Power transmission coil

• US 9,741,488 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2013
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Higashiyama, Koji, Werner, Steffen
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Willoughby, Terrence
• Application Number:
  US14/413,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20150294784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/02 Casings
• 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields

Abstract

A power transmission coil includes a plane coil including a no-wire portion and a coil wound about a no-wire portion, a cover for covering the plane coil from above, a first foreign-matter-detecting unit provided at the no-wire portion, and a power control circuit electrically connected to the plane coil and the first foreign-matter-detecting unit. An upper surface of the cover has a first inclining portion inclining toward the first foreign-matter-detecting unit. The power control circuit transmits power through the plane coil if a foreign matter is not detected in the no-wire portion based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit. The power control circuit is configured to stop transmitting power through the plane coil if foreign matter is detected in the no-wire portion based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit. This power transmission coil is capable of detecting a small foreign matter that may generate heat.

Claims

1. A power transmission coil comprising:

a plane coil including a coil wire wound about a no-wire portion, the plane coil being configured to transmit power;

a cover for covering the plane coil from above;

a first foreign-matter-detecting unit provided at the no-wire portion, and configured to output a signal upon a foreign matter contacting the first foreign-matter-detecting unit; and

a power control circuit electrically connected to the plane coil and the first foreign-matter-detecting unit,

wherein an upper surface of the cover has a first inclining portion inclining toward the first foreign-matter-detecting unit, and

wherein the power control circuit is configured;

to cause the plane coil to transmit power if a foreign matter is not detected at the no-wire portion based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit; and

to cause the plane coil to stop transmitting power if foreign matter is detected at the no-wire portion based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit.

2. The power transmission coil according to claim 1, wherein the first foreign-matter-detecting unit includes a contact sensor which has opposing electrodes facing each other and is configured to output a signal upon the foreign matter contacting the first foreign-matter-detecting unit based on a resistance value between the opposing electrodes.

3. The power transmission coil according to claim 1,

wherein the first foreign-matter-detecting unit includes a plurality of first electrode wires extending in a predetermined direction and a plurality of second electrode wires extending in a direction different from the predetermined direction, and

wherein the plurality of first electrode wires are configured:

not to contact the second electrode wires when the foreign matter is placed on the first foreign-matter-detecting unit, and

to contact the second electrode wires when the foreign matter is not placed on the first foreign-matter-detecting unit.

4. The power transmission coil according to claim 1, wherein the first foreign-matter-detecting unit is provided at a lower position than the plane coil.

5. The power transmission coil according to claim 1, wherein the power control circuit is configured:

to detect a size of the foreign matter based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit;

to cause the plane coil to transmit power upon determining that the foreign matter is not detected if the foreign matter is detected in the no-wire portion based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit and the size of the foreign matter is smaller than a predetermined size; and

to cause the plane coil to stop transmitting power if the foreign matter is detected at the no-wire portion based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit and the size of the foreign matter is not smaller than the predetermined size.

6. The power transmission coil according to claim 1, wherein the power control circuit is configured:

to detect a position of the foreign matter based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit;

to cause the plane coil to transmit power upon determining that the foreign matter is not detected if the foreign matter is detected at the no-wire portion based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit and the foreign matter is located away from the plane coil by a distance not smaller than a predetermined distance; and

to cause the plane coil to stop transmitting power if the foreign matter is detected at the no-wire portion based on an output from the first foreign-matter-detecting unit and the foreign matter is located at a position away from the plane coil by a distance smaller than the predetermined distance.

7. The power transmission coil according to claim 1, further comprising

a second foreign-matter-detecting unit provided outside the plane coil,

wherein the power control circuit is configured:

to cause the plane coil to transmit power if the foreign matter is not detected outside the plane coil based on an output from the second foreign-matter-detecting unit; and

to cause the plane coil to stop transmitting power if the foreign matter is detected outside the plane coil based on an output from the second foreign-matter-detecting unit.

8. The power transmission coil according to claim 7, wherein the upper surface of the cover further includes a second inclining portion inclining toward an outside of the plane coil.