Vehicle, power transmitting device and contactless power supply system

• US 9,373,971 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kondo, Tadashi, Gorai, Naoki, Ichikawa, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US13/860,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20130307471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/109, 320/104, 324/300, 324/322, 324/600, 324/311, 307/104, 307/10.1, 307/149, 307/39, 307/82, 307/84
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A contactless power supply system contactlessly transmits electric power from a power transmitting device to a vehicle. The vehicle includes: a power receiving unit that contactlessly receives electric power from the power transmitting device; an electrical storage device that stores electric power received by the power receiving unit; and an impedance adjustment unit that includes a DC/DC converter and a relay and that is used to adjust an impedance between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device. A vehicle ECU switches between a power supply path of which the impedance is adjusted by the DC/DC converter and a power supply path that does not use the DC/DC converter on the basis of a state of charge of the electrical storage device.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a power receiving unit configured to contactlessly receive electric power from a power transmitting device;

an electrical storage device configured to store electric power received by the power receiving unit; and

an impedance adjustment unit electrically connected between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device, the impedance adjustment unit being configured to adjust an impedance between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device, the impedance adjustment unit being configured to switch an adjusted state of the impedance between a first adjusted state and a second adjusted state on the basis of a power transfer state from the power transmitting device to the power receiving unit, and electric power received by the power receiving unit in the first adjusted state being supplied to the electrical storage device in a state where the impedance is not adjusted, wherein

the power transmitting device includes a power transmitting unit configured to contactlessly supply electric power, and

a coupling coefficient between the power transmitting unit and the power receiving unit is smaller than or equal to 0.1.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit configured to control the impedance adjustment unit, the control unit being configured to switch between the first adjusted state and the second adjusted state on the basis of a magnitude of a charging electric power supplied to the electrical storage device.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit is configured to charge the electrical storage device with a first charging electric power or a second charging electric power on the basis of a state of charge of the electrical storage device, the second charging electric power being smaller than the first charging electric power, and

the control unit is configured to switch the impedance adjustment unit to the first adjusted state when the first charging electric power is used and to switch the impedance adjustment unit to the second adjusted state when the second charging electric power is used.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit configured to control the impedance adjustment unit, the control unit being configured to switch between the first adjusted state and the second adjusted state on the basis of a power transfer efficiency between the power transmitting device and the power receiving unit.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit is configured to, when the power transfer efficiency becomes lower than a predetermined threshold at the time when electric power is being transferred in the first adjusted state, switch the impedance adjustment unit from the first adjusted state to the second adjusted state.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rectifying unit configured to rectify electric power received by the power receiving unit, wherein

the impedance adjustment unit includes a DC/DC converter configured to convert a voltage from the rectifying unit and configured to supply the converted voltage to the electrical storage device.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rectifying unit configured to rectify electric power received by the power receiving unit, wherein

the impedance adjustment unit includes a matching transformer provided between the power receiving unit and the rectifying unit, the matching transformer being configured to include at least one of a coil and a capacitor.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the impedance adjustment unit includes a switching unit configured to switch between the first adjusted state and the second adjusted state.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a control unit configured to control the switching unit, the control unit being configured to determine whether there is an abnormality in the switching unit on the basis of a state of electric power supplied to the electrical storage device and a state of switching of the switching unit.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a difference between a natural frequency of the power transmitting unit and a natural frequency of the power receiving unit is smaller than or equal to ±

10% of one of the natural frequency of the power transmitting unit and the natural frequency of the power receiving unit.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the power receiving unit is configured to receive electric power from the power transmitting unit through at least one of a magnetic field and an electric field, the magnetic field being formed between the power receiving unit and the power transmitting unit, the magnetic field oscillating at a predetermined frequency, the electric field being formed between the power receiving unit and the power transmitting unit, and the electric field oscillating at a predetermined frequency.

12. A contactless power supply system that contactlessly supplies electric power, comprising:

a vehicle; and

a power transmitting device that includes;

a power supply unit, a power transmitting unit and a first impedance adjustment unit, the power transmitting unit being configured to contactlessly supply electric power to the vehicle, the electric power being supplied from the power supply unit;

the first impedance adjustment unit being electrically connected between the power supply unit and the power transmitting unit, and the first impedance adjustment unit being configured to adjust an impedance between the power supply unit and the power transmitting unit,

the first impedance adjustment unit being configured to switch an adjusted state of the impedance between a first adjusted state and a second adjusted state on the basis of a power transfer state from the power transmitting device to the vehicle, electric power from the power supply unit in the first adjusted state being supplied to the power transmitting unit in a state where the impedance is not adjusted,

the vehicle including;

