Wireless power feeder, wireless power transmission system, and table and table lamp using the same

• US 8,829,727 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Urano, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ BORROTO, ALFONSO
• Application Number:
  US13/096,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20110260548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 307/149, 307/151, 320/108
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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: H02M 7/53871 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source

Abstract

Power is fed from a feeding coil L2 to a receiving coil L3 by magnetic resonance. A VCO alternately turns ON/OFF switching transistors Q1 and Q2 at a drive frequency fo, whereby AC current is fed to the feeding coil L2, and then the AC current is fed from the feeding coil L2 to the receiving coil L3. A phase detection circuit detects a phase difference between the current phase and voltage phase, and the VCO adjusts the drive frequency fo such that the phase difference becomes zero. In a current phase detection circuit and a voltage phase detection circuit, detection values of the current and voltage phases can be changed, respectively and intentionally.

Claims

1. A wireless power feeder for wirelessly feeding power from a feeding coil to a receiving coil using a magnetic field resonance phenomenon between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, the wireless power feeder comprising:

the feeding coil;

a power transmission control circuit that feeds AC power to the feeding coil;

a phase detection circuit that detects a phase difference between a voltage phase and a current phase of the AC power, wherein

the power transmission control circuit adjusts a drive frequency of the AC power such that the phase difference is reduced, and

in the phase detection circuit, a detected phase value of one or both of the voltage and current phases is changed intentionally.

2. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein the phase detection circuit compares a first phase value indicating a timing at which a voltage level of the AC power becomes a first reference value and a second phase value indicating a timing at which a current level of the AC power becomes a second reference value to detect the phase difference, and by changing one or both of the first and second reference values, one or both of the first and second phase values are changed.

3. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein the phase detection circuit converts one or both of voltage and current components of the AC power into a signal having a saw-tooth waveform for detection of the phase difference.

4. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, further comprising:

an exciting coil that is magnetically coupled to the feeding coil and feeds AC power fed from the power transmission control circuit to the feeding coil, wherein

the power transmission control circuit includes first and second current paths and makes first and second switches connected in series respectively to the first and second current paths alternately conductive to feed the AC power to the exciting coil.

5. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, further comprising a detection coil that generates inductive current using a magnetic field generated by AC current, wherein

the phase detection circuit measures a phase of the inductive current flowing in the detection coil to achieve measurement of the current phase of the AC power.

6. The wireless power feeder according to claim 5, wherein the detection coil is a coil that generates the inductive current using a magnetic field generated by the AC current flowing in the feeding coil.

7. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission control circuit causes the feeding coil to which no capacitor is connected in series or in parallel, to feed the AC power to the receiving coil.

8. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein the feeding coil does not form, together with circuit elements on the power feeding side, a resonance circuit having a resonance point corresponding to a resonance frequency of the receiving coil.

9. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein no capacitor is inserted in series or in parallel to the feeding coil.

10. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein the feeding coil is connected to a capacitor and forms a circuit which resonates at a resonance frequency of the receiving coil.

11. A wireless power transmission system comprising:

the wireless power feeder as claimed in claim 1;

the receiving coil; and

a loading coil that is magnetically coupled to the receiving coil and receives power to be received by the receiving coil from the feeding coil.

12. The wireless power transmission system according to claim 11, wherein the receiving coil is connected to a capacitor and form a circuit which resonates at a resonance frequency of the feeding coil.

13. A table with wireless power feeding function comprising the wireless power feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding coil is provided on a rear surface of the table or incorporated inside the table.

14. A table lamp with wireless power receiving function that receives, using a receiving coil, AC power transmitted from the table as claimed in claim 13 by wireless, comprising:

a receiving coil circuit that includes the receiving coil and a capacitor; and

a loading circuit that includes a loading coil that is magnetically coupled to the receiving coil to receive the AC power from the receiving coil and a lamp that receives power from the loading coil, wherein

when the lamp is placed on the table, the receiving coil receives the AC power fed from the feeding coil provided in the table to turn on the lamp.