Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
  • B60L53/00—Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
  • B60L53/30—Constructional details of charging stations
  • B60L53/35—Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
  • B60L53/00—Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
  • B60L53/30—Constructional details of charging stations
  • B60L53/35—Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
  • B60L53/37—Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
  • B60L53/00—Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
  • B60L53/30—Constructional details of charging stations
  • B60L53/302—Cooling of charging equipment
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
  • B60L53/00—Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
  • B60L53/50—Charging stations characterised by energy-storage or power-generation means
  • B60L53/53—Batteries
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
  • G06V20/00—Scenes; Scene-specific elements
  • G06V20/50—Context or environment of the image
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
  • Y02T10/70—Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
  • Y02T10/7072—Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
  • Y02T90/10—Technologies relating to charging of electric vehicles
  • Y02T90/14—Plug-in electric vehicles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the technical field of autonomous devices making it possible to charge/recharge electrical energy storage means of a vehicle comprising an electric motor.
• Such a system can in particular, but not exclusively, be used for the charging/recharging of storage means in an environment with restricted space, such as a parking area made up of on-site parking lots and/or on-street parking lots.
• on-site parking lots means parking lots organized in delimited spaces in an enclosed space with controlled access, such as an aerial, underground or surface car park.
• On-street parking means parking organized in spaces - delimited or not - in an open space with a charge or free of charge.
• the document US9778653 is also known describing methods and systems for transferring energy from an autonomous driverless vehicle to a vehicle electric.
• the electric vehicle makes a charging request, and the autonomous driverless vehicle meets it at a rendezvous point, attaches to the electric vehicle and allows energy to be transferred.
• a drawback of this solution is that the use of a drone (as described in FIG. 6 of US9778653) to transport batteries poses security issues. Furthermore, this solution is not suitable for closed spaces.
• KR 2020/0037548 a vehicle charging/recharging solution based on the use of an autonomous charging/recharging robot containing batteries, as well as a magnetic interface box.
• the interface box comprises a connection socket intended to receive one of the ends of an electrical connection cable, the other end of the cable being intended to be connected to the storage means of the vehicle to be charged/recharged.
• the operating principle of the solution described in KR 2020/0037548 is as follows. The user places the magnetic interface box on the license plate of the electric vehicle and controls its charging. Following this request, the autonomous robot moves to the vicinity of the vehicle and comes into contact with the interface box to allow the transfer of electrical energy to the vehicle's electrical energy storage means.
• a drawback of the solution described in KR 2020/0037548 is that there is a risk of damage to the vehicle when coupling the loading robot to the interface box.
• An object of the present invention is to propose an autonomous device for charging/recharging the electrical energy storage means of a vehicle making it possible to overcome at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks.
• the invention proposes an autonomous device for charging/recharging electrical energy storage means of a vehicle, the autonomous device extending vertically in a vertical direction A-A' and comprising:
• a mobile base including wheels for moving the autonomous device on the ground
• the frame being adapted to accommodate batteries
• the fairing comprising a recess for receiving a coupling module electrically connected to the vehicle's electrical energy storage means
• the coupling system being adapted to cooperate with the coupling module, remarkable in that the coupling system comprises:
• connection device for electrically connecting the autonomous device to the coupling module
• - moving means for moving the connecting member in translation in the direction A-A' between a retracted position and a deployed position, the connecting member being closer to the ground in the deployed position than in the retracted position.
