Liquid cooled metallic inductive probe for high power charging

• US 5,594,315 A
• Filed: 04/29/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Tanzer, Herbert J., Hall, John T., Ramos, Sergio, Quon, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US08/237,493
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 320/21, 320/2, 336/DIG. 2, 336/59, 336/60, 336/61, 336/82, 336/83, 336/179
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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: Y10S 336/02 Separable

Abstract

An inductive charging coupler for use in inductive charging apparatus for charging a battery. The charging coupler is insertable into a charge port that is coupled to the battery. The charge port comprises a housing, an opening into which the charging coupler is inserted, and a secondary core surrounded by secondary windings. The charging coupler comprises a housing, a primary core, a primary winding having an even number of primary turns disposed around the core, and a hollow coolant conducting heat exchanger symmetrically disposed between the primary turns of the primary winding. The heat exchanger is typically them tally bonded to the primary turns of the primary winding by means of heat conducting adhesive or epoxy. The coolant flow passages of the heat exchanger may be configured in several ways. One approach is to construct thin, flat, self-contained flexible bladders made of metal, such as copper. Adjacent turns of the primary winding are bonded directly to the heat exchanger in order to provide good thermal contact, a large heat transfer area, and a very thin profile. Inlet and outlet coolant passages transition from a very thin rectangular cross sectional shape under the turns to a round tube shape, for attachment to a coolant lines within a flexible hose. The metallic heat exchanger is located at the center of a magnetic field created by the windings, which produces no extra loss in the heat exchanger due to induced eddy currents. The present invention is specifically designed for rapid, high rate charging of electric vehicle batteries.

Claims

1. In an inductive charging apparatus for use in charging a battery, which apparatus comprises a charging coupler that is insertable into a charge port that is coupled to the battery, and wherein the charge port comprises a housing, an opening into which the charging coupler is inserted, and a secondary core surrounded by secondary windings, wherein said charging coupler comprises:

a housing;

a primary magnetic core disposed in the housing;

a primary winding having an even number of primary turns disposed around the primary magnetic core;

a hollow coolant conducting heat exchanger symmetrically disposed between the primary turns of the primary winding.

2. The charging coupler of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is thermally bonded to the primary turns of the primary winding by means of heat conducting adhesive.