Charging device for the inductive transmission of electrical energy and method for operating the charging device

• US 10,340,710 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Peer, Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US15/542,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20180006474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging device for inductive transfer of electric energy with a primary conductor arranged in a first housing, by which an alternating magnetic field can be generated when it is energized with an alternating current, electrically connected to a power source that is electrically connectable to a power electronics device for energizing the primary conductor with an alternating current. A drive means for moving the first housing from a first position to a second position, wherein the charging device is equipped with a fault detecting device, by which can be detected whether the first housing is or is not moved when a movement operation has been initiated by the drive means.

Claims

1. A charging device for inductive transmission of electric energy, comprising:

a primary conductor arranged in a first housing, which produces energizing of an alternating magnetic field with an alternating current;

a power electronics device, which is electrically connected to the primary conductor and which is electrically connected to a power supply system with alternating current;

a drive means for moving the first housing from a first position to a second position, wherein the charging device is provided with a fault detection device, which detects whether the first housing is or is not moved when a movement operation has been initiated with the drive means, and which is configured, in the case when a movement of the first housing does not take place, although a movement operation has been initiated with the drive means, to control the power electronic device in such a way that the primary conductor is energized with an electric current to increase a temperature of the primary conductor in that the temperature of the primary conductor is below a predetermined first threshold temperature;

a temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the primary conductor and of the first housing; and

the fault detection device, which receives the signals of the temperature detection device and which is configured, in the case when a movement of the housing does not take place although a movement operation has been initiated by the drive means, and the temperature of the first hosing is below the pre-determinable first threshold temperature, to exercise control with the power electronics device that is configured to exercise control so that the primary conductor is energized by an electric current in order to increase the temperature of the primary conductor.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the fault detection device is configured, in the case when a movement of the first housing does not take place, although a movement operation has been initiated with the drive means, to control the power electronics device in such a way, that the primary conductor is energized with an electric current having a direct current component in order to increase the temperature of the primary conductor.

3. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the fault detection device is adapted to control the power electronics device in such a way, that the temperature of the primary conductor and of the first housing is increased when the primary conductor is energized with an electric current in order to increase to temperature of the primary conductor to a pre-determinable second threshold temperature.

4. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the power electronics device is arranged in a second housing, wherein at least one outer surface of the second housing is arranged so that it is immediately adjacent with a first position of the first housing to at least one outer surface of the first housing.

5. The charging device according to claim 4, wherein the second housing is made at least partially of a metal.

6. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the power electronics device is configured to energize the primary conductor for an inductive transmission of electric energy with an alternating current with a frequency in the range from 50 kHz to 100 kHz, preferably 70 kHz to 100 kHz, particularly preferably from 80 kHz to 90 kHz.

7. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the charging device is configured as a ground-based charging device and that the drive means is adapted in an installed state of the ground-based charging device to achieve a distance that is as optimal as possible and overlapping that is as accurate as possible with a movement of the first housing relative to one of secondary conductors separated from the charging device so as to create an arrangement in which an electric current is induced with the alternating magnetic field of the primary conductor, which is transmitted to a rechargeable storage device for electric energy used by the facility.

8. The charging device according to claim 1, the drive means is also adapted to tilt, pivot or shake the first housing.

9. The charging device according to claim 1, further comprises:

a sensor arrangement by which objects are detected on at least one outer surface of the first housing.

10. A method for operating a charging device, comprising:

providing a charging device;

detecting by a fault detection device of the charging device whether a first housing is or is not moved when a movement operation has been initiated by a drive means; and

in case when a movement of the first housing initiated by the drive means has not been detected, controlling a power electronics device with the fault detection device in such a way, that a primary conductor of the first housing is energized with an electric current in order to increase a temperature of the primary conductor in that the temperature of the primary conductor is below a predetermined first threshold temperature;

detecting the temperature of the primary conductor and of the first housing by means of a temperature detection device; and

in the case when a movement of the first housing does not take place although a movement operation has been initiated with the drive means and the temperature of the first housing is below the pre-determinable first threshold temperature, controlling the power electronics device in such a way that the primary conductor is energized with an electric current in order to increase the temperature of the primary conductor.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

in the case when the detection of the fact that a movement of the first housing has not taken place when a movement operation has been initiated, the fault detection device controls the power electronics device in such a way that the primary conductor is energized with an electric current that has a direct current component in order to increase the temperature of the primary conductor.

12. The method according to the claim 10, wherein the power electronics device is controlled with the fault detection device in such a way that the temperature of the primary conductor and/or of the first housing is increased by the energizing of the primary conductor with an electric current in order to increase the temperature of the primary conductor to a pre-determinable second threshold temperature.