• Preferred but non-limiting aspects of the mobile device according to the invention are the following:
• the displacement means may comprise at least one stepper motor
• connection member may comprise: o at least one support base having an electrical connector intended to be electrically connected to a complementary electrical socket formed in the coupling module, o at least one centering plate extending parallel to the base support, the centering plate being positioned under the support base so that the centering plate is farther from the chassis than the support base, oat least one elastic return element between the support base and the centering plate, so that the centering plate is mounted to move in translation relative to the support base;
• the connecting member may further comprise: o at least one position sensor for detecting whether the connecting member is in the retracted position or in the deployed position, o at least one presence sensor for detecting the presence and positioning of the coupling module;
• each elastic return element may comprise: o a helical spring, one of the ends of the helical spring being fixed to the support base, and the other of the ends of the helical spring being fixed to the centering plate, and o a guide rod extending inside the helical spring, the guide rod being fixed to the centering plate so as to extend perpendicular to the latter, the support base comprising a through hole for the passage of the guide rod, the free end of the guide rod comprising a stop extending opposite a face of the support base opposite the centering plate;
• the centering plate may comprise at least one alignment pin projecting outwards from one face of the centering plate opposite the support base, said pin being intended to cooperate with a blind hole of complementary shape provided in the coupling module;
• each pin can be of partial or total frustoconical shape
• the coupling system may further comprise guide means for guiding the translational movement of the connecting member, said guide means comprising a pair of parallel threaded bars, each threaded bar being adapted to cooperate with a respective threaded opening formed in the support base, so that the rotation of the threaded bars induces the translational movement of the connecting member;
• the device may comprise a cooling circuit, said cooling circuit including: o an air intake zone positioned in a lower region of the chassis close to the mobile base, o an air evacuation zone positioned in an upper region of the chassis farther from the movable base than the lower region of the chassis;
• the device may comprise a cooling circuit, said cooling circuit including: o an air intake zone comprising through openings formed in the first panels of the fairing, o an air evacuation zone comprising openings through-pieces formed in second panels of the fairing different from the first panels;
• the device may also comprise image acquisition means for detecting an object of interest in the environment of the autonomous device, said image acquisition means including monocular cameras each positioned at a respective side face of the fairing.
• FIG. 1 is a representation in perspective of the autonomous device according to the invention
• FIG. 1 is a side view representation of the autonomous device of Figure 1
• FIG. 3 is a representation in front view of the autonomous device of Figure 1
• - Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the autonomous device of Figure 1
• FIG. 5 is a representation in front view of a coupling system of the autonomous device
• FIG. 6 is a perspective representation of the coupling system shown in Figure 5.
• the autonomous device comprises:
• the autonomous device extends vertically along an axis A-A'. It makes it possible to charge/recharge the storage means of an electric vehicle via a coupling module (independent element) connecting to the electric vehicle by means of an electrically conductive cable (operation carried out by the user of the electric vehicle), and having a facade configured to match the coupling system without external intervention to ensure the passage - wired or by induction - of electrical energy from the autonomous device to the coupling module. This electrical energy is then transmitted to the storage means of the vehicle via the cable.
• a coupling module independent element
• an electrically conductive cable operation carried out by the user of the electric vehicle
• This electrical energy is then transmitted to the storage means of the vehicle via the cable.
• the coupling system comprises an electrical connection member capable of moving in vertical translation to connect to the coupling module, as will be described in more detail below.
• connection of the autonomous device is made "on the ground” via the movement in vertical translation of a connecting member makes it possible to limit the risks of damage to the vehicle, in particular compared to an autonomous loading/recharging solution based on the connection of a charging/recharging device directly with the vehicle (or with a coupling module fixed to the vehicle).
• the mobile base 1 can be of the type described in the French patent application FR2100632 filed in the name of the applicant.
• Such a mobile base 1 comprises a frame (not shown) and driving and idler wheels 11 to allow movement of the autonomous device.
• the mobile base 1 comprises two driving wheels and four idlers arranged per triplet, the wheel and the two rollers of each triplet being aligned along a respective longitudinal edge of the mobile base.
• a first wheel of each triplet is mounted at one end of the frame.
• the driving wheel and the second idler wheel are as for them fixed on an oscillating member pivotally mounted on the frame about a pivot axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the base.
• the frame 2 serves as a support for the various components constituting the autonomous device.
• the frame 2 is made from tubes defining a skeleton for the autonomous device.
• the frame 2 has a generally parallelepipedic shape. It consists :
• central part adapted to contain various components of the autonomous device
• the chassis 2 is configured to accommodate storage batteries 21 for storing electrical energy with a view to loading/recharging the vehicle's storage means.
• These batteries 21 are preferably positioned in a part - called "lower part" - of the frame 2 closest to the ground. Indeed, the batteries 21 of the autonomous device being the heaviest components, it is preferable to position them close to the ground to optimize the stability of the autonomous device.
