Integrated EV Busway Cable Hanger for Safer Connector Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional EV charging systems often result in cables and handles being placed or dropped on the floor, leading to damage and trip hazards, especially in facilities with a high number of charging connectors.
Innovation Solution
An integrated cable hanger system for EV charging systems that allows the busway to be mounted higher than the parked vehicles, with a cable hook that can be lowered or maintained at a pre-set height for easy access, minimizing damage and trip hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the busway is mounted higher than parked vehicles to minimize damage and trip hazards, then safety and component protection are improved, but cable accessibility for charging becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cable hanger is designed with a movable support structure 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 (when not in use) that prevents trip hazards and cable damage, and a lowered position (during charging) that provides easy cable accessibility. The dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between safety and operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable hanger acts as an intermediary mechanism between the high-mounted busway and the vehicle charging port. By providing a movable cable hook that can extend downward, the cable hanger mediates the connection between the elevated power source and the vehicle, allowing cables to be accessed without lowering the busway permanently, thus maintaining both safety and accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If traditional ground-mounted charging systems are used, then cable accessibility is easy, but cables and handles are placed on floor areas causing damage and trip hazards
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mounting the charging system at ground level (two-dimensional floor plane), the busway is mounted on the ceiling or upper wall structure (three-dimensional vertical space). The cable hanger then provides a controlled vertical extension to reach the vehicle. This dimensional change removes cables and handles from the floor area, eliminating trip hazards and damage risks while maintaining accessibility through the vertical cable delivery path.
Data Source
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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.