Abstract: During travel of the electric vehicle, the charging arm is extended in the vehicle width direction, a positive electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a positive electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact at the same time that a negative electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a negative electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact, and a power storage device for driving the electric vehicle is charged. A charging head that is the tip section of the charging arm is held within a V-shaped groove to which the positive electrode overhead line and the negative electrode overhead line are attached, thereby minimizing the loss of contact even if the charging arm shakes in the vertical direction as a result of the condition of the road surface, brake operation, or the like.

Abstract: A battery device is provided with cooling bodies for contacting the outer surfaces of a plurality of battery cells arranged inside a battery case, and spacers provided adjacent to the cooling bodies. The cooling bodies absorb or are impregnated with a cooling fluid inside the battery case. Cooling medium vapor flow channels in which cooling medium vapor circulates are formed on the surfaces of the spacers facing the cooling bodies, the cooling medium vapor being generated by the evaporation of the cooling fluid of the cooling bodies.

Abstract: Provided is an electric vehicle in which the state of contact between an electric connection arm and an external power line can be stabilized during traveling of the electric vehicle. In the electric vehicle, when the free end of an electric connection arm contacts an external power line during traveling of the electric vehicle, a posture control device controls the posture of the vehicle body so that the rotation angle of the electric connection arm approaches a target rotation angle or a target rotation angle range.

Abstract: During travel of the electric vehicle, the charging arm is extended in the vehicle width direction, a positive electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a positive electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact at the same time that a negative electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a negative electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact, and a power storage device for driving the electric vehicle is charged. A charging head that is the tip section of the charging arm is held within a V-shaped groove to which the positive electrode overhead line and the negative electrode overhead line are attached, thereby minimizing the loss of contact even if the charging arm shakes in the vertical direction as a result of the condition of the road surface, brake operation, or the like.

Abstract: During travel of the electric vehicle, the charging arm is extended in the vehicle width direction, a positive electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a positive electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact at the same time that a negative electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a negative electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact, and a power storage device for driving the electric vehicle is charged. A charging head that is the tip section of the charging arm is held within a V-shaped groove to which the positive electrode overhead line and the negative electrode overhead line are attached, thereby minimizing the loss of contact even if the charging arm shakes in the vertical direction as a result of the condition of the road surface, brake operation, or the like.

Abstract: During travel of the electric vehicle, the charging arm is extended in the vehicle width direction, a positive electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a positive electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact at the same time that a negative electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a negative electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact, and a power storage device for driving the electric vehicle is charged. A charging head that is the tip section of the charging arm is held within a V-shaped groove to which the positive electrode overhead line and the negative electrode overhead line are attached, thereby minimizing the loss of contact even if the charging arm shakes in the vertical direction as a result of the condition of the road surface, brake operation, or the like.

Abstract: Provided are an external power supply apparatus and a vehicle power supply method, whereby a power reception circuit of an electric vehicle can be projected or a configuration of the electric vehicle can be simplified. An external power supply apparatus is provided with: a power supply unit, which is provided along a traveling path, and which supplies power to a power reception unit of an electric vehicle while the vehicle is traveling; and a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage to the power supply unit. The power supply unit includes a plurality of divided power supply units that are divided along the traveling path. The voltage applying unit applies the voltage such that the voltage to be applied to the divided power supply units becomes higher in the traveling direction of the electric vehicle.

Abstract: Provided are an electric vehicle and a vehicle power feeding method capable of charging, at an ultra-high speed, an electricity storage device of the electric vehicle that travels on a trackless road. A control device of the electric vehicle executes a first charging control for controlling a voltage converter to limit the input current from a power feeding portion to an electricity storage device or the variation of the input current per unit time and allowing the voltage converter to charge the electricity storage device; and a second charging control for, for example, slopping the transforming operation of the voltage converter and allowing the voltage converter to charge the electricity storage device. Both charging controls are executed while moving the contact point between an electrical connection portion and the power feeding portion, and the execution time of the second charging control is longer than that of the first charging control.

Abstract: During travel of the electric vehicle, the charging arm is extended in the vehicle width direction, a positive electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a positive electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact at the same time that a negative electrode overhead line of the power supply device and a negative electrode power reception unit of the charging arm are brought into contact, and a power storage device for driving the electric vehicle is charged. A charging head that is the tip section of the charging arm is held within a V-shaped groove to which the positive electrode overhead line and the negative electrode overhead line are attached, thereby minimizing the loss of contact even if the charging arm shakes in the vertical direction as a result of the condition of the road surface, brake operation, or the like.

Abstract: Provided are a contact charging system, a power feeding device, a power receiving device, and a contact charging method that prevent damage to a power feeding terminal and a power receiving terminal, even when the charging power is high power. When charging a high-voltage battery, a power feeding-side motor or a power receiving-side motor is rotated in a state with a power feeding terminal and a power receiving terminal pressed against each other, and power is thereby transmitted from one of the power feeding terminal and the power receiving terminal to the other. In a state with both the power feeding terminal and the power receiving terminal rotated in this manner, electric power is supplied from the power feeding terminal to the power receiving terminal.

