Positioning unit for a charging station and method for making contact
A positioning unit ( 10 ) and a method for forming an electrically conductive connection between a vehicle and a charging station, said positioning unit being able to be arranged above the vehicle, an electrical charging contact of the charging station movable relative to a contact surface of the vehicle and contacted by the positioning unit including a hinged arm element ( 11 ) and a drive element ( 12 ) for driving the hinged arm element, said drive element comprising a displacement drive ( 29 ) for exerting a displacement force acting on the hinged arm element and a spring element ( 31 ) mechanically interacting with the displacement drive, the spring element having at least one contact spring ( 32 ), said displacement drive and said contact spring being coupled to each other in a mechanical series circuit ( 53 ) such that a contact force can be exerted on the contact surface from the displacement drive and the contact spring.
1. A positioning unit ( 10 ) for a charging station of an electrically driven vehicle, in particular an electric bus or similar, said positioning unit being able to be arranged above a vehicle, an electrical charging contact of the charging station being able to be moved relative to a contact surface of the vehicle and be contacted thereto by means of the positioning unit, said positioning unit comprising a hinged arm element ( 11 ) and a drive element ( 12 ) for driving the hinged arm element, said drive element comprising a displacement drive ( 29 ) for exerting a displacement force acting on the hinged arm element and a spring element ( 31 ) mechanically interacting with the displacement drive,
characterized in that
the spring element has at least one contact spring ( 32 ), said displacement drive and said contact spring being coupled to each other in a mechanical series circuit ( 53 ) in such a manner that a contact force can be exerted on the contact surface from the displacement drive and the contact spring.
2. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the contact spring ( 32 ) is coupled with the displacement drive ( 29 ) via a floating bearing ( 56 , 58 ), said contact spring ( 32 ) or said displacement drive being secured at a fixed bearing ( 59 ).
3. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the contact spring ( 32 ) or the displacement drive ( 29 ) is mechanically coupled with the hinged arm element ( 11 ) via a lever ( 48 ) of a control gear ( 49 ) of the spring element ( 31 ).
4. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the contact spring ( 32 ) is mechanically coupled with the displacement drive ( 29 ) via a clamping lever ( 51 ) of a clamping gear ( 52 ) of the spring element ( 31 ).
5. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the contact spring ( 32 ) is a tension spring ( 33 ).
6. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the displacement drive ( 29 ) comprises a back-up battery.
7. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the displacement drive ( 29 ) is a linear drive ( 30 ), preferably a spindle drive.
8. The positioning unit according to claim 7 ,
characterized in that
the linear drive ( 30 ) comprises a magnetic brake.
9. The positioning unit according to claim 7 ,
characterized in that
the linear drive ( 30 ) comprises a position sensor.
10. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the hinged arm element ( 11 ) is realized as a one-arm system ( 13 ) or as a scissor mechanism, preferably having a parallel guide, or as a pantograph.
11. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the spring element ( 31 ) has at least one lifting spring ( 34 ) for exerting a restoring force on the hinged arm element ( 11 ), said restoring force being greater than a weight of the hinged arm element acting inversely to the lifting spring.
12. The positioning unit according to claim 11 ,
characterized in that
the lifting spring ( 34 ) is a tension spring ( 35 ).
13. The positioning unit according to claim 11 ,
characterized in that
the lifting spring ( 34 ) is mechanically coupled with the hinged arm element ( 11 ) via a lever ( 38 ) of a restoring gear ( 41 ) of the spring element ( 31 ), an effective length of the lever being able to be changed depending a position ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ) of the hinged arm.
14. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the positioning unit ( 10 ) has a support frame ( 25 ) for fastening the positioning unit to a pole or an underpass.
15. The positioning unit according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that
the positioning unit ( 10 ) comprises a pivoting element ( 63 ), by means of which the charging contact can be pivoted from a vertical contact position ( 64 ) to a storage position ( 65 ) when the positioning unit is in a retracted position ( 42 ) for storing the charging contact.
16. A charging station, comprising an electrical charging contact and a positioning unit ( 10 ) according to claim 1 .
17. A method for attaining an electrically conductive connection between a vehicle, in particular an electric bus or similar, and a charging station, an electrical charging contact of the charging station being moved above a vehicle relative to a contact surface of the vehicle and contacted thereto by means of a positioning unit ( 10 ), a hinged arm element ( 11 ) of the positioning unit being driven by a drive element ( 12 ) of the positioning unit, a displacement drive ( 29 ) of the drive element causing a displacement force on the hinged arm element and a spring element ( 31 ) of the drive element mechanically interacting with the displacement drive,
characterized in that
the displacement drive and a contact spring ( 32 ) of the spring element are coupled with each other in a mechanical series circuit ( 53 ) and in that a contact force is exerted on the contact surface from the displacement drive and the contact spring.
18. The method according to claim 17 ,
characterized in that
by means of the hinged arm element ( 11 ) and the drive element ( 12 ), the charging contact is positioned between a contact position ( 44 , 46 , 47 ) for transmitting current, an extracted position ( 43 , 45 ) for disrupting current and a retracted position ( 42 ) for storing the charging contact.
19. The method according to claim 18 ,
characterized in that
the contact position ( 44 , 46 , 47 ) is formed below the positioning unit ( 10 ) to the retracted position ( 42 ) of the positioning unit independently of a relative distance of the contact surface of the vehicle.
20. The method according to claim 18 ,
characterized in that
in the contact position ( 44 , 46 , 47 ), the contact force is exerted consistently while changing a relative distance of the contact surface of the vehicle below the positioning unit ( 10 ) to the retracted position ( 42 ) of the positioning unit.
21. The method according to claim 18 ,
characterized in that
for forming the contact force in the contact position ( 44 , 46 , 47 ), the displacement drive ( 29 ) is moved to a displacement position having a maximal displacement path ( 62 ), said contact force being transmitted from the contact spring ( 32 ) to the displacement drive.