• Chassis 2 is further configured to accommodate:
• - image acquisition means such as cameras, or any other sensor known to those skilled in the art
• control unit 23 for processing the images acquired by the acquisition means, and controlling the components of the autonomous device
• the fairing 26 consists of one or more sheets fixed to the frame 2 of the autonomous device.
• the fairing 26 makes it possible to improve the aesthetics of the autonomous device by “dressing” the components constituting it.
• the fairing 26 also makes it possible to protect components from possible external attacks.
• the fairing 26 is composed:
• the fairing comprises a cavity defining a recess for receiving the coupling module.
• the coupling system is contained in this niche.
• the autonomous device moves as far as the coupling module and is oriented so as to cause the coupling module to penetrate into the reception niche.
• the control unit controls the movement of the connecting member to connect it electrically to the coupling module. Making the electrical connection in the reception niche increases the safety of the device by limiting the accessibility to the user of the connecting member and the coupling module.
• the autonomous device comprises a cooling circuit making it possible to limit the heating of its components. Indeed, the possible:
• the autonomous device includes a cooling circuit in order to efficiently evacuate the heat dissipated by its various components.
• the cooling circuit includes heat transfer fluid circulation pipes arranged in the frame of the autonomous device, between the mobile base and the top of the frame opposite the mobile base.
• the circulation lines can be flexible tubes (for example in glycolized polyester) to facilitate their installation in the chassis between the various components (batteries, power converter, control unit, etc.).
• the circulation lines may be rigid (eg copper).
• the heat transfer fluid can be, for example, an oil, an alcohol (such as methanol, ethanol or glycol), an organic compound (such as acetone, ammonia), a mixture, a nanofluid, a liquid metal, demineralized water or any type of heat transfer fluid known to those skilled in the art.
• the cooling circuit also includes a fresh air intake zone F1 positioned at the level of the lower part of the chassis (i.e. at the level of the mobile base), and a hot air evacuation zone F2 positioned at the level of the upper part of the frame (i.e. at the end of the frame opposite the mobile base).
• the fresh air intake zone F1 may include one (or more) filter(s) to limit the risks of introducing dust into the autonomous device.
• the hot air evacuation zone F2 may include one (or more) filter(s) to limit the discharge of impurities to the outside of the autonomous device.
• Collecting cool air from the bottom of the chassis and exhausting hot air from the top of the chassis improves device cooling, as hot air tends to concentrate at a higher altitude in the fresh air.
• the cooling circuit can include other elements, such as one (or more) heat exchanger(s), one (or more) fan(s), etc.
• the air intake F1 and air exhaust F2 zones can each be provided in respective parallel side panels of the fairing 26. More precisely:
• the air intake zone F1 may consist of through openings made in the first parallel side panels of the fairing 26 defining a front and a rear of the mobile device relative to its direction of movement (see Figure 3),
• the air evacuation zone F2 may consist of through openings provided in second parallel side panels (perpendicular to the first side panels) defining the sides of the autonomous device relative to its direction of movement (cf. FIG. 2). 1.2.5. Image acquisition means
• the image acquisition means allow the autonomous device to acquire images of its environment.
• the image acquisition means comprise a plurality of wide-angle monocular cameras.
• the autonomous device comprises four cameras each positioned on a respective side face of the chassis in order to recreate a 360° view.
• the images acquired by the monocular cameras are then processed by the control unit to detect obstacles, the position of the coupling module, the position of the vehicle, etc.
• the autonomous device can also include other types of sensors, such as distance sensors (laser, ultrasound, radar, etc.) to estimate the distance between the autonomous device and an object of interest (obstacle, vehicle, coupling module, etc.).
• distance sensors laser, ultrasound, radar, etc.
• the coupling system includes:
• - one (or more) position sensor(s) for detecting the position of the connecting member (and in particular for detecting whether the connecting member is in a retracted position or in an extended position, as it will be described in more detail below
• - one (or more) presence sensor to detect the presence and positioning of the coupling module.
• the connecting member 41 is configured to be moved between a retracted position and a deployed position, the connecting member 41 being closer to the ground in the deployed position than in the retracted position.
