INTERFACE DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interface device, which is or can be connected to a construction machine to be refueled, on the one hand, and to a preferably mobile hydrogen refueling station, on the other, or forms a component thereof, wherein the interface device has a drive unit or a power transducer designed to provide the drive power for transferring hydrogen from the hydrogen refueling station to the construction machine to be refueled and wherein the interface device is formed by the construction machine to be refueled and/or the preferably mobile hydrogen refueling station and/or a dispenser unit, which is designed to supply the preferably mobile hydrogen refueling station and/or the construction machine with the drive power.

Claims

1. An interface device, which is capable of being connected to a construction machine to be refueled, on the one hand, and optionally to a mobile hydrogen refueling station, on the other, or forms a component thereof, wherein the interface device comprises a drive unit or a power transducer designed to provide the drive power for transferring hydrogen from the mobile hydrogen refueling station to the construction machine to be refueled and wherein the interface device is formed by the construction machine to be refueled and/or the mobile hydrogen refueling station and/or a dispenser unit or vehicle, which is designed to supply the mobile hydrogen refueling station and/or the construction machine with the drive power.

2. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device is designed to provide electrical control power for the power supply of the hydrogen refueling station's power grid.

3. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device has means for transmitting data from and/or between the construction machine and/or the mobile hydrogen refueling station.

4. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit is designed to provide the drive power by means of hydraulic power, electrical power, pneumatic power or mechanical power.

5. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device has a power transducer, which is designed to absorb energy from an external energy source and, if necessary, makes this power available for hydrogen transfer after a transformation to a different voltage level.

6. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device has one or more components for ensuring safety requirements when transferring the hydrogen from the mobile hydrogen refueling station to the construction vehicle to be refueled.

7. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device is designed to transfer the hydrogen between the mobile hydrogen refueling station and the vehicle or construction machine in the form of compressed hydrogen.

8. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device is designed to simultaneously fill the hydrogen container(s) of the vehicle to be refueled by operating a plurality of hydrogen refueling stations in parallel.

9. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device has a manually actuated and/or automatically actuated locking mechanism.

10. The interface device according to claim 1, further comprising means for automatically activating the parking brake of a vehicle connected to the interface device in order to be able to prevent the vehicle from moving off unintentionally.

11. The interface device of claim 1, which is connected to a construction machine to be refueled, on the one hand, and to the mobile hydrogen refueling station, on the other, or forms a component thereof.

12. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device has a power transducer, which is designed to absorb energy from an external energy source and, if necessary, makes this power available for hydrogen transfer after a transformation to a different voltage level, wherein the interface device has a power transducer, which is designed to receive electrical energy from an external energy source and, if necessary, makes this electrical power available for hydrogen transfer after a transformation to a different voltage level.

13. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device has a manually actuated and/or automatically actuated locking mechanism via hydraulic and/or electric and/or pneumatic quick-release couplings for connecting two hydrogen-carrying elements.

14. A system comprising the interface device according to claim 1 and one or more associated vehicles to be refueled and one or more mobile hydrogen refueling stations.

Description

[0037] Further advantages, features and effects of the present invention are shown in the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures, in which the same or similar components are designated by the same reference numerals. In the figures:

[0038] FIG. 1: shows a schematic view of an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention in which the vehicle to be refueled drives the preferably mobile refueling station,

[0039] FIG. 2: shows a schematic view of an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention in which a separate vehicle drives the preferably mobile refueling station and

[0040] FIG. 3: shows a schematic view of an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention in which the transport vehicle for hydrogen drives the preferably mobile refueling station.

[0041] In the figures, the reference numeral 10 denotes the construction machine to be refueled, e.g. a crawler excavator, 20 denotes the interface device, and 30 denotes the refueling station from which the hydrogen is to be transferred to the construction machine to be refueled.

[0042] As can be seen from the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, in this example the drive power, e.g. electrical power for operating a feed pump or a compressor for hydrogen, is provided by the vehicle 10 to be refueled, which thus drives the refueling station 30.

