CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application includes subject matter disclosed in and claims priority to a provisional application entitled “Cable Management Safety Systems” filed January 11, 2022 and assigned Serial Number 63/298,602, describing an invention made by the present inventors, herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION i. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to charging systems for electric vehicles (EV’s) and more particularly to a system for supporting, deploying, and storing charging cables.

2. Description of Related Prior Art

The use of various vehicles utilizing electric power in whole or in part (EV’s) has been becoming more widespread globally in the form of numerous vehicular powertrain designs, among which, broadly speaking, those often-termed battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles are becoming more common in use. As a result of deriving at least a significant part of their propulsive energy from sources of electricity external to the EV, or being entirely dependent on same for all energy input, such vehicles use charging systems of various types, designs and capabilities. The variety of EV’s includes those for personal transportation, commercial, industrial, public transport and various other uses. Such battery charging systems may be located outside the vehicle, or on board of one, or even both, depending on designs employed and the functions of vehicle being engaged in a given situation. One critical element of many systems for charging batteries on board such vehicles is a connection to the electric grid (or other power source) utilizing an electrically conductive cable, cord, or the like equipped with a connector (plug) for attaching to a vehicle; the details of all such arrangements are well known to the art of vehicle engineering. This connection system generally consists of several parts. The details of these various arrangements are also well known to those skilled in the art of designing systems related to vehicular propulsion using, in whole or in part, electric-powered means.

A large fraction of vehicles with at least partial electric propulsion utilizes a connection to the electric grid via wired means well-known to the art for charging onboard batteries, where the vehicle is provided with at least one receptacle (inlet) for receiving alternating current (AC) input via an electric cable, cord, or similar means. This is connected on its other end to an EVSE (electric vehicle service equipment) or its broad analog that is in turn connected to a power source. The cable or cord employed generally needs to be able to operate at about 100-600 volts (V) AC and to carry between about 10 and about 200 A of current. In order to reach between electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and vehicle’s inlet, the cord needs to be sufficiently long, with a typical length of between about 1.5 meters and about 7.5 meters. Many common varieties of this power cord are designed to carry relatively high current (40 A or significantly higher) and often operate at about 208-250 V or higher.

A number of vehicles, both extant and expected to be manufactured in the future, are further provided with at least one inlet for receiving direct current (DC) input via an electric cable, cord, or similar means. Such systems often operate at about 300-1,500 V DC and can carry relatively high current, in some instances up to and even exceeding about 1,000 amps (A), with additional applications expected to reach and/or exceed about 3,000 A. A variety of designs known to the art are employed in such systems. It is also well understood that all operations involving handling, connecting, disconnecting, deploying, operating and stowing such high voltage/ current equipment (AC and DC) must be conducted with adequate safety in all possible aspects at all times, and that making this an efficient process with lower costs, enhanced convenience and improved safety is highly beneficial. One well known advantage of this type of DC charging system is that it enables relatively quick charging of vehicles, as compared to typically slower rates of charging commonly experienced from currently available AC based systems that rely on vehicle-mounted components to produce DC employed for EV battery charging.

An important element that makes EV’s attractive to many users is the ability to charge them in and around their homes, and/or at other suitable locations of user’s preference (e.g., commercial vehicle depots, etc.). This is usually performed using AC electric power commonly available in and around the home, workplace, public locations, and elsewhere. All this provides the operators of such vehicles with convenience, peace of mind, time savings, and a wide range of additional benefits well known to the art. However, because this charging process often takes a significant amount of time, and involves the use of cables that are carrying high current at higher voltage, such procedures impose significant requirements on equipment and its operators in numerous aspects that will be partially discussed below.

Cords, or Cables, whether those employed as part of what are known as “rapid DC chargers” or what are sometimes termed in US “EVSE” in AC applications tend to be relatively large diameter, heavy, expensive, lacking in flexibility (both at room temperature and especially at low temperatures), and have a number of other properties well known to the art of making equipment for use with EV’s. These are due to requirement of being able to accomplish transfer of larger amounts of energy in shorter periods of time. Yet another property of these cables is the significant size and weight of the plug-cable combination used to attach them to the vehiclemounted inlet(s). For EVSE and similar devices, such cables are subject to frequent (multiple times per day) cycles of being unrolled/ untwisted/ deployed and rolled up/ twisted/ stored. This results in a relatively high number of such cycles being accumulated over several years for an EV power source, and also leads to significant mechanical damage of cable exterior from abrasion in routine use patterns, internal damage from being driven over by vehicles, and due to other factors. They are also subject to frequently being mounted outdoors, which subjects their materials to accelerated thermal degradation, damage and degradation induced by UV (ultraviolet) light and solar exposure, as well as accelerated wear due to being deployed and stored frequently while at excessively low and/or excessively high temperatures over extended periods of time. Such cables can also be damaged by abrasion during routine outdoor use patterns during all seasons. This is well known to the art and depends on location, season, etc. All this leads to shortening the life of a relatively costly unit. When the cable and/or its connector experience degradation, breakage, damage, failure, etc., users are additionally subjected to the inconvenience and high cost of having to have the cord (or entire device) replaced, as well as being unable to charge their vehicle(s) at device location while their device is being repaired or replaced. Such repair and/or replacement are also very expensive in terms of labor cost.

Due to use of cables having high power transmission characteristics to charge vehicles in and around homes, garages, workplaces, parking lots, and the like becoming common only recently, relatively little attention has been paid to the hazards involved beyond the basic electricity safety aspects such as proper grounding, supply circuit capacities, prevention of movement by vehicle during charging process, and the like.

Several important hazards created by cables used for EV charging remain. This is widely acknowledged by the broader EV charging industry, as illustrated by the series of white papers published by the CharIN Initiative. Especially important are safety and other requirements, as well as issues discussed in 2019 “Geometric Requirements for Charging Stations” and 2022 “Suggestions for improvement of EV charging connectors” white papers, whose content is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. While these issues, proposed safety standards, and the desirability of complying with them are known, industry groups and standardization bodies do not provide a means to achieve said compliance.

It is desirable that the use of EV charging cables be free of certain well-known hazards that are currently not adequately prevented. It is also desirable that all recommendations of CharIN Initiative regarding cable and connector safety, placement and handling were practiced by those involved in charging EV’s at all times. Several aspects of cable-related safety as currently implemented for EV charging are highly suboptimal and are quite inconvenient, in addition to being hazardous and not meeting CharIN requirements and recommendations. In many cases, the recommended safety practices are universally ignored due to their being impractical. The cables are unsightly, bulky, heavy, expensive, and difficult to work with, among their various disadvantages. It is further the goal of the instant invention that the handling of EV charging cables be made significantly more convenient and appreciably safer in practice. Yet another goal of the instant invention is to provide a means to extend the likely lifetime of the cables used in EV charging applications and similar activities. It is a further goal of the instant invention to enable greater reach for EV charging cables when compared to existing state of the art without making the cables themselves longer. A number of additional benefits of the instant invention’s practice are also obvious to one skilled in the art, such as improved resistance to cable theft, damage and vandalism; increased equipment uptime and lower operating costs, etc.

Yet another aspect of the current state of the art in EV charging cable handling concerns convenience, hygiene and sanitation. Current practice, as is well known to the art, is to leave much of the cable on the ground, floor, street, parking lot surface, curb, lawn, charging station and the like when it is employed for charging an EV, when in stowed position, or both. While this has the advantage of simplicity and ease, in addition to the hazardous conditions already mentioned, the practice leads to the cable often being severely contaminated with dirt, mud, water, snow, sand, rocks, and various highly unsanitary materials, such as animal fecal matter, insects, various vermin, etc. The contaminated and/or dirty, long and heavy cable is then subject to highly inconvenient handling by operator when it needs to be manually connected or disconnected from the EV, deployed or stowed. This procedure results in the EV operator’s hands and/or clothing likely being subject to contamination, and/or risking the operator’s hands being injured by abrasive sand, dirt, etc. This further creates risk of infection for the user of cable. All these practices are completely contradictory to CharIN recommended practices for proper EV charging equipment operation. The compartment of the EV for storing such contaminated and dirty cables (used with an EVSE that plugs into a provided outlet) also in turn becomes extremely contaminated. As a result, both the EVSE and cable assembly, and vehicle’s EVSE storage compartment require frequent and inconvenient cleaning to maintain appearance and function (contaminated cable-vehicle connectors are highly undesirable for reasons well known to the art). Contaminants can include water, sand, dirt, snow, ice, etc. and can impede equipment use and can damage an EV’s inlet. The inconvenience and danger of hand injury by abrasion from contaminated cables is also well understood to be highly disadvantageous. It is also possible that various parts of vehicle interior will also be cross-contaminated by the user’s dirty hands and clothing after performing operations with EV charging cables. It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide a means to address the inconvenience and risks described above. It is also an object of the invention to enable users to fully comply with all CharIN charging cable handling guidelines, standards, etc.

It is further desirable that a solution for these issues and those described elsewhere in this document be easily retrofitted to existing large numbers of vehicle charging systems at relatively low cost and with minimal disruption to customary operations. It is further highly desirable that no modifications be involved to the EV’s intended to be charged, because requiring such modifications greatly limits the number of vehicles that could be addressed by desirable improvements.

