Mobile vehicle and wireless power transfer system

• US 10,644,544 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanno, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarry, Jr., Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/669,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20180115196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/44 Industrial trucks or floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/10 Vehicle control parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/64 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/42 by adaptive correction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/38 for collecting current from conductor rails B60L5/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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 mobile vehicle wirelessly receives AC power from a power transmission device including first and second power transmission electrodes arranged along a road surface. The mobile vehicle includes: a sensor that detects an obstacle located at least either on a route of the mobile vehicle or under the mobile vehicle; a first power reception electrode that forms electric field coupling with the first power transmission electrode when facing the first power transmission electrode; a second power reception electrode that forms electric field coupling with the second power transmission electrode when facing the second power transmission electrode; an actuator that moves at least the part of the first power reception electrode in a direction of gravity; and a control circuit that controls the actuator based on a result of detection by the sensor to avoid contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle.

Claims

1. A mobile vehicle, comprising:

a sensor that detects an obstacle located at least on a route of the mobile vehicle or under the mobile vehicle;

a first power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a first power transmission electrode of a power transmission device when the first power reception electrode faces the first power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the first power transmission electrode, the first power transmission electrode having a flat surface extending along a road surface;

a second power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a second power transmission electrode of the power transmission device when the second power reception electrode faces the second power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the second power transmission electrode, the second power transmission electrode being arranged away from the first power transmission electrode in a direction along the road surface and having a flat surface extending along the road surface;

an actuator that moves at least a part of the first power reception electrode in a direction of gravity; and

a control circuit that controls the actuator, based on a result of detection by the sensor, to avoid contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle, wherein

the sensor detects the obstacle located on the route of the mobile vehicle when the mobile vehicle is moving along the road surface,

when the control circuit determines that the first power reception electrode will come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set a distance between the road surface and at least part of the first power reception electrode greater than a height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding the contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle, and

when the control circuit determines that the first power reception electrode will come into contact with the obstacle and the second power reception electrode will not come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set the distance between the road surface and at least the part of the first power reception electrode greater than the height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding the contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle, while maintaining a position of the second power reception electrode.

2. The mobile vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first power reception electrode includes a plurality of first power reception electrodes,

the actuator moves at least the part of each of the first power reception electrodes in the direction of gravity, and

the control circuit controls the actuator based on the result of detection by the sensor to avoid contact between each of the first power reception electrodes and the obstacle.

3. The mobile vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the actuator moves at least a part of the second power reception electrode in the direction of gravity, and

the control circuit controls the actuator based on the result of detection by the sensor to avoid contact between the second power reception electrode and the obstacle.

4. The mobile vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the second power reception electrode includes a plurality of second power reception electrodes,

the actuator moves at least the part of each of the second power reception electrodes in the direction of gravity, and

the control circuit controls the actuator based on the result of detection by the sensor to avoid contact between each of the second power reception electrodes and the obstacle.

5. The mobile vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit controls a distance g1 between the first power reception electrode and the first power transmission electrode within a range of 0<

g1<

25 mm.

6. The mobile vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when the control circuit determines that the first power reception electrode will not come into contact with the obstacle, the control circuit sets a distance between the first power reception electrode and the first power transmission electrode to a base distance g0, and

when the control circuit determines that the first power reception electrode will come into contact with the obstacle, the control circuit sets a distance g1 between the first power reception electrode and the first power transmission electrode greater than a height of the obstacle and smaller than 1.45 g0.

7. A wireless power transfer system comprising;

the power transmission device; and

the mobile vehicle according to claim 1.

8. A mobile vehicle, comprising:

a sensor that detects an obstacle located at least on a route of the mobile vehicle or under the mobile vehicle;

a first power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a first power transmission electrode of a power transmission device when the first power reception electrode faces the first power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the first power transmission electrode, the first power transmission electrode having a flat surface extending along a road surface;

a second power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a second power transmission electrode of the power transmission device when the second power reception electrode faces the second power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the second power transmission electrode, the second power transmission electrode being arranged away from the first power transmission electrode in a direction along the road surface and having a flat surface extending along the road surface;

an actuator that moves at least a part of the first power reception electrode in a direction of gravity; and

a control circuit that controls the actuator, based on a result of detection by the sensor, to avoid contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle, wherein

the sensor detects the obstacle located on the route of the mobile vehicle when the mobile vehicle is moving along the road surface,

when the control circuit determines that the first power reception electrode will come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set a distance between the road surface and at least part of the first power reception electrode greater than a height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding the contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle,

the first power reception electrode includes two first power reception electrodes aligned in a moving direction of the mobile vehicle,

the actuator moves each of the two first power reception electrodes in the direction of gravity, and

when the control circuit determines that one of the two first power reception electrodes on a front side will come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set the distance between the road surface and the one of the two first power reception electrodes greater than the height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding contact between the one of the two first power reception electrodes and the obstacle, while maintaining a position of a second of the two first power reception electrodes.

