FLUX COUPLING DEVICE AND MAGNETIC STRUCTURES THEREFOR

• US 20150170832A1
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited (Auckland University)
• Original Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited (Auckland University)
• Inventors: Covic, Grant Anthony, Budhia, Mickel Bipin
• Granted Patent: US 10,878,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/346 Preventing or reducing leakage fields using magnetic shields H01F27/36; using auxiliary windings H01F27/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/36 Electric or magnetic shields or screens movable for varying inductance H01F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/363 made of electrically conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/38 Auxiliary core members; Auxiliary coils or windings
• 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 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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

A magnetic flux coupler comprising a magnetically permeable core having a first axis, two coils magnetically associated with the core, each coil defining a pole area located on a first side of the core and the pole areas being separated along the first axis, the coils each having a central region located between the pole areas, an end region opposite to the central region, and a side region between the central region and the end region, wherein an auxiliary pole area is provided beyond the end region of each coil which absorbs leakage flux which would otherwise emanate from the each coil in use in the vicinity of the end region.

Claims

1. A magnetic flux coupler comprising:

a magnetically permeable core having a first axis,

two coils magnetically associated with the core, each coil defining a pole area located on a first side of the core and the pole areas being separated along the first axis, and

the coils each having a central region located between the pole areas, an end region opposite to the central region, and a side region between the central region and the end periphery,

wherein an auxiliary pole area is provided beyond the end region of each coil.

2. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary pole area comprises a part of the core.

3. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary pole area absorbs leakage flux which would otherwise emanate from the each coil in use in the vicinity of the end region.

4. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary pole area couples flux to another flux coupler apparatus when misaligned along the first axis.

5. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary pole area does not extend beyond the side region of each coil.

6. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary pole area comprises a surface adjacent to the end region.

7. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 6 wherein the surface defines one of a wall, lip or recess.

8. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core includes one or more recesses to receive the end region of each coil.

9. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 8 wherein the one or more recesses face toward a region in which coupled flux is directed or received.

10. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 8 wherein the one or more recesses face toward the central region.

11. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the end region comprises stacked turns of the coil.

12. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary pole area is provided at an angle to a centre of current of the peripheral region.

13. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary pole area comprises a plurality of pole areas.

16. An inductive power transfer system comprising a magnetic flux coupler according to claim 1.

14. A magnetic flux coupler comprising:

a coil for producing or intercepting magnetic coupling flux; and

a magnetically permeable leakage flux absorption means located beyond a peripheral edge portion of the coil so as to absorb leakage flux which would otherwise emanate from the coil in use in the vicinity of the peripheral edge portion.

15. The magnetic flux coupler as claimed in claim 14 wherein the coupler further comprises a magnetically permeable core which is magnetically associated with the coil, and the leakage flux absorption means is associated with the core.

17. (canceled)