Methods and apparatus for tuning and controlling double couple inductive power transfer systems
First Claim
1. An apparatus for transmitting charging power wirelessly to a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a first coupler having a first reactance at an operating frequency and configured to wirelessly receive power from a backbone power source, the first coupler wound on a ferromagnetic core;
a first capacitor having a second reactance at the operating frequency and electrically connected in series with the first coupler, the second reactance having a magnitude equal to a magnitude of the first reactance;
a second capacitor electrically connected in parallel across the first coupler and the first capacitor;
a first base coupler configured to wirelessly transfer power to a vehicle pad, the first base coupler configured to be electrically connected in parallel across the second capacitor via a first switch;
a second coupler wound on the same ferromagnetic core and inductively coupled to the backbone power source, wherein the first and second couplers are coupled via magnetic flux passing through the ferromagnetic core; and
a shunt switch electrically connected to the second coupler and configured to short circuit the second coupler when the shunt switch is closed; and
a plurality of base couplers including the first base coupler and a plurality of switches including the first switch, each of the plurality of base couplers configured to be electrically connected in parallel across the second capacitor via a corresponding switch of the plurality of switches, wherein a switch controller is configured to close the corresponding one of the plurality of switches and open the shunt switch to energize a selected one of the plurality of base couplers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for transmitting charging power wirelessly to a vehicle is provided. The apparatus comprises a first coupler having a first reactance at an operating frequency and configured to wirelessly receive power from a power source, the first coupler wound on a ferromagnetic core. The apparatus comprises a first capacitor having a second reactance at the operating frequency and electrically connected in series with the first coupler, the second reactance having a magnitude equal to a magnitude of the first reactance. The apparatus comprises a second capacitor electrically connected in parallel across the first coupler and the first capacitor. The apparatus comprises a first base coupler configured to be electrically connected in parallel across the second capacitor via a first switch. A magnitude of a peak voltage across the second capacitor is proportional to a magnitude of a peak voltage induced in the first coupler at the operating frequency.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for transmitting charging power wirelessly to a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a first coupler having a first reactance at an operating frequency and configured to wirelessly receive power from a backbone power source, the first coupler wound on a ferromagnetic core; a first capacitor having a second reactance at the operating frequency and electrically connected in series with the first coupler, the second reactance having a magnitude equal to a magnitude of the first reactance; a second capacitor electrically connected in parallel across the first coupler and the first capacitor; a first base coupler configured to wirelessly transfer power to a vehicle pad, the first base coupler configured to be electrically connected in parallel across the second capacitor via a first switch; a second coupler wound on the same ferromagnetic core and inductively coupled to the backbone power source, wherein the first and second couplers are coupled via magnetic flux passing through the ferromagnetic core; and a shunt switch electrically connected to the second coupler and configured to short circuit the second coupler when the shunt switch is closed; and a plurality of base couplers including the first base coupler and a plurality of switches including the first switch, each of the plurality of base couplers configured to be electrically connected in parallel across the second capacitor via a corresponding switch of the plurality of switches, wherein a switch controller is configured to close the corresponding one of the plurality of switches and open the shunt switch to energize a selected one of the plurality of base couplers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for transmitting charging power wirelessly to a vehicle, the method comprising:
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selecting a first reactance of a first coupler to have a magnitude equal to a magnitude of a second reactance of a first capacitor at an operating frequency, the first coupler wound on a ferromagnetic core and electrically connected in series with the first capacitor; receiving power wirelessly from a backbone power source utilizing the first coupler; selectively electrically connecting a first base coupler configured to wirelessly transfer power to a vehicle pad in parallel across a second capacitor electrically connected in parallel across the first coupler and the first capacitor utilizing a first switch; providing the power to the first base coupler; receiving power wirelessly from the backbone power source inductively coupled to a second coupler wound on the same ferromagnetic core, wherein the first and second couplers are coupled via magnetic flux passing through the ferromagnetic core; short circuiting the second coupler by closing a shunt switch connected to the second coupler; selectively electrically connecting at least one of a plurality of base couplers including the first base coupler in parallel across the second capacitor utilizing a corresponding at least one of a plurality of switches including the first switch; and energizing a selected one of the plurality of base couplers by closing the corresponding one of the plurality of switches and then opening the shunt switch. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to:
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select a first reactance of a first coupler to have a magnitude equal to a magnitude of a second reactance of a first capacitor at the operating frequency, the first coupler wound on a ferromagnetic core and electrically connected in series with the first capacitor; receive power wirelessly from a backbone power source utilizing the first coupler; selectively electrically connect a first base coupler configured to wireless transfer power to a vehicle pad in parallel across a second capacitor electrically connected in parallel across the first coupler and the first capacitor utilizing a first switch; provide the power to the first base coupler; receive power wirelessly from the backbone power source inductively coupled to a second coupler wound on the same ferromagnetic core, wherein the first and second couplers are coupled via magnetic flux passing through the ferromagnetic core; and short circuit the second coupler by closing a shunt switch connected to the second coupler; selectively electrically connect at least one of a plurality of base couplers including the first base coupler in parallel across the second capacitor utilizing a corresponding at least one of a plurality of switches including the first switch; and close the corresponding one of the plurality of switches and open the shunt switch to energize a selected one of the plurality of base couplers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for transmitting charging power wirelessly to a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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means for directing magnetic flux; first means for wirelessly receiving power from a backbone power source, the first means for wirelessly receiving power having a first reactance at an operating frequency and wound on the means for directing magnetic flux; first means for storing electric charge having a second reactance at the operating frequency and electrically connected with the means for wirelessly receiving power, the second reactance having a magnitude equal to a magnitude of the first reactance; second means for storing electric charge electrically connected with the means for wirelessly receiving power and the first means for storing electric charge; first means for wirelessly transmitting power to a vehicle pad electrically connected with the second means for storing electric charge via a first switch; second means for wirelessly receiving power from the backbone power source inductively coupled to the power source, the second means for wirelessly receiving power wound on the same means for directing magnetic flux, wherein the first and second means for wirelessly receiving power are coupled via the magnetic flux passing through the means for directing magnetic flux; means for short circuiting the second means for wirelessly receiving power, the means for short circuiting connected to the second means for wirelessly receiving power; and means for selectively electrically connecting at least one of a plurality of means for wirelessly transmitting power, including the first means for wirelessly transmitting power, in parallel across the second capacitor utilizing a corresponding at least one of a plurality of switches including the first switch; and energizing a selected one of the plurality of means for wirelessly transmitting by closing the corresponding one of the plurality of switches and then opening the means for short circuiting the second means for wirelessly receiving power. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification