Patent ID: 7986125

Claim:
A charging method in a feeder-lineless traffic system in which an electrically powered vehicle with an electric storage unit, runs on a predetermined pathway and wherein the electric storage unit in the vehicle is charged from an external power source by way of a charger set on a predetermined location on a ground, the method comprising: contacting a planar contactor which is secured to a roof of the vehicle, which extends upright in a vehicle advancing direction, and which has a predetermined thickness, with a power feeder connected to a ground charging equipment, the power feeder comprising a pair of feeding shoes which is supported through a link mechanism so as to be movable into and out of contact with the contactor in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vehicle advancing direction, converting an electric power from the power source using the charger and a charge control unit of the charger, into DC power, the charge control unit controlling a current value of the DC power to be supplied to the electric storage unit, and starting charging of the electric storage unit when the charge control unit detects contact between the power feeder and the power receiver in view of a variation in load impedance and a ground supported position sensor detects a stopping of the vehicle or when the charge control unit detects the contact between the power feeder and the power receiver in view of the variation in the load impedance and the contact continuing for a predetermined time is detected.