DETECTING APPARATUS, POWER RECEIVING APPARATUS, POWER TRANSMITTING APPARATUS, AND CONTACTLESS POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM

• US 20160282499A1
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: MIYAMOTO, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 10,371,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/72 by investigating magnetic variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/10 using induction 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: H01F 5/003 Printed circuit coils
• 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 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

There is provided a detecting apparatus including one or a plurality of magnetic coupling elements that include a plurality of coils, a positioning unit disposed near at least one coil from among the plurality of coils included in the one or plurality of magnetic coupling elements, and a detector that measures an electrical parameter related to the one or plurality of magnetic coupling elements or to a circuit that at least includes the one or plurality of magnetic coupling elements, and determines from a change in the electrical parameter whether a foreign matter capable of generating heat due to magnetic flux is present.

Claims

1. A detecting apparatus comprising:

at least one coil over a housing;

a positioning unit over the housing; and

a control unit configured to detect a foreign matter by comparing at least one electrical parameter of the at least one coil with a threshold value.

2. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical parameter of the at least one coil is a quality factor.

3. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a magnetic shielding material configured to reduce outward magnetic flux leakage, and maintain a position relationship between the at least one coil and the positioning unit.

4. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detector configured to:

measure the at least one electrical parameter of the at least one coil or of a circuit that comprises the at least one coil; and

determine, based on a change in the at least one electrical parameter, whether a foreign matter configured to generate heat due to magnetic flux is present.

5. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical parameter is a Q factor of the at least one coil or of a circuit that comprises the at least one coil.

6. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning unit is disposed on an inner side of the at least one coil.

7. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of the positioning unit is a magnetic material.

8. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a contactless power supply coil configured to be used for contactless power supply,

wherein the at least one coil and the contactless power supply coil are positioned on a magnetic shielding material by the positioning unit.

9. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, for the positioning unit made of a magnetic material and provided near at least two or more coils from among the at least one coil included in the at least one coil, at least one of:

a real part of permeability of the magnetic material in each positioning unit, an imaginary part of the permeability, outermost dimensions in X, Y, and Z directions, placement in the X, Y, and Z directions, and quantity of units to dispose are made to differ among the positioning units.

10. The detecting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein in the magnetic material, a value of the real part of the permeability is greater than a value of the imaginary part of the permeability.

11. The detecting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an outermost dimension of the magnetic material of the positioning unit is smaller than outermost dimensions of the at least one coil.

12. The detecting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the outermost dimension of the magnetic material of the positioning unit is smaller than innermost dimensions of the at least one coil.

13. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a plurality of coils, the at least one coil is electrically connected such that magnetic flux produced from the at least one coil and magnetic flux produced from remaining coils of the plurality of coils have opposing orientations.

14. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of coils are configured to be electrically connected by using a series connection, a parallel connection, or a combined series and parallel connection.

15. The detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one coil is included in a resonant circuit.