Vehicle battery charger having cooling blower providing improved cooling efficiency

• US 6,362,594 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Kajiura, Katsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/731,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20010003416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/109, 320/104
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electromagnetic induction non-contact charger includes a stand and a power source device arranged on the stand. A feeding coupler is coupled to a cable extending from the power source device. The power source device includes an outer casing and a vertical duct arranged in the outer casing. An intake hole and an exhaust hole are provided at the bottom of the outer housing, and a blower is arranged in the outer casing above the duct, so that air is taken in from the intake hole, flows up in the outer casing and outside the duct, enters the duct via blower at the top of the duct, flows down in the duct, and is discharged from the exhaust hole. The duct is constructed using a cooling fin plate, and a circuit board is directly attached to the duct. The stand is tubular, and the exhaust hole is in communication with interior space of the stand. The stand has outlet holes and louvers which are attached to the stand.

Claims

1. A charger for a vehicle, comprising a power source unit and a feeding coupler connected to said power source unit via a cable and adapted to be coupled to a receiver of a vehicle, said power source unit comprising:

an outer casing having a top, a bottom with an intake hole and an exhaust hole;

a duct having a vertically extending passage disposed in said outer casing, said passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, said duct enclosed by said outer casing; and

a cooling blower disposed in said outer casing above said duct so that said blower causes a flow of air in which air is taken into said casing from said intake hole, enters said passage of said duct via said upper opening, flows down in said passage, and flows out of said outer casing via said lower opening and said exhaust hole.

2. A charger as set forth in claim 1, wherein said duct comprises a cooling fin plate formed into a duct-like shape, and wherein a circuit board having electric components mounted thereto is directly attached to said cooling fin plate.

3. A charger as set forth in claim 2, wherein a support board to which said duct is attached is made of metal.

4. A charger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the top of said outer casing is formed inclined, and wherein said blower is disposed in an inclined posture in accordance with the inclination of said top of said outer casing.

7. A charger as set forth in claim 1, wherein an electric circuit is disposed in said passage of said duct.

5. A charger for a vehicle, comprising a power source unit and a feeding coupler connected to said power source unit via a cable and adapted to be coupled to a receiver of a vehicle, said power source unit comprising:

an outer casing having a top, a bottom with an intake hole and an exhaust hole;

a duct having a vertically extending passage disposed in said outer casing, said passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, said duct enclosed by said outer casing;

a cooling blower disposed in said outer casing above said duct so that said blower causes a flow of air in which air is taken into said casing from said intake hole, enters said passage of said duct via said upper opening, flows down in said passage, and flows out of said outer casing via said lower opening and said exhaust hole; and

a support board to which said duct is attached being made of metal, said outer casing being assembled onto said support board.

6. A charger as set forth in claim 5, wherein a reinforcing tubular structure is formed on said support board, said outer casing being fixed to said reinforcing tubular structure by fastening members extending in assembling holes formed in said tubular structure, the interior of said tubular structure communicating with said assembling holes functioning as a drain passage.

8. A charger as set forth in claim 5, wherein an electric circuit is disposed in said passage of said duct.

9. A charger for a vehicle, comprising a power source unit, a feeding coupler connected to said power source unit via a cable and adapted to be coupled to a receiver of a vehicle, and a stand supporting the power source unit;

said power source unit comprising;

an outer casing having a top, a bottom with an intake hole and an exhaust hole;

a duct having a vertically extending passage disposed in said outer casing, said passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, said duct enclosed by said outer casing;

a cooling blower disposed in said outer casing above said duct so that said blower causes a flow of air in which air is taken into said casing from said intake hole, enters said passage of said duct via said upper opening, flows down in said passage, and flows out of said outer casing via said lower opening and said exhaust hole;

said stand comprising a tubular body having an internal space and outlet holes formed through said tubular body, said power source unit being fixed to said stand with said exhaust hole in communication with said internal space; and

louvers formed separately from and attached to said tubular body so that said louvers substantially cover said outlet holes, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to an outer surface of said tubular body, and an extending length of said louver measured from said tubular body in said direction is longer than that of a louver which is formed by a drawing process.

10. A charger as set forth in claim 9, wherein a resin distribution box to which power source wiring connected to said power source unit is connected is disposed in said stand below said outlet holes and an air shielding member is provided in said stand for preventing hot air let out from said exhaust hole from flowing toward said distribution box.

11. A charger for a vehicle, comprising a power source unit and a feeding coupler connected to said power source unit via a cable and adapted to be coupled to a receiver of a vehicle, said power source unit being of a wall mounted type and comprising:

an outer casing having a top, a bottom with an intake hole and an exhaust hole;

a duct having a vertically extending passage disposed in said outer casing, said passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, said duct enclosed by said outer casing;

a cooling blower disposed in said outer casing above said duct so that said blower causes a flow of air in which air is taken into said casing from said intake hole, enters said passage of said duct via said upper opening, flows down in said passage, and flows out of said outer casing via said lower opening and said exhaust hole; and

a partition member disposed below said outer casing for separating a region including said exhaust hole from a region including said intake hole.