CONTACTLESS POWER TRANSMITTING SYSTEM HAVING OVERHEAT PROTECTION FUNCTION AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130106348A1
• Filed: 11/02/2012
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hanrim Postech Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: JUNG, Chun-Kil
• Granted Patent: US 9,130,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a contactless power transmitting system having an overheat protection function, which protects a battery cell module from damage due to overheating while the battery cell module is being charged, and a method thereof. In the contactless power transmitting system, a contactless power transmitting apparatus transmits a first power to a contactless power receiving apparatus through a power transmitting coil to charge the battery cell module with the first power, and transmits a second power, of lower wattage than the first power, to the contactless power receiving apparatus through the power transmitting coil to charge the battery cell module with the second power if an overheat alarm signal is received from the contactless power receiving apparatus, thereby making it possible to fully charge the battery cell module while preventing overheating of the battery cell module.

Claims

1. A contactless power transmitting apparatus, comprising:

a power transmitting unit, comprising a power transmitting coil which transmits a power to a contactless power receiving apparatus;

a first signal receiving unit which receives an overheat alarm signal transmitted by the contactless power receiving apparatus; and

a contactless power transmission controlling unit which directs the power transmitting unit to transmit a first power to the contactless power receiving apparatus, and which directs the power transmitting unit to transmit a second power, of lower wattage than the first power, to the contactless power receiving apparatus if the first signal receiving unit receives the overheat alarm signal.

2. The contactless power transmitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power transmitting unit further comprises:

a driving driver which generates a driving signal for transmitting the first power or the second power under a direction of the contactless power transmission controlling unit; and

a series resonant converter which switches a direct current (DC) power according to the driving signal,

wherein the power transmitting coil transmits the first power or the second power to the contactless power receiving apparatus while being resonated with the power switched by the series resonant converter.

3. The contactless power transmitting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first signal transmitting unit which generates an identification (ID) request signal and transmits the generated ID request signal to the contactless power receiving apparatus, under a direction of the contactless power transmission controlling unit,

wherein the first signal receiving unit receives an ID signal transmitted by the contactless power receiving apparatus according to the ID request signal and provides the received ID signal to the contactless power transmission controlling unit.

4. A contactless power receiving apparatus, comprising:

a charging apparatus which receives a first power transmitted by a contactless power transmitting apparatus, and which charges a battery cell module with the first power;

a second signal transmitting unit which generates an overheat alarm signal, and which transmits the overheat alarm signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus; and

a contactless power reception controlling unit which judges whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated, and which, if it is judged that the battery cell module has been overheated, directs the second signal transmitting unit to generate the overheat alarm signal and transmit the generated overheat alarm signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus and then directs the charging apparatus to receive a second power, of lower wattage than the first power, from the contactless power transmitting apparatus and to charge the battery cell module with the second power.

5. The contactless power receiving apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a first temperature sensor which detects a first temperature of the battery cell module,

wherein the contactless power reception controlling unit judges whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated using the first temperature.

6. The contactless power receiving apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a first temperature sensor which detects a first temperature of the battery cell module; and

a second temperature sensor which detects a second temperature of the environment,

wherein the contactless power reception controlling unit judges whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated using a difference between the first and second temperatures.

7. The contactless power receiving apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a second signal receiving unit which receives an ID request signal transmitted by the contactless power transmitting apparatus, and which provides the ID request signal to the contactless power reception controlling unit,

wherein, if the ID request signal is received, the second signal transmitting unit generates an ID signal and transmits the generated ID request signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus under a direction of the contactless power reception controlling unit.

8. The contactless power receiving apparatus of claim 4, wherein the charging apparatus comprises:

a power receiving coil which receives the first power or the second power transmitted by the contactless power transmitting apparatus;

a rectifying unit which rectifies the first power or the second power received by the power receiving coil into a DC power; and

a charging unit which charges the battery cell module with the DC power rectified by the rectifying unit, under a direction of the contactless power reception controlling unit.

9. A contactless power transmitting method, comprising:

transmitting, using a contactless power transmitting apparatus, a first power to a contactless power receiving apparatus through a power transmitting coil; and

transmitting, using the contactless power transmitting apparatus, a second power, of lower wattage than the first power, to the contactless power receiving apparatus through the power transmitting coil if an overheat alarm signal is received from the contactless power receiving apparatus.

10. The contactless power transmitting method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting of the first power comprises:

transmitting, using the contactless power transmitting apparatus, an ID request signal to the contactless power receiving apparatus; and

transmitting the first power if an ID signal is received from the contactless power receiving apparatus according to the ID request signal.

11. The contactless power transmitting method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting of the ID request signal comprises:

judging whether or not a change in a load has been generated in the power transmitting coil; and

transmitting the ID request signal if it is judged that the change in the load has been generated in the power transmitting coil.

12. The contactless power transmitting method of claim 9, further comprising stopping the transmission of the first or second power if a charge completion signal is received from the contactless power receiving apparatus.

13. A contactless power receiving method, comprising:

receiving, in a charging apparatus, a first power transmitted by a contactless power transmitting apparatus to charge a battery cell module with the first power;

judging, using a contactless power reception controlling unit, whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated;

if it is judged that the battery cell module has been overheated, transmitting an overheat alarm signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus; and

if the overheat alarm signal is transmitted, receiving, in the charging apparatus, a second power, of lower wattage than the first power, to charge the battery cell module with the second power.

14. The contactless power receiving method of claim 13, wherein the judging of whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated comprises:

detecting, in a first temperature sensor, a first temperature of the battery cell module; and

judging that the battery cell module has been overheated if the first temperature is equal to or higher than a preset temperature.

15. The contactless power receiving method of claim 13, wherein the judging of whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated comprises:

detecting, in a first temperature sensor, a first temperature of the battery cell module;

detecting, in a second temperature sensor, a second temperature of the environment; and

judging that the battery cell module has been overheated if a difference between the first and second temperatures is equal to or higher than a preset value.

16. The contactless power receiving method of claim 13, further comprising:

judging, in the contactless power reception controlling unit, whether or not the charging of the battery cell module has been completed; and

if it is judged that the charging of the battery cell module has been completed, transmitting a charge completion signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus.