CONTACT-LESS POWER SUPPLY, CONTACT-LESS CHARGER SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR CHARGING RECHARGEABLE BATTERY CELL

• US 20090033280A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LS Cable And System Limited (LS Cable)
• Original Assignee: LS Cable Limited (LS Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jung-Bum, Han, Sub, Park, Dong-Young, Kwon, Kwang-Hee, Choi, Sung-Uk, Moon, Sung-Wook
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection

Abstract

The present invention relates to a contact-less power supply magnetically coupled to a battery device having a receiving coil therein, for contact-less charging the battery device, the contact-less power supply having a sending coil array including a plurality of sending coils for inducing a charging power to the receiving coil; and a driving means for detecting a sending coil magnetically coupled to the receiving coil and selectively driving only the detected sending coil.

Claims

1. A contact-less power supply magnetically coupled to a battery device having a receiving coil therein, for contact-less charging the battery device, the contact-less power supply comprising:

a coil array including a plurality of sending coils for inducing a charging power to the receiving coil; and

a driving means for detecting a sending coil magnetically coupled to the receiving coil and selectively driving only the detected sending coil.

2. The contact-less power supply of claim 1,

wherein the driving means selects only a sending coil having a feedback response from the battery device.

3. The contact-less power supply of claim 2,

wherein the driving means sequentially drives any one of the sending coils, determines whether a feedback response exists from the battery device within a predetermined time, and selects only a sending coil having the feedback response from the battery device within a predetermined time.

4. The contact-less power supply of claim 2,

wherein the driving means simultaneously drives all of the sending coils and selects only a sending coil having a feedback response from the battery device within a predetermined time.

5. A charging power supply system magnetically coupled to a battery device including a secondary coil for inductive coupling, a wireless sending module for wirelessly sending data, a charge controlling circuit for controlling the charging state of the battery device, and a rechargeable battery, the charging power supply system comprising:

a primary coil array including a plurality of primary coils for inducing a charging power to the secondary coil;

a rectifier circuit for converting an external alternating current voltage into direct current voltage;

a coil driving circuit for generating a driving power for driving the primary coil based on the direct current voltage;

a wireless receiving module for receiving a feedback signal from the wireless sending module; and

a drive controlling circuit for controlling the coil driving circuit to preliminarily drive the primary coils, selecting only a primary coil having the feedback response from the battery device according to the preliminary drive of the primary coil, and driving only the selected primary coil to charge the battery device.

6. The charging power supply system of claim 5,

wherein the drive controlling circuit preliminarily drives sequentially the primary coils, determines whether the feedback response exists from the battery device within a predetermined time, and selects only a primary coil having the feedback response from the battery device within a predetermined time.

7. The charging power supply system of claim 5,

wherein the drive controlling circuit preliminarily drives simultaneously all of the primary coils, and selects only a primary coil having the feedback response from the battery device within a predetermined time.

8. The charging power supply system of claim 6 or 7,

wherein the primary coil array includes a plurality of the primary coils arranged in a matrix pattern.

9. The charging power supply system of claim 6 or 7,

wherein the primary coil array includes a plurality of the primary coils arranged in a zigzag pattern.

10. A charging method for charging a battery in a contact-less charger system composed of a power supply including a primary coil array having a plurality of primary coils and a wireless receiving module, and a battery device including a secondary coil magnetically coupled to the primary coil, a wireless sending module and a rechargeable battery, the charging method comprising:

(A) selecting any one of the primary coils and preliminarily driving the selected primary coil during a relatively short time;

(B) waiting for a feedback response from the battery device during a pre-determined time;

(C) in case the feedback response exists, temporarily storing identification information of the corresponding primary coil in an internal memory;

(D) selecting another primary coil from the primary coil array and repetitively performing the steps (A) to (C);

(E) sequentially performing the step (D) on all of the primary coils of the primary coil array; and

(F) reading the identification information of the primary coil from the internal memory and selectively supplying a charging power to the corresponding primary coil only.

13. The charging method of any one of claims 10 to 12,

wherein the feedback response is determined according to the intensity of magnetic coupling between the primary coil and the secondary coil.

14. The charging method of any one of claims 13,

wherein a power for preliminarily driving the primary coil is at least sufficient to drive an internal circuit of the battery device.

11. A charging method for charging a battery in a contact-less charger system composed of a power supply including a primary coil array having a plurality of primary coils and a wireless receiving module, and a battery device including a secondary coil magnetically coupled to the primary coil, a wireless sending module and a battery, the charging method comprising:

(A) preliminary driving sequentially the primary coils during a relatively short time;

(B) waiting for a feedback response from the battery device during a pre-determined time;

(C) selecting at least one primary coil having the feedback response; and

(D) charging the battery device by applying a charging power to the selected primary coil.

12. A charging method for charging a battery in a contact-less charger system composed of a power supply including a primary coil array having a plurality of primary coils and a wireless receiving module, and a battery device including a secondary coil magnetically coupled to the primary coil, a wireless sending module and a battery, the charging method comprising:

(A) preliminary driving simultaneously all of the primary coils of the primary array during a relatively short time;

(B) waiting for a feedback response from the battery device during a pre-determined time;

(C) selecting at least one primary coil having the feedback response; and

(D) charging the battery device by applying a charging power to the selected primary coil.

15. A contact-less charger system including a first charging unit having a primary coil array composed of a plurality of primary coils and a wireless receiving module, a second charging unit having a secondary coil magnetically coupled to the primary coil and a wireless sending module, and a battery supplied with a charging power from the second charging unit,

wherein the first charging unit includes:

a primary coil array including a plurality of the primary coils for inducing a charging power to the secondary coil; and

means for selecting only the primary coil having a feedback response from the second charging unit after driving the primary coils in a waiting mode, and driving only the selected primary coil in a charging mode, and

wherein the second charging unit includes;

means for generating a feedback signal informing the charging start in case that a power sufficient to drive an internal circuit is induced to the secondary coil, and transmitting the feedback signal to the first charging unit,

whereby, among the primary coils of the primary coil array, only the primary coil conformable in position to the secondary coil is selectively driven.

16. The contact-less charger system of claim 15,

wherein the driving means of the first charging unit sequentially drives the primary coils, receives feedback responses individually, and, in case that the feedback responses for all of the primary coils are received, selects only the primary coils having the feedback responses.

17. The contact-less charger system of claim 15,

wherein the driving means of the first charging unit simultaneously drives all of the primary coils, receives the feedback responses, and selects only the primary coils having the feedback responses.