Power transmitting device

• US 8,648,564 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US13/608,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20130313910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 307/104
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a power transmitting device includes a power supply unit, a power transmitting coil, a first switch, a piezoelectric element, and a first switch controller. The power supply unit is configured to generate a transmission power by using power supplied to a power input terminal. Once the first switch is turned on, the first switch electrically connects an external power supply and the power input terminal until the first switch is turned off next time. The piezoelectric element is disposed at a position at which a weight of a placed power receiving device can be detected. The piezoelectric element is configured to generate a detection power according to the weight of the placed power receiving device. The first switch controller is configured to generate a starting power by the detection power and switches the first switch to on by using the starting power.

Claims

1. A power transmitting device on which a power receiving device can be placed, the power receiving device charging a built-in battery by using wirelessly received power, the power transmitting device comprising:

a power supply unit comprising a power input terminal and configured to generate a transmission power by using power supplied to the power input terminal;

a power transmitting coil configured to wirelessly transmit the transmission power to the power receiving device;

a first switch, once the first switch being turned on by receiving a switch-on control, the first switch electrically connecting an external power supply and the power input terminal until the first switch being turned off next time by receiving a switch-off control, and once the first switch being turned off by receiving the switch-off control, the first switch electrically disconnecting the external power supply and the power input terminal until the first switch being turned on next time by receiving the switch-on control;

a piezoelectric element disposed at a position at which a weight of the placed power receiving device can be detected, and the piezoelectric element configured to generate a detection power according to the weight of the placed power receiving device; and

a first switch controller configured to generate a starting power by the detection power and switch the first switch to on by using the starting power.

2. The power transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein

the first switch controller comprises

a rectifier circuit configured to rectify the detection power and output a rectified power,

a smoothing circuit configured to smooth the rectified power,

an electric power storage element which can be charged, and

a second switch, one end of the second switch being connected to the electric power storage element, the second switch being turned on to output a power of the electric power storage element from the other end of the second switch as the starting power when the smoothed rectified power is supplied to a control terminal of the second switch, and the second switch being turned off to stop outputting the starting power when the smoothed rectified power is not supplied to the control terminal.

3. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein

the power supply unit charges the electric power storage element by using the power supplied to the power input terminal.

4. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second switch controller configured to switch the first switch to on according to a user'"'"'s operation.

5. The power transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein

the power receiving device transmits a charge completion signal when the built-in battery has been fully charged, and

the power supply unit switches the first switch to off when the power supply unit detects the charge completion signal through the power transmitting coil.

6. The power transmitting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing comprising a placing portion on which the power receiving device can be placed, and configured to house the power supply unit, the power transmitting coil, the first switch, the piezoelectric element, and the first switch controller.

7. The power transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein

the external power supply is an AC power supply.

8. The power transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein

the first switch is a toggle switch or a mechanical relay.

9. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein

the rectifier circuit is a full-wave rectifier circuit.

10. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein

the rectifier circuit is a half-wave rectifier circuit.

11. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein

the smoothing circuit is a smoothing capacitor, the rectified power is supplied to one end of the smoothing capacitor, and the other end of the smoothing capacitor is connected to a ground.

12. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein

the electric power storage element is a capacitor element.

13. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein

the electric power storage element is a storage battery.

14. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein

a power that can switch the first switch to on can be charged in the electric power storage element.

15. The power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein

the second switch is an N-type MOS transistor comprising a source connected to the electric power storage element, a gate to which the smoothed rectified power is supplied, and a drain outputting the starting power.

16. The power transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein

the power supply unit comprises

a bridge circuit configured to drive the power transmitting coil, and

a control unit configured to control the bridge circuit.

17. The power transmitting device according to claim 6, wherein

the housing has a flat plate shape, and

the placing portion is an upper surface of the housing.