Wireless power-supplying system

• US 10,476,314 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Original Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Inventors: Maekawa, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Houston, Adam D
• Application Number:
  US15/607,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20170264102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• 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: 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: 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 wireless power-supplying system includes a power-transmitting coil provided on the ground and a power-receiving coil provided above the power-transmitting coil and wirelessly supplies electric power from the power-transmitting coil to the power-receiving coil. The wireless power-supplying system further includes a flexible cover provided so as to cover the power-transmitting coil and configured to be inflated to occupy a space between the power-transmitting coil and the power-receiving coil. During the inflation of the flexible cover, the flexible cover assumes a specific shape capable of removing a foreign object laid thereon before occupying the space between the power-transmitting coil and the power-receiving coil.

Claims

1. A wireless power-supplying device comprising:

a power-transmitting coil which supplies electric power to a power-receiving coil by a wireless power supply;

a flexible cover provided so as to cover the power-transmitting coil and configured to be inflated to occupy a space between the power-transmitting coil and the

power-receiving coil, and

a gas-supplying member,

wherein during the inflation of the flexible cover, the flexible cover assumes a specific shape capable of removing a foreign object laid on the flexible cover before occupying the space between the power-transmitting coil and the power-receiving coil,

an internal space of the flexible cover is divided into a plurality of regions, and

when the electric power is supplied, the gas-supplying member sequentially supplies gas to the regions, starting from a part of the regions and switching at a time interval to a region adjacent to the part of the regions in a radial direction with respect to a direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the power-transmitting coil.

2. The wireless power-supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible cover has such a shape which slopes downward from an apex to a rim before the inflation of the flexible cover.

3. A flexible cover provided so as to cover a power-transmitting coil supplying electric power to a power-receiving coil by wireless power supply, and configured to be inflated to occupy a space between the power-transmitting coil and the power-receiving coil,

wherein during the inflation of the flexible cover, the flexible cover assumes a specific shape capable of removing a foreign object laid on the flexible cover before occupying the space between the power-transmitting coil and the power-receiving coil,

an internal space of the flexible cover is divided into a plurality of regions, and the flexible cover further comprises a gas-supplying member, and

when the electric power is supplied, the gas-supplying member sequentially supplies gas to the regions, starting from a part of the regions and switching at a time interval to a region adjacent to the part of the regions in a radial direction with respect to a direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the power-transmitting coil.

4. The flexible cover according to claim 3, wherein the flexible cover has such a shape which slopes downward from an apex to a rim before the inflation of the flexible cover.