Connection system and connection method for an electric automotive vehicle
First Claim
1. A connection system for charging a battery (21) of an electric automotive vehicle (E) used to drive the vehicle (E), comprising:
- a primary coil (10) disposed externally of the vehicle (E) and being connectable with an external power source (11);
a secondary coil (20) disposed on the vehicle (11) and being connectable with the battery (21), said secondary coil (20) being operative for generating an alternating magnetic field by being excited in a specified cycle;
a plurality of magnetic sensors (50) concentrically disposed around said primary coil (10), said magnetic sensors (50) being equally spaced from one another, and each being operative for detecting intensity of the alternating magnetic field generated by the secondary coil (20); and
coil moving means (30;
60;
70) for moving the primary coil (10) and the magnetic sensors (50) in unison until each of the magnetic sensors (50) detects a substantially identical intensity of magnetic field indicative of substantial registration of said primary and secondary coils, wherein the primary coil (10) is electromagnetically coupleable with the secondary coil (20) for inducing a current in the secondary coil (20).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A connection system and connection method for easily charging an electric automotive vehicle are provided. A secondary coil 20 connected with a battery 21 is provided at the bottom of a body of an electric automotive vehicle E. On the other hand, a recess A is formed in the ground of a parking lot, and a coil moving device 30 for movably supporting a primary coil 10 is installed in the recess A. Three magnetic sensors 50 are provided on a body 40 of the coil moving device 30. Further, power supply circuits 13a to 13e provided in an external power supply equipment 11 at the back of the parking lot and a main controller 12 supply power to the primary coil 10, magnetic sensors 50 and coil moving device 30 and control them. In order to charge the battery 21, the vehicle E is parked, straddling the recess A, and the secondary coil 20 is excited. Then, the magnetic sensors 50 detect the position of the secondary coil 20, and the main controller 12 drives the coil moving device 30 to guide the primary coil 10 to a position where both coils 10, 20 are to be electromagnetically coupled.
639 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A connection system for charging a battery (21) of an electric automotive vehicle (E) used to drive the vehicle (E), comprising:
- a primary coil (10) disposed externally of the vehicle (E) and being connectable with an external power source (11);
a secondary coil (20) disposed on the vehicle (11) and being connectable with the battery (21), said secondary coil (20) being operative for generating an alternating magnetic field by being excited in a specified cycle;
a plurality of magnetic sensors (50) concentrically disposed around said primary coil (10), said magnetic sensors (50) being equally spaced from one another, and each being operative for detecting intensity of the alternating magnetic field generated by the secondary coil (20); and
coil moving means (30;
60;
70) for moving the primary coil (10) and the magnetic sensors (50) in unison until each of the magnetic sensors (50) detects a substantially identical intensity of magnetic field indicative of substantial registration of said primary and secondary coils, wherein the primary coil (10) is electromagnetically coupleable with the secondary coil (20) for inducing a current in the secondary coil (20). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a primary coil (10) disposed externally of the vehicle (E) and being connectable with an external power source (11);
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13. A connection system for charging a battery (21) of an electric automotive vehicle (E) used to drive the vehicle (E), comprising:
- a primary coil (10) spaced from the vehicle and connectable with an external power source (11), a secondary coil (20) mounted on the vehicle (E) and connectable with the battery (21), at least one wheel guide (160;
163) which is so provided as to have a predeterminable positional relationship with respect to the primary coil (10), at least one wheel of the vehicle (E) being guidable by the wheel guide (160;
163) to an electromagnetic connection position, where the secondary coil (20) of the vehicle (E) is electromagnetically connectable with the primary coil (10), switch means (150) in proximity to the wheel guide (160;
163) for generating a signal indicative of proper positioning of the vehicle (E) relative to the wheel guide (160;
163), and coil moving means (140, 141;
144, 145;
146,
147) responsive to activation of the switch means (150) for moving the primary coil (10) into coupling position relative to the secondary coil (20) for inducing a current in the secondary coil (20). - View Dependent Claims (14)
- a primary coil (10) spaced from the vehicle and connectable with an external power source (11), a secondary coil (20) mounted on the vehicle (E) and connectable with the battery (21), at least one wheel guide (160;
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15. A connection method for charging a battery (21) of an electric automotive vehicle (E) used to drive the vehicle (E), comprising the steps of:
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providing a primary coil (10) connected with an external power source (11) and a secondary coil (20) connected with a battery (21), the secondary coil being operative to generate an alternating magnetic field by being excited in a specified cycle, a plurality of magnetic sensors (50a-50c) being mounted concentrically around the primary coil (10) in fixed spaced relationship to one another, the magnetic sensors (50a-50c) each being operative for detecting the magnetic field intensity of the secondary coil (20); exciting the secondary coil (20) at a specified frequency; detecting magnetic field intensities from the secondary coil (20) with each of said magnetic sensors (50a-50c); analyzing the detection signals of the magnetic sensors (50a-50c) for determining positional relationships (Ra-Rc) of each of said magnetic sensors (50a-50c) relative to said secondary coil (20); automatically moving the primary coil (10) into a positional relationship where the detection signals of the magnetic sensors (50a-50c) are substantially equal to one another; moving said positioned primary coil (20) toward the secondary coil (20) and into electromagnetic coupled engagement therewith; and inducing a current from the primary coil (10) in the secondary coil (20).
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Specification