BATTERY CHARGER CRADLE

• US 20140285144A1
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TOYA, Shoichi, MIZOGUCHI, Yasunari, SATSUMA, Eiji, TERAO, Kyozo
• Granted Patent: US 9,124,106 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

In a battery charger cradle, a battery incorporated in a battery built-in device is charged by electric power induced to an induction coil. The cradle includes a primary coil for inducing electromotive force to the induction coil, a casing having a top plate atop of which the battery built-in device is placed, a movement mechanism for moving the primary coil along an inner surface of the top plate, and a position detection controller for detecting a position of the battery built-in device placed on the top plate and controlling the movement mechanism to bring the primary coil closer to the induction coil in the battery built-in device. When the battery built-in device is placed on the top plate, the position detection controller detects the position of the battery built-in device, and the movement mechanism moves the primary coil closer to the induction coil in the battery built-in device.

Claims

1. A battery charger cradle for use with a battery built-in device having an induction coil and a battery rechargeable with power induced by the induction coil, the battery charger cradle comprising:

a primary coil for inducing electromotive force to the induction coil;

a movement mechanism for moving the primary coil; and

a position detection controller for detecting a position of the induction coil and controlling the movement mechanism to bring the primary coil closer to the induction coil.

2. The battery charger cradle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a top plate sized so as to allow a plurality of battery built-in devices to be placed thereon; and

a full charge state detection circuit for detecting a full charge state of the battery,

wherein, when the full charge state detection circuit detects the full charge state of the battery contained in one of the battery built-in devices being subjected to a charging operation, a position of a non-charged battery built-in device incorporating a battery which is not fully charged is detected, and the movement mechanism is controlled to bring the primary coil closer to the induction coil contained in the non-charged battery built-in device to charge the battery contained in the non-charged battery built-in device.

3. The battery charger cradle according to claim 1, further comprising an AC power source connected to the primary coil, the AC power source having a self-excited oscillation circuit, and the position detection controller detects the position of the induction coil on the basis of an oscillating frequency of the self-excited oscillation circuit to control the movement mechanism.