Charging Station Automated Restart via Closure Interlock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Charging stations for electric vehicles often experience long downtimes and high service costs due to the need for manual intervention by a service technician to restart the system after a fault is detected, as the protective switching element must be manually returned to its monitoring position, interrupting power supply and requiring on-site technician travel.
Innovation Solution
The charging station is designed as a closed system with a manually operable or motor-actuated closure element that automatically returns the protective switching element to its monitoring position upon fault detection, allowing automated restarts without manual intervention, ensuring safety by maintaining the system in a closed state during restarts, and using sensors to monitor the closure element's position for secure operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the protective switching element is manually returned to its monitoring position by a service technician, then the charging station can be restarted after a fault, but the charging station experiences long downtimes and high service costs
Solution Approach 1:
The charging station performs self-diagnosis and self-restart after a fault by automatically actuating the protective switching element back to the monitoring position through the actuating unit, eliminating the need for service technician intervention and reducing downtime
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors the switching position of the protective switching element and automatically triggers the actuating unit when it detects that the element has moved to the interrupting position, creating a closed-loop feedback system that enables automated restart
2Reliability
If the protective switching element is manually returned to its monitoring position, then the charging station can be restarted, but service costs increase due to technician travel and manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The charging station performs self-diagnosis and self-restart after a fault by automatically actuating the protective switching element back to the monitoring position through the actuating unit, eliminating the need for service technician intervention and reducing downtime
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical intervention of a service technician is replaced by an automated electromagnetic or motor-driven actuating unit controlled by an electronic control unit, substituting human labor with an automated mechanical-electrical system
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the charging station is designed as a closed system with a closure element, then safety is ensured during automated restart, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure element is designed to close the housing recess automatically before the actuating unit actuates the protective switching element, ensuring that the plug-in element is inaccessible and safe during the automated restart process
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors the position of the closure element and only permits actuation of the protective switching element when the closure element is confirmed to be in the closed position, creating a safety interlock through feedback control
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The device has a closure element (8) closing a recess (7) in a closed position, so that a plug-in element (1) is arranged in a housing (6). The plug-in element is arranged in the housing in an open position of the closure element in accessible manner. An actuator unit (13) is attached to a protective switching element (4) for connecting the switching element in monitoring switching position. A detector unit (9) is attached to the closure element for detecting the closed position. A data technical control unit (11) is cooperated with the detector and actuator units and a switching element (5). The detector unit exhibits an optical sensor and/or a proximity sensor and/or a contact-sensitive sensor. An independent claim is also included for a method for operating a charging station providing electrical power for an electrical operable vehicle.