DEVICE FOR THE INDUCTIVE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRIC ENERGY

• US 20140008973A1
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: ELIAS, Bjoern, PEER, Reinhard
• Granted Patent: US 9,630,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• 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: 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus inductively transmits electrical energy from a primary coil, which is arranged in a stationary unit, to a secondary coil, which is arranged in a vehicle. The primary coil and/or the secondary coil have or has at least one switchable coil tap for adjusting a coil length which is active for the inductive energy transmission.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a primary coil supplied with electrical energy, the primary coil being arranged in a stationary unit; and

a secondary coil to inductively receive electrical energy from the primary coil, the secondary coil being arranged in a motor vehicle,

wherein at least one of the primary coil and the secondary coil has a switchable coil tap to adjust a length of an active coil portion, the active coil portion being active for inductive energy transmission.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switchable coil tap is provided on the primary coil.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switchable coil tap is provided on the secondary coil.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control device to switch the switchable coil tap.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the control device detects an opposing coil, to switch the switchable coil tap such that, when switched, the primary coil and the secondary coil are oriented in relation to one another in an optimum manner.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

a first control device is associated with the primary coil, and

a second control device, which communicates with the first control device, is associated with the secondary coil.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

a first switchable coil tap is provided on the primary coil, and

a second switchable coil tap is provided on the secondary coil.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the primary coil is substantially cylindrical and has first and second opposing end sections, and

first and second switchable coil taps are provided respectively at the first and second opposing end sections.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the primary coil is arranged on or in a ground surface, and

the primary coil extends substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the primary coil is arranged under a parking space,

the primary coil is arranged substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is parked in the parking space,

the secondary coil is arranged in the motor vehicle, substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle,

first and second switchable coil taps are provided on the primary coil to adjust a location of the active coil portion of the primary coil, and

the first and second switchable coil taps laterally move the active coil portion of the primary coil to compensate for lateral position deviations of the motor vehicle in the parking space.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the secondary coil is substantially cylindrical and has first and second opposing end sections, and

first and second switchable coil taps are provided respectively at the first and second opposing end sections.

12. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a secondary coil to inductively receive electrical energy from a primary coil arranged outside of the motor vehicle,

wherein at least one of the primary coil and the secondary coil has a switchable coil tap to adjust a length of an active coil portion, the active coil portion being active for inductive energy transmission.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the switchable coil tap is provided on the secondary coil.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising an energy storage device to receive electrical energy from the secondary coil.

15. An inductive transmission apparatus to inductively supply electric energy to a secondary coil mounted in a motor vehicle transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a primary coil mounted in a stationary unit at a parking space for the motor vehicle, the primary coil being supplied with electrical energy, the primary coil having first and second opposing end sections;

first and second switchable coil taps provided respectively at the first and second opposing end sections, to adjust a length of an active coil portion, the active coil portion being active for inductive energy transmission; and

a control device to switch the switchable coil taps and match a location of the active coil portion with a location of the secondary coil.