Wireless power feeder, wireless power receiver, and wireless power transmission system, and coil

• US 9,035,500 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Gotani, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Joel
• Application Number:
  US13/405,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20120223594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A wireless power feeder feeds power from a feeding coil L2 to a receiving coil L3 by wireless using a magnetic field coupling between the feeding coil L2 and the receiving coil L3. The feeding coil L2 is formed so as to be rotated. A power transmission control circuit supplies AC power to the feeding coil L2 to make the feeding coil L2 feed the AC power to the receiving coil L3. The power transmission control circuit rotates the feeding coil L2 to change the opposing area between the feeding coil L2 and the receiving coil L3 as viewed in the axis direction of the feeding coil L2 to thereby adjust the AC power to be supplied from the feeding coil L2 to the receiving coil L3.

Claims

1. A wireless power feeder that wirelessly feeds power from a feeding coil to a receiving coil using a magnetic field coupling between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, the wireless power feeder comprising:

the feeding coil formed so as to be rotated; and

a power transmission control circuit that supplies AC power to the feeding coil to make the feeding coil feed the AC power to the receiving coil, wherein

the power transmission control circuit is configured to rotate the feeding coil along a winding direction thereof to change an opposing area between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, thereby adjusting a mutual inductance between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, to adjust the AC power to be supplied from the feeding coil to the receiving coil, and

the feeding coil is formed into a non-true circular shape.

2. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein

the feeding coil is formed into an ellipse or a polygon.

3. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein

the power transmission control circuit adjusts a rotation amount of the feeding coil according to feeding power of the feeding coil or receiving power of the receiving coil.

4. The wireless power feeder according to claim 3, wherein

the power transmission control circuit rotates the feeding coil until the feeding power of the feeding coil or the receiving power of the receiving coil reaches a predetermined target value.

5. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein

the power transmission control circuit adjusts a rotation amount of the feeding coil according to a distance between the feeding coil and the receiving coil.

12. The wireless power feeder according to claim 1, wherein a self-inductance of the feeding coil does not change when the feeding coil is rotated.

6. A wireless power receiver that wirelessly receives, at a receiving coil, AC power fed from a feeding coil using a magnetic field coupling between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, the wireless power receiver comprising:

the receiving coil formed so as to be rotated; and

a power receiving control circuit that outputs the AC power received by the receiving coil, wherein;

the power receiving control circuit is configured to rotate the receiving coil along a winding direction thereof to change an opposing area between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, thereby adjusting a mutual inductance between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, to adjust the AC power received by the receiving coil, and

the receiving coil is formed into a non-true circular shape.

7. The wireless power receiver according to claim 6, wherein

the receiving coil is formed into an ellipse or a polygon.

8. The wireless power receiver according to claim 6, wherein

the power receiving control circuit adjusts a rotation amount of the receiving coil according to the AC power received by the receiving coil.

9. The wireless power receiver according to claim 6, wherein

the power receiving control circuit rotates the receiving coil until feeding power of the feeding coil or receiving power of the receiving coil reaches a predetermined target value.

10. The wireless power receiver according to claim 6, wherein

the power receiving control circuit adjusts a rotation amount of the receiving coil according to a distance between the feeding coil and the receiving coil.

13. The wireless power receiver according to claim 6, wherein a self-inductance of the receiving coil does not change when the receiving coil is rotated.

11. A wireless power transmission system for wirelessly feeding power from a feeding coil to a receiving coil using a magnetic field coupling between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, the wireless power transmission system comprising:

a wireless power feeder; and

a wireless power receiver, wherein;

the wireless power feeder includes;

the feeding coil; and

a power transmission control circuit that supplies AC power to the feeding coil to make the feeding coil feed the AC power to the receiving coil,

the wireless power receiver includes;

the receiving coil; and

a power receiving control circuit that outputs the AC power received by the receiving coil,

both or one of the feeding coil and the receiving coil is formed so as to be rotated,

both or one of the power transmission control circuit and the power receiving control circuit is configured to rotate both or one of the feeding coil and the receiving coil along a winding direction thereof to change an opposing area between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, thereby adjusting a mutual inductance between the feeding coil and the receiving coil, to adjust the AC power received by the receiving coil, and

both or one of the feeding coil and the receiving coil is formed into a non-true circular shape.

14. The wireless power transmission system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of a self-inductance of the feeding coil and a self-inductance of the receiving coil does not change when rotated.