Resilient Charging Contact Device for Electric Buses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rapid charging systems for electric vehicles face issues with reliable and cost-effective operation due to environmental exposure, misalignment, and high maintenance needs, particularly in cold weather, leading to potential contact failures and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A contact device with a resiliently mounted contact element guide and a connecting line that eliminates the need for gaps and seals, using a copper contact element and guide bushing, along with a spring for selective contact, and a connecting device that allows direct current transmission, reducing the risk of blockages and overheating, and simplifying the design to extend maintenance intervals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contact elements are resiliently mounted in contact element guides with gaps and seals to compensate for misalignment, then contact reliability is improved, but the system becomes susceptible to environmental blockages and requires maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the seal and gap structure from the contact element guide, extracting the harmful interface where environmental contaminants could accumulate. The contact element moves directly within the guide without sealing elements that could block, eliminating the root cause of environmental susceptibility while maintaining contact functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact element is designed as a simple, replaceable component that can be quickly swapped if worn or damaged. This disposable approach reduces maintenance complexity and cost compared to maintaining complex sealed guide structures, allowing rapid replacement rather than repair of the entire contact assembly.
2Power
If multiple contact elements are arranged to form multiple contact pairs for high current transmission, then power transmission capability is improved, but the complexity of the contact device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact device is segmented into multiple independent contact units, each with its own contact element and guide. This modular segmentation allows high current transmission through parallel contact pairs while keeping each individual unit simple and manageable, reducing overall system complexity through standardized repetition.
Solution Approach 2:
Each contact unit is designed as a universal module that can perform the same function (current transmission) independently. This multi-functional redundancy allows the system to achieve high power capacity through parallel simple units rather than one complex high-capacity contact mechanism.
3Reliability
If contact elements are silver-plated to reduce contact resistance, then electrical conductivity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the contact element and guide interface to optimize electrical contact through improved mechanical fit and larger contact area, rather than relying on expensive silver plating. This parameter optimization achieves low contact resistance through design rather than material cost.
4Reliability
If heating cartridges are installed on contact element guides to prevent cold weather failure, then operational reliability in cold conditions is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the cold environment from a harmful factor into a beneficial one by using cold weather contraction to tighten the fit between contact elements and guides, improving contact pressure and electrical connection. The cold environment naturally provides the tightening effect that would otherwise require active heating systems.
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 ensures reliable and safe operation with reduced maintenance needs, enabling cost-effective rapid charging by preventing contact failures and allowing higher current transmission without overheating, thus improving the operational efficiency and safety of the charging system.
Implementation Method 1
the contact element being movable on the contact element guide in the direction of its longitudinal axis relative to the contact unit carrier
Implementation Method 2
using a copper contact element and guide bushing, along with a spring for selective contact, and a connecting device that allows direct current transmission
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a contact unit (25) for a quick charging system for electrically driven vehicles, in particular electric buses or the like, and a contact device and a quick charging system, wherein the quick charging system comprises a charging contact device and a contact device having a contact unit carrier, wherein the contact unit carrier has 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 comprises a positioning means, wherein the contact unit carrier is positionable relative to the charging contact device by means of the positioning means in such a way that an electrically conductive connection to the vehicle and a stationary charging station can be formed, wherein the contact unit has a contact element (34), wherein the contact element is movable relative to the contact unit carrier in the direction of the longitudinal axis (44) of the contact element in a contact element guide (39) of the contact unit, wherein the contact unit has a connecting lead (37) for connection to the vehicle, wherein the connecting lead is fixed to a contact element.