Pivoting Charging Contact Unit to Prevent Jamming and Arcing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rapid charging systems for electric vehicles, particularly electric buses, face issues with contact elements being prone to jamming, environmental contamination, and high maintenance needs due to exposure to snow, rain, and dirt, leading to unreliable connections and potential arcing, which increases operational costs and reduces system reliability.
Innovation Solution
The contact unit features a pivotably mounted contact element with a bolt-shaped contact bump on a pivot bearing, allowing easy movement and protection against environmental factors, eliminating the need for contact element guides and reducing the risk of jamming, while using copper or copper alloys for enhanced conductivity and eliminating the need for silver plating, and incorporating a spring for reliable contact and a dielectric bearing bush for insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contact elements are permanently mounted in contact element guides, then the structure is stable, but the contact elements are prone to jamming and environmental contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The contact element is designed to be pivotably mounted on a pivot bearing rather than permanently fixed in a guide. This dynamic mounting allows the contact element to pivot during contact operations, preventing jamming and reducing the impact of environmental factors like snow, rain, and dirt that cause contamination in fixed guide structures.
2Reliability
If contact elements are spring-mounted in contact element guides, then contact reliability is improved, but maintenance intervals increase due to jamming and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable mounting design eliminates the jamming issues inherent in guided linear movement, while the spring force maintains reliable contact. This dynamic pivot mechanism significantly extends maintenance intervals by preventing the accumulation of contaminants that would otherwise require frequent cleaning or replacement.
3Reliability
If silver plating is applied to contact elements, then conductivity is enhanced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copper or copper alloys with inherently high electrical conductivity, eliminating the need for additional silver plating processes. This material parameter change maintains excellent conductivity while significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
4Productivity
If multiple contact pairs are created with parallel rails, then charging capacity is increased, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact device is designed to work with parallel rails configured for multiple contact pairs, enabling simultaneous charging of multiple vehicles or phases. This universal design approach increases charging capacity without proportionally increasing system complexity through standardized contact unit modules.
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
This design significantly reduces maintenance intervals, enhances reliability, and allows for higher current transmission with lower contact resistance, ensuring safe and cost-effective operation of the rapid charging system.
Implementation Method 1
the contact element is pivotably mounted on a pivot bearing of the contact unit relative to the contact unit carrier
Implementation Method 2
incorporating a spring for reliable contact and a dielectric bearing bush for insulation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~10
AI summary
The invention relates to a contact unit (24) for a quick charging system for electrically driven vehicles, in particular electric buses or the like, wherein the quick charging system comprises a charging contact device and a contact device having a contact unit carrier, wherein the contact unit carrier comprises the contact unit, wherein a charging contact of the charging contact device can be contacted by the contact unit to form a contact pair, wherein the contact device or the charging contact device comprises a positioning device, wherein the contact unit carrier is positionable relative to the charging contact device by means of the positioning device in such a way that an electrically conductive connection can be formed between a vehicle and a stationary charging station. According to the invention, the contact unit has a contact element (25), the contact unit comprising a connecting line for connection to the vehicle or the charging station, wherein the contact element is tiltably mounted to a rotary bearing (26) of the contact unit relative to the contact unit carrier.