• the connecting member 41 extends (at least partially) into a housing provided in the mobile charging/recharging device,
• the connecting member projects from the housing, the connecting member 41 being closer to the displacement means 43 in the retracted position than in the deployed position.
• the connecting member 41 comprises:
• centering plate 412 extending parallel to the support base, the centering plate being farther from the displacement means than the support base,
• the centering plate 412 is able to move in translation relative to the support base 411.
• the elastic return element 413 keeps the centering plate 412 at a non-zero predefined distance "d" from the support base 411 when no external force is exerted on the support base 411 and the centering plate 412.
• an external compressive force greater than a stiffness constant of the elastic return element
• the return element 413 compresses and the support base 411 moves in translation towards the centering plate 412: the distance between the support base 411 and the centering plate 412 decreases.
• the support base 411 moves in translation in a direction opposite to the centering plate 412 until the support base 411 and the centering plate 412 are spaced apart by the distance "d".
• the support base 411 makes it possible to support the various components of the connecting member 41.
• the support base 411 consists of a longitudinal profile with a U-section.
• the support base 411 can have another shape (profile with L-section, H-section, or else with square, circular or rectangular section, etc.) or for example consist of a substantially planar “support plate”.
• the support base 411 comprises an electrical connector 4111 projecting from the face of the support base 411 opposite the centering plate 412.
• This electrical connector 4111 allows the electrical connection of the connecting member 41 to the module coupling for the passage of the electrical energy necessary for the loading/recharging of the storage means of the vehicle. More specifically, the electrical connector 4111 mounted on the support base 411 is configured to cooperate with an electrical outlet (of complementary shape) mounted on the coupling module.
• centering plate 412 ensures alignment between the electrical connector 4111 of the support base 411 and the electrical outlet of the coupling module.
• the centering plate 412 is for example made of metal. It can have different shapes such as rectangular, square, parallelepipedic, etc.
• the centering plate 412 comprises a through hole allowing the passage of the electrical connector 4111 when the support base 411 and the centering plate 412 are close to each other.
• the centering plate 412 further comprises at least one alignment pin 4121 projecting outwards from its face opposite the support base 411. This (these) alignment pin(s) 4121 allows ( attempt) to align the connecting member 41 with the coupling module (to facilitate the connection of the electrical connector to the electrical outlet).
• the centering plate 412 comprises two alignment pins 4121 each mounted at a respective end of the centering plate.
• Each pin 4121 is of frustoconical shape. More specifically, each alignment pin consists of a half-cone whose large base is fixed to the centering plate 412. These alignment pins 4121 are each intended to cooperate with a respective blind hole of complementary shape provided in the module of 'coupling.
• the elastic return element 413 is fixed:
• the elastic return element 413 can be of any type known to those skilled in the art (pneumatic tube, spring/damper, etc.).
• the mobile charging/recharging device comprises four return elements each consisting of a helical spring 4131 associated with a guide rod 4132 fixed to the centering plate 412 and extending perpendicular to the centering plate 412 in the direction of the support base 41 1.
• Each coil spring 4131 is fixed to the centering plate 412 by one of its ends, and to the support base 411 by its other end.
• the support base 411 comprises four through slots for the passage of the guide rods 4132.
• Each guide rod 4132 is able to slide in its associated through slot when the distance between the support base 411 and the centering plate 412 varies.
• Each guide rod 4132 includes a stop (not shown) at its free end. This stop is positioned opposite the face of the support base 411 opposite the centering plate 412. The stop is intended to come into contact with the support base 411 when the connecting member 41 is in the retracted position. This stop keeps the guide rod 4132 in its associated through slot.
• each coil spring 4131 and its associated guide rod 4132 are positioned at a respective corner of the support base 411 and of the centering plate 412. This makes it possible to limit the risks of pivoting of the support and centering plates. 411, 412 relative to each other.
• the translation guide means 42 may consist of one (or more) slide(s), one (or more) slide(s) or any other means known to those skilled in the art.
• the guide means 42 consist of two threaded bars fixed to the displacement means 43 which will be described in more detail below. The inventors have in fact discovered that this solution makes it possible to limit the stresses applied to the connecting member, which facilitates its movement.