One well known hazard caused by EV charging cables of all types is often termed “tripping hazard”. Tripping hazards are a well-known problem in a variety of workplaces, businesses, homes, commercial establishments, and elsewhere, and a significant amount of regulation worldwide exists to eliminate them from locations where people work, live, recreate, visit, etc. Tripping hazard creation and maintenance are also well-known sources of legal liability for property owners, employers, and others. Various workplaces are known to be strictly fined and otherwise punished for violating rules against tripping hazards being present by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Mine Safety and Health Administration, and other entities. The significant issues with legal liability of those involved with creation, maintenance, and negligent non-removal of tripping hazards of all manner and types are also well known to the art of personal injury law. However, to date, convenient and effective solutions that address the tripping hazard created by EV charging cables in and around homes, garages, workplaces, shopping centers, public areas, etc. have not been known to the art. It is highly desirable to provide an invention that would reduce the creation of tripping hazards associated with EV ownership, operation, charging, etc. In a number of garages and other vehicle parking locations of all types and descriptions, the area next to and around a parked vehicle is often poorly lit, or located in the shadow of a vehicle. The cables used for charging are usually dark colored, often black. Current EV charging cable location practice usually leaves them on the ground next to and/or around the vehicle between EVSE and the vehicle charging inlet. As a result, it often becomes difficult for people handling EV charging cables, passersby and others to clearly see them and avoid tripping over them, stepping on them, or to avoid running into a hanging cable that is placed across a location where residents of a house, people at a workplace, or other venue, children or others, may be frequently walking. Much of household EV charging that is done outdoors happens at night, when it is difficult to see dark colored cables on the ground, further creating tripping hazards for users and passers-by. In cases of snowfall or blowing snow, cables may become buried and impossible to see, creating an invisible but very serious hazard. It is desirable to find a solution that would significantly reduce the risk of this set of hazardous conditions occurring,

EV charging cables located on the ground (as is the current practice) are further subject to other vehicles inadvertently driving over them, at least in part due to their poorly visible location and colors, which risks damaging the expensive cables, necessitating their costly and inconvenient replacement, and creating an electrical shock hazard. Such cables can also be snagged by a nearby vehicle, resulting in the cable being pulled by said vehicle, with subsequent severe mechanical damage to electric cable, EV’s inlet, the cable’s plug, EVSE, and connected house wiring, walls, etc. (or some combination of the preceding). There is a further risk for the vehicle that snagged such a cord that it will cause such vehicle very extensive and expensive damage as well, such as in case of it being wrapped around a vehicle’s axle, suspension components, brake and other parts. It is desirable to find a solution that would significantly reduce the risk of this set of hazardous, inconvenient and costly conditions occurring.

It is well known to the art of providing electrical cords, cables and the like that such devices have a limited life in terms of the number of bends, twists, etc. they can make before they develop significant mechanical and electrical failures. Further, the ends of cables are often equipped with a variety of devices whose function is termed “strain relief’ to enhance cable durability and extend the device lifetime by reducing bending stress on cable. It is desirable to reduce the bending stress experienced by EV charging cables to at least some extent in order to extend cable flexural lifetime. Yet further, the hazard presented to personnel connecting and disconnecting vehicle charging plugs to/from EV’s from said heavy connectors being unintentionally dropped and thereby becoming damaged by impact to the floor, or impacting the user’s foot and causing severe injuries remains unaddressed. While the risk of this type of accident for any specific instance of connection/disconnection is low, it becomes significant due to very large number of times this activity is performed over the course of several years by large numbers of people, since each vehicle will be charged quite frequently due to EV range limitations. This risk is significantly increased in adverse weather conditions outdoors (e.g., wet, cold, snow and ice- covered equipment, users wearing thick gloves, etc.) as is well known to the art of equipment handling and ergonomics. When such injuries occur, they can be severe. It is desirable to find a solution that would significantly reduce the risk of this set of hazardous conditions occurring.

It is further known to the art of making EV charging cables that while the exterior surfaces of charging cables are somewhat resistant to abrasion, this resistance is not adequate to protect heavy cables (e.g. those capable of carrying 40-50A or more) from damage caused by years of being dragged significant distances across highly abrasive concrete garage floors and other surfaces near EV charging locations multiple times a day in order to connect the vehicle to a source of power, and then to store the cable. For example, a two-EV household where each vehicle is individually connected and disconnected once a day every day will accumulate over 10,000 charging system interactions in only seven (7) years. A 25-foot (7.6 m) cable used to do this will be likely to be dragged a distance of almost 40 miles in that time. It’s obvious that there exists a significant need to reduce the amount of abrasive damage incurred by EV charging cables during deployment and stowage.

In a further aspect, DC fast charging cables with attached plugs are known to be quite heavy and unwieldy, many of them incorporating advanced liquid cooling technology due to significant thermal output of cable’s conductors through heating at the high currents employed, in accordance with Joule-Lenz law. The advanced technology of cable and plug combination making possible high charge speeds via high capacity for energy transmission is also quite expensive; thus, extending equipment lifetime is highly desirable for a wide range of well-known reasons. One way to do so is by preventing damage to the cable’s connector in case it is accidentally dropped to the pavement; this is also advantageous because this prevents serious user injury from heavy objects with protruding features falling on their feet. It is further desirable to prevent connector contamination that occurs when it is dropped to the ground. Cable physical integrity as well as plug physical integrity and cleanliness are known to be of critical importance, according to charging industry’s best practices recommendations. Current instructions from DC fast charging equipment manufacturers require that all cables be thoroughly inspected for any damage at least weekly, and immediately replaced if any issues are found. The connectors, according to manufacturers, require at least a daily inspection for cleanliness and integrity, and must be immediately replaced if any issues are found. It is obvious that these replacements are extremely costly in terms of expensive spare parts, highly skilled labor needed to effect repairs, extended equipment outages, and lost commercial opportunities. Finding ways to make the charging cable shorter (and thus cheaper) and/or making a cable of the same length reach further (creating more convenient vehicle charging experience for users) is also desirable for reasons well known to the art. The inability of numerous EV’s to charge due to inadequate cable reach at DC charging facilities is well documented by Rempel et al. in the article “Reliability of Open Public Electric Vehicle Direct Current Fast Chargers” https:// ssm.com/abstract=4077554 (accessed November 28, 2022), Rempel, David, et al., University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.

Generally, it should be noted that unlike liquid-handling equipment intended for fueling vehicles that use at least some of the various types of liquid fuel, equipment for supplying EV’s with electric power experiences a totally different pattern of use. Liquid-handling fueling equipment (diesel, gasoline, ethanol, etc.) generally is used for comparatively short periods of time per vehicle, with the equipment operator present in the immediate proximity of equipment, and observing the equipment in use during at least a large fraction of the time, if not throughout the operation, beginning to end. In contrast, electrical charging equipment is used for comparatively longer periods, often for multiple hours at a time. The operators are frequently absent from the immediate vicinity of charging equipment while it’s operating, and most of the time equipment is operated entirely unobserved by operator and without any human supervisory control, both during daylight and at night. EV charging also often occurs inside people’s homes while they are asleep. This imposes significantly different, and far more stringent, safety requirements and needs on operation of EV charging equipment when compared to traditional liquid fueling systems. Further yet, liquid fuel handling equipment (nozzle) is generally terminated with a simple thick-walled hardened metal pipe that is highly resistant to impacts and is easily cleaned by users before returning to service when accidentally dropped and contaminated. In contrast, EV charging connectors (AC and especially DC) are made of polymeric materials enclosing metal parts, and contain significant amounts of comparatively fragile and easily contaminated electrical contacts, safety switches, and other parts well known to the art, are relatively easier to damage via impact, and also not easily cleaned by users after accidental contamination. Cleaning and safety assurance of EV connectors after impact and/or contamination are not trivial and require highly qualified safety personnel.

Further, there exist additional considerations for the process of charging EV’s that are engaged in towing of trailers (both commercial and non-commercial) that make the charging of such EV’s especially problematic. EV’s that are engaged in towing of trailers experience comparatively rapid exhaustion of their batteries due to significantly increased demand for energy during this process, and as a result must be recharged much more frequently and/or for longer periods of time. They also usually need to use charging stations with greater capabilities in terms of energy transfer per unit of time in order to charge their larger batteries significantly faster, which means the cables involved are more expensive, heavier, less flexible, and more difficult to work with. Such cables usually have larger diameters and employ liquid cooling systems. Further, larger sized EV’s of commercial and other varieties, both those with and without trailers, also experience problems in terms of numerous potential charging locations (AC and DC) being difficult or impossible to use due to a need for greater cable reach than is available now (a problem noted by Rempel et at, cited earlier). They also often experience an issue with blocking of numerous charging locations by one large vehicle and/or vehicle-trailer combination being charged, or blocking of traffic by vehicle and/or vehicle-trailer combination. The details of this situation are well known to those skilled in the art of EV energy management and charging station design. During extended trips, the EV-trailer combination or a large commercial type EV must spend a comparatively large fraction of trip time charging, thus utilizing public or private fast DC charger infrastructure, since that is the only way to make the overall journey speed practical. However, charging of EV-trailer combinations or large commercial type EV’s is generally quite problematic because of their extended length, large size, and relative lack of maneuverability compared to an EV that is not towing a trailer or a small passenger EV. Detaching EV’s from trailers to charge them and then re-attaching them is very cumbersome, inconvenient and leads to increased trip time, a problem already of significance due to charging times of EV’s being much extended vs. fueling time of conventional vehicles using liquid fuels. Even this impractical solution is entirely unavailable to larger EV’s. It would be highly desirable in making EV towing and operations of commercial EV’s more convenient to provide a way to significantly increase the maximum reach of charging cables, both for AC and DC charging systems, and to do so without needing any more additional charging cable length than absolutely necessary.

Additional systems for higher power charging of EV’s and other higher power equipment (aircraft, watercraft, commercial equipment of various designs, tracks, busses, etc.) have also been proposed for use worldwide, using voltages in excess of about 1,000 V and currents in excess of about 3,000 A, using cables and connectors equipped with a variety of liquid cooling features known to the art and having very large size, weight and poor flexibility as a result. Such systems, often termed “Megawatt Charging System” (MCS) and their broad analogs are expected to be used very widely; however, they are obviously very heavy, inflexible, bulky and unwieldy. While there have been several proposals to equip them with fully automated means of handling, such proposals are only practical in some cases because such systems are widely expected to be very costly, and require high levels of maintenance, upkeep and very highly skilled personnel to keep operating in adverse conditions often encountered by such systems. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to provide a way for this type of cable and its connector, having high weight, large size, and low flexibility to be handled in certain cases using manual equipment instead of automated devices. Due to the fact that this equipment is expected to be used at workplaces and similar locations, the connectors and their cables will need to strictly comply with all applicable safety regulations regarding equipment handling, permissible operator-handled weights and operator effort.

Further, important rules regarding tripping hazard creation will be in force for such applications. In addition, due to high weight of such equipment, manual handling is expected to be difficult and could lead to severe operator injury due to connector drops in adverse conditions (e.g., slippery equipment in wet or snow-covered state). It is desirable to provide equipment that prevents such hazards and enables operators to easily comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations, and operate safely when fully automated equipment is not economically feasible to install.

In light of all of the preceding, there appears to be both a need for solving the safety, cost, convenience, wear and related issues described above, and a lack of prior art device or system that could address all of the issues simultaneously.

