CHARGING STATION AND COMBINED CHARGING STATION

Abstract

Disclosed is a charging station (2) for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (1) comprising one or more energy stores, the station having a charging device for transferring electrical energy to the energy store or stores. Also disclosed is a combined charging station (12) for vertical take-off and landing aircraft, each aircraft comprising one or more energy stores, the combined charging station (12) having multiple charging stations.

Claims

1.-18. (canceled)

19. A charging station for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, wherein the charging station comprises one or more energy stores and a charging device for transferring electrical energy to the one or more energy stores.

20. The charging station of claim 19, wherein the charging station further comprises one or more positioning devices for holding, fixing, and aligning the aircraft.

21. The charging station of claim 20, wherein the one or more positioning devices are designed for holding, fixing, and aligning a flight module of the aircraft and a charging device for transferring electrical energy to an energy store of the flight module.

22. The charging station of claim 19, wherein the charging device comprises a flexible connector.

23. The charging station of claim 19, wherein the charging station is configured to be connectable to a power grid.

24. The charging station of claim 19, wherein the charging station is configured to be connectable to a high power grid.

25. The charging station of claim 19, wherein the one or more positioning devices comprise one or more gripper and/or support devices.

26. The charging station of claim 24, wherein the one or more positioning devices comprise one or more forked mounting fixtures for accommodating a support structure of a flight module of the aircraft.

27. The charging station of claim 26, wherein the one or more positioning devices comprise one or more forked mounting fixtures for accommodating support beams of support structure of a flight module.

28. The charging station of claim 24, wherein the positioning devices are arranged in a star-shaped arrangement and/or at equal distance from each other.

29. The charging station of claim 19, wherein the charging station comprises fiber-reinforced composite material or consists of fiber-reinforced composite material.

30. The charging station of claim 19, wherein the charging station is designed for arrangement on a lighting column, a pillar, or a roof.

31. A combined charging station, wherein the combined charging station comprises two or more charging stations according to claim 19.

32. The combined charging station of claim 31, wherein the station is configured for flight modules of vertical take-off and landing aircraft each of which comprises one or more energy stores.

33. The combined charging station of claim 31, wherein the station comprises one or more positioning devices for holding, fixing, and aligning the aircraft or a flight module of the aircraft.

34. The combined charging station of claim 31, wherein the two or more charging stations are configured to be movable vertically and/or horizontally.

35. The combined charging station of claim 31, wherein the station further comprises a housing for enclosing the two or more charging stations.

36. The combined charging station of claim 31, wherein the two or more charging stations are positioned in a rack arrangement.

37. The combined charging station of claim 36, wherein the rack arrangement is formed by a rack system in the form of a paternoster lift.

38. The combined charging station of claim 31, wherein the two or more charging stations are positioned in a revolver arrangement.

Description

[0084] Further advantages of the present invention can be seen in the drawings as well as the description. In schematic representations they show:

[0085] FIG. 1 a top view of a combined charging station according to the invention in a revolver arrangement with lateral opening;

[0086] FIG. 2 a top view of a combined charging station according to the invention in a revolver arrangement with top opening;

[0087] FIG. 3 a perspective view of a combined charging station according to the invention in a rack arrangement with lateral openings;

[0088] FIG. 4 a perspective view of a combined charging station according to the invention in a rack arrangement with top opening;

[0089] FIG. 5 a perspective view of a combined charging station according to the invention in a star-shaped arrangement on a lighting mast.

[0090] In the examples explained below, reference is made to the attached drawings that represent a part of the examples and in which specific embodiments are shown for the sake of clarity to demonstrate how the invention can be used. In this case, words indicating directions such as above, below, in front of, behind, front, rear etc. are used referring to the orientation of the figures that are being described.

[0091] As elements of embodiments can be placed in a variety of different orientations, the terms indicating directions are used merely for clarification and are not restrictive in any way.

[0092] It is understood that other embodiments can be used and structural or logical modifications can be made without deviating from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is understood that the characteristics of the various embodiments described herein by way of example can be combined with each other if not specified to the contrary. The following detailed description is therefore not intended in a restrictive sense, and the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims.

