Non-contact power transmission device

• US 8,378,524 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mita, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ BORROTO, ALFONSO
• Application Number:
  US12/551,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20100052431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 307/149, 307/151, 363/21.02
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

An electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device includes a transmitter including a transmitter resonance element having a mechanism for discretely or continuously varying a resonant frequency, a transmitter excitation element coupled to the transmitter resonance element by electromagnetic induction, and an alternating current source for applying an alternating current at the same frequency as the resonant frequency to the transmitter excitation element, and a plurality of receivers each including a receiver resonance element having a specific resonant frequency, a receiver excitation element coupled to the receiver resonance element by electromagnetic induction, and an output circuit for outputting an electric current induced by the receiver excitation element. Electric power is transmitted selectively from the transmitter to any of the receivers having different specific resonant frequencies by changing the resonant frequency of the transmitter.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device comprising:

a power signal transmitter including (a) a transmitter resonance element having a variable inductance for one of discretely and continuously varying a resonant frequency, (b) an alternating current source for applying an alternating current at a same frequency as the resonant frequency, (c) a communication unit for receiving a control signal from a first receiver within a plurality of receivers, and (d) a control unit for controlling the frequency of the alternating current and the inductance of the transmitter resonance element based on the control signal, the control unit receiving the control signal from the first receiver when the transmitter resonance element is in resonance with a second receiver within the plurality of receivers; and

each receiver within the plurality of receivers including (a) a receiver resonance element having a specific resonant frequency and (b) an output circuit for outputting an electric current,

wherein,

electric power is transmitted selectively from the transmitter to any of the plurality of receivers having different specific resonant frequencies by changing the inductance of the transmitter resonance element.

2. The electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter resonance element comprises an air-core coil, and the transmitter includes an actuator for changing a length of the air-core coil.

3. The electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device of claim 2, wherein the transmitter includes a directional coupler for selectively extracting a reflected wave component and the control unit is controlling the length of the air-core coil and the frequency of the alternating current on the basis of the reflected wave component.

4. The electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device of claim 3, wherein the receiver resonance element comprises an air-core coil, and each of the receivers includes a reflection control unit for controlling the generation of a reflected wave by short-circuiting the air-core coil.

5. The electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter resonance element comprises an air-core coil, and the transmitter has a switching unit for changing a wire length of the air-core coil.

6. The electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the frequency of the alternating current and the inductance of transmitter resonance element so as to maximize output of the output circuit.

7. An electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmitter comprising:

a power signal transmitter resonance element having a variable inductance for one of discretely and continuously varying a resonant frequency;

an alternating current source for applying an alternating current at a same frequency as the resonant frequency;

a communication unit for receiving a control signal from a first receiver within a plurality of receivers; and

a control unit for controlling the frequency of the alternating current and the inductance of the transmitter resonance element based on the control signal, the control unit receiving the control signal from the first receiver when the transmitter resonance element is in resonance with a second receiver within the plurality of receivers,

wherein,

electric power is transmitted selectively from the transmitter to any of the plurality of receivers having different specific resonant frequencies by changing the inductance of the power signal transmitter resonance element.