It is also clear to those skilled in the art of providing designs of equipment for supporting, charging, and maintaining various electrically powered equipment, both personal and business/ commercial, that the designs, methods, techniques and solutions disclosed herein are also highly adaptable to use with a variety of vehicles employing, in whole or in part, electric power and/or propulsion, such as those intended for use as various aircraft, watercraft, and other land and subterranean (e.g. mining) vehicles such as tractors, trucks, busses, carts, and others. Such designs and adaptations thereof using the instant disclosure are well within the scope of the instant invention. In general, the problems associated with EV charging as it is currently practiced and described, in part, above are well known. Industry best practices have also been enumerated and described in CharIN white papers. In response, and more generally as well, a number of prior art solutions have been suggested. Each of these prior art solutions has its significant merits; however, none to date provide a combination of benefits provided by the instant invention. More broadly, there has also been a significant effort directed at providing various safety-oriented cable management solutions. In part, this has been driven by a number of hazards posed by electric cables, wiring and the like in various applications. There has been a significant need to address these both from perspective of safety per se, and due to regulatory requirements of providing safe environments for workers. While the safe cable management objectives in a variety of situations are successfully achieved by prior art, they are not usable for work with EV’s in a convenient fashion, or have other significant downsides in numerous EV charging situations.

In the patent prior art, US 10,896,774 to Stilwell et al. discloses the use and construction of a vertical support stand to support various objects, including pipes, electrical cables, etc. However, the devices of this invention are not able to be used conveniently to move an EV charging cable’s free end into suitable proximity to an EV’s charging port because they are fixed into place. The devices of this prior art conspicuously lack any connection (aside from pipes, cables, etc. being carried) between the vertical stands.

US 8,967,555 to Smith recognizes the limitations of fixed vertical support stands in certain applications and teaches the use of portable electrical cable support towers. While such devices are portable, they are not suitable for multiple deployments and storage activities on a daily basis, since they lack any means for moving while carrying electrical cable(s). The devices of this prior art require cables to be removed in order to be moved. While this is not an issue for their original intended application, namely safe management of electrical cables at construction sites and the like, it is a major difficulty when trying to adapt them to be used for EV charging applications. The devices of the prior art invention conspicuously lack any connection (aside from electric cables being carried) between the vertical stands.

US 6,644,601 to Aussiker recognizes the advantages of improved support for cables in management of both data and power cables, and proposes cable trays mounted on stands as a useful solution for certain applications. However, this prior art falls to address the safety and contamination issues posed by the "free” end of a cable not being controlled and being at risk of impact damage, contamination, etc. because it is directed at different applications of cables that are moved relatively rarely.

US 10,518,656 to Morris et al. discloses the use of a variety of means to charge electric vehicles by connecting them from above to sources of electric power using a variety of mechanisms, including those where electrical conductors employed for charging are supported by pantograph- type mechanisms. However, this type of connection is not easily compatible with the standardized vehicle receptacles in common use now and anticipated to be used in future EV’s.

US 10,071,641 to C. Ricci discloses variety of approaches to supply power to charge EV batteries, including but not limited to use of a pantograph-based system mounted to the roof of a vehicle to reach electrical conductors mounted above said EV, and the use of a robotic arm having a large number of degrees of freedom of movement to connect a means of supplying electricity to an EV. However, these types of connections are either both impractically expensive and inconvenient (for overhead electrical conductors) or simply impractically expensive for many uses (for robotic arms automatically finding and connecting relevant receptacles on vehicles).

US 8,561,737 to S. Ichikawa discloses the use of a type of a cable reel that is mounted to a vehicle for connecting an EV to the grid, with the charging cable being wound around a bobbin enclosed in a housing, said housing being part of a vehicle. This is an example of an approach where the electric cable is made a part of the vehicle rather than a part of a charging system that is separate from an EV. However, this approach is problematic for a number of reasons well known to the art of vehicular construction; only some will be mentioned here by way of example. Because cables having high voltage and high current capacity in combination with significant length tend to have high weight and volume in such application, vehicles’ utility in terms of weight carrying, object carrying, enjoyment and efficiency (the last two depend on vehicles being lower in weight) is thereby decreased by practicing the prior art invention. Such cables are also very expensive, raising the manufacturing cost of such vehicles in unaffordable ways.

US 10,384,550 to R. Hollmig describes a similar system having the same general disadvantages as ‘737 but, recognizing the issues of space efficiency unaddressed by ‘737 positions parts of the device within hollow members of a vehicle’s body structure. However, the issue of cable weight and cost in this case remains unaddressed; further, such a mounting system makes the process of replacing a worn-out charging cable a highly laborious undertaking; this makes such system impractically costly in addition to excessive weight. Excess weight and cost are well known to the art of automotive engineering as highly undesirable. Thus, it is desirable that charging cables not be made a part of an EV as shown in this prior art. US 9,975,443 to K. Jefferies et al. discloses a way to locate the EV charging cable outside the EV by having it located on a cable reel assembly. This resolves the prior art’s issues with EV- mounted cables, and makes cable storage more convenient. However, it suffers from a number of disadvantages, of which the need for a new EVSE purchase and non-usability with existing EVSE’s is a prominent one. Another prominent deficiency is a lack of any system to prevent user injury and/or connector damage from the connector accidentally being dropped by the user.

US 9,054,539 to M. Muller et al. discloses an EVSE system that includes an EVSE in a waterproof structure for containing same, and a cable for connecting to the vehicle, with a retractable/ flexible/elastic cord-like support line from which the charging cable is suspended. The prior art thus recognizes the importance of cable management to EV charging. However, the arrangement suggested by prior art is not practical for longer EV charging cables of higher weights that are very popular (e.g., those having lengths well in excess of 20 feet/6 meters and having capacity to cany over 40 A of current). It also lacks any system to prevent user injury and/or connector damage from the connector accidentally being dropped by the user.

US 9,487,100 to M. Hamrin et al. discloses an EVSE system that includes a retractable bobbin- mounted cord with a system for controlling said cord’s movement into and out of the system housing. It lacks any system to prevent user injury and/or connector damage from the connector accidentally being dropped by the user when the cable is significantly extended.

US 2017/0129355 to P. Fournier discloses the use of a vertical arrangement with blocks instead of a cylindrical bobbin for cable storage. It lacks any system to prevent user injury and/or connector damage from the connector accidentally being dropped by the user.

US 2013/0257373 to J. Mallon et al. discloses the use of a cable handling device having an elongated arm. This prior art is important in recognizing and illustrating the need for cable management equipment that prevents the free end of the charging cable having a connector attached thereto from striking the feet of users or the ground and causing injuries to users and/or damage to connector. However, this prior art is impractical in locations having relatively low overhead clearance (e.g., many parking structures, garages, etc.) and is especially impractical for use with longer cable lengths favored by many users (e.g., in excess of 20 feet/6 meters).

DE 102020202968 Al to M. Boring et al. discloses the importance of making sure that the body of the cable employed for charging EV’s is maintained out of contact with the ground for a wide range of very good reasons disclosed in this prior art; those descriptions are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The prior art teaches the use of a “holding element” that is fixed at two locations and connects them along a generally straight line, one of those locations being on the EV and the other being on or near EVSE; the electric cable is then suspended from the fixed elements using at least one or more suspending elements. This solution is not practical for longer and heavier cables that are often preferred by users (e.g., in excess of 20 feet/6 meters and intended for 40-50 A or higher) because of the distance, weight and loads involved. Further, this solution is only possible when both vehicle and EVSE are adapted to use such a device; this leaves extant vehicles and charging stations in a state of not being able to be retrofitted conveniently to use this solution. Further yet, this device requires that a generally straight line be always available between the source of electricity and the vehicle-mounted power receptacle, which is often not possible to achieve in a number of situations. The straight-line requirement of this prior art is highly inconvenient in practice where it is desirable to route a cable between or around various other items, obstacles, equipment, vehicle(s), etc.

WO 2019/096663A1 to T. Siaenen et al. discloses several important aspects of EV charging station design. This prior art is important in recognizing and illustrating the need for cable management equipment that prevents the free end of the charging cable having a connector attached thereto from striking the feet of users or the ground and causing injuries to users and/or damage to connector. This device requires that a generally straight line be available between the source of electricity and the vehicle-mounted power receptacle, which is often not possible to achieve in a number of situations. The straight-line requirement is highly inconvenient in practice as discussed above. Further, this prior art is impractical in locations having relatively low overhead clearance (e.g., many parking structures, garages, etc.) and is especially impractical for use with longer cable lengths favored by many users (e.g., in excess of 20 feet/6 meters) since the cable suspension device of prior art needs to be located in a relatively high position, and with longer cable lengths such heights become impractical for many installations.

DE 102017119930A1 to S. Schonherr et al. describes a charger system for use with various commercial EV’s (e.g., busses, trucks, etc.) of large carrying capacity. This prior art also has a good description of the issues related to handling of EV charging cables and these enumerations of issues are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. They include issues of contamination of cables and those handling them, the difficulty of handling long, thick, heavy cables involved, and the danger of damage to charging cables created by vehicular movement near charging EV’s. However, this prior art does not discuss the safety risks derived from such issues, only those of convenience. This prior art provides for assorted systems that locate the charging cable between an EVSE, DC charger, or their analogs and the free end of a charging cable equipped with a suitable connector. The systems are intended mostly for use in applications where the devices of the prior art are permanently mounted to a given facility and are difficult to move to a new one, which decreases their utility. The systems described further involve having this cable located in roughly two sections or more, where at least one section has the cable ascending into or onto the elevated structures disclosed by prior art that are located above the EV’s being charged, and at least one other required section has the cable descending from the elevated structures by various means. This approach works well in certain applications; however, it is a very costly solution and one that does not fit into smaller spaces, especially those with lower vertical clearances. It is well known to the art of electrical engineering that electrical cables capable of carrying high voltage and/or high current are not only heavy and cumbersome as disclosed by prior art, but also extremely expensive per unit of length. Thus, designs that involve longer cable lengths than the minimum necessary are far more expensive to make and are thus very disadvantageous. Further yet, in many cases, there are strict legal restrictions on lengths of such cables for a variety of reasons. This prior art shows an example of over 4 meters of height difference between the structures being taught and the vehicle being charged. Thus, in cases of US legal maximum for such cables of about 7.6 meters (25 feet) and the cable descending vertically, that leaves only 3.6 meters of cable available for a “horizontal run” of cable. Also, this type of design is not amenable to easy retrofit for large numbers of existing EVSE’s. As a result, this prior art is not practical for many applications such as homes, garages, commercial and/or public parking structures, etc. that would benefit from improved cable management, and is also not cost-effective in numerous use cases.

