EV wireless charging adjustable flux angle charger

• US 10,086,715 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.), Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Lewis, Allan, Javaid, Bilal, Robb, John, Naserian, Mohammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/091,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 29/02 with tappings on coil or winding; with provision for rearrangement or interconnection of windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A method includes detecting that a wireless charging-capable vehicle is in a charging position proximate a primary coil of a wireless charging system that is operable to wirelessly charge the vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle. The primary coil includes a top coil and a bottom coil that are substantially parallel to one another, the top coil and the bottom coil coupled to one another via a plurality of cross-coil junction units each including a switching element that routes electric current through at least a portion of one or more of the top coil and the bottom coil. The method further includes setting the switching elements such that current flowing through the primary coil produces an optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil with respect to a position of the secondary coil, and causing electric current to flow through the primary coil according to the set switching elements to wirelessly charge the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting that a wireless charging-capable vehicle is in a charging position proximate a primary coil of a wireless charging system that is operable to wirelessly charge the vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle,

wherein the primary coil includes a top coil and a bottom coil that are substantially parallel to one another, the top coil and the bottom coil coupled to one another via a plurality of cross-coil junction units each including a switching element that routes electric current through at least a portion of one or more of the top coil and the bottom coil;

setting the switching elements such that current flowing through the primary coil produces an optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil with respect to a position of the secondary coil; and

causing electric current to flow through the primary coil according to the set switching elements to wirelessly charge the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

cycling through a plurality of current flow configurations in the primary coil by adjusting states of the switching elements;

determining which current flow configuration of the plurality of current flow configurations produces the optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle; and

setting the switching elements according to the determined current flow configuration.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving charging efficiency data from the vehicle during the cycling through of the plurality of current flow configurations; and

determining which current flow configuration of the plurality of current flow configurations produces the optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle based on the charging efficiency data.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

causing low-power electric current to flow through the primary coil during the cycling through of the plurality of current flow configurations; and

causing full-power electric current to flow through the primary coil after the setting of the switching elements according to the determined current flow configuration to wirelessly charge the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein each current flow configuration of the plurality of current flow configurations produces a unique angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle is an angle offset from a vertical axis extending upwardly from the primary coil when the vehicle is positioned such that the secondary coil is misaligned with the primary coil.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the current flowing through the primary coil produces an angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle that is proportional to a ratio of z/R, where z is a vertical distance between the top coil and the bottom coil, and R is an average coil radius of the primary coil.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cross-coil junction units are disposed between the top coil and the bottom coil.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one end of each cross-coil junction unit is connected to the top coil, and another end of each cross-coil junction unit is connected to the bottom coil.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cross-coil junction units are disposed along one line traversing a diameter of the top coil and the bottom coil.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cross-coil junction units are disposed along multiple lines traversing a diameter of the top coil and the bottom coil.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each line of cross-coil junction units is angularly offset from an adjacent line of cross-coil junction units by 45 degrees.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein two cross-coil junction units are disposed in the primary coil for every full turn of the top coil or the bottom coil.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

controlling the switching element of a first cross-coil junction unit of the two cross-coil junction units using a first control signal; and

controlling the switching element of a second cross-coil junction unit of the two cross-coil junction units using a second control signal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric current flows through the top coil only when the switching elements are in a default state, thus producing an angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle that is parallel to a vertical axis extending upwardly from the primary coil.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the primary coil further includes a first intermediate coil and a second intermediate coil that are disposed between the top coil and the bottom coil and substantially parallel to the top coil and the bottom coil, and

the switching elements included in the plurality of cross-coil junction units route electric current through at least a portion of one or more of the top coil, the bottom coil, the first intermediate coil, and the second intermediate coil.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein each switching element includes a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein each switching element includes dual relays.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein each switching element includes a group of four metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).

20. A wireless charging system comprising:

a primary coil that is operable to wirelessly charge a wireless charging-capable vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle, the primary coil including a top coil and a bottom coil that are substantially parallel to one another, the top coil and the bottom coil coupled to one another via a plurality of cross-coil junction units each including a switching element that routes electric current through at least a portion of one or more of the top coil and the bottom coil;

a circuit that drives the primary coil and causes electric current to flow through the primary coil; and

a wireless charging controller configured to;

detect that the vehicle is in a charging position proximate the primary coil,

set the switching elements such that current flowing through the primary coil produces an optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil with respect to a position of the secondary coil, and

control the circuit such that electric current is caused to flow through the primary coil according to the set switching elements to wirelessly charge the vehicle.