Widely deployable charging system for vehicles.

Abstract

A mechanical, electrical and telecommunication system to electrically connect a vehicle to an electricity source to transfer energy to the vehicle is presented. The system is designed to tolerate misalignments of a parked vehicle with respect to the parking stall. An important component of the system is a pair of rigid, insulating strips with a series of conductors on each of them, placed at approximately right angles to each other. One of the strips is mounted on the infrastructure or road side and the other on the vehicle. The two strips cover the lateral and longitudinal misalignment of the parked vehicle. As long as the two strips have a cross point; the connection can be made by the conductors in the overlap region. The system is designed to operate only in the active presence and active desire of a vehicle to connect to the infrastructure or road side stationary part.

1 . An apparatus which electrically connects a first group of electric terminals on a first object to a second group of electric terminals on a second object comprising:
 a first array of one or more conductive elements, each electrically connected to one of the members of the first group of electric terminals;   a second array of one or more conductive elements, each connected by a first group of electrical switches to each member of the second group of electric terminals; and   an actuating mechanism which is attached to the first array of conductive elements and contacts the first array of conductive elements with the second array of conductive elements or is attached to the second array of conductive elements and contacts the second array of conductive elements with the first array of conductive elements.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of claim  29 , further comprising of a microprocessor connected to each of the electrical switches from the first set of electrical switches that are connected to second array, which can determine the potential of the conductive elements of the second array and activate the first set of electrical switches. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  with actuating mechanism with at least one breakable member and a biasing force to initiate retraction and keep the mechanism retracted under a fault condition in a way that will pose no hazard to the surrounding. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  where the biasing force is provided by a spring. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  where the biasing force is provided by gravity. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  where the breakable member can be restored to its unbroken state. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  where the breakable member can be broken and restored under an electrical control.