Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a system for handling electrical cables equipped with at least one first electrical connector and connecting said first electrical connector to a at least one second compatible electrical connector.

Background of the invention

There is a need to develop easy and safe solutions for connecting shore power to vessels at quay. Today pollution from ships at quay that are running generator to produce power for their on-board systems is a major contributor to local pollution in many cities and to emission of greenhouse gasses. A solution to this problem is to supply shore power to these vessels. For shore power to be attractive to use it is important that it do not delay the ships or require dedicated personnel or extra personnel when a vessel docks or leaves dock. It is therefore desirable to automate the process as much as possible.

It is also desirable to relief personnel from the job of connecting shore power due to the health and safety aspect.

The environment at a dock is challenging. Corrosive and conductive seawater in combination with wind, waves and rain makes it hard to protect electrical connectors such as plugs and sockets. To avoid short circuiting, corrosion and other problems associated with electrical connectors and the present of water and moisture it is desirable to connect the cables for shore power in a sheltered environment, and to keep the contact surfaces of electrical connectors protected until they are connected

Disclosure of the state of the art

US2016009530A1 describes a device for automatically connecting a vehicle to an electric power supply.

US5478249A describes a electrical connection device comprising two connection elements of which one is mobile, and which are arranged to be capable of mutually coupling and uncoupling by rotation of the mobile element in the other element and to connect or reciprocally separate the opposing contacts with which they are provided.

US2010218710A1 describes an invention relates to a ship that is to be coupled electrically to a terminal, and also to a method and a device for connecting an electrical power line between a ship and a terminal.

US2013220198A1 describes a hatch for an outer wall or skin of a ship includes a guide device for guiding a flexible electrical line through the hatch to provide the ship with electrical power. A ship having such a hatch is also provided.

DE202019102347 U1 describes a device used in relation to transferring energy.

Objects of the present invention

Some of the objects of the invention is to:

- provide a system to automate the connection and disconnection of shore power to vessels

- provide a method for connecting and disconnecting shore power to vessels with as little involvement of personnel as possible

- provide a system to bring electrical connectors and cables from an outside area into a sheltered environment and for connecting the cables in said sheltered environment

- provide a method to automate the connection and disconnection of electrical power to movable and portable units.

Summary of the invention

At least some of the above mentioned objects are attempted solved with a system for handling electrical cables equipped with at least one first electrical connector and connecting said first electrical connector to a at least one second compatible electrical connector. The system comprises:

- an arm comprising a connector holder for holding the at least one first electrical connector connected to the cable, said arm being rotatable between a receiving position and a connecting position, to bring said at least one first electrical connector through a structure from one side to another side, through an opening in said structure, - means for rotating said arm around a pivot point, and

- at least one second electrical connector, for receiving the at least one first electrical connector, placed on an inside of said structure.

The structure can hold a sheltered environment on the inside for performing the connection of the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector.

A hatch can be changeable between a condition as a guide for guiding the first electrical connector to a condition as a cover for the opening.

The structure can be a hull of a ship.

The first electrical connectors on the cables can be arranged in a connector frame that is compatible with a connector holder on the arm.

The arm can comprise a cable guide to guide said cables and to provide the required bending radius for the cables as the arm rotates.

The second electrical connectors can be arranged facing down.

The means for rotating the arm can comprises an electrical motor.

The first electrical connectors can be covered by a connector cover that can be opened on the inside of the structure, before the first electrical connectors are connected to the second electrical connectors.

At least some of the above mentioned objects are also attempted solved with a method for autonomous connecting of electrical power to movable units. The method comprising the steps of:

- opening a hatch to a guide position,

- positioning an arm to a receiver position,

- lowering at least one cable equipped with a first electrical connector down adjacent a structure on the movable unit until the first electrical connector rests in a connector holder on the arm, and

- rotating said arm holding said at least one first electrical connector around a pivot point until said first electrical connector connects to a corresponding down facing second electrical connector inside said structure. The method can comprise the step of activating a fixing mechanism in the connector holder on the arm for fixing the first electrical connector to the connector holder.

The method can comprise the step of activating a mechanism for opening a connector cover on the inside of the structure, before the first electrical connectors are connected to the second electrical connectors.

The unit can be a vessel at quay.

The structure can be a hull on a vessel.

Description of the diagrams

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:

Figure 1 and 2 shows the system mounted inside the hull of a vessel

Figure 3-6 (a and b) shows in sequence connection of cables

Reference numerals:

10 System

12 Second electrical connector

14 First electrical connector

16 Connector frame

18 Cable

20 Arm

22 Cable guide

24 Connector cover

26 Pivot point

28 Hatch

30 Structure

30’ Hull

32 Opening

34 Connector holder

36 Inside (the structure)

38 Outside (the structure) Description of preferred embodiments of the invention

The invention relates to a system 10 and a method for connecting power cables.

One application of the invention is for coupling shore power to a ship at quay. This application will be used for explaining possible embodiments of the invention, but should not be considered limiting for the scope of the invention. Other possible applications of the invention can be but are not limited to autonomous handling, connection and disconnection of electrical power to movable and portable units.

Such movable units might be cars, trains or any other movable unit that requires electrical power.

Figure 1 shows one possible embodiment of the system 10. The system 10 comprises an arm 20 placed on an inside 36 of a structure 30 in this case a ship hull 30’. The arm 20 is rotatable between a receiving position for receiving a one or more first electrical connector 14 and a connecting position for connecting said one or more first electrical connector 14 to a one or more second electrical connector 12.

