Retractable Trailer Pantograph for Fast Charging on the Move
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial vehicle trailers face bottlenecks in energy supply due to slow charging processes, especially with conventional charging electronics that are often too slow, leading to long breaks in driving during high-speed charging.
Innovation Solution
A trailer design featuring a pantograph or electrical contact element that can extend from a retracted to an extended position, allowing for efficient energy absorption from external sources, including charging infrastructure, with the ability to conductively or inductively transfer energy, reducing ohmic losses and enabling faster charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional charging electronics are used in trailers, then the charging process can be completed, but the charging speed is too slow causing long breaks in driving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the charging electronics from the motorized vehicle and relocates them to the trailer. This allows the trailer to be equipped with high-speed charging capabilities independent of the motorized vehicle's charging system, enabling faster charging without being constrained by the vehicle's limited charging infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a movable current collector (pantograph) that can dynamically extend and retract. The current collector moves between a retracted position (below the upper edge of the end wall) and an extended position (above the upper edge) to establish electrical contact with the charging infrastructure, enabling adaptive connection during movement and charging operations.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a pantograph is extended above the end wall for charging contact, then electrical energy absorption is enabled, but the trailer height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector is designed as a movable pantograph that dynamically transitions between retracted and extended positions. When not in use, it remains retracted below the upper edge of the end wall, maintaining the trailer's standard height profile. When charging is required, it extends above the end wall to establish contact with the charging infrastructure, thus achieving energy absorption without permanently increasing trailer height.
Solution Approach 2:
The pantograph structure is designed to nest within the trailer's end wall structure when retracted. The current collector folds into a compact configuration that fits within the available space below the upper edge of the end wall, allowing the charging mechanism to be integrated without permanently increasing the trailer's external dimensions.
3Device complexity
If charging electronics are located in the motorized vehicle, then the system is centralized, but the energy supply to trailers becomes a bottleneck
Solution Approach 1:
The charging electronics are extracted from the motorized vehicle and relocated to the trailer. This distribution of charging functionality enables the trailer to independently perform high-speed charging operations without being limited by the motorized vehicle's charging capacity, thereby eliminating the energy supply bottleneck while maintaining system integration through standardized interfaces.
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 enables time-saving electrical energy supply to trailers, reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency by allowing for quicker charging, even during travel.
Implementation Method 1
with the ability to conductively or inductively transfer energy
Implementation Method 2
with the ability to conductively or inductively transfer energy
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b~1c
Figure 2
AI summary
A trailer (100), in particular a utility trailer, for road vehicles is proposed, on which a retractable pantograph (200) or an electrical contact element for an inverted pantograph is arranged.