Robotic EV Charging Layout With Asymmetric Vehicle Spacing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging systems with arm mechanisms for inserting and removing charging plugs from vehicle charge ports face inefficiencies in parking space utilization, particularly in areas with limited size, as they require open space for arm mechanism handling.
Innovation Solution
A charging system that includes an arm mechanism to grasp and connect charging cables to vehicles, and a control unit that adjusts parking positions by widening the spacing between vehicles on the charge port side while maintaining a narrower spacing on the opposite side, allowing for efficient parking of more vehicles in a limited area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If uniform spacing is maintained between all vehicles in a charging area, then vehicle management is simplified, but the arm mechanism cannot properly handle charging cables due to insufficient space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating asymmetric spacing where the first spacing (charge port side) is wider than the second spacing (opposite side). This localized variation in spacing provides the necessary space for arm mechanism operation at the charge port side while maintaining tighter spacing elsewhere to maximize parking capacity.
2Ease of operation
If wider spacing is provided between all vehicles, then arm mechanism operation is facilitated, but the number of vehicles that can be parked decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating asymmetric spacing where the first spacing (charge port side) is wider than the second spacing (opposite side). This localized variation in spacing provides the necessary space for arm mechanism operation at the charge port side while maintaining tighter spacing elsewhere to maximize parking capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally creating unequal spacing between vehicles on opposite sides of the charging area. The first spacing adjacent to the charge port is made wider than the second spacing on the opposite side, optimizing both operational space and parking density through asymmetric arrangement.
3Ease of operation
If asymmetric spacing is implemented with wider first spacing, then arm mechanism operation is enabled, but vehicle management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the vehicle spacing adjustable rather than fixed. The parking section for charging can slide relative to adjacent parking sections, allowing the first spacing to be dynamically widened when needed for arm mechanism operation while maintaining tighter spacing at other times to maximize parking capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging system is provided. The charging system includes an arm mechanism configured to grasp a charging cable extending from the charging apparatus and connecting a charging cable to a vehicle-to-be-charged. The charging system includes a control unit configured to indicate the vehicle-to-be-charged a charging position for connecting the charging cable thereto. The control unit is configured to give a parking position adjustment instruction to either one of the vehicle-to-be-charged or a parking-section-for-charging sliding mechanism for moving vehicles parked in the charging area so as to make a first spacing to be wider than a second spacing. The first spacing is a spacing between the vehicle-to-be-charged and an adjacent vehicle on a charge port side of the vehicle-to-be-charged and the second spacing is a spacing between the vehicle-to-be-charged and an adjacent vehicle on a side opposite the charge port side of the vehicle-to-be-charged.