Wireless power transfer to a tailgate through capacitive couplers

• US 10,363,820 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Malek, Hadi, Mathews, Jacob, Dadras, Sara
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Brandon S
• Application Number:
  US15/087,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 307 91- 108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/006 to power outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Systems to wirelessly power transfer to a tailgate are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a transmitting circuit in a body of the vehicle configured to transmit power via wireless capacitive transfer. The example vehicle also includes a receiving circuit in a tailgate of the vehicle configured to receive power via wireless capacitive transfer.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a transmitting circuit in a body of the vehicle configured to transmit power via wireless capacitive transfer;

a receiving circuit in a tailgate of the vehicle configured to receive power via wireless capacitive transfer;

a first set of plates electrically coupled to the transmitting circuit, the first set of plates disposed in a frame that receives the tailgate; and

a second set of plates electrically coupled to the receiving circuit, the second set of plates disposed in-side the tailgate, the second set of plates aligned to the first set of plates when the tailgate is closed.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transmitting circuit is electrically connected to a battery of the vehicle via a power bus.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tailgate includes:

a camera electrically coupled to the receiving circuit; and

a first wireless communication node electrically coupled to the receiving circuit and the camera, the first wireless communication node communicatively coupled to a data bus of the vehicle via a second wireless communication node.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the body comprises at least one first conductive plate and at least one second conductive plate, and wherein the tailgate includes at least one third conductive plate and at least one fourth conductive plate.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein, when the tailgate is in a first position with respect to the body, the at least one first conductive plate and the at least one third conductive plate are aligned.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein, when the tailgate is in a second different position with respect to the body, the at least one second conductive plate and the least one fourth conductive plate are aligned.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein, when the tailgate is in the second position, the at least one first conductive plate and the at least one third conductive plate are not aligned.

8. A vehicle comprising:

first conductive plates in a body of the vehicle;

second conductive plates in a tailgate of the vehicle, the second conductive plates aligning with the first conductive plates when the tailgate is closed;

a transmitting circuit in the body of the vehicle; and

a receiving circuit in the tailgate of the vehicle, the transmitting circuit to transfer power to the receiving circuit when the first and second conductive plates are aligned.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein when the tailgate is closed, the first conductive plates are not in contact with the second conductive plates.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, including:

a first wireless transceiver in the body of the vehicle; and

a second wireless transceiver in the tailgate of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the first and second wireless transceivers communicatively couple sensors in the tailgate to a data bus of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the first and second transceivers communicate using the BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY protocol.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the second wireless transceiver is electrically coupled to the receiving circuit, the second wireless transceiver to receive power from the receiving circuit.

14. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the first conductive plates are disposed within opposing sides of a frame of the body, the frame to accept the tailgate when the tailgate is closed.

15. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the second conductive plates are disposed within opposing sides to the tailgate.

16. The vehicle of claim 8, the tailgate including a camera electrically coupled to the receiving circuit, the camera to receive power from the receiving circuit.