Secondary transformer unit for mounting on a vehicle having an electric drive, and vehicle having an electric drive

• US 9,396,862 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Elias, Bjrn, Ohlen, Christian, Ebner, Anca
• Primary Examiner(s): Lian, Mangtin
• Application Number:
  US14/352,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20140253278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 336/212, 336/219, 336/220, 336/221, 307/104, 320/108, 320/2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/022 Encapsulation
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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

Abstract

A secondary transformer unit for mounting on a vehicle having an electric drive includes at least one secondary core, and at least one secondary coil that is arranged on the secondary core. At least one outer skin is provided to envelope the secondary core and contains reinforcing fibers. The outer skin is configured to retain inside the at least one outer skin fragments produced when the at least one secondary core breaks.

Claims

1. A secondary transformer unit for attachment to a vehicle having an electric drive, the secondary transformer unit comprising

at least one secondary core with a front side and a rear side delimiting the secondary core in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a top side and a bottom side delimit the secondary core in a vertical direction of the vehicle;

at least one secondary coil arranged on the secondary core, said at least one secondary coil supplying an induced AC voltage to high-voltage onboard electrical system of the vehicle; and

at least one outer skin made of a tear-resistant fabric which is closed on all sides and envelops exclusively the at least one secondary core, without also enveloping the at least one secondary coil, so as to cover the front side, the rear side, the top side, the bottom side, as well as a left side and a right side of the at least one secondary core, and which is configured to retain inside the at least one outer skin fragments produced when the at least one secondary core breaks.

2. The secondary transformer unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one outer skin is at least partially attached to the at least one secondary core.

3. The secondary transformer unit of claim 1, wherein the tear-resistant fabric comprises at least one structure selected from a woven fabric, a knit fabric, a network and a film.

4. The secondary transformer unit of claim 3, wherein the at least one structure selected from a woven fabric, a knit fabric and a network comprises fibers selected from aramide fibers, glass fibers and carbon fibers.

5. A vehicle with an electric drive, the vehicle comprising at least one secondary transformer unit having

at least one secondary core with a front side and a rear side delimiting the secondary core in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a top side and a bottom side delimiting the secondary core in a vertical direction of the vehicle;

at least one secondary coil arranged on the secondary core, said at least one secondary coil supplying an induced AC voltage to high-voltage onboard electrical system of the vehicle; and

at least one outer skin made of a tear-resistant fabric which is closed on all sides and envelops exclusively the at least one secondary core, without also enveloping the at least one secondary coil, so as to cover the front side, the rear side, the top side, the bottom side, as well as a left side and a right side of the at least one secondary core, and which is configured to retain inside the at least one outer skin fragments produced when the at least one secondary core breaks.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the at least one secondary transformer unit is arranged at at least one of the following locations:

a front section of the vehicle, a rear section of the vehicle, a left side of the vehicle, a right side of the vehicle, a bottom side of the vehicle and a roof of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a front license plate which is arranged in a direction of travel in front of the at least one secondary transformer unit when the at least one secondary transformer unit is arranged at the front section of the vehicle.