A vehicle battery charger and a vehicle battery charging system are described and illustrated, and can include a controller enabling a user to enter a time of day at which the vehicle battery charger or system begins and/or ends charging of the vehicle battery. The vehicle battery charger can be separate from the vehicle, can be at least partially integrated into the vehicle, can include a transmitter and/or a receiver capable of communication with a controller that is remote from the vehicle and vehicle charger, and can be controlled by a user or another party (e.g., a power utility) to control battery charging based upon a time of day, cost of power, or other factors.

A vehicle battery charger and a vehicle battery charging system are described and illustrated, and can include a controller enabling a user to enter a time of day at which the vehicle battery charger or system begins and/or ends charging of the vehicle battery. The vehicle battery charger can be separate from the vehicle, can be at least partially integrated into the vehicle, can include a transmitter and/or a receiver capable of communication with a controller that is remote from the vehicle and vehicle charger, and can be controlled by a user or another party (e.g., a power utility) to control battery charging based upon a time of day, cost of power, or other factors.

A vehicle battery charger and a vehicle battery charging system are described and illustrated, and can include a controller enabling a user to enter a time of day at which the vehicle battery charger or system begins and/or ends charging of the vehicle battery. The vehicle battery charger can be separate from the vehicle, can be at least partially integrated into the vehicle, can include a transmitter and/or a receiver capable of communication with a controller that is remote from the vehicle and vehicle charger, and can be controlled by a user or another party (e.g., a power utility) to control battery charging based upon a time of day, cost of power, or other factors.

An assembly includes a movable door assembly and a heating element. The movable door assembly is configured to be disposed on an exterior of a vehicle. The heating element is coupled to the movable door assembly, and is configured to receive energy from a battery disposed on the vehicle and to heat at least a portion of the movable door assembly.

An assembly includes a movable door assembly and a heating element. The movable door assembly is configured to be disposed on an exterior of a vehicle. The heating element is coupled to the movable door assembly, and is configured to receive energy from a battery disposed on the vehicle and to heat at least a portion of the movable door assembly.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a track system including a first set of tracks arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of tracks arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. The first set of tracks and the second set of tracks form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells. Each grid cell includes an opening defined by the first set of tracks and the second set of tracks such that the track system includes a plurality of openings. A plurality of storage containers are arranged in columns beneath the track system such that the storage containers are located vertically below the openings. A plurality of container handling vehicles for lifting and moving the storage containers are configured to move on the track system and access the storage containers via the openings. Each container handling vehicle of the container handling vehicles includes a lower part in contact with the track system and an upper part. The lower part has a width and a length that form a vehicle footprint. The vehicle footprint of the lower part has dimensions smaller than the opening such that a contact area of the container handling vehicle does not extend into an adjacent grid cell. The upper part, which is disposed vertically above the lower part, includes a protruding section and a recessed section. The protruding section is configured to extend beyond the lower part into the adjacent grid cell. The recessed section is of a complimentary shape to the protruding section such that the recessed section is configured to receive other protruding sections of other vehicles of the container handling vehicles. The lower part further includes a storage space configured to accommodate a storage container of the storage containers.

A powertrain for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle applications with integrated three-phase AC charging featuring buck-boost operation and optional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability, along with corresponding methods and machine instruction sets for switch control. The powertrain can include of a three-phase current source converter (CSC) front-end with an associated input filter, a polarity inversion module, and in an embodiment, a dual-inverter motor drive. The dual-inverter drive is the source of both the back emf and requisite DC inductance for the CSC. A compact design is thus provided as no additional magnetics are required and the on-board cooling system required for traction mode can be re-deployed for charging and V2G mode. The powertrain is mode shifted between charging and V2G mode through an optional polarity inversion module.

An access control system for electric vehicle charging is provided that includes an access device, a secure reservation interface, a reservation server and a smartphone application installed on the smartphone. The access device includes a short-range wireless communication module connected to a processor having control of an electric vehicle charger. The secure reservation interface receives a reservation request for a reservation at a given destination. The reservation server receives the reservation request for the destination, issues a reservation certificate, and transmits the reservation certificate from the reservation server to a smartphone. The smartphone application has access to a short range wireless communication setting corresponding to the access device. The access device receives the reservation certificate from the smartphone application based on use by the smartphone application of the short-range wireless communication setting. The processor activates the electric vehicle charger based on at least the receipt of the reservation certificate.

An access control system for electric vehicle charging is provided that includes an access device, a secure reservation interface, a reservation server and a smartphone application installed on the smartphone. The access device includes a short-range wireless communication module connected to a processor having control of an electric vehicle charger. The secure reservation interface receives a reservation request for a reservation at a given destination. The reservation server receives the reservation request for the destination, issues a reservation certificate, and transmits the reservation certificate from the reservation server to a smartphone. The smartphone application has access to a short range wireless communication setting corresponding to the access device. The access device receives the reservation certificate from the smartphone application based on use by the smartphone application of the short-range wireless communication setting. The processor activates the electric vehicle charger based on at least the receipt of the reservation certificate.

The present invention relates to a device for positioning a charger connector, in particular relative to a vehicle contra connector, comprising a suspension for a charging cable assembly, connected at one end to the charger connector, the suspension comprising a first suspension point, for clamping, at a point remote from the one end, the charging cable assembly in a predetermined orientation and position, which orientation and position together with the rigidity of the cable assembly and the gravity acting on the cable assembly define a preferred position and/or a preferred orientation of the one end; and a second suspension point, for engaging the charging cable assembly at the one end of the charger connector; Wherein the second suspension point comprises a manipulator for manipulating the position and/or the orientation of the charger connector relative to the fixed world, in a range around the preferred position and/or the preferred orientation of the one end of the cable assembly.