An additional device, named EVHover for use with EVSE’s, has been marketed in the US in 2022 and claims to be patent pending https://evhover.com (accessed November 28, 2022). It contains a multiple stage (2-3) folding arm capable of movement in horizontal plane only, with elements for suspending a cable therefrom, and a rigid wire attachment for supporting an EV plug. The folding arm is intended to be attached to a vertical wall of the user’s home, garage, or the like by user with a number of fasteners; the arm must be at a significant height to be well above the height of all users and passers-by. It is important to ensure the wall and fasteners used are sufficiently strong to support the weight of both arm and the cable it is supporting at maximum extension. The arm length is claimed to be about 6.5 feet (2 meters) long. The EVSE cable is suspended from a plurality of points on the stages of the folding arm using attachment devices. The entire folding arm assembly with its cable is intended to be located well above the head of the user(s). The system as offered is strictly limited in weight of cable it can support to 10 lbs. (4.5 kg). One important limitation of this type of device is that it is inefficient in use of legally-limited cable length, because EVSE cable length is “wasted” when the cable is ascending from EVSE to the arm, and is also “wasted” where EVSE cable is descending from its significant height to the EV charging port.

Another system of a generally similar nature has been offered in 2022 by Effortless Electric. httDs://www.effortlesselectric.com/cable-management/ (accessed November 28, 2022).

This system is generally analogous to EVHover, but contains only a single stage arm. It is also equipped with a device to prevent the cable’s end and its connector from impacting the floor or user’s foot, in the form of a separate, additional metal retractable cable that is connected to the EVSE cable near its free end. One important limitation of this type of device is that it is inefficient in use of legally-limited cable length, because EVSE cable length is “wasted” when the cable is ascending from EVSE to the arm, and is also “wasted” where EVSE cable is descending from its significant height to the EV charging port.

Yet another system of a similar nature, called ChargeArm, has been marketed in the Netherlands, and claiming to have patent protection, at the company’s web site https://chargearm.com/en/ (accessed November 28, 2022). This device contains three main parts; a first fixed part wherein the cable from EVSE to plug ascends vertically along the part’s interior, a second movable part (movable in a single vertical plane only) containing some of the cable; that part can be stored inside the first part or extended above the space between EVSE and EV, and a third part that is the charging cable itself that descends down from the second part to reach the EV. As mentioned above, this type of design requires a very long cable, while simultaneously having a very short reach; as marketed, the reach is only about 2.3 meters (about 7.5 feet) while requiring a cable that is at least about 7.5 meters (about 25 feet) long.

In light of difficulties in handling EV charger cables, automated systems have been proposed, such as US 2022/0194146A1 to Van den Weijde, suggesting a pedestal-mounted large hexapod system with computer control that automatically connects charging cable to, and disconnects the same from, an EV. However, such systems are well known to the art to be relatively costly, and require a high degree of maintenance to remain in operation under adverse climatic conditions. As a result, such systems are only suitable to the subset of situations where the cost and maintenance obstacles are easily overcome; the systems also suffer from relatively short reach, resulting in very costly redesigns and rebuilding of charging facilities to accommodate them. They are very difficult to retrofit to existing charging infrastructure and take up a large amount of space that is often not available.

Existing cables are decidedly not light and decidedly not flexible. The heat generated during this transmission is indeed nontrivial, with many cables losing several kilowatts in heat, and the liquid cooling systems running off refrigeration systems during power transmission, trying to keep everything from melting. And, of course, the longer the cable the more heat and energy gets lost, and the more difficult it is to transmit higher power effectively. Hence, ways of making cable as short as possible are needed (cables like this are expensive, and longer ones even more so). In Germany, this has led to some “interesting” issues, when charging electric power is being sold, the difference between energy leaving the charger and that getting to the EV becoming significant (bill for power sent will be a lot bigger than bill for power received).

There are companies trying to make connecting and disconnecting such cables fully automatic with Al-powered robot handing. But, as can be imagined, such solutions are very expensive and do not fit many applications. As a result, it becomes clear that additional new solutions that overcome the various deficiencies of prior art for improved cable management in a safe, lower cost and efficient manner with high reach and high performance are highly desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to cable management safety systems that may contain the following required structural and functional elements combined as described.

1. At least one, or a plurality, of approximately vertical supporting structure (having no more than about 45 degrees of deviation from vertical in any plane), cable support tower, or analogous element that is/are optionally equipped in the lower portion with a means to enable their safe mobility across floors, driveways, garages, parking lots, largely horizontal surfaces, and the like; the upper portions being optionally equipped with a means to support an electric cable and/or its connector in a safe manner.

2. At least one, or a plurality, of link(s) or element(s) that is/are connected to the vertical supporting structure(s) via at least one side of said link. They are optionally equipped with a means to support an electric cable and its connector in a safe manner. Either the vertical structure(s), or link(s), or both must have at least one means of electrical cable support between them. Link must be approximately horizontal (having no more than about 45 degrees of deviation from horizontal in any plane), and most of it must be located not more than about 2.0 meters (6.5 feet) above horizontal surface supporting the vehicle being charged, and preferably not more than 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) above said surface.

3. A means of securing the electric cable’s “free” end with its electrical connector to the structure(s) described herein in such a manner that in case of the plug being released, it will not impact the ground, floor, or any other largely horizontal surface and remain suspended in the space above it, thus eliminating one risk of user impact injury and preventing connector impact damage and/or contamination thereof. This is termed “drop safety” and is preferably free of use of cable, cord and similar elements to prevent tangling and other safety hazards.

4. The assembly of parts above is capable of being arranged in a manner that prevents any part of the cable from contact with ground, floor, or other largely horizontal surface below the cable management system at all times (deployment, use, stowage).

5. The assembly of parts above is optionally capable of being arranged in a manner that allows for its compact storage/folding/moving out of the way and subsequent deploying/ unfolding/moving into position to connect EV to a source of electricity by means of an electric cable supported by the assembly of parts.

6. The assembly of parts above optionally encloses the cable at least partially, or preferably encloses most of the cable to protect it from view, damage, snow, rain, solar radiation, vandalism, theft, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of Example A of a charging support system.

Figure 2 illustrates a top view of Example A of a charging support system.

Figure 3 illustrates a top view of Example B of a single-car garage with vehicle and charging system.

Figure 4 illustrates a top view of Example B of a two-car garage with vehicle and charging system.

Figure 5 illustrates a side view of Example C of a pantographic charging support system.

Figure 6 illustrates a front view of Example C of a pantographic charging support system.

Figure 7 illustrates a front view of Example D of a charging support system.

Figure 8 illustrates a front perspective view of Example E of a charging support system.

Figure 9 illustrates a front perspective view of Example F of a pantographic charging support system.

Figure 10 illustrates a front view of Example G of a pantographic charging support system.

Figure 11 illustrates a side view of Example H of a charging support system.

Figure 12 illustrates a front perspective view of Example H of a charging support system.

Figure 13 illustrates a front perspective view of Example H of a charging support system.

Figure 14 illustrates a close-up front view of Example H of a charging support system.

Figure 15 illustrates a front view of Example I of a charging support system.

Figure 16 illustrates a back view of Example I of a charging support system.

Figure 17 illustrates a back view of Example I of a charging support system.

Figure 18 illustrates a front view of Example I of a charging support system.

Figure 19 illustrates a front view of Example I of a charging support system.

Figure 20 illustrates a back view of Example I of a charging support system.

Figure 21 illustrates a front view of Example K of a charging support system.

Figure 22 illustrates a front view of Example K of a charging support system, charging source forward of vehicle.

Figure 23 illustrates a front view of Example K of a shielded charging support system with vehicle.

Figure 24 illustrates a front view of Example K of a shielded charging support system, charging source rear of vehicle.

Figure 25 illustrates a front view of Example L of a charging support system, charging source forward of vehicle.

Figure 26 illustrates a front view of Example L of a charging support system with vehicle.

Figure 27 illustrates a front view of Example L of a collapsed charging support system.

Figure 28 illustrates a perspective view of Example M of a shielded charging support system.

Figure 29 illustrates a front view of Example M of a shielded charging support system.

Figure 30 illustrates a front view of Example N of a charging support system with vehicle.

Figure 31 illustrates a perspective view of Example N of a charging support system.

Figure 32 illustrates a front view of Example N of a charging support system stored aside.

Figure 33 illustrates a side view of Example N of a charging support system folded and stored.

Figure 34 illustrates a front view of Example N of a charging support system folded and stored.

Figure 35 illustrates a front view of Example N of a shielded charging support system folded and stored.

Figure 36 illustrates a front view of Example N of a shielded charging support system deployed with vehicle.

Figure 37 illustrates a front view of Example O of a shielded charging support system with vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A system and method for the support, deployment and storage of EV electrical charging cables are disclosed herein. Cables and plugs as a unit must not exceed certain temperatures (generally about 194 F, 90 C), and DC charger cable+plug assemblies used for higher power charging generally have a plurality of thermal sensors, located where the manufacturer believes the “hot spots” are in their particular design, to prevent overheating. If the hottest places in the cable are at or below target temperatures, so too will be the rest of the cable and plug combination. The DC charger is designed to rapidly decrease the current supplied (and thus slow the charging very significantly) if temperature sensors indicate the cable is heating excessively; at high enough temperatures the charger will stop completely. Cable cooling can be done by air, if the current being transmitted is low enough (generally up to about 200A, with very short-term peaks of up to 300 A, but often this is lower). This type of cable is comparatively thinner (often about 1” to 1.25” diameter), but is very heavy, due to being all copper metal inside.

