Coil Unit of a Device for Inductive Transmission of Electrical Power

• US 20170240057A1
• Filed: 02/21/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENRX IPT GmbH
• Original Assignee: Ipt Technology Gmbh
• Inventors: CORDES, Felix, ENDLER, Niklas
• Granted Patent: US 10,369,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/34 Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles positioning means for charging devices using inductive energy transfer B60L53/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/02 Casings
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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

In a coil unit of a device for inductive transmission of electrical power with a cover, a base and a coil arranged between the cover and base. During operation of the device, the cover faces another coil unit and the base faces away from it. At least one support element, which mechanically supports the cover on the base, is arranged between the cover and the base. At least one cavity is formed between the cover and the support element by protrusions on the cover and/or on the support element, whereby the cover lies on the support element, and/or at least one cavity is formed between the base and the support element by protrusions on the support element and/or on the base, whereby the support element lies on the base. Sensors or elements for magnetic flux guidance can be arranged protected from mechanical load in such a cavity.

Claims

1. A coil unit of a device for inductive transmission of electrical power, with a cover, a base and a coil arranged between the cover and base, in which the cover during operation of the device faces another coil unit and the base faces it, wherein at least one support element is arranged between the cover and the base that mechanically supports the cover on the base, and wherein at least one cavity is formed between the cover and the support element by protrusions on cover and/or on support element, whereby the cover lies on the support element, and/or that at least one cavity is formed between base and support element by protrusions on the support element and/or on base, whereby the support element lies on base.

2. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein the coil unit is the primary coil unit of a charging station for an electric vehicle, that the coil is the primary coil of the charging station, and that the other coil unit is the secondary coil unit of the electric vehicle.

3. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions are designed in one part with the support element and/or the cover and/or the base.

4. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein a number of individual protrusions separate from each other are provided.

5. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions extend symmetrically about an axis perpendicular to the surface of cover and/or support element and/or base and have an end surface lying parallel to the cross-sectional surface of the coil unit as well as a rounded cross-sectional shape without corners.

6. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one cavity is formed by protrusions both between cover and support element and between support element and base, and that a protrusion is provided between support element and base for each protrusion between cover and the support element at the same lateral position.

7. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions are formed only on support element.

8. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one cavity is formed by protrusions between the cover and support element, and that proximity sensors to detect an object lying on cover are arranged in this cavity.

9. The coil unit according to claim 8, wherein the proximity sensors are inductive sensors in the form of measuring coils, which are distributed in a regular arrangement laterally over the coil unit.

10. The coil unit according to claim 9, wherein the measuring coils are arranged between protrusions and/or each enclosing a protrusion, and wherein the measuring coils are mechanically fixed by protrusions in the lateral direction.

11. The coil unit according to claim 9, wherein two layers of measuring coils are arranged one above the other, and that the measuring coils of a layer are arranged exclusively between protrusions and the measuring coils of the other layer are exclusively arranged enclosing protrusions, and the two layers are offset relative to each other laterally so that the measuring coils of one layer do not cover the intermediate spaces covered by the measuring coils of the other layer.

12. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein at least cavity is formed by protrusions between support element and base and that flux guidance elements are arranged in this cavity in the form of plates of a material with high magnetic permeability.

13. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one cavity is formed by protrusions between support element and base, and that grooves, starting from this cavity, are formed in the support element in which windings of the coil provided for power transmission are positioned.

14. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein a cavity formed between cover and support element by protrusions is closed off outwardly by at least one peripheral ridge on the edge of the support element and/or cover, and/or wherein a cavity formed between support element and the base by protrusions is closed off outwardly by at least one continuous ridge on the edge of the support element and/or base.

15. The coil unit according to claim 1, wherein the support element is designed in one piece and consists of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting plastic.