[0093] In this description, the terms attached, connected and coupled are used to describe both a direct and an indirect attachment, a direct or indirect connection, and a direct or indirect coupling.

[0094] Identical or similar elements are given identical references in the figures in as far as this is expedient.

[0095] FIG. 1 shows a first variant of a combined charging station (12) according to the invention for flight module (1) in a revolver arrangement of individual charging stations (2).

[0096] The combined charging station (12) comprises four charging stations (2), which are arranged on a rotating base plate (4). The charging stations (2) each have a charging platform on which a flight module (1) can be parked. In three of the four charging stations (2) there is a parked flight module (1) ready to be charged, whereby these charging stations (2) are located in a park position (11).

[0097] The combined charging station (12) has a housing with a lateral, closable opening (7).

[0098] The charging station (2) in front of the opening (7) is unoccupied and is in a standby position (3) to receive a flight module (1) into the charging station (2) or to release a flight module (1) from the charging station (2).

[0099] The combined charging station (12) has a positioning device (5) in the proximity of the opening (7) for holding, fixing, and aligning a flight module (1), whereby said device is designed as a telescopic device and is shown in an extended position in FIG. 1.

[0100] A flight module (1) is held in a take-off and landing position (6) on a positioning device (5) that is extended through the opening (7), whereby the flight module (1) is detected and aligned by the positioning device (5) from the landing approach or the flight module (1) is prepared for take-off.

[0101] The flight module (1) can be moved to the charging station (2) in the standby position (3) by means of the positioning device (5) and, if applicable, positioned on the charging platform of the charging station (2).

[0102] At this point the flight module (1) can be connected to a charging device (not shown) on the charging station (2) to charge.

[0103] An electrical connection of the flight module (1) with the charging device can be a standard electrical plug or the coupling device on the flight module (1), which is provided for coupling a transport module, and is also designed as an electrical coupling device.

[0104] At the same time, the charging device on the charging station (2) has a corresponding coupling counterpart which can be coupled to the coupling device on the flight module (1) and transfers electrical energy to the flight module (1).

[0105] Alternatively, the charging of the flight module (1) can take place inductively via coils.

[0106] The base plate (4) can be rotated during this process so that an adjacent charging station (2) that was previously located in the park position (11) is put in the standby position (3) in front of the opening (7).

[0107] The previously parked flight module (1) can be taken from the charging station (2) into the standby position (3) by means of the positioning device (5) and then moved into the take-off position (6) ready for take-off.

[0108] FIG. 2 shows a second variant of a combined charging station (12) according to the invention in a revolver arrangement, similar to the combined charging station (12) according to FIG. 1.

[0109] The following text therefore only covers the differences compared to the embodiment in FIG. 1.

[0110] The combined charging station (12) has a housing with an upper, closable opening (7) in the roof of the housing.

[0111] The charging station (2) directly below the opening (7) is unoccupied and is in a standby position (3) to receive a flight module (1) into the charging station (2) or to release a flight module (1) from the charging station (2).

[0112] The combined charging station (12) has a positioning device (5) in the proximity of the opening (7) for holding, fixing, and aligning a flight module (1), whereby said device can be designed as a telescopic or stationary device.

[0113] A flight module (1) can be detected, held, and aligned on the positioning device (5) during the landing approach, then moved into the charging station (2) that is in the standby position (3) (not shown).

[0114] At this point the flight module (1) can be connected to a charging device (not shown) on the charging station (2) to charge.

[0115] The base plate (4) can be rotated during or after this process so that an adjacent charging station (2) that was previously in the park position (11) is put in the standby position (3) below the opening (7).

[0116] The flight module (1) previously in the park position (11) can be detected in the charging station (2) in the standby position (3) by means of the positioning device (5) and then moved into the take-off position (6) (not shown) ready for take-off.

[0117] FIG. 3 shows a combined charging station (12) according to the invention for the flight module (1) in a rack arrangement with lateral openings.

[0118] The combined charging station (12) comprises six charging stations (2), which are arranged in a rack system (8) on top of each other in the style of a high-bay warehouse. There is a parked flight module (1) to be charged at each charging station (2), which is held in each case by a positioning device (5) that is part of charging stations (2). Five of the six charging stations (2) are in a park position (11).

