Charging system for electric bus and charging method using the same

A charging system for an electric bus, comprising:

• a first pantograph configured to extend upward from an upper side of a roof to contact a first charging network of a charging station during charging and contact electrically a positive terminal of a battery;
• a second pantograph configured to extend downward from an outer bottom surface to contact a second charging network of the charging station during charging and contact electrically a negative terminal of the battery when the electric bus is positioned in a charging zone constituting the second charging network;
• a position sensor configured to generate position information of the electric bus;
• a bus communication module configured to communicate with a charging station to transmit the position information to the charging station;
• and
• a bus controller configured to transmit the position information through the bus communication module for charging and to control the first pantograph and the second pantograph depending on a control signal received from the charging station to charge the battery of the electric bus when the electric bus is parked,
• wherein the first charging network is provided at an upper side of the electric bus and the second charging network is provided on a bottom surface of the charging zone,
• during the charging of the electric bus, the first pantograph is upwardly unfolded to directly contact a positive electrode of the charging station to receive charging power, and
• the second pantograph is downwardly unfolded to directly contact a negative electrode of the charging station so as to configure a closed loop path in which a charging current received from the charging station flows through the first pantograph.

A charging method for an electric bus, comprising:

• receiving position information from a plurality of electric buses parked in a charging zone;
• determining whether the electric buses are parked and are chargeable in a second charging network based on the position information;
• calculating a charging order of each of a plurality of first charging networks depending on a result of the determining whether the charging is possible, and controlling the first charging networks to move according to the calculated charging order;
• preparing for charging by transferring a charging start control signal to a corresponding electric bus among the plurality of the electric buses to induce a first pantograph connected electrically to a positive terminal of a battery of the corresponding electric bus to expand upward to contact at least one of the first charging networks and a second pantograph connected electrically to a negative terminal of the battery of the corresponding electric bus to extend downward to contact a second charging network which is constituted by the charging zone;
• starting charging by transferring a charge control signal to a power converter so that charging power is received by the corresponding electric bus when contacts of the first pantograph and the second pantograph are made;
• and
• ending the charging by transferring a charging end control signal to the corresponding electric bus to control the first pantograph and the second pantograph to be respectively separated from the at least one of the first charging networks and the second charging network when the charging is completed,
• wherein the first charging network is provided at upper sides of the plurality of electric buses and the second charging network is provided on a bottom surface of the charging zone,
• during the charging of the electric bus, the first pantograph is upwardly unfolded to directly contact a positive electrode of the charging station to receive charging power, and
• the second pantograph is downwardly unfolded to directly contact a negative electrode of the charging station so as to configure a closed loop path in which a charging current received from the charging station flows through the first pantograph.