Charger coupling

• US 6,373,221 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company), Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Nguyen, Phung T., Conroy, Karl David, Koike, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/748,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/108, 320/109, 336/DIG.2
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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

A charger coupling for charging a battery includes a paddle and a receptacle. The paddle and the receptacle exchange information by radio waves. The paddle includes waveguides for guiding radio waves between an antenna of the paddle and an antenna or the receptacle. The waveguides improve the radio communication between the paddle and the receptacle.

Claims

1. A charger coupling for charging a battery, the coupling comprising:

a charging device, wherein the charging device includes a first core, a primary coil wound about the first core, and a first communication device having a first antenna;

a receptacle for receiving the charging device, wherein the receptacle includes a second core, a secondary coil wound about the second core, and a second communication device having a second antenna, wherein, when the receptacle receives the charging device, the second core and the first core form a magnetic circuit and the secondary core induces a current in response to a current supplied to the primary coil, and wherein the second antenna exchanges radio waves with the first antenna; and

a waveguide member, wherein the waveguide member guides radio waves between the first antenna and the second antenna.

2. The charger coupling according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide member is a conductive member that forms a waveguide between the first antenna and the second antenna.

3. The charger coupling according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide member is a first waveguide member and the waveguide is a first waveguide, the charger coupling further comprising a second waveguide member, wherein the second waveguide member is a conductive member that has a second waveguide, and wherein the second waveguide member is located at the opposite side of the first antenna from the first waveguide member.

4. A charger coupling for charging a battery, the coupling comprising:

a charging device, wherein the charging device includes a first core, a primary coil wound about the first core, a first communication circuit, a first antenna connected to the first communication circuit and a first case for accommodating the first core, the primary coil, the first communication circuit and the first antenna;

a receptacle for receiving the charging device, wherein the receptacle includes a second core, a secondary coil wound about the second core, a second communication circuit, a second antenna connected to the second communication circuit and a second case for accommodating the second core, the secondary coil, the second communication circuit and the second antenna, wherein the second antenna faces the first antenna, and wherein, when the receptacle receives the charging device, the second core and the first core form a magnetic circuit, the secondary coil induces a current in response to a current supplied to the primary coil; and

a waveguide member, wherein the waveguide member is a conductive member that forms a waveguide in the first case between the first antenna and the second antenna such that the waveguide guides radio waves transmitted between the first and second antennas.

5. The charger coupling according claim 4, wherein the first antenna is a dipole antenna, and wherein the waveguide includes a center portion and a main portion, and wherein the center portion corresponds to a junction between the first antenna and a signal line and the main portion corresponds to and extends along the first antenna.

6. The charger coupling according to claim 5, wherein the waveguide member comprises a conductive metal plating layer formed on the inner surface of the first case.

7. The charger coupling according to claim 5, wherein the waveguide member is a first waveguide member and the waveguide is a first waveguide, and the charger coupling further comprises a second waveguide member, wherein the second waveguide member is a conductive member that has a second waveguide, and wherein the second waveguide member is located at the opposite side of the first antenna from the first waveguide member.

8. The charger coupling according claim 7, wherein the center portion is a first center portion and the main portion is a first main portion, and wherein the second waveguide includes a second center portion and a second main portion, and wherein the second center portion corresponds to a junction between the first antenna and a signal line and the second main portion corresponds to and extends along the first antenna.

9. The charger coupling according to claim 8, wherein the second waveguide member comprises a conductive metal plating layer formed on the inner surface of the first case.

10. The charger coupling according to claim 8, wherein the length of the first antenna is less than a half of the wavelength of the used radio waves, and wherein the length of the first main portion is substantially equal to a quarter of the wavelength of the radio waves, and wherein the length of the second main portion is less than the length of the first main portion.