Wireless power supply system

• US 9,912,169 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Original Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Inventors: Niizuma, Motonao
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Almo, Khareem E
• Application Number:
  US14/700,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20150263536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• 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 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)
• 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 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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 wireless power supply device, which supplies electric power to a movable body by causing an end surface of a power supply coil that is provided in an electric power supply space to face a power receiving coil that is provided in the movable body, and by electromagnetically coupling the power supply coil with the power receiving coil, includes a position setting member configured to set the end surface of the power supply coil in a vertical position in a state of not detecting entry of the movable body into the electric power supply space, and to cause a position of the end surface of the power supply coil to change from the vertical position to a horizontal position upon detecting entry of the movable body into the electric power supply space.

Claims

1. A wireless power supply device that supplies electric power to a movable body by causing an end surface of a power supply coil that is provided in an electric power supply space to face a power receiving coil that is provided in the movable body, and by electromagnetically coupling the power supply coil with the power receiving coil, the wireless power supply device comprising:

a position setting member configured to set the end surface of the power supply coil in a vertical position in a state of not detecting entry of the movable body into the electric power supply space, and to cause a position of the end surface of the power supply coil to change from the vertical position to a horizontal position upon detecting entry of the movable body into the electric power supply space, wherein

the power supply coil is provided with a rotating shaft, and

an axial center of the rotating shaft is parallel to the end surface of the power supply coil.

2. The wireless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the position setting member comprises:

a moving body sensor configured to detect entry of the moving body into the electric power supply space;

a support mechanism configured to rotatably support the power supply coil around the rotating shaft;

an actuator configured to rotate the power supply coil; and

a position control portion configured to control the actuator based on a detection result of the moving body sensor.

3. The wireless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the position setting member comprises:

a support mechanism configured to rotatably support the power supply coil around the rotating shaft;

an elastic body configured to bias the power supply coil in a predetermined direction to set the power supply coil in a vertical position; and

an abutting portion configured to be provided on the power supply coil, and to cause the position of the power supply coil to change from the vertical position to the horizontal position by abutting the movable body that has entered the electric power supply space.

4. The wireless power supply device according to claim 2, wherein the axis of the power supply coil is configured to pass through a center or gravity center of the power supply coil.

5. The wireless power supply device according to claim 3, wherein the axis of the power supply coil is configured to pass through a center or gravity center of the power supply coil.

6. The wireless power supply device according to claim 2, wherein the axis of the power supply coil is configured to pass through an end portion of the power supply coil.

7. The wireless power supply device according to claim 3, wherein the axis of the power supply coil is configured to pass through an end portion of the power supply coil.

8. The wireless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein when the power supply coil is in horizontal position, the end surface is flush with travel surface of the movable body.