However, 400-500 V at 200 A is only about 80-100 kW, maximum, which is not enough to provide a really rapid charge desired by many EV users. Even at about 800V, this only provides about 160 kW, which is still insufficient. This leads to a different design solution. Generally, to provide higher charging rates, many DC charging cables are liquid-cooled to allow them to be employed for applications having higher amperage (up to 850 A is claimed by some manufacturers). A variety of structural arrangements are employed, again with a plurality of thermal sensors to ensure the cable is cooled adequately. These cables are much lighter, but thicker (1.5 inches is common diameter; liquid coolant is lighter than metal) and are not so flexible. They also require additional complexity to keep coolant circulating throughout the length of the cable; if this stops, the system will automatically shut down to prevent meltdown. In all these cases, the thermal sensors only provide temperature. Mostly, even in places like Phoenix, AZ, fast DC chargers are located in completely exposed areas resulting in extremely high cable resting temperatures in summer sun. As a result, black colored rubber-covered DC charger cables in current practice are at very high temperatures when charging is commenced, and only get hotter in use; the result of this is DC charger sensing an excess heat condition and severely restricting charging rates (frequently to 50% or less of otherwise-achievable charging rates). While there appears to be no available data regarding resting cable temperatures per se, the temperatures of asphalt around those cables are claimed to reach temperatures as high as 170-180 F (77-82 C) under same exposure conditions in Phoenix. By protecting charging cables, e.g., as provided by outer covers of a cable management system, they would be protected from solar heating, and be at a lower temperature of ambient air; thus, DC chargers with such features would charge vehicles faster, because a cable overheating condition would not occur.

Vertical supporting structure(s). Approximately vertical supporting structure, cable support tower, or analogous element may be stationary or can be equipped with wheel(s) or similar apparatus to enable it/them to easily be moved across surfaces encountered at common EV charging locations such as indoor and outdoor locations, folded, expanded/ contracted, or stored. It is preferred for mobile embodiments that the wheels be of a rotating caster type and equipped with lockable brakes so that after the mobile vertical support structure(s) are positioned/ deployed as desired, they can be prevented from further movement until said movement is desired again (e.g., for stowage). The vertical structure(s) optionally may be of variable or adjustable height for user convenience and optimization of cable path efficiency in 3D space.

A wide range of cable support structures are well within the scope of the instant invention, both of fixed and mobile varieties. They can be a DC fast charger’s or an AC EVSE’s outer casing, wall(s), pole(s), column(s), bollard(s) or other suitable items. Vertical support elements may be of various heights and their height can be optionally adjustable and variable; the EV charging cable does not necessarily need to be located at the top of a vertical element and can be attached at other suitable points thereon. The cable may be attached with a suitable bracket, or rest on the internal structure of the cable support structure directly. The designs for achieving this can be any known to the art, including but not limited to telescopic, folding, locking, etc. There can be more than one vertical support structure in a given embodiment, and each vertical structure may be freely chosen among all possible designs, especially when the cable’s reach needs to be longer, as is common for home charging of EV’s in garages and outdoors, where cable lengths in excess of 20 feet (6 meters) are highly popular, up to the legal maximum cable length for applicable location. The user convenience of such relatively long cables with maximum possible reach is well appreciated by those skilled in the art of designing EVSE’s, as well as the users themselves who often prefer such cables to be of maximum legal length because it allows flexible location of EVSE in relation to the EV being charged, a most desirable feature. It is understood that longer cable reach is to be accommodated by a larger plurality of vertical support structures that are spaced further apart from each other, while for shorter distances it is adequate to have only a single vertical support structure, or only a small plurality and such support structures can be placed closer together using appropriate linking element(s). It is also well understood that having a fixed vertical support structure “followed” by one or more mobile ones (beginning at EVSE or DC charger and ending at the connector on the cable) is well within the scope of the instant invention. It is appreciated that the charging cable will have a series of catenary curves as its shape that will change as the distances between cable support locations are changed during deployment and stowage of the embodiments of the instant invention.

The materials of construction for vertical support structures can be any suitable to the application and known to the art of constructing equipment, including but not limited to: metals, alloys, polymeric materials, composites, wood and wood-derived products, etc. It is appreciated that electrically non-conductive structures can be especially useful in these applications (fiberglass, composites, polymer-containing materials, etc.), although they are not required. In addition to the above, utilization of suitable existing structures for this function, in whole or in part, regardless of their initial intended purpose (EVSE and DC charger casings, walls, columns, beams, bollards, etc.) when such can be accomplished safely is also part of the instant invention. It is desirable that the elements employed are sufficiently strong and durable to support the cables’ weight for extended periods of time at maximum extension in all expected climatic and weather conditions. It is preferred that the structures contain appropriate features to make them highly visible to users, nearby people, passers-by, children, vehicles and the like to prevent collisions, injuries, etc., and to enable easy visual location of these parts. Such features can include, but are not limited to, various reflective elements, fluorescent and luminescent elements, bright colors, suitable warning labels, warning and illuminating lights of all types, and assorted combinations of the above.

Similar materials and features to those discussed above can also be employed in the construction of links, as well as the means employed for securing the “free” end of the electric cable and its connector (drop safety).

Link(s). Link(s) or structure(s) that connect to approximately-vertical support structures are of several types. Each individual link must be approximately horizontal (having no more than about 45 degrees of deviation from horizontal in any plane). In certain applications, an angle of as much as 20 degrees (preferably 15 degrees or less) may be preferred to achieve certain functionality related to automatic retraction of link-supported cable. They all can be of fixed length or variable/adjustable length; the methods used for enabling the variable/adjustable length are not critical and can be any suitable ones and, in any combination, known to the art of mechanical engineering, such as pantographs, telescoping systems, folding systems, those with rotating joints, mechanical and other sliding mechanisms, etc. Link height above ground may be variable or fixed, but must be sufficient to prevent cable contact with the ground, floor or other horizontal surfaces near EV charging locations in all cases. Simultaneously, the link height should not exceed about 2,0 meters (6,5 feet) above horizontal surface supporting the vehicle being charged, and preferably not more than 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) above said surface. They can be made with the same materials and features described above for vertical supporting structures; the methods for choosing such materials and designs are well known to those skilled in the art of mechanical engineering and design of structures. When the length of a particular link is sufficient, it can also be equipped with features to attach charging cable to it, to prevent both excessive length of unsupported cable and cable contact with the ground or the like. Further, it is important for optimal efficiency in use of the legally length-limited cable that the cable attachment point heights be mostly located approximately at the optimal heights, whether on vertical support structure(s), link(s) or a combination of both. Optimal heights of attachment points via brackets or the like for the cable are between approximately the height of the EV-mounted charging receptacle above the surface supporting the EV being charged and approximately the height of the charging cable at the outlet of EVSE, DC charger, or the like. It is important that the height of those points be within the limits set by the instant disclosure, and that the means of attachment comply with all relevant safety rules and regulations, as well as prevent excessive wear, damage and flexural stress to the cable being supported. Such means are well known to the art. It is required that they can be arranged to ensure that the cable being supported is moved in such a way during deployment, use and storage procedures that it does not touch the ground, road, or other largely horizontal surface in the vicinity of the charging system and EV being charged. An optimal height for maximum cable reach is one that approximately results in the minimal average deviation by cable (including its connector) from a straight line between cable origin and termination in 3D space. For this purpose, the origin of cable is its approximate exit point from EVSE, DC charger, or the like and the termination is the interface located at the receptacle on EV being connected.

First type of link is located between a vertical cable support structure described above (wall, column, DC fast charger exterior casing, etc.) and a means of securing the electric cable’s “free” end with connector described above; it is preferred that such a link possess variable length and also at least two degrees of freedom of movement (e.g., variable length and variable angle relative to the vertical support structure via at least some rotation in the horizontal plane). This function can be enabled using a variety of suitable hinges, joints and the like well-known to the art of equipment construction. This type of link is connected to a vertical support structure on only one side. This type of link must have a means for preventing contact of charging connector at the free end of cable with floor, operator’s feet, and the like in case it’s released (sometimes termed “drop safety”).

Second type of link is located between two vertical support structures. This type is used mostly when there is a need for use of relatively longer cables, and can be fixed or preferably variable length. Variable length (e.g., via pantograph-type, telescoping type elements, slide type, or any other design) is preferred for convenience in storage, compactness, ease of adjusting length to fit various vehicular charging connector locations indoors or outdoors, etc. This type of link is connected to two vertical support structures, one structure per side.

A vertical support structure can be “shared” between two different (or identical) links of any type. Further, a vertical support structure can be used to add a rotational degree of freedom of motion to the system. A combination of vertical support structures and links of various types can be used to provide a variable length and flexible path for an EV charging cable to conveniently reach a vehicle’s charging receptacle along the optimal 3D path for a given user’s specific application; this feature is very convenient and has not been taught in prior art. This enables EV charging cable to bypass or go around other vehicles, objects, items, equipment; it enables cable to “follow” straight, curved and angular paths along walls, etc. This is very useful for making specific locations where EV’s are parked for charging and specific locations of EVSE or DC chargers flexible with respect to each other. This function is valuable for charging of EV’s in garages, to get the cable around other cars and items safely and efficiently. Such combinations are also highly useful because they can be made in a way that allows them to be folded and stowed in comparatively small spaces easily, quickly and conveniently, while at the same time causing relatively little flexural stress to the cable carried by the combination, advantageously extending equipment lifetime. When unfolded and deployed (and preferably locked into place via wheels and other system elements) to reach an EV, such a system not only supports the cable, but prevents it from creating a variety of hazards and inconveniences enumerated herein above. For example, the cable no longer presents a low-visibility tripping hazard and is elevated as well as easily visible due to the invention’s high visibility features. The cable is no longer at risk of abrasive damage over numerous use instances, and its flexural lifetime is increased. Further, the cable employed this way can reach greater distances than one that needs to first descend to the floor and then ascend from the floor to the EV charging receptacle. Further yet, the mechanical loads and strains on the cable to connector joint and on the EV receptacle are significantly reduced, extending their service life and improves reliability of electrical connections made thereby.

Optional enclosures, housings, cable guards and similar features that conceal a significant part of the cable and/or structures of the instant invention, or preferably most of it also provide additional protection for the charging cable from a variety of deleterious events, such as solar radiation, theft, vandalism, snow, rain, animals, and others.

All these features make the systems of the instant invention highly convenient for garages, parking locations, commercial vehicle depots, etc. that contain a plurality of vehicles. Further, it is possible to have the systems of the instant invention that are not attached to a wall, or to EVSE and are “free-standing” and support the EVSE-to-EV or DC fast charger to EV cable in accordance with the instant invention.

Cable attachment and safety elements. One of the critical functions of the devices of the instant invention is the prevention of user and bystander injuiy, as well as prevention of equipment contamination and/or damage due to uncontrolled impacts of electrical connector mounted to “free” cable end of the charging systems of all types. This occurs when these connectors impact the ground, concrete, asphalt, other horizontal surfaces located near EV being charged, and various contaminants present thereupon (mud, dirt, snow, water, fecal matter, etc.) that render connectors unusable. This is the “drop safety" system requirement of the instant invention. Other critical functions are the prevention of contact between the cable being employed and the nearby ground, pavement, etc. and prevention of excessive force application to charging cable that results in wear, damage, etc. during deployment, use and stowage.