[0043] The fuel (hydrogen) is then transferred from the refueling station 30 to a suitable tank of the vehicle 10.

[0044] The interface device 20 is also used for bidirectional communication between the vehicle 10 and the refueling station 30, so that, for example, the fill level of the tank in the vehicle 10 can be reported, so that the refueling process is terminated when the tank is sufficiently full.

[0045] In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the transfer of hydrogen and the communication correspond to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1 with an interface 20 between the vehicle 10 and the refueling station 30.

[0046] However, in FIG. 2, the drive power is provided by an external vehicle or drive vehicle 40. Between this vehicle and the refueling station, there is a second interface device 50 between the drive vehicle 40 and the refueling station 30, which allows information to be exchanged between the drive vehicle 40 and the refueling station 30.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows an example in which the drive means for the transfer of hydrogen are arranged in the mobile refueling station, i.e. this drives the refueling station. The refueling station 30 is connected to or located on a transport vehicle.

[0048] The transfer of hydrogen and the data exchange correspond to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1.

[0049] At this point, it should be noted that the term refueling station covers any system, such as a container, a container vehicle, etc., in which hydrogen is present in any aggregate state.

[0050] Preferred, but not limiting, embodiments of the invention are described below: [0051] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling stations for refueling construction machinery, which is particularly suitable for operation in remote locations without a connection to a power supply network, by providing the drive power for the preferably mobile refueling station via the interface device by a vehicle or a construction machine in the form of hydraulic power or electrical power or pneumatic power or mechanical power, wherein the vehicle providing the drive power is the vehicle to be refueled itself, or the transport vehicle delivering the hydrogen, or another dispenser vehicle for propulsion power. [0052] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling stations, wherein hydraulic connections are provided and/or electrical connections are provided and/or pneumatic connections are provided for the purpose of power transmission on the vehicle side and refueling station side. [0053] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling stations for the transfer of electrical control power for the power supply of the refueling station's low-voltage network with a mechanical contact. [0054] Interface device between the vehicle to be refueled and the hydrogen refueling station for the transmission of information via a contactless interface device. [0055] Interface device between the vehicle providing the drive power and the hydrogen refueling station for the bidirectional transmission of information via a contactless interface device. [0056] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, wherein a cable connection with mechanical contacting can also be used instead of contactless data transmission. [0057] Interface between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, wherein these are suitable for transmitting data in both directions with high control quality in order to be able to use this data for safety functions on the vehicle and/or refueling station side. [0058] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, wherein the interface device allows the connection of vehicles and the refueling station for earthing and/or potential equalization and/or lightning protection and has mechanical contacting. [0059] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, which has pilot contacts and/or, in the case of electrical drive power, interlock contacts by means of mechanical contacting. [0060] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, which has a suitable manually actuated and/or automatically actuated locking system. [0061] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, which have hydraulic and/or electric and/or pneumatic quick couplings and are controlled by the vehicles and/or the hydrogen refueling station. [0062] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, which allows the simultaneously filling of the hydrogen container of the vehicle to be refueled by operating a plurality of hydrogen refueling stations in parallel. [0063] Control(s) on the vehicle side, which automatically trigger the activation of the parking brake when the interface device is connected, wherein the vehicles can be the vehicle to be refueled and/or the transport vehicle and/or the dispenser vehicle. [0064] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, in particular suitable for refueling construction machinery, trucks and preferably mobile equipment away from stationary refueling stations, temporary refueling stations and far from an energy supply network for powering conventional, preferably mobile, hydrogen refueling stations. [0065] Interface device between vehicles and the hydrogen refueling station, wherein the vehicles to be refueled have a fuel cell drive or a hydrogen piston motor. [0066] Interface device between a fuel cell vehicle providing the drive power and a hydrogen refueling station designed in such a way that the reaction water of the fuel cell drive is collected via the interface device and fed to a collection tank.