DE112020000468T5 - Flexible protective bollard - Google Patents

Abstract

The publication relates to a flexible bollard (18) for protecting structures or surfaces against accidental contact or damage by vehicles. The plate forming the surface body of the bollard (18) can extend below a sideways device (25) forming a peripheral skirt (26), and the bollard (18) is anchored in the sideways device (25) by means of a suitable device and screwed connection (23) surrounded by a washer (22) attached to a base structure (12) or a floor, a gap (24) remaining between the bollard (18) and the base structure (12) or the floor.

Description

Scope of the invention

The present invention relates to means for protecting any structure or area from accidental damage by vehicles. This goal is achieved by a bollard that is flexible and thus can withstand the impact of a slow moving vehicle without damaging the vehicle or the bollard, while preventing accidental contact with any structure or surface in front of which the bollard is placed .

Background of the invention

As the number of electric or hybrid vehicles increases, there is a need for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, electric charging stations, or charging points. Such units are equipped with vehicle electrical supply equipment (EVSE). Such units can be part of an element of the infrastructure that provides electrical energy for charging electric vehicles, the unit being provided with a plug-in device.

An electric vehicle charging station, also called an EV charging station, electric charging station, charging point, charging point, and EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment), is an element of an infrastructure that uses electrical energy to charge electric vehicles, including electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles, and plug-in -Hybrids, supplies.

As ownership of plug-in hybrid EVs and battery-powered EVs increase, there is a growing need for widespread, publicly accessible charging stations, some of which support faster charging at higher voltages and currents than those offered by EVSEs in private homes. Many charging stations are facilities on the street provided by utility companies or located in shopping malls and operated by many private companies.

• - Ladestationen für Haushalte: Ein EV-Besitzer schließt sich an, wenn er oder sie nach Hause kommt, und das Auto wird über Nacht aufgeladen. Eine Ladestation für zu Hause hat normalerweise keine Benutzerauthentifizierung, keinen Zähler und kann die Verkabelung eines eigenen Stromkreises erfordern. Einige tragbare Ladegeräte können auch als Ladestationen an der Wand montiert werden.
• - Laden während des Parkens (einschließlich öffentlicher Ladestationen) - ein kommerzielles Angebot gegen eine Gebühr oder kostenlos, das in Partnerschaft mit den Eigentümern des Parkplatzes angeboten wird. Dieses Laden kann langsam oder mit hoher Geschwindigkeit erfolgen und ermutigt E-Auto-Besitzer, ihr Auto aufzuladen, während sie die nahegelegenen Einrichtungen nutzen. Es kann Parkstationen, Parkplätze in Einkaufszentren, kleinen Zentren und Bahnhöfen (oder für die eigenen Mitarbeiter eines Unternehmens) umfassen.
• - Schnellladung an öffentlichen Ladestationen >40 kW, die eine Reichweite von über 100 km in 10-30 Minuten ermöglichen. Diese Ladestationen können sich an Raststätten befinden, um längere Fahrten zu ermöglichen. Sie können auch regelmäßig von Pendlern in Großstädten genutzt werden und zum Laden während des Parkens für kürzere oder längere Zeiträume.
• - Batteriewechsel oder Aufladen in weniger als 15 Minuten. Ein spezifiziertes Ziel für CARB-Gutschriften für ein emissionsfreies Fahrzeug ist das Hinzufügen von 200 Meilen zu seiner Reichweite in weniger als 15 Minuten.

Charging stations can be divided into four basic contexts:

• - Household Charging Stations: An EV owner joins in when he or she comes home and the car is charged overnight. A home charging station typically has no user authentication, no meter, and may require its own circuit to be wired. Some portable chargers can also be wall mounted as charging stations.
• - Charging while parking (including public charging points) - a commercial offer for a fee or free, offered in partnership with the owners of the parking lot. This charging can be slow or high-speed and encourages EV owners to charge their car while using the nearby facilities. It can include parking stations, parking lots in shopping centers, small centers and train stations (or for a company's own employees).
• - Fast charging at public charging stations> 40 kW, which enable a range of over 100 km in 10-30 minutes. These charging stations can be located at rest stops to enable longer journeys. They can also be used regularly by commuters in large cities and for charging while parking for shorter or longer periods.
• - Battery change or recharge in less than 15 minutes. A specified goal for CARB credits for a zero emission vehicle is to add 200 miles to its range in less than 15 minutes.