While the specific means of achieving these functions for a variety of designs are obvious to one skilled in the art and are all within the scope of the instant invention, several illustrative and non- limiting possibilities are discussed below. Further, in selected embodiments, the various features of the instant invention (e.g., change in link length and/or height) may be automatic and powered either mechanically, by gravity, or other suitable means known to the art of equipment design and engineering such as various springs, weights, etc.

Cable attachment. Cable attachment points on the approximately vertical support structure(s), or link(s), or both can range from relatively simple to sophisticated. Their function is to maintain a connection between the structures and the charging cable. An example of a relatively simple cable attachment is U- bolt type design (preferably with suitable bolt coatings to protect cable within), with the cable passing through the center of the U-shaped opening. They are easy to emplace and are useful for keeping cables in the right location. A more sophisticated design can include a contoured saddle- shaped bracket for emplacing cable, with an optional retaining system (clamp, clip, strap, etc.) for prevention of cable’s longitudinal motion through the attachment system. Other methods are also known to the art. The goal of these attachment systems is to prevent cable contact with the ground and retain the cable in position, preventing excessive longitudinal displacement at points of cable attachment to the structure. Optionally, a variety of annular type structures attached to the cable may also be used for limiting the longitudinal movement of charging cable within the cable management system’s structure.

Cable safety elements. A critical element of the instant invention is the provision of a system to prevent excessive length of cable from exiting from the system on the side that is closest to an EV’s charging receptacle (drop safety). Failure to prevent this results in connector impacting user, ground, etc. A variety of means to restrain the “free” cable end with its connector without causing them damage are known to the art of equipment construction; the specific choice of means is not critical as long as it is convenient, easy to manufacture and use, and relatively low cost. One nonlimiting illustrative example is the placement of a U-bolt at the end of a link type that is attached on one end only to a vertical support structure, and having the charging cable located within an annular or cylindrical element (collar) having an outside diameter significantly larger than U-bolt opening. The collar prevents the undesirable excessive cable movement through the U-bolt, when the collar location is appropriately adjusted. This arrangement is illustrated in Example A and can be termed a “safety collar” device. Other suitable and practical means of restraining the cable end and connector combination from impact and causing of injury that are known to the art of equipment design, whether on EVSE-connected cable or a DC charger connected one, are also well within the scope of the invention.

Another embodiment of “drop safety” system function is the fixed attachment of cable at a suitable location to the end of a link at a point in the system closest to the plug, where the distance between link-cable connection point and plug is smaller than the distance between the connection point and the approximately horizontal surface supporting the EV during charging. In this case, the plug, if released, is restrained by the cable itself from reaching the ground or horizontal surface.

While the use of a separate restraining mechanical cord or rope for this function is within the scope of the instant invention, it is generally not optimal due to extra complexity, increased cost, risk of malfunction, etc. associated with that type of safety systems. The various additional embodiments of the instant invention and advantages of this type of system are easily appreciated by those skilled in the arts of EV charging equipment design, safety equipment design, ergonomics, and the like; therefore, the enumerations of these advantages herein are non-limiting, non-exhaustive, partial and illustrative only.

Using EV’s and certain other vehicles as a source of power for homes, buildings, residences, construction sites, various establishments; operating electrically powered equipment at job sites and a variety of other applications where electricity is provided by a vehicle to systems outside of same are also known to the art and advertised as an important feature by a number of EV and other vehicle manufacturers (often termed V2G, V2L, V2H and the like, for vehicle to grid, vehicle to load, and vehicle to home, respectively). Using the cable management systems taught and/or suggested herein is also useful for this application range, in addition to more traditional EV charging because of similar issues related to handling of cables of significant length carrying large amounts of electrical energy. The optional minor changes and/or adaptations involved are obvious to one of skill in the art and do not need a separate description, but are well within the scope of the instant invention.

Additional structural features required by the instant invention but not explicitly described are understood by those skilled in the art of mechanical and structural engineering from the instant disclosure, but are discussed herein for clarity in a non-limiting and partial fashion.

An important element of one embodiment of the instant invention is the use of a suitably located existing column, wall, beam, housing, bollard, or the like as a vertical cable support element (or a part thereof) in constructing the devices of the invention. An important use of such features is to stabilize the cable-supporting structure against excessive unintended tilting, bending, flexing and the like that can occur when it is in use, especially when such use occurs outdoors and the device with its cable must resist wind and adverse weather conditions. It is appreciated that this approach for using existing structures for practice of the instant invention is a very effective cost- saving measure.

Another important aspect of certain embodiments of the instant invention is that embodiments of the instant invention having a relatively smaller “footprint” area are preferred because they are therefore more compact and take up less space, and are more useful in applications where space for placement of charging cables is highly limited. They can then also be located in relatively narrow areas and avoid becoming tripping hazards themselves. A wide range of mechanical and structural arrangements is known to the art of engineering for achieving this, and they are all well within the scope of the invention. For example, one or more approximately vertical support structure, each consisting of a single vertical cylinder with a wheeled support at the bottom and a cable support at the top are useful in combination with a suitable link as a part of a device embodying the instant invention, since the vertical stability of the entire device can be substantially derived from its attachment via suitable link(s) to another vertical support structure that is highly stable such as a wall, beam, pole, post, equipment housing, or the like. The use of existing structures as part of the devices taught herein makes their construction lower in cost and easier to perform.

Use cases, advantages and examples of the instant invention. The systems proposed as part of the instant invention have a number of common non-limiting use cases with a wide range of advantages, some of which are enumerated below.

EV charging in garage facilities. A number of issues related to EV charging in garages are well known. One important aspect of enabling garage facilities to charge EV’s it to equip them with suitable electric wiring, outlets, and related features that are capable of handling high voltage and high current loads over extended periods of time, since these are required for providing EV’s with useful amounts of charge when they are not in use and therefore garaged. It is well known that an important and very costly part of this process is the installation of appropriate electric wiring on the premises; the longer the wiring runs involved, and the greater the wiring’s capabilities, the higher the cost of installation. It is desirable that the cost of such wiring be as low as possible, and therefore, it is a frequent practice to make the high current wiring between electrical distribution panel and garage-mounted EVSE’s located at the end of such wiring as short as possible. As a result, EVSE may be located relatively far from an EV’s charging inlet. Further, because EV inlets are located at a variety of locations on different EV models, even when an EVSE is located in close proximity to a given EV’s charging receptacle (often at great expense in time, labor, materials and financial expenditures), the EVSE often ends up located very far away from a different EV’s charging receptacle when an additional, or different, EV is garaged.

While relocation of EVSE each time a different EV is to be used with it is possible, it is extremely costly, laborious, and inconvenient to the point of being impractical. As a result, it is well known to the art of EVSE provision that an EVSE should at least optionally have at least about 6 meters/20 feet or more of cable so that a vehicle’s charging receptacle has a better chance of being reached, and further yet, numerous popular EVSE models are supplied with the maximum cable length that is legally permissible, both on the EVSE inlet and outlet sides. In addition, some EVSE models’ casings are also configured to be highly elongated so as to provide appreciable additional overall length of system. Also, in part due to EV manufacturers recognizing this issue’s importance, some EV’s are now supplied with multiple charging receptacles located at different points on the EV (e.g., on right and left sides of an EV), so as to make it easier for the charging cable employed by EV user to reach at least one of the charging receptacles and not have to reach around the vehicle with a cable to perform charging.

In light of the foregoing, there is a clear need, for a wide range of reasons, to make the use of EVSE systems as efficient as possible with respect to providing maximum possible cable reach from EVSE’s power source to the EV charging receptacle.

As is known from geometrical considerations, cables that are closer to a straight line in 3D space (the designs of systems for achieving this cable alignment are taught in the instant disclosure) will reach appreciably greater distances than those in current practice that significantly deviate from such a path. Some generally first descend to the floor and then ascend to reach an EV’s charging receptacle. Alternatively, prior art attempts to support the cable from above by tethers and other means that result in the cable ascending first and then descending towards an EV’s charging port also often provide significantly reduced cable reach and/or increased strain on the cable when compared to the embodiments of the instant invention, and reduced flexibility in employment, as well as being highly inconvenient. Generally, the current practice results in a significant shortening of the “radius of usability” for EVSE’s, making their use difficult in many situations because cables of legal maximum length become too short for the application intended. While there exist extension cords offered for sale by certain vendors that can be employed to significantly extend the EVSE to vehicle cables (and power source to EVSE cables) beyond the legal limits, such devices are strongly prohibited from use by EVSE manufacturer directions, rules, regulations, recommendations of nationally recognized safety testing labs, etc. due to safety concerns. Such cables are also extremely costly. Thus, one more advantage of the instant invention’s embodiments is the obviation of need for such less safe and very costly devices through more efficient utilization of existing and legal EVSE cable infrastructure.

Another aspect of the instant invention is the use of a plurality of cable management systems at a single general location (e.g., garage, parking facility, commercial vehicle depot, etc.) For example, tangling of charging cables (a common and very inconvenient problem of co-located and multi-vehicle EVSE’s and DC chargers) is thus prevented; this problem is sometimes termed “spaghetti cable”. Yet another embodiment is having a plurality of links of the instant invention attaching to a single vertical support structure. For example, several EV charging cables may be supported by several cable management systems sharing a single (common) attachment to a wall, DC charger, EVSE, bollard, or the like. Further, EVSE’s with a plurality of cables for charging up to a plurality of EV’s are well known to the art; they are directed to enabling the charging (in various patterns) of a plurality of EV’s at the same general time, A complex system comprising a suitable plurality of single-cable management system elements, each in accordance with the instant invention with suitable modifications is well within the scope of the instant invention as well.

“DC fast charger” systems. A large number of “DC fast charger” type systems have been placed in operation worldwide. They are important in enabling relatively much more rapid charging of EV’s for a variety of reasons well known to the art, since AC based systems’ capabilities are not sufficient for many applications. A variety of considerations affect the use of the fast chargers; however, they all share several critical features that make them good candidates for use of the cable management systems disclosed herein.

