Integrated EV Busway Cable Hanger for Accessible Overhead Charging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional EV charging systems face issues with cable management, leading to potential damage and trip hazards, especially in high-traffic facilities like warehouses for fleet vehicles.

Innovation Solution

An improved busway system with an integrated cable hanger that allows the cable hook to be positioned at various heights or maintained at a fixed height, enabling secure cable management and minimizing the risk of damage or tripping hazards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the busway is mounted at a higher position to minimize damage risk, then the likelihood of damage to charging components is reduced, but the accessibility of EV charging connectors becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage preventionVSAvoidconnector accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cable hanger is designed with movable supports that can be actuated between multiple positions, allowing the cable hook to dynamically adjust its height. This enables the system to transition between a raised position (for damage prevention) and a lowered position (for accessibility), resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cable hanger integrates the cable hook and support structure within the busway system, nesting the cable management function inside the existing electrical infrastructure. This allows the cable hook to be positioned at optimal heights independent of the busway mounting height, simultaneously achieving damage prevention and accessibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If cables are placed on floor areas for easy access, then the accessibility of charging connectors is improved, but the risk of cable damage and trip hazards increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable accessibilityVSAvoidcable damage and trip hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cable hanger acts as an intermediary device that elevates the cable hook above the floor level while still providing accessible cable deployment. This intermediate positioning removes cables from harmful floor areas (preventing damage and trip hazards) while maintaining ease of access through the extended cable length from the hook to the vehicle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of placing cables horizontally on the floor (2D surface level), the system transitions cables to a vertical dimension by suspending them from an elevated cable hook. This dimensional change removes cables from the harmful floor plane while preserving accessibility through vertical cable management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS20250153585A1Electric vehicle busway with integrated cable hanger

Publication Date: 2025.05.15 EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LTD

AI summary

Embodiments of a busway system that includes an integrated cable hanger for use with an EV charging system are disclosed. The integration of the cable hanger into the busway allows users to access the EV charging connectors of the EV charging system while maintaining the busway at a height above that which would be accessible by a user, thus minimizing the likelihood of damage to several components of the EV charging system. The cable hanger includes a cable hook which can be used to hang the cable of an EV connector. In some embodiments, the cable hanger is structured to enable the cable hook to be lowered from the busway and raised back up, and in other embodiments, the cable hanger maintains the cable hook at a pre-set height below the busway.