Movable Charging Controller for Electric Vehicle Parking Lots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing charging systems for electric vehicles are inconvenient as they require users to make a special trip to a charging station, leading to low utilization rates of charging spots and increased costs due to the need for numerous facilities, and cause pressure on the distribution network.
Innovation Solution
A charging system and method that uses a master control device to allocate parking spaces and instruct a traction device to move a charging controller along a guide rail to charge electric vehicles parked in large lots, eliminating the need for users to visit a charging station, with a cable transferring device lowering a charging cable to the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If stationary charging spots are used, then electric vehicles can be charged at fixed locations, but users must make special trips to charging stations and queuing time is long
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the vehicle to a fixed charging spot, the patent inverts the approach by bringing the charging equipment (charging controller and cable) to the vehicle's parking location. The charging controller moves along a guide rail to position above the vehicle, and the cable is lowered vertically to connect with the vehicle, effectively reversing who moves to whom.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a guide rail as an intermediary infrastructure between the power supply system and the vehicle. The guide rail enables the charging controller to move horizontally to the vehicle's position, while the cable transferring device uses the vertical space above the vehicle as an intermediary path to deliver the charging cable, creating a mediator space that connects power and vehicle without requiring vehicle movement.
2Productivity
If more charging facilities are built to meet charging needs, then charging availability increases, but distribution network reconstruction costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The moving charging controller can serve multiple vehicles sequentially by moving along the guide rail to different parking positions. A single charging spot infrastructure can support multiple vehicles over time, making the charging facility universal rather than dedicated to one vehicle, thereby reducing the total number of charging spots needed while maintaining high charging availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging system transitions from a static, fixed charging spot to a dynamic, movable charging controller that can adapt its position along the guide rail. This dynamic capability allows one charging facility to serve multiple vehicles at different locations and times, increasing charging availability without proportionally increasing the number of physical charging spots.
3Reliability
If traditional charging spots are used, then charging can be provided, but charging spot utilization rate is low when vehicles occupy spots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the utilization problem by inverting the charging delivery model. Instead of the vehicle needing to occupy a fixed charging spot, the charging equipment moves to the vehicle. This eliminates the exclusivity of fixed spots, allowing the same charging infrastructure to serve multiple vehicles sequentially without conflict, thereby maintaining service reliability while dramatically improving utilization rates.
4Power
If stationary AC charging spots are used, then 220V or 380V AC power can be supplied, but the distribution network bears great pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/electrical distribution network expansion approach with a spatial mobility solution. Instead of increasing distribution network capacity to handle more simultaneous charging loads, the system uses a movable charging controller that delivers power sequentially to different vehicles. This substitutes the need for network expansion with a mechanical positioning system (guide rail and movable controller), reducing pressure on the distribution network while maintaining adequate charging power supply.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging method includes that after receiving a charging request, a master control device arranges a parking space for an electric vehicle to be charged and sends a traction device a movement instruction generated from the charging request; the traction device drives, according to the movement instruction, a charging controller to move along a guide rail to above the electric vehicle to be charged; the master control device sends a cable transferring instruction to a cable transferring device and the cable transferring device starts to lower a cable; after the cable transferring device lowers the cable to a preset position, the master control device sends a stop instruction to the cable transferring device and the cable transferring device stops lowering the cable; and the cable charges the electric vehicle to be charged.