This single multi-functional component replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate support elements, guides, and storage structures, reducing overall device complexity while improving cable positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of cable support, cable guidance, and cable storage are merged into a single integrated pulley mechanism. Instead of having separate support elements for each function, the pulley combines all these roles into one compact device, simplifying the station structure while maintaining effective cable management.
4Volume of moving object
If elastic charging cables are used to reduce volume when not in use, then space occupancy is improved, but cable arrangement and damage prevention deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The passive elastic cable system is replaced with an active mechanical pulley retraction system. Instead of relying on elastic properties to compress and store the cable, the pulley mechanism actively winds the cable onto a drum, providing controlled and gentle cable handling that prevents damage while achieving compact storage.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a charging station for electric vehicles comprising a containment body that houses a plurality of electric charging systems, each of which is independent and provided with a battery charger operatively connected to the electric power supply, a charging cable operatively connected to the battery charger, a management device of the charging cable; wherein each of the electric charging systems comprises an activation button and wherein the containment body comprises a plurality of inner carters able to define separate housing portions for the charging cables and an initialization button of the charging station, wherein the computerized control means are able to allow the activation of the battery charger by simultaneously pressing said initialization button and the activation button, and are able to allow the movement of the pulley for the winding of the charging cable following a winding command from the user or after a predetermined deactivation time of the battery charger, wherein the predetermined deactivation time is calculated from the extraction of the charging cable.