9. A mobile vehicle, comprising:

a sensor that detects an obstacle located at least on a route of the mobile vehicle or under the mobile vehicle;

a first power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a first power transmission electrode of a power transmission device when the first power reception electrode faces the first power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the first power transmission electrode, the first power transmission electrode having a flat surface extending along a road surface;

a second power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a second power transmission electrode of the power transmission device when the second power reception electrode faces the second power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the second power transmission electrode, the second power transmission electrode being arranged away from the first power transmission electrode in a direction along the road surface and having a flat surface extending along the road surface;

an actuator that moves at least a part of the first power reception electrode in a direction of gravity; and

a control circuit that controls the actuator, based on a result of detection by the sensor, to avoid contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle, wherein

the sensor detects the obstacle located on the route of the mobile vehicle when the mobile vehicle is moving along the road surface,

when the control circuit determines that the first power reception electrode will come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set a distance between the road surface and at least part of the first power reception electrode greater than a height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding the contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle,

the second power reception electrode includes two second power reception electrodes aligned in a moving direction of the mobile vehicle,

the actuator moves each of the two second power reception electrodes in the direction of gravity, and

when the control circuit determines that one of the two second power reception electrodes on a front side will come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set a distance between the road surface and the one of the two second power reception electrodes greater than the height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding contact between the one of the two second power reception electrodes and the obstacle, while maintaining a position of a second of the two second power reception electrodes.

10. A mobile vehicle, comprising:

a sensor that detects an obstacle located at least on a route of the mobile vehicle or under the mobile vehicle;

a first power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a first power transmission electrode of a power transmission device when the first power reception electrode faces the first power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the first power transmission electrode, the first power transmission electrode having a flat surface extending along a road surface;

a second power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a second power transmission electrode of the power transmission device when the second power reception electrode faces the second power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the second power transmission electrode, the second power transmission electrode being arranged away from the first power transmission electrode in a direction along the road surface and having a flat surface extending along the road surface;

an actuator that moves at least a part of the first power reception electrode in a direction of gravity; and

a control circuit that controls the actuator, based on a result of detection by the sensor, to avoid contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle, wherein

the sensor detects the obstacle located on the route of the mobile vehicle when the mobile vehicle is moving along the road surface,

when the control circuit determines that the first power reception electrode will come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set a distance between the road surface and at least part of the first power reception electrode greater than a height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding the contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle,

the first power reception electrode includes two first power reception electrodes aligned in a direction perpendicular to both of a moving direction of the mobile vehicle and the direction of the gravity,

the actuator moves each of the two first power reception electrodes in the direction of gravity, and

when the control circuit determines that one of the two first power reception electrodes will come into contact with the obstacle and a second of the two first power reception electrode will not come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set a distance between the road surface and the one of the two first power reception electrodes greater than the height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding contact between the one of the two first power reception electrodes and the obstacle, while maintaining a position of the second of the two first power reception electrodes.

11. The mobile vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the second power reception electrode includes two second power reception electrodes aligned in the direction perpendicular to both of the moving direction of the mobile vehicle and the direction of gravity,

the actuator moves each of the two second power reception electrodes in the direction of gravity, and

when the control circuit determines that one of the two second power reception electrodes will come into contact with the obstacle and a second of the two second power reception electrode will not come into contact with the obstacle while the mobile vehicle is moving, the control circuit controls the actuator to set a distance between the road surface and the one of the two second power reception electrodes greater than the height of the obstacle, thereby avoiding the contact between the one of the two second power reception electrodes and the obstacle, while maintaining a position of the second of the two second power reception electrodes.

12. A mobile vehicle, comprising:

a sensor that detects an obstacle located at least on a route of the mobile vehicle or under the mobile vehicle;

a first power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a first power transmission electrode of a power transmission device when the first power reception electrode faces the first power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the first power transmission electrode, the first power transmission electrode having a flat surface extending along a road surface;

a second power reception electrode that forms an electric field by coupling with a second power transmission electrode of the power transmission device when the second power reception electrode faces the second power transmission electrode, thereby wirelessly receiving alternating current power from the second power transmission electrode, the second power transmission electrode being arranged away from the first power transmission electrode in a direction along the road surface and having a flat surface extending along the road surface;

an actuator that moves at least a part of the first power reception electrode in a direction of gravity; and

a control circuit that controls the actuator, based on a result of detection by the sensor, to avoid contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle, wherein

the sensor detects the obstacle located under the mobile vehicle,

in an operation of moving the mobile vehicle in order for the first power reception electrode and the second power reception electrode to face the first power transmission electrode and the second power reception electrode, respectively, the control circuit causes the mobile vehicle to move with a distance between the road surface and each of the first power reception electrode and the second power reception electrode set greater than a preset base distance in power transfer until the first power reception electrode and the second power reception electrode face the first power transmission electrode and the second power reception electrode, respectively,

when the sensor does not detect the obstacle, the control circuit controls the actuator to set a distance between the road surface and each of the first power transmission electrode and the second power transmission electrode to the preset base distance, and

when the sensor detects the obstacle located between the first power transmission electrode and the first power reception electrode, the control circuit controls the actuator to set the distance between the road surface and the second power reception electrode to the preset base distance and to set the distance between the road surface and the first power reception electrode greater than the preset base distance and the height of the obstacle to avoid the contact between the first power reception electrode and the obstacle.