Both battery capacity and the ability to handle faster charges are increasing, and methods of charging have had to change and improve. Super chargers are free connectors that charge batteries in minutes instead of hours. The stations are strategically placed to minimize the number of stops on long distance journeys and are close to restaurants, shopping malls and WIFI hotspots.

In order to accelerate the charging or recharging effect and thus reduce the downtime caused by charging or recharging, the systems and facilities used are continuously improved so that a battery z. B. with a charging power of more than 90 kW can be charged to 80% in 30 minutes or less. In order to enable higher loads, more robust cables are required that can remove the heat generated by such amounts of energy in a short time. Therefore, the development of liquid-cooled charging cables that enable such high amounts of energy to be handled without harming those handling and unplugging such cables is underway.

In general, charging stations are expensive to purchase, install, maintain and repair.

The charging or charging stations are usually arranged in such a way that a suitable, chargeable vehicle is parked in the immediate vicinity of the charging station when charging. In connection with the parking maneuver and in view of the heavy traffic and the large number of vehicles waiting or queuing for access to such charging stations, there is an inherent risk of unwanted vehicle damage at the charging station, among other things due to the existing stressful situations. Such damage can also lead to serious injuries to personnel, users or bystanders.

There is therefore a need for a means of conveniently protecting charging stations that eliminates or substantially reduces the risk of accidental damage to the devices by vehicles and the resulting injuries to personnel, users or bystanders.

Means of protecting structures or areas from vehicles are not new and bollards are often placed around parking lots or along sidewalks to prevent vehicles from coming into contact with pedestrians, structures or sensitive areas. However, existing means of protecting structures or areas from accidental damage by vehicles are typically rigidly attached to the ground. Contact with a rigid bollard can occur when a vehicle is moving slowly, e.g. B. during parking maneuvers, cause considerable damage. Other existing bollards may be made of a fragile material or they may not be attached to the ground at all. This does not provide sufficient protection against unintentional contact by vehicles, as even a slowly moving vehicle destroys the bollard or makes it unusable.

There is therefore a need for means by which structures or surfaces can be conveniently and effectively protected from inadvertent contact with slow moving vehicles, while at the same time avoiding damage to vehicles or bollards.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient way of protecting any structure or area from inadvertent contact with a slowly moving vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to eliminate or substantially reduce the possibility of personal injury as a result of inadvertent contact between a vehicle and a structure or area.

Another object of the present invention is to avoid, or at least significantly reduce, the risk of damage to a structure or area as a result of inadvertent contact with a slowly moving vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system with which the risk of damage to a vehicle as a result of inadvertent contact with the protective means set up to protect structures or areas is avoided or at least substantially reduced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system which avoids or at least substantially reduces the possibility of damage to the protective means which are arranged to protect structures or areas from inadvertent contact with a slowly moving vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a charging station for charging and recharging the batteries of electric vehicles, in which the possibility of causing unwanted injuries to persons or damage to vehicles, devices or in connection with parking and / or leaving the protective devices installed at the charging station are excluded or at least significantly reduced.

The objects are achieved by a flexible bollard according to the independent claim, while variants or alternative embodiments are defined by the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a flexible bollard is provided to protect structures or areas against unintentional traffic. The flexible bollard includes a suitable screw connection anchored to a device located laterally within the outer walls of the bollard. The outer walls of the bollard extend below the sideways device and form a skirt that spans the perimeter of the lower end of the bollard. A suitable washer is arranged to encircle the fitting. The washer is bounded at the top by the device arranged at the side and is surrounded by the skirt, whereby it also extends below the skirt. The flexible nature of the bollard according to the present invention enables the bollard to withstand the impact of a slow moving vehicle without damaging the bollard or the vehicle at the same time protects the structure or the area in front of which the bollard is located from inadvertent contact with the vehicle.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the bollard can be made of powder-coated, hot-dip galvanized steel.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the bollard can be fastened to the basic structure or the floor by a suitable screw connection and can be provided with a neoprene disk surrounding the screw connection which is intended to be placed between the lower end of the bollard and the upper surface of the basic structure or the floor to be arranged and to serve as a flexible intermediate part between the bollard and the basic structure or the floor.

The neoprene disc can e.g. B. have a thickness of 10-30 mm and the neoprene can be configured so that it can be compressed by 2-6 mm when the bollard is attached to the base structure or the floor, creating a gap of 1-2 mm between the lower end of the bollard and the basic structure or the floor.

According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one of the bollards provided can be placed in front of a charging station for electric vehicles in order to protect the charging station against accidental damage by vehicles in connection with parking and / or leaving the charging station.

It should be noted that the charging station may also comprise an electrical source, a charging unit carried by a base structure or a floor, the charging unit being provided with a cable, the end of which is provided with an end plug which is configured to to be connected to a connection on the vehicle, or with at least one insertion point for inserting one end into a charging cable of the vehicle. The basic structure can preferably also be provided with a surface layer made of a soft, elastic material, which ensures that an end plug is not damaged if it accidentally falls on the floor or the basic structure in front of the charging point. The installed bollards can preferably be positioned and attached to the base structure below such a resilient mat or material in order to reduce the possibility of vehicles damaging the charging station, particularly in connection with parking.

Since the at least one bollard is located in front of the charging station and is designed in such a way that it can withstand an impact from slowly moving vehicles, the risk of damage to the charging station by vehicles is effectively eliminated or at least significantly reduced. As a result, the risk of serious injuries to users or personnel from damaged charging devices is eliminated or at least correspondingly significantly reduced.

Figure list

• 1 zeigt schematisch in der Perspektive eine Ausführungsform einer öffentlichen Schnellladestation, die mit den erfindungsgemäßen Pollern versehen ist.
• 2 zeigt schematisch in einer perspektivischen Ansicht eine Ausführungsform einer Grundstruktur für eine öffentliche Schnellladestation der in 1 offenbarten Art.
• 3 zeigt schematisch eine Draufsicht auf eine Ausführungsform einer Grundstruktur für eine öffentliche Schnellladestation der in 1 offenbarten Art.
• 4 zeigt einen vertikalen Querschnitt des Pollers, des Gewindeanschlusses, der Schürze, der Unterlegscheibe und des Spalts.
• 5 zeigt eine Detailansicht des unteren Endes des Pollers, der Verschraubung, der Schürze, der Unterlegscheibe und des Spalts.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures, wherein:

• 1 shows schematically in perspective an embodiment of a public rapid charging station provided with the bollards according to the invention.
• 2 shows schematically in a perspective view an embodiment of a basic structure for a public fast charging station of the FIG 1 disclosed art.
• 3 FIG. 11 schematically shows a top view of an embodiment of a basic structure for a public fast charging station of FIG 1 disclosed art.
• 4th Figure 10 shows a vertical cross-section of the bollard, threaded connection, skirt, washer and gap.
• 5 shows a detailed view of the lower end of the bollard, the screw connection, the skirt, the washer and the gap.

Description of the preferred embodiments of the invention

The following description of the exemplary embodiment refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Reference throughout the specification to “an embodiment” or “in an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed . Therefore, the appearances of the terms “in an embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in different places in the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. In addition, the individual features, structures or properties can be in an or multiple embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner.

1 shows schematically and in perspective a view of an embodiment of a public quick charging station 10 . The station shown includes a refuge 11 that are based on a basic structure 12th rests. The basic structure 12th as such is preferably made of concrete, preferably with an anti-slip surface. The refuge 11 includes a roof structure 13th and vertical walls 14th on three sides of the refuge 11 are arranged. The canopy is accessed from the front. On the basic structure 12th , below the roof structure 13th , are two charging stations 15th arranged with sockets (not shown) for connection to a plug. The station 10 can with parking lanes 16 be equipped, each in front of the charging stations 15th are arranged. As indicated, a vehicle can 17th in the parking lane 16 in front of one of the charging stations 15th be parked. On both sides and in front of each of the loading units 15th is the basic structure 12th with bollards 18th Mistake. The bollards 18th are arranged to be removed from a vehicle 17th that is too far in the direction of the charging station when entering and / or exiting a parking space 15th has moved. The charging stations 15th can be of the supercharger type with multiple charging points.

2 shows schematically in a perspective illustration a possible configuration of an embodiment of the basic structure 12th intended for use in conjunction with a public rapid charging station 10 the in 1 disclosed type is suitable, and also shows the bollards 18th .

