Robots and apparatus, systems and methods for powering robots are disclosed. A disclosed conductive floor to power a robot on the floor includes a plurality of stationary conductors positioned in a pattern and a power delivery circuit to cause adjacent ones of the conductors to have different electrical potentials, the adjacent ones of the conductors to form a circuit to deliver power to the robot via contacts formed in a bottom surface of the robot.

A contactless electric power supply device of the present invention is provided with: multiple supply coils and an alternating current power source arranged on a fixed section; multiple receiving coils and a receiving circuit provided on a moving body; and a face-to-face power supply section provided for each of the multiple supply coils and configured to supply alternating current power from the alternating current power source to the supply coils only when detecting a face-to-face state between the supply coil and the receiving coil; wherein separation distances and lengths in the moving direction of the multiple supply coils and multiple receiving coils are set to satisfy face-to-face conditions, and a receiving circuit converts alternating current power received by at least one of the receiving coils in the face-to-face state and generates a receiving voltage at least equal to a driving voltage.

A fast charging system for electrically driven vehicles and a method for forming an electrically conductive connection between a vehicle and a stationary charging station, the fast charging system having a contact device, a charging contact device and a positioning device, said contact device or said charging contact device being disposeable on a vehicle, said charging contact device being electrically contacted using the contact device when in a contact position, said contact device being positioned in a longitudinal and/or transverse direction with respect to the charging contact device as well as being moved to the contact position by means of the positioning device, said charging contact device comprising a charging-contact-element carrier having charging contact elements, said charging contact elements each forming a strip-shaped charging contact surface, said contact device comprising a contact element carrier having contact elements, said contact elements each forming a contact surface which is smaller than the charging contact surfaces, said contact elements being electrically contacted with the charging contact elements for forming contact pairs in each instance when in the contact position, the charging contact surfaces and the contact surfaces being disposed such in the longitudinal direction with respect to each other that a respective physical contact between the charging contact surfaces and the contact surfaces is formed in a defined order at respective longitudinal ends of the charging contact surfaces.

The invention relates to a device for generating a magnetic field, in particular for a primary apparatus of an inductive charging system, as well as to a primary apparatus of an inductive charging system for the contactless, inductive power transfer to transport means. With the objective of continually generating a magnetic field along a specific traveling direction, the device is provided with at least one electrical conductor for generating the magnetic field, a supply unit for generating an alternating current for the at least one electrical conductor, and a detection unit for detecting a secondary charging system. This device is characterized by a communication unit for transmitting and receiving data to/from an identical device, wherein the device is designed to control the signal control unit by means of the detection unit and/or by means of the received data, and hence the generation of the magnetic field for inductive power transfer. With respect to the primary apparatus, the latter has a plurality of interconnected devices for generating a magnetic field, wherein the devices have a plurality of electrical conductors for generating a magnetic field. In addition, the arrangement and actuation of electrical conductors of the devices are designed in such a way that a predetermined magnetic field can be generated by a portion of the electrical conductors, and this magnetic field can be displaced by correspondingly actuating the electrical conductors with a static motion.

The invention relates to 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.

The invention relates to 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.

An on-travel power supply system is provided to include (i) a power supply facility including a plurality of power supply apparatuses arranged along a traveling road, and (ii) an electric vehicle including a power reception apparatus configured to receive power supply from the power supply apparatuses and charge a battery while traveling on the traveling road. The electric vehicle is configured to acquire, from the power supply facility, a failed road segment in which power supply is disabled from the power supply apparatuses along the traveling road. The electric vehicle is further configured to calculate a required energy amount required for the electric vehicle to pass through the failed road segment, and secure the calculated required energy amount before the electric vehicle reaches the failed road segment.

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.

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.