Vehicle connection device, ground contact unit, vehicle coupling system and method for automatically conductively connecting a vehicle contact unit with a ground contact unit

An automatic vehicle coupling system comprising a vehicle connection device and a ground contact unit,

• the vehicle contact unit comprising a base with a contacting area in which at least one first contact electrode, at least one second contact electrode and at least one third contact electrode are provided, wherein the vehicle contact unit is moveable towards the ground contact unit in a contact direction in order to bring said at least one first contact electrode, said at least one second contact electrode and said one at least one third contact electrode in contact with the ground contact unit, an aligning actuator that is connected to the base in such a way that it is able to rotate the base relative to a mounting section about an axis of rotation running substantially in the contact direction,
• the ground contact unit comprising a plate-like base body as well as first contact areas, second contact areas and third contact areas that are arranged on a target surface of the base body in a main lattice in a form of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice,
• wherein the first contact areas are arranged in a first sublattice in a form of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice, the second contact areas are arranged in a second sublattice in a form of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice and the third contact areas are arranged in a third sublattice in a form of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice,
• wherein the first sublattice, the second sublattice and the third sublattice are interlaced with each other,
• wherein the first contact areas, the second contact areas and the third contact areas occur alternately in the direction of at least one base vector of the main lattice.

A method for automatically, conductively connecting a vehicle contact unit with a ground contact unit,

• the vehicle contact unit comprising a base with a contacting area in which at least one first contact electrode, at least one second contact electrode and at least one third contact electrode are provided, wherein the vehicle contact unit is moveable towards the ground contact unit in a contact direction in order to bring said at least one first contact electrode, said at least one second contact electrode and said one at least one third contact electrode in contact with the ground contact unit, an aligning actuator that is connected to the base in such a way that it is able to rotate the base relative to a mounting section about an axis of rotation running substantially in the contact direction,
• the ground contact unit comprising a plate-like base body as well as first contact areas, second contact areas and third contact areas that are arranged on a target surface of the base body in a main lattice in a form of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice,
• wherein the first contact areas are arranged in a first sublattice in a form of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice, the second contact areas are arranged in a second sublattice in a form of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice and the third contact areas are arranged in a third sublattice in a form of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice,
• wherein the first sublattice, the second sublattice and the third sublattice are interlaced with each other,
• wherein the first contact areas, the second contact areas and the third contact areas occur alternately in a direction of at least one base vector of the main lattice,
• the method comprising steps of:
• a) lowering the vehicle contact unit towards the ground contact unit in a contact direction until the vehicle contact unit contacts the ground contact unit,
• b) checking whether at least one specific contact electrode of the vehicle contact unit contacts at least one corresponding specific contact area of the ground contact unit, and
• c) rotating the vehicle contact unit about an axis of rotation if no or insufficient electrical contact exists between said at least one specific contact electrode and said at least one corresponding specific contact area.