a power receiving unit, an electrical storage device and a second impedance adjustment unit, the power receiving unit being configured to contactlessly receive electric power from the power transmitting unit, the electrical storage device being configured to store electric power received by the power receiving unit, the second impedance adjustment unit being electrically connected between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device, the second impedance adjustment unit being configured to adjust an impedance between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device,

the second impedance adjustment unit being configured to switch an adjusted state of the impedance between a third adjusted state and a fourth adjusted state on the basis of the power transfer state from the power transmitting device to the vehicle, electric power received by the power receiving unit in the third adjusted state being supplied to the electrical storage device in a state where the impedance is not adjusted, wherein

a coupling coefficient between the power transmitting unit and the power receiving unit is smaller than or equal to 0.1.

13. The contactless power supply system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a control unit configured to control the first and second impedance adjustment units, the control unit being configured to adjust a mismatch of the impedance due to a positional deviation between the power transmitting unit and the power receiving unit with the use of the first impedance adjustment unit, and the control unit being configured to adjust a mismatch of the impedance due to a load fluctuation during charging of the electrical storage device with the use of the second impedance adjustment unit.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a power receiving unit configured to contactlessly receive electric power from a power transmitting device;

an electrical storage device configured to store electric power received by the power receiving unit;

an impedance adjustment unit electrically connected between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device, the impedance adjustment unit being configured to adjust an impedance between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device, the impedance adjustment unit being configured to switch an adjusted state of the impedance between a first adjusted state and a second adjusted state on the basis of a power transfer state from the power transmitting device to the power receiving unit, and electric power received by the power receiving unit in the first adjusted state being supplied to the electrical storage device in a state where the impedance is not adjusted; and

a control unit configured to control the impedance adjustment unit, the control unit being configured to switch between the first adjusted state and the second adjusted state on the basis of a power transfer efficiency between the power transmitting device and the power receiving unit.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein

the control unit is configured to, when the power transfer efficiency becomes lower than a predetermined threshold at the time when electric power is being transferred in the first adjusted state, switch the impedance adjustment unit from the first adjusted state to the second adjusted state.

16. The vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising:

a rectifying unit configured to rectify electric power received by the power receiving unit, wherein

the impedance adjustment unit includes a DC/DC converter configured to convert a voltage from the rectifying unit and configured to supply the converted voltage to the electrical storage device.

17. The vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising:

a rectifying unit configured to rectify electric power received by the power receiving unit, wherein

the impedance adjustment unit includes a matching transformer provided between the power receiving unit and the rectifying unit, the matching transformer being configured to include at least one of a coil and a capacitor.

18. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein

the impedance adjustment unit includes a switching unit configured to switch between the first adjusted state and the second adjusted state.

19. A contactless power supply system that contactlessly supplies electric power, comprising:

a vehicle; and

a power transmitting device that includes;

a power supply unit, a power transmitting unit and a first impedance adjustment unit, the power transmitting unit being configured to contactlessly supply electric power to the vehicle, the electric power being supplied from the power supply unit;

the first impedance adjustment unit being electrically connected between the power supply unit and the power transmitting unit, and the first impedance adjustment unit being configured to adjust an impedance between the power supply unit and the power transmitting unit,

the first impedance adjustment unit being configured to switch an adjusted state of the impedance between a first adjusted state and a second adjusted state on the basis of a power transfer state from the power transmitting device to the vehicle, electric power from the power supply unit in the first adjusted state being supplied to the power transmitting unit in a state where the impedance is not adjusted,

the vehicle including;

a power receiving unit, an electrical storage device, a second impedance adjustment unit, and a control unit, the power receiving unit being configured to contactlessly receive electric power from the power transmitting unit, the electrical storage device being configured to store electric power received by the power receiving unit, the second impedance adjustment unit being electrically connected between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device, the second impedance adjustment unit being configured to adjust an impedance between the power receiving unit and the electrical storage device,

the second impedance adjustment unit being configured to switch an adjusted state of the impedance between a third adjusted state and a fourth adjusted state on the basis of the power transfer state from the power transmitting device to the vehicle, electric power received by the power receiving unit in the third adjusted state being supplied to the electrical storage device in a state where the impedance is not adjusted, and

the control unit being configured to control the second impedance adjustment unit, and the control unit being configured to switch between the third adjusted state and the fourth adjusted state on the basis of a power transfer efficiency between the power transmitting device and the power receiving unit.

20. The contactless power supply system according to claim 19, wherein

the control unit is configured to, when the power transfer efficiency becomes lower than a predetermined threshold at the time when electric power is being transferred in the third adjusted state, switch the second impedance adjustment unit from the third adjusted state to the fourth adjusted state.