Cooled primary of automobile battery charging transformer

• US 5,412,304 A
• Filed: 08/09/1993
• Issued: 05/02/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Abbott, Russell M.
• Primary Examiner(s): KINCAID, KRISTINE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US08/103,618
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 336/60, 336/61, 336/62, 336/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• 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 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: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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

The primary winding and part of the magnetic circuit of an automobile battery charging transformer are mounted in a separable inductive charge coupler which is insertable into and removable from an inductive charge receptacle slot in the automobile adjacent the transformer secondary winding and magnetic structure. When the inductive charge coupler is in place and is energized, the primary winding energizes the secondary winding to permit charging of the batteries on the automobile. The inductive charge coupler is cooled by a fluid passage therein. The coolant may be a gas which is vented or may be a liquid which is circulated.

Claims

1. An electrical transformer comprising:

an inductive charge coupler for insertion into a slot in a transformer secondary inductive charge receptacle including secondary electrical windings and magnetically conductive material forming a portion of a magnetic circuit, said inductive charge coupler having magnetic material thereon for completing the magnetic circuit when said inductive charge coupler is inserted into said slot in the secondary inductive charge receptacle, said inductive charge coupler having a primary electrical winding thereon so that when said inductive charge coupler is in the slot in the secondary inductive charge receptacle, energization of said primary winding causes energization of said secondary electrical windings, said inductive charge coupler being removable from said slot in said inductive charge receptacle, said inductive charge coupler and said secondary electrical windings being separable; and

a cooling fluid circuit in said inductive charge coupler for cooling said primary winding in said inductive charge coupler and for cooling said inductive charger coupler.

2. The electrical transformer of claim 1 wherein said inductive charge coupler has a handle and said cooling fluid circuit extends into said handle.

3. The electrical transformer of claim 1 wherein said magnetic material in said inductive charge coupler is within said primary electrical winding and said cooling circuit comprises a coolant fluid passage which extends substantially around said magnetic material and lies adjacent said primary winding.

4. The electrical transformer of claim 3 wherein said coolant fluid passage extends through said handle.

5. The electrical transformer of claim 3 wherein said coolant fluid passage lies on one side of said primary winding.

6. The electrical transformer of claim 3 wherein said coolant fluid passage comprises a plurality of coolant fluid passages around said magnetic material.

7. The electrical transformer of claim 3 wherein said coolant fluid passage lies on both sides of said primary electrical winding.

8. The electrical transformer of claim 3 wherein said primary electrical winding is separated into two primary electrical windings portions and said coolant fluid passage lies therebetween.

9. The electrical transformer of claim 3 wherein said coolant fluid is a gas and said gas is discharged to atmosphere after it is passed through said coolant fluid passage.

10. The electrical transformer of claim 3 wherein said coolant fluid passage is a closed passage and coolant fluid is circulated therein.

11. The electrical transformer of claim 10 wherein there is a pump in said closed passage for circulating said coolant fluid through said closed passage.

12. The electrical transformer of claim 11 wherein said pump is actuated by a gas-driven motor and there is a connection to said gas-driven motor for the supply of pressurized gas thereto for driving said motor, said pressurized gas being in heat exchange relationship to coolant fluid in said closed passage to cool said coolant fluid.

13. The electrical transformer of claim 1 wherein a supply tube is connected to said inductive charge coupler and coolant is delivered to said inductive charge coupler through said supply tube.

14. The electrical transformer of claim 1 wherein a return tube is connected to said inductive charge coupler and coolant is returned through said return tube.

15. An automotive vehicle having a slot therein and having electric transformer secondary structure adjacent said slot, including a secondary electrical winding and a magnetic core forming a portion of a magnetic circuit;

an inductive charge coupler for insertion into said slot, said inductive charge coupler having a primary electrical winding and primary magnetic core for completing the magnetic circuit when said inductive charge coupler is in said slot, said inductive charge coupler being connected to a fixed power source for energization of said primary magnetic core so that electric power is transferred to said vehicle; and

cooling means on said inductive charge coupler for cooling said inductive charge coupler.

16. The automotive vehicle of claim 15 wherein said cooling means comprises a coolant fluid passage in said inductive charge coupler for controlling flow of coolant fluid through said inductive charge coupler to cool said primary electrical winding in said inductive charge coupler and said magnetic core in said inductive charge coupler.

17. The automotive vehicle of claim 16 wherein said coolant fluid passage passes on one side of said primary electrical winding.

18. The automotive vehicle of claim 16 wherein said coolant fluid passage is on both sides of said primary electrical winding.

19. The automotive vehicle of claim 16 wherein said primary electrical winding in said inductive charge coupler is separated into two portions and said fluid passage is positioned between said two portions of said primary electrical winding.

20. The automotive vehicle of claim 16 wherein said inductive charge coupler is connected to said fixed power source by means of a flexible cable and said coolant fluid is delivered through said flexible cable to said inductive charge coupler to pass through said passage in said inductive charge coupler.

21. The automotive vehicle of claim 16 wherein said fluid is a gas and said fluid is exhausted into atmosphere.

22. The automotive vehicle of claim 21 wherein said gas is exhausted adjacent said transformer secondary structure.

23. The electric transformer of claim 16 wherein a supply tube is connected to said inductive charge coupler and the coolant is delivered to said inductive charge coupler through said supply tube.

24. The electric transformer of claim 15 wherein a return table is connected to said inductive charge coupler and the coolant is returned through said return tube.

25. The electric transformer of claim 23 wherein a return tube is connected to said inductive charge coupler and the coolant is returned through said return tube.

26. The automotive vehicle of claim 21 wherein there is a motor in said inductive charge coupler and said coolant fluid is exhausted through said motor to actuate said motor and there is a pump in said inductive charge coupler, said pump being actuated by said motor and there is coolant liquid in said coolant passages in said inductive charge coupler, said coolant liquid being circulated by said pump and being cooled by said coolant fluid actuating said motor.

27. The automotive vehicle of claim 21 wherein said coolant fluid is a liquid and is returned through said cable.

28. An electrically powered vehicle having wheels for the support and transport thereof and for being powered by a battery and a motor thereon connected to said wheels, an electronic transformer secondary structure on said vehicle, said electronic transformer secondary structure including a secondary electrical winding and a secondary magnetic core;

an inductive charge coupler comprising a primary electrical winding and a primary magnetic core so that when said coupler is positioned adjacent said secondary structure, said primary and secondary magnetic cores complete a magnetic circuit;

a fixed power source, said inductive charge coupler being connected to said fixed power source so that energization of said primary core by said fixed power source induces current in said secondary electrical winding to transfer electric power to said vehicle; and

cooling means on said inductive charge coupler for cooling said inductive charge coupler, said cooling means including coolant fluid passages in said inductive charge coupler and a coolant fluid tube connected to said inductive charge coupler to transfer coolant fluid thereto.

29. The electrically powered vehicle of claim 28 wherein said coolant tube is connected to said inductive charge coupler and to a fixed source of said coolant fluid.

30. The electrically powered vehicle of claim 29 further including a return tube connected to said inductive charge coupler and to said coolant fluid source to return said coolant fluid from said inductive charge coupler to said fixed source of said coolant fluid.

31. The electrically powered vehicle of claim 30 wherein said fixed source of said coolant fluid is positioned with said fixed power source.