METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR THERMAL DISSIPATION IN VEHICLE PADS FOR WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER APPLICATIONS

• US 20170129344A1
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Islinger, Simon Peter, Niederhauser, Steven Daniel, Beaver, Jonathan, Huang, Chang-Yu, Budhia, Mickel Bipin, Keeling, Nicholas Athol, Hao, Hao, Kissin, Michael Le Gallais, Samuelsson, Johan Gabriel, Scibor, Rafal Krzysztof
• Application Number:
  US14/934,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20170129344A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: H01F 27/22 Cooling by heat conduction through solid or powdered fillings
• 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 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• 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: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• 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

Methods and apparatuses for thermal dissipation in vehicle pads for wireless power transfer applications are provided. In some implementations, an apparatus for wirelessly receiving charging power is provided. The apparatus comprises at least one receive coil configured to wirelessly receive the charging power. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of electrical components configured to convert the charging power to a direct current. The apparatus further comprises a primary heat sink comprising a plurality of fins configured to dissipate heat generated by the plurality of electrical components. The plurality of fins are disposed adjacent to the plurality of electrical components. The apparatus further comprises at least one thermally conductive structure configured to physically connect at least some of the plurality of electrical components to the primary heat sink.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving charging power, the apparatus comprising:

at least one receive coil configured to wirelessly receive the charging power;

a plurality of electrical components configured to convert the charging power to a direct current;

a primary heat sink comprising a plurality of fins configured to dissipate heat generated by the plurality of electrical components, the plurality of fins disposed adjacent to the plurality of electrical components; and

at least one thermally conductive structure configured to physically connect at least some of the plurality of electrical components to the primary heat sink.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary heat sink comprises a recessed portion configured to support the plurality of electrical components.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a secondary heat sink configured to cover the recessed portion and thermally connect the at least one thermally conductive structure to the primary heat sink.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the recessed portion defines a hole configured to accommodate a termination socket configured to receive ends of the at least one receive coil and electrically connect the at least one receive coil to at least some of the plurality of electrical components.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical components are directly physically mounted to the primary heat sink.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fins dissipate a greater amount of heat when the apparatus wirelessly receives the charging power while in motion than while stationary.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical components comprise capacitors and the at least one thermally conductive structure comprises a heat spreader thermally connecting the capacitors to the primary heat sink.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical components comprise diodes and the at least one thermally conductive structure comprises a diode cover thermally connecting the diodes to the primary heat sink.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ferrite structure in thermal contact with the primary heat sink.

10. A method for wirelessly receiving charging power, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving the charging power via at least one receive coil,

converting the charging power to a direct current via a plurality of electrical components, and

dissipating heat generated by the plurality of electrical components via a primary heat sink comprising a plurality of fins, the plurality of electrical components disposed adjacent to the plurality of fins and at least some of the plurality of electrical components physically connected to the primary heat sink.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the primary heat sink comprises a recessed portion configured to support the plurality of electrical components.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one thermally conductive structure is thermally connected to the primary heat sink via a secondary heat sink.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the recessed portion defines a hole configured to accommodate a termination socket configured to receive ends of the at least one receive coil and electrically connect the at least one receive coil to at least some of the plurality of electrical components.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical components are directly physically mounted to the primary heat sink.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising dissipating a greater amount of heat via the plurality of fins when wirelessly receiving the charging power while in motion than while stationary.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical components comprise capacitors and a heat spreader thermally connects the capacitors to the primary heat sink.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical components comprise diodes and a diode cover thermally connects the diodes to the primary heat sink.

18. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving charging power on a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one receive coil configured to wirelessly receive the charging power;

a plurality of electrical components configured to convert the charging power to a direct current;

a primary heat sink configured to dissipate heat generated by the plurality of electrical components; and

a controller configured to adjust an amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil based on a temperature of the primary heat sink.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to disable the at least one receive coil from receiving the charging power based on the temperature of the primary heat sink.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil based on whether the vehicle is in motion.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil based on an identifier of a wireless power transmitter transmitting the charging power.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil based on a configurability of a wireless power transmitter to transmit the charging power to the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil from a first value for a first interval of time to a second value lower than the first value after the first interval of time.

24. A method for wirelessly receiving charging power at a vehicle, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving the charging power via at least one receive coil;

converting the charging power to a direct current via a plurality of electrical components;

dissipating heat generated by the plurality of electrical components via a primary heat sink; and

adjusting an amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil based on a temperature of the primary heat sink.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising disabling the wirelessly receiving the charging power via the at least one receive coil based on the temperature of the primary heat sink.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting the amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil based on whether the vehicle is in motion.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting the amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil based on an identifier of a wireless power transmitter transmitting the charging power.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting the amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil based on a configurability of a wireless power transmitter to transmit the charging power to the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting the amount of the charging power drawn by the at least one receive coil from a first value for a first interval of time to a second value lower than the first value after the first interval of time.