Non-contact charging system

• US 10,479,208 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US15/920,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20180264961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• 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 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A non-contact charging system includes: a power receiving unit mounted on a transportation device; a power transmission unit, installed on a flat surface, configured to transmit power to the power receiving unit in a non-contact manner; and a power supply unit configured to control power supply to the power transmission unit, the power supply unit including an operation portion configured to temporarily stop or resume non-contact power transmission from the power transmission unit to the power receiving unit.

Claims

1. A non-contact charging system comprising:

a power receiving unit mounted on a transportation device;

a power transmission unit, installed on a flat surface, configured to transmit power to the power receiving unit in a non-contact manner;

a power supply unit configured to control power supply to the power transmission unit, the power supply unit including an operation portion configured to temporarily stop or resume non-contact power transmission from the power transmission unit to the power receiving unit;

a warning unit configured to issue a warning when the non-contact power transmission is temporarily stopped in response to operation made to the operation portion; and

a notification unit configured to send an electronic notification to a predetermined destination corresponding to an owner of the transportation device,

wherein when a predetermined time elapses in a state where the non-contact power transmission is not resumed after the non-contact power transmission is temporarily stopped in response to operation made to the operation unit, the warning unit stops issuing the warning, and the notification unit sends an electronic notification to the predetermined destination indicating that the non-contact power transmission is temporarily stopped due to operation made to the operation portion, and

wherein when the non-contact power transmission is resumed due to operation made to the operation portion, the notification unit sends an electronic notification to the predetermined destination indicating that the non-contact power transmission is resumed due to operation made to the operation portion.

2. The non-contact charging system according to claim 1, further comprising

an informing unit configured to inform visually about information indicating that the non-contact power transmission is in progress while the power transmission unit is performing the non-contact power transmission.

3. The non-contact charging system according to claim 1, further comprising

an informing unit configured to inform audibly about information indicating that the non-contact power transmission is in progress while the power transmission unit is performing the non-contact power transmission.

4. The non-contact charging system according to claim 2, wherein

the informing unit is provided in the power transmission unit.