# US 8,465,303 B2 · Electrical coupling system for an electrical charging device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,303 B2 - Document ID: US8465303B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/141,571 - Filed: 2009-12-22 - Published: 2011-10-20 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-22 - Assignees: Delachaux S.A. - Applicants: Gilles Lacour - Inventors: Gilles Lacour - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465303B2 ## CPC - B60L 5/42: for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line - B60L 3/0069: {relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current} - B60L 50/40: using propulsion power supplied by capacitors - B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B60L 53/36: by positioning the vehicle - B60M 7/00: Power lines or rails specially adapted for electrically-propelled vehicles of special types, e.g. suspension tramway, ropeway, underground railway - B60L 2240/36: Temperature of vehicle components or parts - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - Y10T 29/5313: Means to assemble electrical device - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60M: POWER SUPPLY LINES, AND DEVICES ALONG RAILS, FOR ELECTRICALLY- PROPELLED VEHICLES (control of points and safety arrangements along railway lines B61L; construction of rails and points in general E01B) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The invention relates to an electrical coupling system for an electrical charging device having energy storage means of an electrically driven motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a support that can be plugged into a recess made in the floor, at least two electrically conducting plates in the support, the plates being electrically connected to the charging device, movement means, capable of moving the plates between a retracted position and an exposed position on the ground, and at least one protective element intended to cover the recess in which the plug-in support is housed when the plates have been retracted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Electrical coupling system for coupling an electrical charging device with energy storage means of an electric drive vehicle, wherein the electrical coupling system comprises a support which can be positioned in a recess made in the ground, at least two electrically conductive plates in the support, the plates able to be electrically connected to a charging device, shifting means capable of shifting the plates between a retracted position and a position released from the ground, and at least one protection element intended to cover the recess in which the support is positioned when the plates are retracted, wherein the electrical coupling system further comprises mobile side protection panels arranged to prevent objects from falling into the support, the mobile side protection panels being connected to the protection element via rods so that the movements of the protection element and of the mobile side protection panels are synchronous. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for driving each plate, said means for driving each plate comprising at least one linear actuator comprising a fixed part and a mobile part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein the protection element is pivot-mounted on the mobile part of the actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the protection element is connected to the mobile part of the actuator via rods. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the protection element is pivot-mounted on the mobile side protection panels. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, further comprising elastic means between the protection element and the mobile side protection panels, said elastic means exerting a force on a partition of the protection element which tends to move the protection element away from the plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising mobile side protection panels arranged to prevent objects from falling into the support, the movements of the protection element and of the mobile side protection panels being synchronous, and wherein the means for driving each plate comprise at least one linear actuator comprising a fixed part and a mobile part, and wherein the mobile side protection panels are secured to the end of the mobile part of the actuator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the plates are elongate and their major axes are arranged parallel to each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the plates are laterally offset from one another. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the plates have merging major axes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the plates are mobile by pivoting about at least one horizontal axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11 further comprising means for detecting the presence of a vehicle above the plates. ### Claim 13 An installation for recharging electric drive vehicles, comprising a vehicle parking area provided with a plurality of coupling systems for coupling an electrical charging device with energy storage means of an electric drive vehicle, wherein the electrical coupling system comprises a support which can be positioned in a recess made in the ground, at least two electrically conductive plates in the support, the plates able to be electrically connected to a charging device, shifting means capable of shifting the plates between a retracted position and a position released from the ground, and at least one protection element intended to cover the recess in which the support is positioned when the plate are retracted, wherein the electrical coupling system further comprises mobile side protection panels arranged to prevent objects from falling into the support, the mobile side protection panels being connected to the protection element via rods so that the movements of the protection element and of the mobile side protection panels are synchronous. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The installation according to claim 13, further comprising means for driving each plate, said means for driving each plate comprising at least one linear actuator comprising a fixed part and a mobile part. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The installation according to claim 13, wherein the protection element is connected to the mobile part of the actuator via rods. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The installation according to claim 13, wherein the protection element is pivot-mounted on the mobile side protection panels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The installation according to claim 16 further comprising elastic means between the protection element and the mobile side protection panels, said elastic means exerting a force on a partition of the protection element which tends to move the protection element away from the plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The installation according to claim 14 wherein the protection element is pivot-mounted on the mobile part of the actuator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The installation according to claim 13, further comprising mobile side protection panels arranged to prevent objects from falling into the support, the movements of the protection element and of the mobile side protection panels being synchronous, and wherein the means for driving each plate comprise at least one linear actuator comprising a fixed part and a mobile part, and wherein the mobile side protection panels are secured to the end of the mobile part of the actuator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The installation according to claim 13, wherein the plates are elongate and their major axes are arranged parallel to each other. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The installation according to claim 13, wherein the plates are laterally offset from one another. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The installation according to claim 13, wherein the plates have merging major axes. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The installation according to claim 13, wherein the plates are mobile by pivoting about at least one horizontal axis. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The installation according to claim 23, which further comprises means for detecting the presence of a vehicle above the plates.