[0119] The combined charging station (12) has a housing with six lateral, closable openings (7), which are each assigned to a charging station (2).

[0120] The positioning devices (5) on the charging stations (2) are shown here as a telescopic device. FIG. 3 shows the positioning device (5) of a charging station (2) in an extended position.

[0121] A flight module (1) is held in a take-off and landing position 6 on a positioning device (5) that is extended through a corresponding opening (7), whereby the flight module (1) is detected and aligned by the positioning device (5) from the landing approach or the flight module (1) is prepared for take-off.

[0122] The flight module (1) can be retracted into the housing by means of the positioning device (5).

[0123] The positioning device (5) can be connected to a charging device (not shown) so that the flight module (1) held at the positioning device (5) can be directly charged.

[0124] A standard electrical connector can be provided for the electrical connection of the flight module (1) to the charging device, or the coupling device on the flight module (1) can be simultaneously designed as an electrical coupling device, which has a corresponding coupling counterpart for the charging device. Alternatively, the charging of the flight module (1) can take place inductively via nozzles.

[0125] During this time, a parked, charged flight module (1) on another charging station (2) can be moved to the take-off and landing position (6) through the corresponding opening (7) by means the positioning device (5) of this charging station (2) ready for take-off.

[0126] FIG. 4 shows a second variant of a combined charging station (12) according to the invention in a rack arrangement similar to the combined charging station (12) according to FIG. 3.

[0127] The following text therefore only covers the differences compared to the embodiment in FIG. 3.

[0128] The combined charging station (12) comprises twelve charging stations (2), which are arranged in a two-row rack system (8). There is a parked and a charging flight module (1) in a park position (11) at each of five charging stations (2), which are held in each case by a positioning device (5) that is part of the charging stations (2).

[0129] The combined charging station (12) has a housing with an upper, closable opening (7).

[0130] The rack system (8) is designed in the form of a paternoster lift, on which the charging stations (2) can be moved portably and flexibly to different locations in the transport direction (9).

[0131] As a result, each of the charging stations (2) can be positioned below the opening (7) and the flight module (1) held by the positioning device (5) can be moved to the take-off and landing position (6). Otherwise, an expected flight module (1) can be detected and aligned by means of the positioning device (5) of a charging station (2) that has moved upwards by means of the paternoster system and is now in the standby position (3) below the opening (7).

[0132] The charging process of the flight module (1) can take place as described above.

[0133] FIG. 5 shows a combined charging station (12) according to the invention with four charging stations (2) arranged in a star shape, arranged on a lighting column (10) of an existing infrastructure.

[0134] There is one flight module (1) to be parked and one to be charged on each of three charging stations (2), each of which is held and fixed in place by a positioning device (5) that is part of the charging stations (2).

[0135] The positioning devices (5) of the charging stations (2) are shown as a telescopic device.

[0136] When the telescopic positioning device (5) is in an extended position (not shown), the flight module can be moved to the take-off and landing position (6) or an expected flight module can be detected and aligned using the positioning device (5).

[0137] The charging process of the flight module (1) can take place as described above.

[0138] FIG. 5 also shows an embodiment of a single charging station (2) according to the invention with just one charging device and four positioning devices (5) arranged in a star shape each to hold, fix, and align a flight module (1), whereby only one flight module (1) of the four fight modules is charged via the charging device.

[0139] The phrase and/or used here, if it is used in a series of two or more elements, means that each of the listed elements can be used singly, or any combination of two or more of the listed elements can be used.

[0140] If, for example, a relationship is described which consists of components A, B and/or C then the relationship can relate to the components A on its own; B on its own; C on its own; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0141] 1 Flight module [0142] 2 Charging station [0143] 3 Standby position of the charging station [0144] 4 Rotating base plate [0145] 5 Positioning device [0146] 6 Take-off/landing position of the flight module [0147] 7 Closable opening [0148] 8 Rack system [0149] 9 Direction of movement of the paternoster rack system [0150] 10 Lighting column [0151] 11 Charging station park position [0152] 12 Combined charging station