In the embodiment in the figures the arm 20 comprises a cable guide 22 for supporting the cable 18 and maintaining an adequate bending radius on the cable 18 as the arm 20 rotates around a pivot point 26. The arm further comprises a connector holder 34 for holding a one or more first electrical connector 14.

The system 10 further comprises a hatch 28 the hatch 28 is changeable between a condition as a guide for guiding the first electrical connector 14 into the connector holder 34 and to a condition as a cover for an opening 32 in the structure 30. The opening 32 can be on the side of the ship that is facing the quay. The opening 32 can also be on a horizontal surface through a deck on a ship for instance.

The first electrical connectors 14 are also equipped with a connector frame 16 in the embodiment showed in the figures. The purpose of the connector frame 16 is to fix several first electrical connectors 14 to each other when more than one cable 18 is needed for the application. Another purpose for the connector frame 16 is to act as an adapter between first electrical connectors 14 and the connector holder 34 on the arm 20.

One of the advantages with using a connector frame 16 is that the system 10 can otherwise be the same for most applications. The same arm 20 and connector holder 34 can be used whether there are one or four first electrical connectors 14 or in principle any other number of first electrical connectors 14. The connector frame 16 can be the same if the number of first electrical connectors 14 change, there will only be some empty slots in the connector frame 16. For applications where the first electrical connectors 14 have different shape the only component that will have to be produced different is the connector frame 16. This way the rest of the system 10 can stay the same for most application by using the connector frame 16 as an adapter for different first electrical connectors 14 and number of first electrical connectors 14.

The second electrical connectors 12 will have to be mateable with the first electrical connectors, most types of second electrical connectors 12 can be integrated with the system. The flexibility of using an adapter is an advantage from a manufacturing and economic standpoint.

The first electrical connector frame 16 can further be built out to comprise a connector cover 24 that will cover the electrical contacts on the first electrical connector. Such a connector cover should be possible to open and at the same time the connector cover 24 should remain attached to the first electrical connector frame 16. One possible embodiment of the connector cover 24 is that it is hinged or pivotable on one of the sides. At the same time the connector cover 24 and the connector holder 34 can be equipped with a mating mechanism that will open the connector cover 24 as the arm 20 rotates. The connector cover 24 will then stay on as long as the first electrical connectors 14 are on the outside 38 of the structure 30 and will open up on the inside 36 of the structure 30 before the first electrical connectors 14 are too close to the second electrical connectors 12. The first electrical connectors 12 will then stay dry and clean. The mechanism for opening the connector cover 24 can for instance be a pin inside the connector holder 34 protruding into a hole or groove in the connector cover 24 to engage the connector cover 24 and then the pin moves sideway to open the connector cover 24 as the arm 20 rotates.

The arm 20 can in different embodiments take a number of forms. In one possible embodiment similar to the one seen in the figures the arm comprises two sides connected by a central part. The two sides are connected to a shaft through what is the pivot point 26 of the arm 20. At the end of the arm 20 (the end furthest away from the pivot point 26) the connector holder 34 is integrated in the arm 20. The connector holder 34 can comprise a locking mechanism that is initiated when the first electrical connector 14 with or without a connector frame 16 is in place inside the connector holder 34. One possible embodiment of such a mechanism can be one or more screws driven by electrical motors that pushes one or more side panels inside the connector holder 34 in against the connector frame 16 or against the first electrical connector 14 if not equipped with a connector frame 16.

In one possible embodiment the support structure for the second electrical connectors 12 or the connector frame 16 are slightly flexible to accommodate for the slight change in angle on the first electrical connectors 14 as they slide a distance into the second electrical connectors 12.

Figure 2 shows the same embodiment as in figure 1 but from a different angel.

Figure 3-6 shows the connecting of shore power in sequence from two different angels (a and b).

In figure 3 the hatch 28 (not seen in figure 3-6) is opened up to a condition as a guide for guiding the first electrical connector and the arm 20 is swung out so it is in the receiving position protrudes out through the opening 32 in the hull 30’ (which is not showed in figure 3-6). The cable 18 is lowered down towards the first electrical connector holder 34 on the arm 20.

In figure 4 the first electrical connector 14 with the connector frame 16 and the connector cover 24 is guided in place by the hatch 28 and is now placed in the connector holder 34 on the arm 20.

In figure 5 the rotation of the arm 20 have started, and the arm is pulling on the cables 18 which is guided by the cable guide 22.

In figure 6 the arm 20 have rotated until the first electrical connectors 14 are connected to the down facing second electrical connectors 12. The cable guide maintain a sufficient bending radius on the cables 18.

To disconnect shore power the arm is rotated in the opposite direction so that the arm again is swung out the opening 32 in the hull 30’. Then the first electrical connectors are released from the connector holder, and can be retrieved. The hatch 28 can then be closed, back to the condition as a cover for the opening 32. The embodiment of the invention showed in the figures is particularly suitable for use with the applicant’s product Zinus Port Power. Zinus Port power comprises a tall mast for deployment on quays and further comprises horizontal telescopic extendable arm. From the extended end of the arm power cables can be lowered down. When a ship that will hook up to shore power approaches the arm can be extended to the side of the ship or to above the deck, depending on the placement of the connection points for shore power on the ship. And then the cables can be lowered down from the extended arm. If the ship is equipped with the System 10 the cables with first electrical connectors can be lowed straight down to the hatch 28 for connection on the inside of the hull 30’ of the ship.

To render connection of shore power autonomous the system can be equipped with logic and sensor for initiating the different operations.