EV Charging Cable Pulley With Variable Radius Counterbalance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle charging cables often obstruct access ways and are prone to damage, and the force required to move them from charging stations to vehicles is high and uncomfortable for users.
Innovation Solution
A cable management system featuring a pulley with a constant and dynamic guide groove, combined with a mechanical counterforce system, reduces the retraction force and allows for adjustable cable extension length without increasing the retraction force significantly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the charging cable is made longer to extend the charging range, then the cable can reach farther vehicles, but the retraction force required to move the cable increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a mechanical counterforce system with a counterweight that balances the weight of the charging cable. The counterweight is connected through a pulley system with guide grooves, creating a counterbalancing force that offsets the cable's weight, thereby reducing the retraction force required by the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The pulley system incorporates a dynamic guide groove with variable radius that changes position as the cable extends or retracts. This dynamic adjustment allows the counterforce system to adapt to different cable lengths and positions, maintaining optimal counterbalancing throughout the cable's range of motion.
2Ease of operation
If a mechanical counterforce system is added to reduce retraction force, then user comfort improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical counterforce system is designed to automatically balance the cable weight without requiring user intervention or complex control mechanisms. The counterweight and pulley system self-adjust as the cable moves, providing continuous counterbalancing force with minimal maintenance and simple operation.
3Force
If the pulley system uses a dynamic guide groove with variable radius, then the counterforce can be optimized, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide groove is designed with a specific variable radius profile that changes along its length. This parameter variation allows the pulley system to optimize the counterforce distribution throughout the cable's range of motion, providing better force balance while managing manufacturing complexity through a defined geometric profile.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system reduces the retraction force needed to connect the charging connector to the vehicle, decreases the required counterforce, and allows for longer cable extension without increasing the retraction force, enhancing user comfort and cable management.
Implementation Method 1
The pulley has a first portion with a first guide groove with a constant radius provided around a rotation axis of the pulley. Additionally, the pulley has a second portion with a second guide groove with a dynamic radius provided around the rotation axis of the pulley.
Implementation Method 2
The mechanical counterforce system is configured for counteracting at least a weight of the charging cable between the pulley and the charging connector.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A cable management system for an electric vehicle charging station (10) is described. The cable management system includes a pulley (13) rotatably mounted to a support structure (17). The pulley (13) has a first portion (131) with a first guide groove (13G1) with a constant radius R2 and a second portion (132) with a second guide groove (13G2) with a dynamic radius (r1) provided around a rotation axis (133) of the pulley (13). Further, the cable management system includes a charging cable (11) having a first end (11A) connected to a charging connector (12) and a second end (11B) connected to a power supply (16), wherein a first wire (111) is connected to a portion between the first end (11A) and the second end (11B) of the charging cable (11). The first wire (111) is guided within the first guide groove (13G1). Additionally, the cable management system includes a mechanical counterforce system (14) configured for counteracting at least a weight of the charging cable (11) between the pulley (13) and the charging connector (12), wherein the mechanical counterforce system (14) is connected with the pulley via a second wire (141) guided within the second guide groove (13G2).