Parking and Charging Robots for Shared EV Charge Readiness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle users face challenges with insufficient charging infrastructure, inefficient charging management, and the need for manual intervention in charging processes, particularly in car sharing scenarios, leading to potential insufficient charge levels and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A robot-based electric vehicle parking and charging management system that includes a parking robot to move vehicles to designated spaces and a charging robot to automate the charging process, utilizing sensors and controllers for efficient management and charging, ensuring vehicles are parked and charged automatically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual charging management is used, then users can directly settle charging fees, but charging efficiency decreases and requires human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated charging management where the robot autonomously performs vehicle relocation, charger connection, charging monitoring, and fee settlement without human intervention. The robot independently navigates to vehicles, connects chargers based on vehicle specifications, monitors charging status, and automatically settles fees, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for manual charging management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated robot system equipped with sensors, controllers, and actuators. The robot uses vision systems and sensors to detect vehicles and charging ports, mechanically connects chargers to vehicle charging inletS, and autonomously manages the entire charging process, substituting human manual labor with an automated mechanical system.
2Productivity
If charging infrastructure is expanded, then more vehicles can be charged simultaneously, but infrastructure cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot is designed as a multi-functional system that can serve multiple charging zones and handle various vehicle types with different charging specifications. A single robot can navigate to different parking locations, identify various vehicle models, and connect appropriate chargers, allowing one unit to replace multiple fixed charging stations and reducing the need for extensive infrastructure expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static fixed charging infrastructure to a dynamic mobile robot system. The robot can move between different charging zones, adapt its position based on vehicle location, and dynamically allocate charging resources. This dynamic approach allows the system to serve multiple areas with a single unit, reducing the need for numerous fixed charging points throughout the facility.
3Extent of automation
If robot automation is implemented, then charging process is automated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system is divided into distinct functional modules: navigation module with sensors and controllers for movement, charging module with connector mechanisms for charger attachment, monitoring module for tracking charging status, and communication module for fee settlement. Each module operates independently but coordinates with others, allowing the complex automation task to be broken down into manageable segments that can be developed and maintained separately.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot-based electric vehicle parking and charging management apparatus includes a parking robot configured to move a vehicle dropped off in a drop-off zone to a parking zone or a charging zone. The apparatus also includes a charging robot configured to charge the vehicle moved by the parking robot to the charging zone by connecting a charger. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to control a movement of the parking robot or an operation of the charging robot, according to a parking request or a charging request of a user of the vehicle.