DC fast chargers are typically used a relatively large number of times each day, which results in increased wear and tear on their charging cables and EV connectors located on the “free” ends thereof because a very high number of connect-disconnect cycles accumulates quickly, in comparison to typical home EVSE use patterns. Because a relatively large number of vehicles uses a given DC charger each day, especially during times of low light, poor weather, reduced visibility, snow, etc., the risk of vehicle inflicting damage on a charging cable and/or its connector that is not properly secured against the danger of unintended contact with EV or ground rises greatly, as well as risk of electrical contact contamination inside connector when dropped. Such damage is highly undesirable because it is very costly, and puts important and income-producing equipment out of use until very expensive repairs or replacements are made.

DC fast chargers handle very high currents and voltages, which in all cases results in their cables being relatively expensive, thick, heavy, lacking in flexibility even at regular temperatures (worse yet when they are exposed to cold), and unwieldy, among other known properties. Many such cables also have internal liquid cooling features, which only add to the above-mentioned attributes. Due to the expense of such cables per unit of length and also their connectors in general, it is desirable that they be made to last as long as possible before replacement to make the investment in rapid DC chargers profitable. It is also desirable that the cables be as short as possible to make them cheaper, while making their reach to EV’s being charged as long as possible to provide a convenient charging experience to customers because charging cables being too short makes it impossible for users to employ the EV charger; this issue has been well documented as a major problem for EV operators. Frequent use of such cables and connectors also elevates risk of user injury due to falling cable-connector combination. Further, often being located at public facilities, such cables need to be able to accommodate users with disabilities that may be experiencing difficulties handling the cables’ weight, and to ensure facilities using these devices are free of tripping hazards.

The invention may be best understood through illustrative examples. Referring to the Figures, Figs. 1 and 2 demonstrate Example A suitable for AC charger and DC fast charger applications. A high-capacity, or similar cable 2 has a first end with an electrical connector 1 (shown hanging) for interfacing with vehicle. Portions of the cable 2 are supported by vertical support structure 3, using the charger/EVSE housing to support cable 2 over ground 3. One or more cable support element/brackets 6 may be used to manage motion of cable 2 relative the cable support 9,(also see Examples E and F). One or more hinge(s) 5 may provide mechanical, 180- degree range of motion for rotating the cable management system in horizontal plane (enables optimal positioning and also allows folding cable management system against the vertical element for storage when not deployed). Support structure part 8 of link and main cable-supporting part 9 of link support cable 2. Slack 7 of cable 2 may hang below main cable- supporting part 9. A telescoping/ retractable feature 10 of link’s main cable support provides extension for access to distant or near car charging port (not shown). A safety cable collar 11 may be set around cable and used to prevent electrical connector movement beyond safe range by stopping cable motion using U-bolt type outer cable support element as limiter (see Examples E and F for additional depictions). System may be housed by collapsing and placed into cable entry into charger/EVSE housing/cabinet 12.

As can be seen in Figures 3 and 4 showing a top view of cars in a garage, vehicles 14 in a garage with garage vehicle access door 17 and personal entry/access door 18, such as to a dwelling. Figure 3 demonstrates a single car garage schematic, while Figure 4 demonstrates a two, or dual, car garage. This Example B demonstrates arrangements suitable for a variety of garage-mounted applications of EVSE’s. Views from top, approximate, scale 1 square=l foot (0.3m). EVSE 13 may be set in a wall or near a wall to provide charging source of power. Each vehicle 14 may include a charging port 15, such as on the side or rear side of vehicle. Cables 16 extend from EVSE 13 to port(s) 15.

The single vehicle example shows that it would take an EVSE cable of only about 18 feet to reach the EV charging port using the cable management systems of the instant invention, and a cable of about 22 feet to do so using the existing practice of placing cables on the floor. Thus, this arrangement allows for use of EVSE’ s with shorter cables in applications where they previously were less useful due to inadequate cable reach.

The dual vehicle example illustrates one of important advantages of the invention. Without using the instant invention’s cable management system, it is not possible to charge the larger vehicle when positioned as shown using a maximum legal length of EVSE cable, because the cable will be too short and will not reach from EVSE to the charging receptacle on the EV without having the entire length of cable suspended from EV’s charge port and having it hang in the air, creating a hazard and risking damage to EV charge port and the EVSE cable/ connector assembly due to high strain during extended periods of time. In contradistinction, with the employment of the instant invention, it is easy to use maximum legal length EVSE cable to reach the charging receptacle and successfully charge the EV without mechanically overloading the vehicle’s charging port or EVSE charging cable at EVSE entry or at EVSE plug-cable joint. This is because significant cable length is “wasted” when the cable is descending from EVSE to the garage floor and later ascending from the garage floor to the charging receptacle on the vehicle as currently practiced in the absence of the instant invention. Typically, at least about 4 feet or more of cable reach are lost with existing practices.

Example C demonstrates representative structures of an embodiment containing a horizontal pantographic element with two free-standing vertical elements as shown in Figs. 5 (side view) and 6 (front view). Referring to Fig. 5, system may be set on wheels 19 supporting a bottom support base 20. Angles brackets 21 provide for lateral support of system and vertical elements 22. Cable support brackets 23, such as loops or U-bolt, coupled to vertical element 22 control position of cable 24 shown in cross-section inside U-bolt serving as support bracket 23. As can be seen in Fig. 6, system may include vertical support structures 25supportied on a ground surface by wheels, preferably caster wheels 30. A pantograph mechanism 26 with moving elements or bars hingedly coupled to one another between vertical support structural elements 25. Rotation elements 27 of the pantograph mechanism serve as hinges between the elements 26. TO modify the length to which the pantographic system may extend, alternative fixed points 29 may be set on each of the vertical elements 25 to provide alternative locations for the pantograph elements to mount on the vertical bars and widen or narrow the pantograph and thus modify the total extension length. The alternate fixed points 29 for pantograph length expansion/contraction are set with one per vertical support structure in use at a time. Hinges 31 provide for rotational attachment of the system to a wall, or optional additional repeated pantographic or other cable support systems, to allow for multiple extension and support of the cord.

The Examples set forth herein are intended to illustrate one or more illustrative embodiment(s) of the instant invention. The Examples are intended to be a good representation of specific concepts of the invention being employed in model systems, rather than an optimal production device.

Example D, as shown in Fig. 7 is illustrates a partially folded standalone system capable of supporting approximately 18 feet (5.4 meters) of cable; cable and system outer covers removed for clarity. Footprint: approx. 32" X 16" (81 cm X 41 cm), height approx. 36” (90 cm). System 100 includes caster wheels 40 supporting cross beams 41 which are connected with angled member 42. The angled member 42 may be hingedly coupled to cross beams 41 to allow modification of the length of system. Extension member 43 may be hingedly coupled to top of one of the side arches 44. The side arches 44 and the cross members form a triangle (or A-frame) to support weight of cord 45. Intermediate members 46 are set between the vertical elements and support and set the length of system. Each bar is preferably hingedly couple to one another, and may be set in place with screws 47. Extension member 43 may be supported by buttress member 48 to allow cord 2 to rest in support brackets 6. Bumper 49 may be used to prevent the cord for extending beyond bracket 6 and drag connector on floor.

Example E, as shown in Fig. 8 illustrates a system with outer covers removed. U-bolt 6 and collar-based cable end connector safety system (drop safety) mounted on a link element is shown preventing connector impact with floor 4. Height of U-bolt 6 center above ground: 3.3 ft (1.0 m), distance from safety collar's distal end to tip of EV connector 1 : 3.0 ft (0.9 m), so that connector is set above the ground by about 0.1 meters or 4 inches. Extension member 43 is shown set and supported by buttress member 48 in position.

Example F, as shown in Fig. 9 illustrates the use of a U-bolt and collar-based cable end connector safety system (drop safety) mounted on a link is shown ready to prevent connector impact with floor. Height of U-bolt center above ground: 3.3 ft (1.0 m), distance from safety collar’s distal end to tip of EV connector: 3.0 ft (0.9 m).

Example G, as shown in Fig. 10, illustrates a system where outer covers arc removed (not shown) for ease of understanding to show an example of one possible internal structure. A cable mounted on a fully unfolded standalone mobile safety cable management system. Catenary form of cable between attachment points is notable. U-bolt cable attachment 6 is employed, as well as safety system shown in Examples E and F. Extension member 43 and buttress 48 are double on second end with second extension member 53 and buttress member 58. Reflective safety markings are present to improve safety in low light environments; similar features may be mounted to external covers of the system to conceal the cable and protect it from heat, elements, contamination, solar radiation damage, theft, vandalism, etc. and improve system’s appearance. Total cable length from

EVSE to vehicle connector being supported: approx. 17’ (5.2 m).

Example H shown in Figs. 11-14, illustrates an A-frame type two-wheeled vertical support element with a U-bolt cable attachment (optional external covers and cable with its safety collar not shown for clarity), with a link to the bottom of a column allowing rotation about a vertical axis providing a first degree of freedom and one telescoping element between rotation axis and top of A-frame proving a second degree of freedom. Cross beams 41 rest on wheels, and are connected by intermediate A-members 144. Side arches 44 are similarly coupled with cross beams. An angled support bar 145 provides a triangle shape when viewed from the front to support bracket 6. Angled support bar is preferably couples with cross beam at bottom, and the top of A-frame. Illustrations show right, center and left positions of rotation. The whole system has a tetrahedral shape for light weight and high rigidity. Wheel to wheel distance: approx. 16” (41 cm). U-bolt height above ground: approx. 3 ft (91 cm). This structure illustrates the use of vertical support structure (as opposed to a link) as the distal end of cable management system.

Example I, as shown in Figs. 15-20, illustrates an example of a fixed vertical support structure that can be rotated around its vertical axis providing its first degree of freedom of movement with a single sliding/telescoping link providing a second degree of freedom of movement in a horizontal direction. The link contains a U-bolt cable attachment and safety system (cable and its safety collar not shown for clarity). The example system is attached to an existing column 200 for stability, with cross member 201 to provide extension. Angled support members 202 and 203 support over ground mount 204, and may attach to a wall or mounting column 208on opposite side (not shown). The system is shown in various degrees of link extension from two sides. In this example, vertical support structure height: 50” (127 cm), square cross-section of 1.5” (3.8 cm). Link length: 42” (107 cm), square cross-section of 1.5” (3,8 cm); combination is mounted on a rotating support base. Additional link connecting vertical support structure to existing fixed column: 1” (2.54 cm) angles. Distance from existing fixed column: 29” (74 cm). Cable length supported: 10 feet (3 m).

