Automotive inductive charger with insertable magnetic core

• US 9,409,489 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Dae Woo, Lee, Woo Young, Song, Byeong Seob, Yang, Jin Young, Kim, Jong Pil
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRISCHLER, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US13/930,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/103, 320/104, 439/38, 439/39
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/22 without intermediate conversion to DC
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/34 Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles positioning means for charging devices using inductive energy transfer B60L53/38
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• 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 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 : Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 : One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A magnetic connector apparatus that charges an electric vehicle through contactless magnetic coupling. The magnetic connector apparatus includes an external charger, an inlet, and a magnetic connector. The inlet is connected to a rechargeable battery of the vehicle. The magnetic connector is connected to a power source of the external charger and is transferred to the vehicle to be inserted into the inlet.

Claims

1. A magnetic connector apparatus that charges a vehicle through contactless magnetic coupling, comprising:

an external charger;

an inlet connected to a rechargeable battery of the vehicle; and

a magnetic connector connected to a power source of the external charger and transferred to the vehicle to be inserted into the inlet,

wherein the magnetic connector comprises;

a primary wire that extends from the external charger and includes a coil part;

a secondary wire disposed on the inlet of the vehicle and includes a coil part;

a magnetic core part that magnetically connects between the primary wire and the secondary wire,

wherein the magnetic core part is connected to the coil part of the primary wire or the coil part of the second wire,

wherein the magnetic core part includes a C-shaped ring part and a folding part coupled to both ends of the ring part to be spread and folded by a hinge structure,

wherein the magnetic core part is passed through and inserted into the coil part of the primary wire, and is inserted into the coil part of the secondary wire by moving the magnetic core part toward the vehicle upon charging of the rechargeable battery of the vehicle,

wherein the both ends of the ring part are coupled when the magnetic core part is passed through and inserted into the coil part of the primary wire.

2. The magnetic connector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic connector uses a transformer of a converter as a connector.

3. The magnetic connector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core part is passed through and inserted into the coil part of the secondary wire, and upon charging of the rechargeable battery of the vehicle, the primary wire is moved toward the vehicle and then the magnetic core part is passed through and inserted into the coil part of the primary wire.

4. The magnetic connector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core part has a C-shape to connect the primary wire and the secondary wire.

5. The magnetic connector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core part includes a magnetic core having a magnetic property therein and an insulation cover that covers the magnetic core.

6. The magnetic connector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic connector apparatus is applied to electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles.

7. The magnetic connector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic connector comprises:

a case that houses a switch of a converter;

a primary wire connected to the switch of the case;

a magnetic core part magnetically coupled to the primary wire and having one end portion thereof coupled to the case by a hinge structure and the other end portion thereof protruding from the case to be spread and folded; and

a release button part pushably mounted on the case and allowing the magnetic core part to be spread.

8. The magnetic connector apparatus of claim 7, wherein the release button part is elastically supported by a spring in a rotation direction, and the magnetic core part is spread when the release button part is pushed and is restored to an original position when the release button part is released.

9. A magnetic connector apparatus that charges a vehicle through contactless magnetic coupling, comprising;

an external charger; and

an inlet connected to a rechargeable battery of the vehicle; and

a magnetic connector that includes;

a primary wire that extends from the external charger and includes a coil part;

a secondary wire disposed on the inlet of the vehicle and includes a coil part;

a magnetic core part that magnetically connects between the primary wire and the secondary wire,

wherein the magnetic core part includes a C-shaped ring part and a folding part coupled to both ends of the ring part to be spread and folded by a hinge structure,

wherein the magnetic core part is passed through and inserted into the coil part of the primary wire, and is inserted into the coil part of the secondary wire by moving the magnetic core part toward the vehicle upon charging of the rechargeable battery of the vehicle,

wherein the both ends of the ring part are coupled when the magnetic core part is passed through and inserted into the coil part of the primary wire.

10. The magnetic connector apparatus of claim 9, wherein the magnetic connector apparatus is applied to electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles.