Contact-less power supply, contact-less charger systems and method for charging rechargeable battery cell

• US 8,159,183 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LS Cable And System Limited (LS Cable)
• Original Assignee: LS Cable And System Limited (LS Cable)
• Inventors: Choi, Sung-Uk, Kim, Jung-Bum, Moon, Sung-Wook, Han, Sub, Kwon, Kwang-Hee, Park, Dong-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US12/162,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20090033280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/106, 320112-114
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection

Abstract

The present invention relates to a contact-less power supply magnetically coupled to a battery device having a receiving coil therein, for contact-less charging the battery device, the contact-less power supply having a sending coil array including a plurality of sending coils for inducing a charging power to the receiving coil; and a driving means for detecting a sending coil magnetically coupled to the receiving coil and selectively driving only the detected sending coil.

Claims

1. A contact-less power supply magnetically coupled to a battery device having a receiving coil therein, for contact-less charging the battery device, the contact-less power supply comprising:

a coil array including a plurality of sending coils for inducing a charging power to the receiving coil; and

a driving means for detecting a sending coil magnetically coupled to the receiving coil and selectively driving only the detected sending coil,

wherein the driving means sequentially drives any one of the sending coils, and in case a feedback response from the battery device exists, temporarily stores in an internal memory identification information of the corresponding sending coil having the feedback response, and then reads all the identification information temporarily stored in the internal memory, and selectively supplies the charging power to the detected sending coil only.

2. A charging power supply system magnetically coupled to a battery device including a secondary coil for inductive coupling, a wireless sending module for wirelessly sending data, a charge controlling circuit for controlling the charging state of the battery device, and a rechargeable battery, the charging power supply system comprising:

a primary coil array including a plurality of primary coils for inducing a charging power to the secondary coil;

a rectifier circuit for converting an external alternating current voltage into direct current voltage;

a coil driving circuit for generating a driving power for driving the plurality of primary coils based on the direct current voltage;

a wireless receiving module for receiving a feedback signal from the wireless sending module; and

a drive controlling circuit for controlling the coil driving circuit, wherein the drive controlling circuit preliminarily drives any one of the plurality of primary coils, and in case a feedback response from the battery device exists, temporarily stores in an internal memory identification information of the corresponding primary coil having the feedback response, and then reads all the identification information temporarily stored in the internal memory, and selectively generates the driving power to the corresponding primary coil only.

3. The charging power supply system of claim 2,

wherein the plurality of primary coils are arranged in a matrix pattern.

4. The charging power supply system of claim 2,

wherein the plurality of primary coils are arranged in a zigzag pattern.

5. A charging method for charging a battery in a contact-less charger system composed of a power supply including a primary coil array having a plurality of primary coils and a wireless receiving module, and a battery device including a secondary coil magnetically coupled to the primary coil, a wireless sending module and a rechargeable battery, the charging method comprising:

(A) selecting any one of the primary coils and preliminarily driving the selected primary coil during a relatively short time;

(B) waiting for a feedback response from the battery device during a predetermined time;

(C) in case the feedback response exists, temporarily storing identification information of the corresponding primary coil in an internal memory;

(D) selecting another primary coil from the primary coil array and repetitively performing the steps (A) to (C);

(E) sequentially performing the step (D) on all of the primary coils of the primary coil array; and

(F) reading the identification information of the primary coil from the internal memory and selectively supplying a charging power to the corresponding primary coil only.

6. A contact-less charger system comprising:

a first charging unit including a wireless receiving module and a primary coil array having a plurality of primary coils;

a second charging unit including a secondary coil magnetically coupled to the plurality of primary coils and a wireless sending module, wherein the plurality of primary coils are configured to induce a charging power to the secondary coil; and

a battery supplied with the charging power from the second charging unit,

wherein the first charging unit further includes;

a first means for selecting only the primary coil having a feedback response from the second charging unit after driving the plurality of primary coils in a waiting mode, and driving only the selected primary coil in a charging mode, and

wherein the second charging unit further includes;

a second means for generating a feedback signal informing the charging start in case that a power sufficient to drive an internal circuit is induced to the secondary coil, and transmitting the feedback signal to the first charging unit,

wherein the first means preliminarily drives any one of the primary coils, and in case the feedback response from the second charging unit exists, temporarily stores identification information of the corresponding primary coil having the feedback response, and then selects only the corresponding primary coil having the feedback response by reading all the identification information temporarily stored, and selectively drives only the selected primary coil,

whereby, among the plurality of primary coils of the primary coil array, only the primary coil conformable in position to the secondary coil is selectively driven.