Modular EV Charging Bollard Top for Fast Service on Sloped Pavements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle charging stations with retractable bollards face issues such as damage from wear and exposure, require costly and disruptive maintenance, and are unsuitable for sloped pavements, while existing solutions do not adequately address these problems.
Innovation Solution
A modular charging interface device in the form of a bollard top that can be easily swapped or replaced, featuring tamper-resistant connections, dual charging sockets, and a sloped design to match pavement slopes, reducing the need for extensive excavation and enhancing usability on sloped surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire charging station is replaced rather than repaired, then reliability is improved, but cost and time for maintenance increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the charging station into a permanent base and a removable charging portion, the system enables selective replacement of only the faulty charging components rather than the entire station. This maintains reliability by replacing damaged parts while significantly reducing maintenance time and cost compared to full station replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable charging portion can be quickly detached and replaced when damaged or worn, allowing the functional base to be retained and reused. This approach recovers the value of the permanent installation while discarding only the necessary components, reducing overall maintenance time and cost.
2Ease of operation
If the charging station is installed flush with the pavement surface, then trip hazards are minimized, but the charging portion cannot deploy vertically on sloped pavements
Solution Approach 1:
The removable charging portion is designed with an asymmetric sloped configuration that can be matched to the specific pavement slope. This allows the charging station to deploy at the correct angle on sloped surfaces while maintaining a flush appearance when retracted, minimizing trip hazards and adapting to various installation environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging portion is designed as a dynamic removable component that can be configured or adjusted to match different pavement slopes. This dynamic adaptability allows the same base unit to serve multiple locations with varying slopes while maintaining safety and functionality in each context.
3Area of stationary object
If the charging portion is made retractable to free up street space, then pavement space is freed and the station is concealed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a simple permanent base and a removable charging portion. The retraction function is achieved not through a complex mechanical retractable mechanism but by allowing the charging portion to be easily removed and stored separately, significantly reducing device complexity while still freeing up street space when not in use.
Data Source
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AI summary
A charging interface device (20) for releasably mounting on a bollard of an electric vehicle charging station, the device comprising a bollard top (49), (58), first and second end walls (50) depending from respective ends of the bollard top for fitting in or to the bollard, a first charging socket (46) in the first end wall (50) for receiving a plug of an electric vehicle charging cable, and a first power supply connector for releasably connecting a mains power cable to the charging socket (46), in which at least one of the bollard top (49, 58), the first end wall (50) and the second end wall (50) includes connection means (52) for releasably securing the device to the bollard.