3 shows schematically a plan view of the in 2 Basic structure shown 12th . As shown is the basic structure 12th with two foundation recesses 15 ' for the loading units 15th Mistake. At every corner and along the back is the basic structure 12th with holes or embedded elements 19th for fastening the supporting structure 20th the refuge 11 on the basic structure 12th Mistake. In addition, the basic structure 12th also with a recess 21 be provided, which forms a recess for the infrastructure. As shown in the figures, the basic structure is 12th with bollards 18th provided on each side and in front of each of the loading units 15th are arranged. The bollards 18th can be made of powder-coated, hot-dip galvanized steel and come with at least one bolt 23 attached to the ground. To the bolts 23 around there are 20 mm thick neoprene washers 22nd that are compressed by 4 mm to ensure traction and reduce the risk of the bollards moving 18th from the basic construction 12th to solve. The bollards 18th are so at the basic structure 12th attached that between the basic structure 12th and the bollards 18th A gap 24 of 1 mm, which allows some movement of the bollard before the edge of the bollard hits the base structure 12th hits, and thus the risk of damaging the bollard 18th or the vehicles 17th decreased. The gap 24 can be formed by having the surface body of the bollard 18th forming plate beneath a sideways device 25th at the bottom of the bollard 18th is extended downwards, which acts as an attachment point or attachment for the bolt 23 serves, but above the lower end of the neoprene disc 22nd ends when it is at the bottom of the bollard 18th is mounted so that a perimeter skirt 26th at the bottom of the bollard. The bolt 23 extends slightly below the perimeter skirt end of the bollard plate and also down below the neoprene washer 22nd .

4th Figure 3 shows a vertical cross section of the bollard 18th with the bolt 23 , the sideways device 25th , the wraparound apron 26th and the washer 22nd . 5 shows a detailed view of the bollard 18th with the bolt 23 , the washer 22nd , the sideways device 25th and the surrounding apron 26th attached to a basic structure 12th attached so that is between the basic structure 12th and the surrounding apron 26th A gap 24 is located.

As in 1 indicated, the canopy is a simple weatherproof type. It should be understood that the canopy can be replaced by a more closed, dry and warm housing type with a number of external charging points, while the interior is suitable for longer stays in warm and dry conditions.

As shown in the figures, the bollard has 18th a circular cross-sectional area. It should be noted, however, that the bollard 18th can be of any suitable cross-sectional area, preferably, but not necessarily, without sharp corners that will cause damage to a vehicle that accidentally hits a bollard. An alternative cross-sectional area may, for example, have a polygonal cross-sectional area.

In addition, the height of the bollard can be chosen so that the top is higher than the bottom of a vehicle.

According to one embodiment, the height of the bollard 18th be chosen so large that the top of the bollard 18th is visible from the driver's seat when approaching the charging station.

The end attachment point in the load-bearing basic structure 12th can be designed in such a way that the fastening of the threaded bolt is ensured in a suitable manner.

Claims (8)

Flexible bollard (18) for protecting structures or surfaces from unintentional contact or damage by vehicles, characterized in that the plate forming the surface body of the bollard (18) extends under a device (25) arranged to the side, which has a circumferential skirt (26) provides, and that the bollard (18) is fastened to a base structure (12) or a floor by means of a suitable screw connection (23) anchored in the device (25) arranged at the side and surrounded by a washer (22), a gap ( 24) remains between the bollard (18) and the basic structure (12) or the floor. Flexible bollard (18) after Claim 1 The bollard is made of powder-coated, hot-dip galvanized steel. Flexible bollard (18) after Claim 1 or 2 wherein the washer (22) is made from neoprene or other suitable compressible material. Flexible bollard (18) after Claim 3 wherein the washer (22) has a thickness of 10 to 30 mm. Flexible bollard (18) after Claim 4 with the washer (22) compressed 2 to 6 mm. Flexible bollard (18) according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , wherein the gap (24) between the bollard (18) and the basic structure (12) or the ground. Use of a flexible bollard (18) according to one of the Claims 1 until 6th wherein at least one flexible bollard (18) is arranged in front of a charging station (10) for charging or recharging electric batteries for electric vehicles in order to reduce the possibility of damage to the charging station (10) by vehicles. Using a flexible bollard (18) Claim 7 wherein at least one bollard (18) is arranged on each side and in front of a charging station (10).

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