EV Charging Station Resilient Base for Plug Drop Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical vehicle charging stations face challenges in preventing damage to charging cables and plugs from accidental drops, which can lead to equipment failure and potential electrical shocks, posing risks to personnel and equipment safety.
Innovation Solution
A charging station with a base structure featuring a resilient surface made of rubberized asphalt concrete, rubber mats, or plastic embedded in concrete, providing shock-absorbing properties to reduce the risk of damage to charging cables and plugs, and incorporating features like upward projections for enhanced resilience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a heavy duty cable with rigid plug is used for charging, then the cable can handle high power energy transmission, but the plug becomes vulnerable to damage from accidental drops onto hard surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a resilient surface at the charging station base structure where the plug may accidentally drop. This resilient surface absorbs impact energy before it reaches the plug, preventing damage. The cushioning is prepared in advance and positioned exactly where drops are most likely to occur, resolving the contradiction between using rigid high-power plugs and protecting them from drop damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient surface acts as an intermediary between the hard ground and the plug. Instead of the plug directly contacting the hard surface, the resilient material intermediates the impact, transferring energy gradually and protecting the plug's fragile components while still allowing the cable to maintain its high power transmission capability.
2Power
If the charging cable is made stiff for heavy duty use, then it can transport high power energy, but it becomes difficult to handle and connect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making only the critical connection point (the plug area) resilient through the base structure surface, while the rest of the cable maintains its stiff heavy-duty construction for power transmission. This localized approach allows the cable to be both handleable at connection points and robust for energy transmission elsewhere.
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 solution significantly reduces the risk of equipment damage and electrical shocks, ensuring safer handling and operation of charging stations by absorbing impacts and preventing unintentional stops due to defective plugs, thus enhancing overall safety and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient surface of a material having shock absorbing properties, so as to reduce the possibility of causing damage to the plug... if the plug during such stage is dropped down
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The publication relates to a charging station (10) for charging or recharging electrical batteries for electrical vehicles (18). The Charging station comprises an electric source, a charging unit (15) supported by base structure (12) or a ground, the charging unit (15) being provided with a cable, the end of which being provided with an end plug configured to be connected to a connector on the vehicle (18) and/or with at least one plug-in point for plugging in an end to a charging cable from the vehicle (18). The base structure (12) may, at least along the side of the charging unit (12) provided with the charging point, be provided with a resilient material, so as to reduce the possibility of causing damage to the plug intended to be plugged into the charging unit (15) if the plug is dropped down.