Method and apparatus for wireless power transmission

• US 9,954,401 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Yang, Hoe-Sung, Lee, Kang Bok, Lee, Sang Yeoun
• Primary Examiner(s): Houston, Adam
• Application Number:
  US15/086,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20160329749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 307 91, 307 101
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0413 Wireless charging of active radio frequency circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type

Abstract

A wireless power transmitting apparatus converts rotational energy of an axle to electrical energy, transfers the electrical energy to a transmitting coil of the wireless power transmitting apparatus through a power transfer connection pin that connects the inside of the wheel and the outside of the wheel of a vehicle, and wirelessly transmits the electrical energy to the sensor using resonance between a transmitting coil of the wireless power transmitting apparatus and a receiving coil of the sensor in order to use it as a driving power source of a sensor that detects a state of a tire.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitting apparatus between a wheel and a tire of a vehicle, the wireless power transmitting apparatus comprising:

an electric generatorelectric generator that converts rotational energy of an axle to electrical energy; and

a wireless transmitting unit that wirelessly transmits the electrical energy to the sensor in order to use it as a driving power source of a sensor that detects a state of the tire,

wherein the electric generator comprises a power transfer connection pin that connects the inside of the wheel and the outside of the wheel and that transfers the electrical energy to the wireless transmitting unit.

2. The wireless power transmitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitting unit comprises a transmitting coil that contacts a rim of the wheel and a space of the tire and wirelessly the electrical energy to the sensor using resonance between the transmitting coil and a receiving coil of the sensor, and

the power transfer connection pin transfers the electrical energy to the transmitting coil.

3. The wireless power transmitting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electric generator further comprises:

a magnetic material that is located at the axle; and

a power generation coil that is located at the outside of the wheel,

wherein the power transfer connection pin is connected between the power generation coil and the transmitting coil.

4. The wireless power transmitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power transfer connection pin is insulated from the wheel.

5. A method of wirelessly transmitting power between a wheel and a tire of a vehicle in a wireless power transmitting apparatus, the method comprising:

converting rotational energy of an axle to electrical energy;

transferring the electrical energy to a transmitting coil of the wireless power transmitting apparatus through a power transfer connection pin that connects the inside of the wheel and the outside of the wheel; and

wirelessly transmitting the electrical energy to the sensor using resonance between a transmitting coil of the wireless power transmitting apparatus and a receiving coil of the sensor in order to use it as a driving power source of a sensor that detects a state of the tire.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the converting of rotational energy comprises generating, by a magnetic material that is located at the axle and a power generation coil that is located at the outside of the wheel, the electrical energy by the rotating axle.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting coil contacts a rim of the wheel and a space of the tire, and

the power transfer connection pin is connected between the power generation coil and the transmitting coil.