Underground EV Charging Station Airtight Compartment Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underground vehicle charging stations face complexity and high costs due to large submersible casings and complex lifting systems, which are prone to flooding and short-circuiting from water ingress.
Innovation Solution
An underground power supply system with an airtight compartment that maintains a volume of air, preventing water from entering and featuring a rotatable cover for accessing the power socket unit, eliminating the need for a complex lifting mechanism and reducing exposure to outdoor elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large casing is submerged into the ground to house the charging station, then the charging station is protected from vandalism and outdoor climate, but the system complexity and cost increase due to the need for a complex lifting system
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the power socket unit from the submerged casing and places it in a separate dry compartment within the cover structure. This eliminates the need for complex lifting mechanisms while maintaining protection from vandalism and weather, as the socket unit remains accessible when the cover is open but protected when closed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into two distinct parts: a submerged casing containing only electrical connections and a separate cover with the power socket unit in a dry compartment. This segmentation allows the socket unit to be accessible without requiring the entire charging station to be lifted or removed from the ground.
2Reliability
If a large casing is submerged into the ground to house the charging station, then the charging station is protected from vandalism and outdoor climate, but the cost increases due to the complex lifting system
Solution Approach 1:
The power socket unit is extracted from the expensive submerged casing and placed in a simple dry compartment within the cover. This eliminates the need for costly lifting mechanisms and complex submersible housing, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining protection from vandalism and weather through the simple act of closing the cover.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the charging station is positioned on a platform that moves vertically to sink below street level, then the street scene is improved and vandalism is reduced, but the system complexity and expense increase
Solution Approach 1:
The power socket unit is taken out of the submerged portion and placed in the dry cover that remains at street level. This eliminates the need for vertical movement mechanisms while achieving the same aesthetic and security goals - the submerged casing contains only electrical components and the accessible socket unit is protected by a simple hinged cover.
4Ease of operation
If the power socket unit is accessible from the underground casing, then user accessibility is improved, but water can enter the casing and cause short-circuiting
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the power socket unit from the electrical connections by placing the socket in a separate dry compartment within the cover, while the casing remains submerged. This segmentation allows the socket to be accessible when the cover is open but isolated from water that may enter the submerged casing, eliminating the short-circuiting risk while maintaining user accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The dry compartment acts as an intermediary barrier between the power socket unit and the external environment. This intermediate space, sealed within the cover structure, protects the electrical components from water while allowing user access through the opening in the cover, preventing water ingress that would otherwise cause short-circuiting.
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 effectively prevents short-circuiting by keeping the power socket unit dry and reduces vandalism risks while providing a simpler, cost-effective solution for underground charging with enhanced user accessibility.
Implementation Method 1
An airtight compartment is situated at an inner surface of the cover that faces an interior of the casing when the cover is in closed position. The airtight compartment comprises one or more side walls and has an opening at a side of the airtight compartment opposite of the inner surface and is facing an interior of the casing.
Implementation Method 2
The airtight compartment is capable, when the opening is facing downward, to hold a volume of air inside. When the casing happens to flood as a result of excessive rain or a high ground water level, the volume of air inside the airtight compartment will prevent water from entering therein.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an underground power supply system, in particular an underground vehicle charging station, for the charging of an electric vehicle, comprising an underground casing, a cover that is movably mounted to the casing, an airtight compartment in the interior of the cover comprising a power socket unit, wherein the cover can be moved by an actuation element from the closed position to the open position to allow access to the power socket unit from the street level. The system may comprise means to tilt the power socket unit at least partly out of the airtight compartment to allow access for the user to the power socket unit and tilt it back in the airtight compartment automatically, including at least partly the connected charging cable and plug, when the cover is moved to the closed position.