CHARGING DEVICE, BATTERY, AND METHOD FOR RECOGNIZING A FOREIGN OBJECT

• US 20120236903A1
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: REJMAN, Marcin, Mack, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 9,178,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/152
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A charging device having a coil for inductive electric charging of a device, in particular of a battery, including a control unit having a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature, the temperature sensor being situated in the area of application for applying the device, and is connected to the control unit, the temperature sensor being situated laterally next to the coil and adjacent to the coil.

Claims

1. A charging device, comprising:

a coil inductive electric charging of a device;

a control unit; and

at least one temperature sensor to detect a temperature, the temperature sensor being situated in a charging area for applying the device, the temperature sensor being connected to the control unit, and being situated laterally next to the coil and adjacent to the coil.

2. The charging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a battery.

3. The charging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor includes multiple temperature sensors situated distributed on a circle, wherein adjacent ones of the multiple temperature sensors have an identical distance to one another.

4. The charging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the charging device includes a housing having a plate which is adjacent to the charging area, the plate having a recess on an inner side, and the temperature sensor being situated in the recess.

5. The charging device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a thermally conducting element situated between the temperature sensor and a housing of the charging device to increase the thermal conductivity between the temperature sensor and the housing.

6. The charging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is situated on a printed circuit board, and the temperature sensor is an SMD component.

7. The charging device as recited in claim 6, wherein the printed circuit board has an opening, the coil is situated in the opening, the opening has a circular design, and the printed circuit board has an inner diameter which is approximately equal to an outer diameter of the coil.

8. A battery, comprising:

a coil and an electric circuit for inductively charging the battery; and

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature, the temperature sensor being situated in a charging area for applying a charging device, and being connected to a control unit;

wherein the temperature sensor is situated laterally next to the coil and adjacent to the coil.

9. The battery according to claim 8, wherein a signal path is provided, which enables a connection between the control unit of the battery and a control unit of the charging device.

10. A method for foreign object recognition during an inductive charging procedure of a battery, comprising:

detecting two temperature values in a charging area with the aid of at least two temperature sensors; and

recognizing a foreign object as a function of one of a difference between the two temperature values, or a difference between temperature changes over time of the two temperature values by comparison with a reference value.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein a third temperature value is detected with the aid of a third temperature sensor, and the third temperature value is evaluated for recognizing the foreign object.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a position of the foreign object between two temperature sensors is recognized if the third temperature sensor detects one of a lower temperature or a smaller temperature change over time, than the two other temperature sensors.