Example J demonstrates the decrease in vehicle charge port and cable connector loads when current practice is replaced by usage of devices of the instant invention, specifically embodiment disclosed in Example G.

In an experiment to determine the amount of mechanical stress on EV charge port and SAE (Society of Automotive Engineering standard) connector, an EVSE’s cable rated for 32A and having a length of 17 feet (5.2 meters) had its SAE connector suspended from a force measurement device (measurement in Newtons) in vehicle charging position. Two different use cases were measured.

First use case was with the cable being supported by the structure of Example G; the force was under 5 Newtons. Second case was with the same cable just lifted off the ground to keep it from being damaged by abrasion of the concrete floor. The force required was about 40 Newtons.

As discussed above, Example J teaches that essentially all strain on SAE connector and vehicle charge port is eliminated by using an instance of this invention when it is desired that the cable not make contact with the ground, concrete, pavement, etc. The SAE connector service life and vehicle receptacle durability improvement expected from this improvement are obvious to one skilled in the art and have been mentioned in prior art as important and desirable features. This experiment employed a relatively lightweight cable with only 32A capacity and a length significantly below legal maximum. Cables with double or more weight per unit length, and 25- foot (7.6 m) length are widely used for charging of EV’s on a regular basis in home and other settings. DC fast charger cables with their connectors are far heavier yet, though they are often shorter.

Example K, as shown in Figs. 21-24, illustrates an embodiment with a single vertical support element 300 with two links 301 and 302 attached to the same, one on each side, where each link connects to a single, shared vertical support element. Cord 2 is set thereon, with links 301 and 302 optionally supported by buttress 311 and 312. The bottom of the system is preferably on wheels 340 and likewise supported with geometrically support beams, as shown. Links may be fixed, or hingedly coupled at coupling point 320 to vertical support element 300. Bumper 330 may be used to prevent the links from reaching vertical, The links and the vertical support element, each, are designed to support the charging cable using suitable brackets that prevent excessive cable strain and bending. Links may be formed of telescoping member 350 and 351 wherein the link may be extended or retracted. The same brackets also are used to prevent unsafe extension of cable’s free end beyond intended distance, and resulting risk of impact by plug to floor or user’s foot (drop safety). Further, the links are of variable length and height; by using low-friction sliding elements positioned at an angle to the horizontal and equipped with cable supports that hold the cable, they automatically retract and extend as needed by the user while the entire device is moving. The sliding movement of each link is completely independent of the other, and when free to move, they automatically retract fully, powered by gravity’s effect on the cable being supported by the cable support brackets. In this embodiment, the cable management system is entirely separate from the EVSE and can be used in free standing mode. It is also capable of being easily folded for travel and storage by collapsing the links along the vertical support, then rotating the vertical support into a horizontal position along the wheeled triangular base. The entire system is designed to easily roll along horizontal surfaces using wheels and to self-position the base and both links in optimal positions using very slight charging cable tension. It is also equipped with an optional receptacle for storing the charging plug via attachment to one of the links; visual safety markers and outer covers are omitted in this photo for clarity. Attached photos show the system deployed without its optional outer cover, in position for charging and parked, respectively. Deployed minimum dimensions (LxWxH), inches: 65” X 19” X 42” Footprint: elongated triangular, LxW, inches: 38” X 19”; Deployed maximum cable support arm spread, inches: 111”. As shown in Figs. 23 and 24, optional cover shield 90 is provided for user safety and to protect cable from photodegradation when placed in sunlight.

Example L, as shown in Figs 25-27, illustrates an embodiment with two vertical support elements and three links attached to the same. There are two links that connect to each of the vertical support elements, one on each end of the device. The same two vertical support elements 400 and 401 are also connected using another, “central” link 403 between them. Each vertical support element is thus shared by two links. The links and the vertical support elements, each, are designed to support the charging cable using suitable brackets that prevent excessive cable strain and bending. The same brackets 6 also are used to prevent unsafe extension of cable’s free end beyond intended distance, and resulting risk of impact by plug to floor or user’s foot (drop safety). Further, each of the links is of variable length and largely horizontal in this embodiment; by using low-friction sliding elements equipped with cable supports, they conveniently retract and extend as needed by the user. The end links 408 are positioned on hinges that allow the end links to rotate independently. The movement of each link is completely independent of the others. In this embodiment, the cable management system is entirely separate from the EVSE. It is also capable of being easily folded for storage by collapsing the links, then folding them. The system may also be partially or even completely folded, and still used for cable management in situations where the cable length to be supported is comparatively short. The entire system is designed to easily roll along horizontal surfaces using wheels and to be locked into specific location using wheel brakes thereon. It is also equipped with an optional receptacle for storing the charging plug via attachment to one of the links; visual safety markers are shown in this photo for clarity. Attached photos show the system fully extended to display its length, as well as deployed with a shorter cable and fully folded.

Selected dimensions, in inches:

Sections: central (39”-108”); dual, hinged folding arms (39”-77” each) Deployed minimum dimensions (LxWxH): 39” X 24” X 53”

Footprint: rectangular, LxW: 39" X 24”

Deployed maximum cable support aim spread: 262” Charging cable support length: in excess of 25 feet possible End link angular range of motion, degrees: 270.

Example M, shown in Figs. 28 and 29, illustrates an embodiment with three vertical support elements 50-1, 502, and 503 and two links 511 and 512 attached to the same. Here, one vertical support element is a fixed bollard, and two are wheeled. There are two links, with a vertical support element at each end of the device (one fixed, i.e., the bollard, and one wheeled) in addition to the central one. One (central) vertical support element is shared by two links while the other vertical elements are not shared. The links and the vertical support elements, each, are designed to support the charging cable having very high weight typical of DC fast chargers using suitable brackets that prevent excessive cable strain and bending. The same brackets also are used to prevent unsafe extension of cable’s free end beyond intended distance, and resulting risk of impact by plug to floor or user’s foot (drop safety). It is important to note that in this embodiment, the cable support brackets are attached to several different elements to illustrate some of the variety of possible solutions. The exterior of the device is partially covered with perforated sheets to illustrate the use of outer covers for protection of cable against a variety of hazards discussed previously (including but not limited to UV radiation, solar heating, user handling, vandalism, etc.). Cable support brackets are located on one of the links, on the “outer” vertical support element, and also on the perforated outer covers themselves, on their interior faces. Such use of the system’s optional structures to provide for cable handling is well within the scope of the instant invention. Covers can be mounted to vertical supports, links, or both. Further, each of the links is of variable length and largely horizontal in this embodiment; by using low-friction sliding elements equipped with cable supports, they conveniently retract and extend as needed by the user. The outer covers are suitably connected to vertical support elements and to the links themselves to enable them to “telescope” as the device is extended and retracted as a complete unit; the outer covers are used as important structural reinforcing elements of the entire device to make it stronger and better able to withstand wind and high weight of long cables. Shield 90 may be employed with apertures 92 to allow wind to pass through while maintaining shielding from sun, generally. The extension and retraction movement of each individual link is completely independent of the other. In this embodiment, the cable management system is entirely separate from the cable origin and can be operated standalone, or fixed to a vertical element. It is also capable of being easily folded for storage by collapsing the links, then folding them against a DC charger’s housing. The entire system is designed to easily roll along horizontal surfaces using wheels and to be locked into specific location using wheel brakes thereon. It is also equipped with an optional receptacle for storing the charging plug via attachment to one of the covers located on one of the links; visual safety markers are shown in this photo for clarity.

Selected dimensions, in inches:

Deployed minimum and maximum dimensions (LxWxH): 90-170” X 24” X 56”

Angle of rotation around attachment point: 210 degrees

Charging cable support length: 218”

Example N, as shown in Figs 30-36, illustrates an embodiment with a single vertical element (e.g„ wall, column, DC charger housing, or a separate pole) and a single link 600 attached to the same using rotating joints to vertical wall or pole support 601 having internal return mechanisms for convenience. The link and the vertical support element, each, are designed to support the charging cable having very high weight typical of DC fast chargers using suitable brackets that prevent excessive cable strain and bending. The same brackets also are used to prevent unsafe extension of cable’s free end with its connector beyond intended distance, and resulting risk of impact by plug to floor or user’s foot (drop safety). It is important to note that in this embodiment, the cable support brackets are attached to several different elements to illustrate some of the variety of possible solutions. A similar design with suitably lighter duty components can also be used for AC charging with an EVSE. The exterior of the device may optionally be covered with perforated sheets to illustrate the use of outer covers for protection of cable against a variety of hazards discussed previously (including but not limited to UV radiation, solar heating, user handling, vandalism, etc.). Cable support brackets are located on the link, on the vertical support element, and also on the optional outer covers themselves, on their interior faces. Such use of the system’s optional structures to provide for cable handling is well within the scope of the instant invention. The link is of variable length and is placed at a sufficient angle to the horizontal in this embodiment; by using low-friction sliding elements equipped with cable supports, they conveniently retract automatically using the weight of link, connector and cable combination, and extend as needed by the user with relatively low effort. The outer covers are suitably connected to the link, to enable them to “telescope” as the device is extended and retracted. In this embodiment, the cable management system is entirely separate from the cable origin. It is also capable of being easily folded for storage by collapsing the link, then folding it against a DC charger’s housing or nearby wall; similar procedure applies to AC EVSE applications. This process is, in this instance, automatic. It is also equipped with an optional receptacle for storing the charging plug via attachment to a link hardware element; visual safety markers are omitted in this photo for clarity. Optional cover with two separable panels is shown in Figs. 35 and 36 (shown in partial cutaway to show internal cord and structure.

Deployed minimum and maximum dimensions (LxWxH): 25-75” X 3” X 49”

Angle of rotation around attachment point: 210 degrees

Charging cable support length: 120”

Link telescoping angle to horizontal: 15 degrees Link type: telescopic, suspended

Example O. shown in Fig. 37, illustrates the use of safety color for the device housing and shield 90 and distinctive cover shape 91 as branding feature. It also illustrates the use of counterweight mounted to base for increased resistance to tipping. Also shown are combination clamp+strap devices added to cable support brackets for drop safety that are especially resistant to abuse. The two upgrades improve the device’s child safety and resistance to abuse by children by making it much more difficult for them to tip it over, or to forcefully yank the cable out of its safety system.

Deployed minimum dimensions (LxWxH), inches: 65” X 19” X 42”;

Footprint: elongated triangular, LxW, inches: 38” X 19”;

Deployed maximum cable support arm spread, inches: 111”