In-track charging station and method

Abstract

An in-track charging system for charging the batteries of ceiling-mounted patient lifts includes a spring-biased pin assembly integrated with a movable truck and one or more rail-mounted charging stations. The truck-mounted assembly includes multiple spring-biased brass pins having upper ends extending upward from a top surface of the truck and lower ends terminating inside the main body of the truck. A wiring cable electrically connects the lower ends of the pins with a battery to be charged. Insulated bushings surround the spring-biased pins to prevent electrical short circuiting to the body of the truck. Each rail-mounted charging station includes a pair of insulated conductive plates that are joined to the inner surface of the upper horizontal cross-piece of the rail using conductive screws and nuts. To prevent electrical short circuiting to the rail insulator bushings are placed around the screws. Wires are connected to the ends of the screws and terminate at a battery charging unit. To charge the battery, the truck is moved along the rail until it is directly beneath one of the charging stations. The position of the truck is adjusted such that the upper ends of the conductive pins rest against the heads of the screws securing the conductive plates to the rail. In that position, current passes from the charging unit, through the conductive pins and plates and to the battery.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.