Electric vehicle charging system including refrigerant system

• US 5,909,099 A
• Filed: 08/06/1997
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kunihiko, Kuki, Heiji, Arisaka, Shuji, Shimada, Toshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US08/907,000
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/104, 320/108, 320/109, 320/FOR 101, 320/DIG. 33, 320/DIG. 34, 336/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/726 Glycosaminoglycans, i.e. mucopolysaccharides chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate A61K31/737
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/728 Hyaluronic acid
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• 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 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for 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 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging system for use with an electric vehicle in that a primary coil 32 is structured in such a manner that a conductive pipe 34 is wound around a primary core 33. Cooling water is allowed to circulate through the conductive pipe 34, while the cooling water is cooled by a radiator device provided on the charging unit side. To the two ends of the conductive pipe 34, there are connected the core wires of a charging power cable 40 through energizing terminals 37, so that the primary coil 32 can be excited.

Claims

1. A charging system for use with an electric vehicle comprising:

a primary coil which is excited to thereby generate an electromotive force in a secondary coil;

said secondary coil electromagnetically connected to the primary coil; and

a power battery device provided in said electric vehicle, said power battery being charged by the electromotive force generated in said secondary coil;

wherein at least one of said primary coil and secondary coil is formed of a conductive pipe and a refrigerant is allowed to flow through the interior portion of said conductive pipe to thereby cool said coil.

2. A charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conductive pipe is wound around a core in a heat transferable manner, and said coil and core are cooled by means of a refrigerant which is allowed to flow through the interior portion of said conductive pipe.

3. A charging system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said primary coil is formed of the conductive pipe and the refrigerant flows therethrough said, primary coil being wound around said primary side core in two or more layers, and said refrigerant is allowed to flow from the inner peripheral side of said primary coil toward the outer peripheral side thereof.

4. A charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of projecting portion and a recessed portion is formed in the inner surface of said conductive pipe.

5. A charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein both of said primary coil and said secondary coil are formed by of a conductive pipe and said refrigerant is allowed to flow to thereby cool said primary coil and said second coil.

6. A charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an insulation layer is formed inside of said conductive pipe and said refrigerant is a water-system refrigerant.

7. A charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of refrigerant discharge holes are formed in the peripheral surface of said conductive pipe.

8. A charging system as claimed in claim 7, wherein a passage space for allowing said refrigerant discharged from said refrigerant discharge holes to flow therethrough is provided between said primary side or secondary side core and coil.

9. A charging system for use with an electric vehicle comprising:

a power battery device equipped in the electric vehicle which is charged by an electromotive force induced in a secondary coil provided in the electric vehicle;

a high-frequency power source device for charging;

a housing which is placeable in a receive portion formed in the portion of said electric vehicle in which said secondary coil is provided;

a primary side core which, if it is stored in said housing and is thus set in said receive portion together with said housing, can be connected with the secondary side core of said secondary coil to thereby complete a magnetic circuit;

a primary coil formed of a conductive pipe and wound around said primary side core in a heat transferable manner;

a charging power cable interposed between said high-frequency power source device and a connector case for allowing a high-frequency current to flow from said high-frequency power source device to said primary coil;

a refrigerant supply pipe so provided as to extend along said charging power cable for allowing a refrigerant to flow into said conductive pipe;

a radiator device provided in connection with said refrigerant supply pipe for radiating the heat of said refrigerant after which is heated because the refrigerant has cooled said primary coil and said primary side core; and

a circulation pump actuatable in combination with said charging operation for returning said refrigerant cooled in said radiator device to said primary coil side through said refrigerant supply pipe to thereby circulate said refrigerant.

10. A charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said primary coil is wound around said primary side core in two or more layers, and said refrigerant is allowed to flow from the inner peripheral side of said primary coil toward the outer peripheral side thereof.

11. A charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of projecting portion and a recessed portion is formed in the inner surface of said conductive pipe.

12. A charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said secondary coil on said electric vehicle side is also formed of a conductive pipe and a refrigerant from said refrigerant supply pipe is allowed to flow to thereby cool said second coil.

