Coil apparatus and method for inductive power transmission

• US 9,987,936 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2014
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Eppler, Steffen, Eckert, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US14/896,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20160107528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• 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: 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

The invention provides a coil apparatus (100) for inductive power transmission, comprising an electromagnetic coil (102) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field (112) on a transmission side (106) of the coil apparatus (100), and comprising a housing wall (104), which covers the coil (102) on the transmission side (106) and is transmissive to the electromagnetic field (112). Furthermore, the coil apparatus (100) comprises a housing medium (108), which is enclosed by the housing wall (104) in such a way that, when a through-opening (110) is formed in the housing wall (104), the housing medium (108) passes through the through-opening (110). Alternatively, a housing vacuum is provided which is enclosed by the housing wall in such a way that, when a through-opening is formed in the housing wall, atmospheric air (118) passes through the through-opening. Among further aspects, a vehicle comprising such a coil apparatus and a method for inductive power transmission are provided. The method comprises steps of providing an electromagnetic coil (102) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field (112), covering the coil (102) on a transmission side (106) with a housing wall (104) which is transmissive to the electromagnetic field (112), enclosing a fluid (116) with an internal pressure which is different than the atmospheric air by the housing wall (104), sending the internal pressure, evaluating whether the internal pressure reaches a presettable internal pressure threshold value, and outputting a signal when the internal pressure reaches the internal pressure threshold value.

Claims

1. A coil apparatus (100) for inductive power transmission, comprising:

an electromagnetic coil (102) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field (112) on a transmission side (106) of the coil apparatus (100);

a housing wall (104), which covers the coil (102) on the transmission side (106) and is transmissive to the electromagnetic field (112); and

a housing medium (108) comprising any one or more of;

a liquid, a gel, and a colored powder (114), wherein the housing medium (108) is enclosed by the housing wall (104) and operable to distribute itself to an exterior of the housing wall (104) when a through-opening (110) is formed in the housing wall (104).

2. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing medium (108) comprises a dye.

3. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing medium (108) comprises a fluid (116) with an internal pressure (p_i) that is increased compared with the atmospheric air (118).

4. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fluid (116) comprises a liquid and/or a gel.

5. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

an internal pressure sensor (120), which senses the internal pressure (p_i); and

a signal unit (122), which emits a signal (132, 133) when the internal pressure (p_i) falls below a predefinable internal pressure threshold value (p_th).

8. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing wall (104) comprises an inner wall (104′

) and an outer wall (104″

), which cover the coil (102) on the transmission side (106).

9. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing wall (104) encloses the coil (102).

10. A vehicle (200) comprising an electric accumulator (206) and the coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1 for inductive power transmission to the electric accumulator (206).

11. The vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coil device is arranged on an underbody (204) of the vehicle (200) and the transmission side (106) points downward.

12. The vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing wall (104) covers the coil (102) downwardly and to the side.

16. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing medium (108) comprises a colored powder (114).

17. A vehicle (200) comprising an electric accumulator (206) and a coil device (100) as claimed in claim 16 for inductive power transmission to the electric accumulator (206).

18. The vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the coil device is arranged on an underbody (204) of the vehicle (200) and the transmission side (106) points downward.

19. The vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 18, wherein the housing wall (104) covers the coil (102) downwardly and to the side.

20. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an external pressure sensor (121), which senses an external pressure (p_o) of the atmosphere (118), wherein the signal unit (122) comprises a threshold value determination unit (124), which determines the internal pressure threshold value (p_th) depending on the external pressure (p_o).

6. A coil apparatus (100) for inductive power transmission, comprising:

an electromagnetic coil (102) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field (112) on a transmission side (106) of the coil apparatus (100);

a housing wall (104), which covers the coil (102) on the transmission side (106) and is transmissive to the electromagnetic field (112);

a housing vacuum (109), which is enclosed by the housing wall (104) in such a way that, when a through-opening (110) is formed in the housing wall (104) atmospheric air (118) passes through the through-opening (110);

an internal pressure sensor (120), which senses an internal pressure (p_i) of the housing vacuum (109); and

a signal unit (122), which emits a signal (132, 133) when the internal pressure (p₁) exceeds a predefinable internal pressure threshold value (p_th).

7. The coil apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an external pressure sensor (121), which senses an external pressure (p_o) of the atmosphere (118), wherein the signal unit (122) comprises a threshold value determination unit (124), which determines the internal pressure threshold value (p_th) depending on the external pressure (p_o).

13. A method for inductive power transmission, comprising the following steps:

providing (300) an electromagnetic coil (102) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field (112);

covering (302) the coil (102) on a transmission side (106) with a housing wall (104) which is transmissive to the electromagnetic field (112);

enclosing (304) with the housing wall a fluid (116) with an internal pressure (p_i) that is different from the atmospheric air (118);

sensing (306) the internal pressure (p_I);

assessing (312) whether the internal pressure (p_i) reaches a predefinable internal pressure threshold value (p_th); and

emitting (316) a signal (132, 133) when the internal pressure (pi) reaches the internal pressure threshold value (p_th).

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the following steps:

sensing (308) an external pressure (p_o) of the atmosphere (118); and

determining (310) the internal pressure threshold value (p_th) depending on the external pressure (p_o).

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a step of switching off (314) the coil (102) when the internal pressure (p_i) reaches the internal pressure threshold value (p_th).