Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.

Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.

The invention relates to a contact unit (24) for a fast charging system for electrically driven vehicles, in particular electric busses or the like, the fast charging system comprising a charging contact device and a contact device having a contact unit carrier, the contact unit carrier having the contact unit, a charging contact of the charging contact device being electrically connectable to the contact unit to form a contact pair, the contact device or the charging contact device comprising a positioning device, the contact unit carrier being positionable relative to the charging contact device by means of the positioning device in such a manner that an electrically conductive connection is formed between a vehicle and a stationary charging station, the contact unit comprising a contact element (25), the contact unit having a connecting lead for being connected to the vehicle or the charging station, the contact element being mounted on a pivot bearing (26) of the contact unit so as to be pivotable relative to the contact unit carrier.

This disclosure provides systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.

This disclosure provides systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.

A flying device includes a mechanical coupling that is designed to cooperate with a cable of an electrical distribution line in such a way that the flying device remains secured to the cable in a rest position.

A flying device includes a mechanical coupling that is designed to cooperate with a cable of an electrical distribution line in such a way that the flying device remains secured to the cable in a rest position.

In one implementation, a matching network is provided comprising a pair of input terminals; a pair of output terminals; and at least two reactive components disposed between the pair of input terminals and the pair of output terminals. At least one of the reactive components comprises a coupled-inductor. In various implementations, the second reactive component can be a capacitor, and the capacitor can be at least partially realized using the parasitic capacitances of the environment. The matching network may be disposed in a capacitive wireless power transfer (WPT) system. In other implementations, inductors and coupled-inductors are further provided. In some implementations, for example, an inductor, such as but not limited to a coupled-inductor, may comprise a toroidal or semi-toroidal core comprising foil wire interleaved without notches.

A current collector supplies power to an electrical load movable along a conductor line and includes a movable holder for a contact element whose range of movement is restricted by two mechanical stops, and which is acted upon by a spring arrangement exerting a force in the direction of a first end of its range of movement to force the contact element against a power rail. A damping device is provided, which dampens movement of the holder caused by the spring arrangement in the direction of the first end of its range of movement, when the holder is situated within a predetermined first section of its range of movement, which is restricted on one side by the first end and does not include the entire range of movement. The damping device can be designed as a flow damper or a friction damper or as at least one spring element.

A system for powering vehicles is disclosed includes a roadway having of a pair of road-based conductors that move vertically with respect to the roadway from a lowered position to a raised position or vice versa. A voltage is selectively delivered across the pair of road-based conductors. A first tire of the vehicle has a first conductive surface that is in electrical contact with a first road-based conductor and a second tire of the vehicle has a second conductive surface is in electrical contact with a second road-based conductor when the pair of road-based conductors in the raised position and the voltage is conducted into the vehicle through the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface. A power system of the vehicle receives the voltage from the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface and provides power to run or charge the vehicle.