13. A charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein an insulation layer is formed inside of said conductive pipe and said refrigerant is a water-system refrigerant.

14. A charging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a plurality of refrigerant discharge holes are formed in the peripheral surface of said conductive pipe.

15. A charging system as claimed in claim 14, wherein a passage space for allowing said refrigerant discharged from said refrigerant discharge holes to flow therethrough is provided between said primary side or secondary side core and coil.

16. A charging system for use with an electric vehicle comprising:

a charging coupler which is to be mounted into a receive portion provided in the electric vehicle;

a primary coil built in the charging coupler which is excited by a charging power source to thereby generate an electromotive force in a secondary coil provided on the receive portion;

a battery device provided in the electric vehicle which is charged by the electromotive force generated in the secondary coil;

a refrigerant circulation passage for allowing a refrigerant to circulate through said charging coupler; and

a radiator that discharges heat from the refrigerant flowing through said refrigerant circulation passage;

wherein said charging coupler is cooled by the circulation of said refrigerant, and

wherein said primary coil of said charging coupler is formed of a conductive pipe, and said conductive pipe is formed as part of said refrigerant circulation passage so that said refrigerant is allowed to flow through said conductive pipe as well.

17. A charging system as claimed in claim 16, wherein a refrigerant circulation tube forming a part of said refrigerant circulation passage is formed integrally with a power cable for supplying power to said primary coil of said charging coupler.

18. A charging system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said radiator is incorporated integrally in said charging power source device.

19. A charging system for use with an electric vehicle comprising:

a primary coil unit provided in a charging coupler;

a charging power source for exciting said primary coil unit;

a secondary coil unit provided in said electric vehicle which is electromagnetically coupled with said primary coil unit, to thereby generate an electromotive force;

a battery device provided in the electric vehicle which is charged by the electromotive force generated in said secondary coil unit;

a primary refrigerant passage provided in said primary coil unit for cooling said primary coil unit;

a secondary refrigerant passage provided in said secondary coil unit for cooling said secondary coil units; and

passage joints for connecting said primary and secondary refrigerant passages to each other.

20. A charging system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said passage joints are respectively disposed opposed not only to said charging coupler but also to a receive portion formed in said electric vehicle for receiving said charging coupler, and said passage joints is connectable with each other when said charging coupler is mounted into said receive portion to thereby bring said primary and secondary side refrigerant passages into communication with each other.

21. A charging system as claimed in claim 19, wherein each of said respective passage joints includes at least one valve mechanism therein which is arranged so as to close said refrigerant passages when the refrigerant passages are not connected with each other.

22. A charging system as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least one of said primary coil and secondary coil is formed of a conductive pipe and said primary side or secondary side refrigerant passage is formed by said conductive pipe.

23. A charging system for use with an electric vehicle comprising:

a primary coil unit provided in a charging coupler;

a charging power source for exciting said primary coil unit;

a secondary coil unit provided in said electric vehicle which is electromagnetically coupled with said primary coil unit, to thereby generate an electromotive force;

a battery device provided in the electric vehicle which is charged by the electromotive force generated in said secondary coil unit;

wherein a refrigerant of a cooling device provided in said electric vehicle is allowed to flow through said primary coil unit or secondary coil unit to thereby cool the same.

24. A charging system as claimed in claim 23, wherein there is formed in said charging coupler a primary side refrigerant passage through which said refrigerant for cooling said primary coil unit is allowed to flow and, in a receive portion into which said charging coupler can be mounted, there are provided passage joints which can bring said primary side refrigerant passage into communication with the refrigerant passage of said cooling device when said charging coupler is mounted into said receive portion.

25. A charging system as claimed in claim 23, wherein there is formed in said charging coupler a heat transfer member for transferring heat generated in said primary coil unit to the receive portion side into which said coupler can be mounted, and said cooling device cools said heat transfer member to thereby be able to cool said primary coil unit.

26. A charging system as claimed in claim 23, wherein at least one of a primary coil and a secondary coil is formed of a conductive pipe and the refrigerant of said cooling device of said electric vehicle is allowed to flow through the interior portion of said conductive pipe.