Contactless power supply device

• US 10,144,300 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Asai, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI H
• Application Number:
  US14/783,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20160082847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 307 109, 307104
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2410/115 Electric wiring; Electric connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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 power receiving portion is installed in a middle in a vehicle width direction at a front portion on a lower surface of a floor panel close to steered front wheels. Therefore, the power receiving portion can be accurately aligned with a power supply portion on the road surface side so as to face each other with a sense of steering in such a manner as to align the center of a vehicle with the power supply portion when the vehicle advances to a predetermined stop position in a parking space. Moreover, a high-current system wire harness for transmitting electric power from a battery located on the lower surface of the floor panel to a motor unit in a front compartment passes above the power receiving portion so as to improve the safety of the wire harness.

Claims

1. A contactless power supply device comprising:

a power receiving portion placed in a middle in a vehicle width direction at a front portion on a lower surface of a floor panel of a vehicle and installed in a position proximate to front wheels of the vehicle, the front wheels being configured for steering the vehicle;

a power supply portion located in a parking space to supply electric power to the vehicle without contact through magnetic connection between the power supply portion and the power receiving portion;

a battery installed on a surface of the floor panel;

a wire harness for transmitting electric power from the battery to a motor unit placed in a front compartment of the vehicle, the wire harness passing above the power receiving portion and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction;

a tunnel portion in a middle of the floor panel in the vehicle width direction, the tunnel portion protruding toward an interior room and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction; and

a plurality of reinforcements having a closed cross-section extending in the vehicle front-rear direction on each side of the tunnel portion,

wherein;

the wire harness is arranged along an inside of the tunnel portion; and

the power receiving portion is elongated across a lower open portion of the tunnel portion and the plurality of reinforcements, and the power receiving portion is directly connected to the plurality of reinforcements.

2. The contactless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the power receiving portion comprises a power receiving coil including an electrically conductive wire.

3. The contactless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the power receiving portion comprises:

a protection casing;

a lid; and

a coil body provided between the protection casing and the lid, the coil body configured to receive electric power.

4. The contactless power supply device according to claim 3, wherein:

the protection casing is formed of a nonmagnetic metal; and

the lid is formed of a synthetic resin material.

5. The contactless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein:

the lower open portion of the tunnel portion has a first width extending in the vehicle width direction;

the power receiving portion has a second width extending in the vehicle width direction; and

the first width is less than the second width.

6. The contactless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is directly connected to the plurality of reinforcements.