Vehicle And Contactless Power Feeding System

• US 20160001669A1
• Filed: 03/22/2013
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: ICHIKAWA, Shinji
• Application Number:
  US14/653,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001669A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/50 using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• 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 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A contactless power feeding system is capable of supplying power from a power transmission unit to a power reception unit in a contactless manner. The contactless power feeding system includes a raising and lowering mechanism that moves the power reception unit from a standby position toward the power transmission unit, and a vehicle ECU. The vehicle ECU performs first detection operation of detecting a position of the power transmission unit when the power reception unit is located in the standby position, and second detection operation of detecting a position of the power transmission unit when the power reception unit is located in a power reception position. The vehicle ECU causes the power transmission unit to start power transmission when it is detected that the power transmission unit is located within a predetermined range in both of the first and second detection operations.

Claims

1. A vehicle capable of receiving power from a power transmission device in a contactless manner, comprising:

a power reception unit that receives power from a power transmission unit included in the power transmission device in a contactless manner;

a moving device configured to move the power reception unit from a standby position in a direction toward the power transmission unit; and

a control device configured to perform first detection operation of detecting a position of the power transmission unit when the power reception unit is located in the standby position, and second detection operation of detecting a position of the power transmission unit when the power reception unit is located in a position closer to the power transmission unit than in the standby position,

the control device causing the power transmission device to start power transmission, when it is detected that the power transmission unit is located within a first predetermined range in the first detection operation and when it is detected that the power transmission unit is located within a second predetermined range in the second detection operation.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit for detecting the power transmission unit, wherein

the control device performs the first detection operation by means of the detection unit, and performs the second detection operation by means of the power reception unit.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

when the vehicle is located in a position capable of receiving the power transmission from the power transmission device, a distance between the detection unit and the power transmission unit is shorter than a distance between the standby position and the power transmission unit.

4. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the control device performs the second detection operation alter the power reception unit has been moved to a planned position where power reception is started.

5. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the detection unit includes a plurality of magnetic sensors configured to detect magnetism of an electromagnetic field generated by the power transmission from the power transmission unit, and

the control device recognizes the position of the power transmission unit based on distribution of the magnetism detected by the plurality of magnetic sensors.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the control device is configured to cause the power transmission unit to start the power transmission in accordance with a timer value, the timer value being determined based on information about a time to start the power transmission set by a user, and

the control device performs the second detection operation in response to lapse of a time corresponding to the timer value.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a difference between a natural frequency of the power transmission unit and a natural frequency of the power reception unit is ±

10% or less of the natural frequency of the power transmission unit or the natural frequency of the power reception unit.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a coefficient of coupling between the power transmission unit and the power reception unit is not less than 0.6 and not more than 0.8.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the power reception unit receives power from the power transmission unit through at least one of a magnetic field formed between the power reception unit and the power transmission unit and oscillating at a specific frequency, and an electric field formed between the power reception unit and the power transmission unit and oscillating at a specific frequency.

10. A contactless power feeding system that supplies power from a power transmission unit to a power reception unit in a contactless manner, comprising:

a moving device configured to move at least one of the power transmission unit and the power reception unit from a standby position in a direction in which the power transmission unit and the power reception unit are brought closer to each other; and

a control device configured to perform first detection operation of detecting positional relation between the power transmission unit and the power reception unit when the power transmission unit and the power reception unit are located in the standby positions, and second detection operation of detecting the positional relation when a distance between the power transmission unit and the power reception unit is shorter than the distance with the power transmission unit and the power reception unit being in the standby positions,

the control device causing the power transmission unit to start power transmission, when it is detected that the positional relation satisfies a first predetermined condition in the first detection operation and when it is detected that the positional relation satisfies a second predetermined condition in the second detection operation.