Adaptable EV Charging Cable with Polarity Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electric motor vehicles cannot be charged conveniently or safely outside of designated charging stations, as they require specific electrical connections, limiting their mobility and requiring towing if no charging station is available.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connection line with adaptable connection terminals and a power controller unit that allows flexible connection to various energy sources, enabling charging from another vehicle's battery, reducing the risk of incorrect polarity and overloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional charging cables with fixed connectors are used, then charging at designated stations is reliable, but mobility and adaptability to different energy sources are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The charging cable incorporates multiple types of connection terminals (e.g., clamp terminals for direct battery contact, plug terminals for standard sockets) on a single device, enabling it to universally connect to various energy sources including vehicle batteries and external charging stations, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability
2Reliability
If connection terminals are directly connected to electrical lines, then connection reliability is improved, but risk of incorrect polarity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging cable includes a control unit that performs preliminary detection of polarity and electrical parameters before initiating charging. This preliminary action identifies correct polarity and prevents incorrect connections, thereby maintaining connection reliability while eliminating the harmful effect of incorrect polarity
3Productivity
If high power transfer is enabled, then charging speed is improved, but risk of overloading external energy sources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the electrical parameters of the external energy source and adjusts the charging power accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures optimal charging speed while preventing overloading by reducing power when the source capacity is exceeded, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate connection terminals for different poles are used, then flexibility in connection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging cable is segmented into distinct functional modules: connection terminals (clamps and plugs), electrical lines, and a control unit. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, providing connection flexibility while managing overall device complexity through modular design
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connection line for charging an energy store of a motor vehicle has an electrical input connection (20) to connect the connection line (10) to an external energy source (24) and an electrical output connection (18) to connect the connection line (10) to the energy store (14) of the motor vehicle (12) that is to be charged. The electrical output connection (18) has a plug-in connector (18) for electrically connecting to the energy store (14) of the motor vehicle (12), and a line section (22) with at least two electrical lines for transferring electrical energy. The electrical input connection (20) has connection terminals (26, 28) to connect the connection line (10) to electrical contacts (30, 32) of the external energy source (24).