Power feeding apparatus, transporter and transport system

• US 6,721,159 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Original Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Inventors: Koyama, Shingo, Uehira, Makoto, Takashige, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US09/943,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20020057075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 361/170, 361/103, 361/119, 361/124, 361/143, 361/146, 361/161
• US Class Current: 361/170
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas

Abstract

In a power feeding apparatus having pickup coils L1 and L2, a rectifier circuit 4 and output terminals U and V, the relays R1 and R2 are connected between the output side terminals of the rectifier circuit 4 and the output terminals U and V. Whereas a protective circuit (switching control circuit) 6, which is connected to the pickup coils L1 and L2 and the relay coils r1 and r2 to obtain the electric power from the output side terminals of the rectifier circuit 4 in order to carry out ON/OFF control of the relays R1 and R2 corresponding to the voltage at the both ends of the pickup coils L1 and L2, is provide. The power feeding apparatus enables to prevent an overcurrent from flowing through a load, to prevent the circuit elements from being destroyed or burnt out due to an overcurrent generated in the pickup coils or an overvoltage generated in a resonance capacitor, to indicate an occurrence of an abnormality and to control the electric power supply by means of a remote control.

Claims

1. A power feeding apparatus, comprising:

p1 a resonance circuit which includes pickup coils for generating induced electromotive force, and a capacitor;

a rectifier circuit for rectifying the induced electromotive force generated on said resonance circuit;

an output terminal for outputting the output electric power from said rectifier circuit;

an immittance conversion circuit connected between said resonance circuit and said rectifier circuit;

at least one switching element for electrically connecting and disconnecting said output terminal and a terminal at an output side of said rectifier circuit; and

a switching control circuit connected to said pickup coils which detects the output voltage of said resonance circuit and carries out ON/OFF control of said at least one switching element corresponding to the detected voltage.

2. The power feeding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a fuse at a connecting node between said pickup coils and said switching control circuit.

3. The power feeding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said switching control circuit comprises a communication unit.

4. The power feeding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor connected to said switching control circuit for outputting signals corresponding to the temperature of said pickup coils, wherein said switching control circuit carries out ON/OFF control of said at least one switching element corresponding to the output signals of said temperature sensor.

5. The power feeding apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a fuse at a connecting node between said pickup coils and said switching control circuit.

6. The power feeding apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said switching control circuit comprises a communication unit.

7. A transporter, comprising a power feeding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and driven by the electric power supplied by said power feeding apparatus.

8. The transporter as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a fuse at a connecting node between said pickup coils and said switching control circuit.

9. The transporter as set forth in claim 7, wherein said switching control circuit comprises a communication unit.

10. The transporter as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a temperature sensor connected to said switching control circuit for outputting signals corresponding to the temperature of said pickup coils, wherein said switching control circuit carries out ON/OFF control of said at least one switching element corresponding to the output signals of said temperature sensor.

11. The transporter as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a fuse at a connecting node between said pickup coils and said switching control circuit.

12. The transporter as set forth in claim 10, wherein said switching control circuit comprises a communication unit.

13. A transport system, comprising:

a feeder line connected to an electric power source for generating induced electromotive force on a pickup; and

a transporter including a power feeding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and driven by the electric power supplied by said power feeding apparatus.

14. The transport system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a fuse at a connecting node between said pickup coils and said switching control circuit.

15. The transport system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said switching control circuit comprises a communication unit.

16. The transport system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a temperature sensor connected to said switching control circuit for outputting signals corresponding to the temperature of said pickup coils, wherein said switching control circuit carries out ON/OFF control of said switching element corresponding to the output signals of said temperature sensor.

17. The transport system as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a fuse at a connecting node between said pickup coils and said switching control circuit.

18. The transport system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said switching control circuit comprises a communication unit.

19. A power feeding apparatus, comprising:

a resonance circuit which includes pickup coils for generating induced electromotive force;

a rectifier circuit for rectifying the induced electromotive force generated on said resonance circuit;

an output terminal for outputting the output electric power from said rectifier circuit;

a constant-voltage circuit connected between said resonance circuit and said rectifier circuit;

a plurality of switching elements for electrically connecting and disconnecting said output terminal and a terminal at an output side of said rectifier circuit; and

a switching control circuit connected to said pickup coils which detects the output voltage of said resonance circuit and carries out ON/OFF control of said plurality of switching elements corresponding to the detected voltage.