Coil alignment method in wireless power transfer system and apparatus using the same

• US 10,351,008 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.), Konkuk University Industrial Cooperation Corp
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Seong, Jae Yong, Pengfei, Kong, Kang, Won Shil, Ku, Hyun Chul, Lim, Jong Gyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun C
• Application Number:
  US15/612,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20170361724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• 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: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• 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 coil alignment method performed in a vehicle-side coil alignment apparatus coupled to a vehicle assembly (VA) controller includes: moving a light-blocking unit protruding from a vehicle parked in a wireless charging area in a first direction toward the ground facing one side of a vehicle-side wireless power transfer pad which is mounted on the vehicle and includes a VA coil, where the light-blocking unit protrudes from the one side of the vehicle-side wireless power transfer pad; stopping movement of the light-blocking unit in response to a first stop signal from a ground assembly (GA) controller; moving the light-blocking unit in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and stopping movement of the light-blocking unit in response to a second stop signal from the GA controller.

Claims

1. A coil alignment method performed in a vehicle-side coil alignment apparatus coupled to a vehicle assembly (VA) controller, the coil alignment method comprising:

moving a light-blocking unit protruding from a vehicle parked in a wireless charging area in a first direction toward the ground facing one side of a vehicle-side wireless power transfer pad which is mounted on the vehicle and includes a VA coil, wherein the light-blocking unit protrudes from the one side of the vehicle-side wireless power transfer pad;

stopping movement of the light-blocking unit in response to a first stop signal from a ground assembly (GA) controller;

moving the light-blocking unit in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

stopping movement of the light-blocking unit in response to a second stop signal from the GA controller,

wherein, before the moving of the light-blocking unit in the first direction, a ground-side coil alignment apparatus coupled to the GA controller adjusts a direction of a beam irradiated by a first laser coupled to a GA coil to the first direction.

2. The coil alignment method according to claim 1, wherein the light-blocking unit is moved in the first direction according to a first signal from the GA controller, and the first signal is generated when the vehicle enters the wireless charging area.

3. The coil alignment method according to claim 1, wherein the light-blocking unit is moved in the second direction according to a second signal from the GA controller, and the second signal includes a signal indicating the second direction as being perpendicular to the right in the first direction or a direction perpendicular to the left in the first direction.

4. The coil alignment method according to claim 3, wherein the first stop signal and the second signal are transmitted simultaneously from the GA controller to the vehicle-side coil alignment apparatus.

5. The coil alignment method according to claim 1, further comprising:

before moving the light-blocking unit in the first direction, switching the light-blocking unit from an inserted state to a protruded state or from a folded state to an unfolded state.

6. The coil alignment method according to claim 1, wherein the light-blocking unit is movably installed on the vehicle-side wireless power transfer pad, and the vehicle-side wireless power transfer pad is moved in a three-dimensional space by an actuating shaft or an actuating arm connected to an actuator fixed to the vehicle.