Abstract: A power feeding device which constitutes a contact power feeding system is provided with a pair of insulator parts which support respective suspended wires, and a bracket which includes a pair of holding plates to which the respective insulator parts are secured. The bracket is formed such that a contact surface of one suspended wire with respect to a charging arm is directed obliquely upward to a traveling road side and a contact surface of the other suspended wire with respect to the charging arm is directed obliquely downward to the traveling road side.

Abstract: In steering members of a steering device, a shift-up switch and a shift-down switch for upshifting or downshifting with respect to a transmission are provided to respective inner sides in a vehicle width direction of truncated square pyramidal parts at upper end portions of grip parts. On-off switches for switching between a plurality of vehicle behavior controls are provided to respective front sides of the truncated square pyramidal parts. A characteristic amount addition switch and a characteristic amount subtraction switch respectively for increase and decrease a characteristic amount of a vehicle behavior control are disposed respectively at bottoms of concave portions formed on rear sides or outer sides in the vehicle width direction on the truncated square pyramidal parts.

Abstract: This electrically driven vehicle is configured so that a first liquid cooling medium having a relatively high specific gravity and a second liquid cooling medium having a relatively low specific gravity exchange heat in a heat exchanger disposed closer to the rear of the vehicle than a radiator disposed at the front of the vehicle. As a result, the second liquid cooling medium having a relatively low specific gravity flows between the radiator and the heat exchanger, and consequently, an increase in the weight of a cooling mechanism for a battery can be minimized.

Abstract: A battery device is provided with cooling bodies for contacting the outer surfaces of a plurality of battery cells arranged inside a battery case, and spacers provided adjacent to the cooling bodies. The cooling bodies absorb or are impregnated with a cooling fluid inside the battery case. Cooling medium vapor flow channels in which cooling medium vapor circulates are formed on the surfaces of the spacers facing the cooling bodies, the cooling medium vapor being generated by the evaporation of the cooling fluid of the cooling bodies.

Abstract: An electric vehicle charges an electricity storage device by allowing the power receiving portions of a charging arm to make contact with an aerial wire. In the electric vehicle, the charging arm is equipped with an arm portion that is expanded from a side portion of the electric vehicle toward the outside of the vehicle width by rotationally moving about a rotationally moving shaft. The power receiving portions are provided on a charging head positioned at the top of the arm portion. The charging head is set so as to face the aerial wire in such a direction that the longitudinal direction of the charging head becomes orthogonal to the aerial wire when the arm portion is expanded to a predetermined rotational movement angle. The arm portion is expanded up to a first rotational movement angle larger than the predetermined rotational movement angle.

Abstract: A power feeding device which constitutes a contact power feeding system is provided with a pair of insulator parts which support respective suspended wires, and a bracket which includes a pair of holding plates to which the respective insulator parts are secured. The bracket is formed such that a contact surface of one suspended wire with respect to a charging arm is directed obliquely upward to a traveling road side and a contact surface of the other suspended wire with respect to the charging arm is directed obliquely downward to the traveling road side.

Abstract: Provided is an electric vehicle in which the state of contact between an electric connection arm and an external power line can be stabilized during traveling of the electric vehicle. In the electric vehicle, when the free end of an electric connection arm contacts an external power line during traveling of the electric vehicle, a posture control device controls the posture of the vehicle body so that the rotation angle of the electric connection arm approaches a target rotation angle or a target rotation angle range.

Abstract: This electrically drivers vehicle is configured so that a first liquid cooling medium having a relatively high specific gravity and a second liquid cooling medium having a relatively low specific gravity exchange heat in a heat exchanger disposed closer to the rear of the vehicle than a radiator disposed at the front of the vehicle. As a result, the second liquid cooling medium having a relatively low specific gravity flows between the radiator and the heat exchanger, and consequently, an increase in the weight of a cooling mechanism for a battery can be minimized.

Abstract: Provided are an electric vehicle and a vehicle power feeding method capable of charging, at an ultra-high speed, an electricity storage device of the electric vehicle that travels on a trackless road. A control device of the electric vehicle executes a first charging control for controlling a voltage converter to limit the input current from a power feeding portion to an electricity storage device or the variation of the input current per unit time and allowing the voltage converter to charge the electricity storage device; and a second charging control for, for example, slopping the transforming operation of the voltage converter and allowing the voltage converter to charge the electricity storage device. Both charging controls are executed while moving the contact point between an electrical connection portion and the power feeding portion, and the execution time of the second charging control is longer than that of die first charging control.

Abstract: Provided are an external power supply apparatus and a vehicle power supply method, whereby a power reception circuit of an electric vehicle can be projected or a configuration of the electric vehicle can be simplified. An external power supply apparatus is provided with a power supply unit, which is provided along a traveling path, and which supplies power to a power reception unit of an electric vehicle while the vehicle is traveling; and a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage to the power supply unit. The power supply unit includes a plurality of divided power supply units that are divided along the traveling path. The voltage applying unit applies the voltage such that the voltage to be applied to the divided power supply units becomes higher in the traveling direction of the electric vehicle.