• Each bar comprises a thread adapted to cooperate with a respective threaded opening made in the support base.
• the rotation of the threaded bars by the displacement means 43 induces the translational displacement of the connecting member 41 .
• the moving means 43 make it possible to move the connecting member 41 between the retracted and deployed positions.
• These displacement means 43 may include:
• the use of one (or more) stepper motor(s) makes it possible to limit the size of the displacement means, and therefore of the mobile charging/recharging device.
• the use of one (or more) stepper motor(s) makes it possible to improve the precision in the movement of the connecting device.
• the mobile charging/recharging device being intended to be used in a dirty environment such as a parking area, it is possible for impurities to become lodged on the guide means.
• the travel time of the connecting member between the retracted and deployed positions may vary.
• this variation in the travel time can induce a reduction in the travel of the connecting member (since the control setpoint of a DC motor is its activation time).
• the control instruction consisting of a number of revolutions, it is possible to control with greater precision the travel of the connecting member between the retracted and deployed positions.
• the displacement means 43 consist of two stepper motors positioned in line with the connecting member. More specifically, the two stepper motors extend facing the face of the support base opposite the centering plate. These stepper motors are each positioned at one of the respective ends of the support base to limit the risks of the connecting member pivoting when it moves in translation.
• the coupling module has been previously connected by the user to the electrical energy storage means of his vehicle using the electrically conductive cable, that
• the autonomous device detects, using the image acquisition means, the coupling module associated with the vehicle for which the user wishes to charge/recharge the energy storage means. This detection can be based on the color, the shape or any other technical solution known to those skilled in the art for the detection of an object of interest.
• the control unit 23 estimates the distance separating the autonomous device from the coupling module and controls the mobile base to move the autonomous device at a first speed.
• the control unit controls the mobile base to reduce the speed of movement of the autonomous device to a second speed lower than first gear.
• the control unit 23 drives the mobile base to center the coupling module relative to the reception niche, and advances towards the coupling module so that the latter enters the reception niche.
• the control unit commands the immobilization of the autonomous device.
• the control unit 23 then controls the movement of the connecting member 41 from the retracted position to the deployed position.
• the displacement means 43 are activated and the coupling member 41 (support base, centering plate, elastic return element, etc.) moves vertically in the direction of the coupling module.
• the alignment pin(s) enter(s) the blind hole(s) in the coupling module.
• the blind hole(s) allow (by friction during the introduction of the pin(s) into the blind hole(s)) to adjust the position of the coupling module relative to the connecting member.
• the centering plate 412 comes to rest against the upper face of the module d 'coupling.
• the connecting member 41 continuing its course towards the deployed position, the elastic return element (or elements) 413 compresses and the distance between the centering plate 412 and the support base 411 decreases.
• the guide rod 4132 of each return element 413 slides in the through slot of the support base 411 associated with it.
• the distance between the support base 411 and the centering plate 412 continues to reduce until the electrical connector 4111 enters the through hole made in the centering plate 412 and plugs into the electrical outlet ( complementary shape) mounted on the coupling module.
• control unit 23 deactivates the displacement means 43 and the charging/recharging of the vehicle storage means can begin.
• control unit 23 controls the movement of the connecting member 41 from the deployed position to the retracted position. To do this, the control unit 23 activates the displacement means 43 of the coupling system.
• the support base 411 moves vertically towards the frame 2 of the autonomous device.
• the compressive force of the return element (or elements) 413 tends to keep the coupling module pressed against the ground. This facilitates the release of the electrical connector which detaches from the electrical socket of the mating module.
• the autonomous device can then move to charge/recharge the energy storage means of another vehicle.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Charge And Discharge Circuits For Batteries Or The Like (AREA)
• Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)
• Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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• 2021
  • 2021-04-12 FR FR2103752A patent/FR3121642B1/fr active Active
• 2022
  • 2022-04-12 JP JP2024505494A patent/JP2024516467A/ja active Pending
  • 2022-04-12 EP EP22722496.1A patent/EP4323225A1/de active Pending
  • 2022-04-12 WO PCT/EP2022/059777 patent/WO2022218993A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2022-04-12 US US18/554,716 patent/US20240262230A1/en active Pending

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