Non-contact power transmission apparatus

• US 8,248,027 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2010
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: Sakoda, Shimpei, Takada, Kazuyoshi, Suzuki, Sadanori, Nakata, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/702,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20100201204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 307/104
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

A non-contact power transmission apparatus is disclosed. The non-contact power transmission apparatus includes an AC power source, a primary coil, a primary side resonance coil, a secondary side resonance coil, a secondary coil, a voltage measuring section, and a distance calculating section. AC voltage of the AC power source is applied to the primary coil. A load is connected to the secondary coil. The voltage measuring section measures the voltage of the primary coil. The distance calculating section calculates the distance between the primary side resonance coil and the secondary side resonance coil based on the voltage measured by the voltage measuring section.

Claims

1. A non-contact power transmission apparatus comprising:

an AC power source;

a primary coil to which an AC voltage of the AC power source is applied;

a primary side resonance coil;

a secondary side resonance coil;

a secondary coil to which a load is connected;

a voltage measuring section that measures the voltage of the primary coil; and

a distance calculating section that calculates the distance between the primary side resonance coil and the secondary side resonance coil based on the voltage measured by the voltage measuring section.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance calculating section calculates the distance along an axial direction between the primary side resonance coil and the secondary side resonance coil.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance calculating section calculates the offset amount between the central axis of the primary side resonance coil and the central axis of the secondary side resonance coil in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the primary side resonance coil and the secondary side resonance coil.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the secondary side resonance coil, the secondary coil, and the load are mounted on a movable body.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the secondary side resonance coil, the secondary coil, and the load are mounted on a vehicle,

wherein the load includes a charging device and a secondary battery,

wherein the secondary side resonance coil and the secondary coil are arranged such that the central axis of the secondary side resonance coil and the central axis of the secondary coil each extend along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and

wherein the primary coil and the primary side resonance coil are arranged such that the central axis of the primary coil and the central axis of the primary side resonance coil each extend along a horizontal direction relative to the ground surface.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the secondary side resonance coil, the secondary coil, and the load are mounted on a vehicle,

wherein the load includes a charging device and a secondary battery,

wherein the secondary side resonance coil and the secondary coil are arranged such that the central axis of the secondary side resonance coil and the central axis of the secondary coil each extend along the up-down direction of the vehicle, and

wherein the primary coil and the primary side resonance coil are arranged such that, when the vehicle is parked at a charging position, the primary coil and the primary side resonance coil are located below the vehicle, and the central axis of the primary coil and the central axis of the primary side resonance coil each extend along a direction perpendicular to the ground surface.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an informing section that informs of whether the primary side resonance coil and the secondary side resonance coil are in a proper positional relationship based on a calculation result of the distance calculating section.

8. A non-contact power transmission apparatus comprising:

an AC power source;

a primary coil to which an AC voltage of the AC power source is applied;

a primary side resonance coil;

a secondary side resonance coil;

a secondary coil to which a load is connected;

a voltage measuring section that measures the voltage of the primary coil; and

a determining section that determines the state of the load based on the voltage measured by the voltage measuring section.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the determining section is configured to evaluate an impedance value of the load based on the voltage measured by the voltage measuring section.