Wireless charger for mobile terminal within vehicle, and vehicle

• US 10,782,752 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2018
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Koo, Dohyun, Kim, Joongnyon, Jang, Seongjae, Ryu, Inkeun, Lee, Joosik
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffberg, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/887,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20180224909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/085 Cooling by ambient air
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0213 Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20145 Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides

Abstract

Disclosed is a wireless charger for a mobile terminal in a vehicle, the wireless charger including: a tray on which the mobile terminal is placed and which has one or more holes; a coil part configured to wirelessly provide electrical energy to the mobile terminal; a driving part configured to drive the coil part; a case which accommodates the coil part and the driving part and in which an air flow path is formed; and a fan module configured to discharge air toward the mobile terminal through the holes or suction ambient air of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A wireless charger for a mobile terminal in a vehicle, the wireless charger comprising:

a tray configured to receive the mobile terminal thereon, the tray having one or more holes therein;

a coil part configured to wirelessly provide electrical energy to the mobile terminal;

a driving part configured to drive the coil part;

a case accommodating the coil part and the driving part therein, the case including an air flow path;

a fan module configured to either discharge air toward the mobile terminal through the air flow path and the one or more holes, or suction ambient air past the mobile terminal and through the one or more holes and the air flow path; and

a fan module accommodator in which the fan module is accommodated,

wherein the air flow path comprises;

a first air passage extending in a first direction, the first air passage having a first end connected to the fan module accommodator, and a second end opposite the first end;

a second air passage extending in a second direction, the second air passage having a third end extending from the second end of the first air passage, and a fourth end opposite the third end; and

a third air passage extending in a third direction, the third air passage having;

a fifth end extending from fourth end of the second air passage; and

a sixth end opposite the fifth end, the sixth end connected through the one or more holes to a space where the mobile terminal is received on the tray.

2. The wireless charger according to claim 1, further comprising a coupling antenna configured to:

receive a mobile communication signal through an antenna provided in the vehicle, and

transfer the mobile communication signal to the mobile terminal.

3. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the tray comprises:

a base having the one or more holes located therein; and

a contact part protruding from the base to contact the mobile terminal.

4. The wireless charger according to claim 3, wherein the base has a first region located at a center of the base, the first region being smaller in size than a size of the mobile terminal, and

wherein the one or more holes are located in the first region.

5. The wireless charger according to claim 3, wherein the contact part comprises a friction member.

6. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the tray comprises:

a plate-shaped base; and

a contact part protruding from the base to contact the mobile terminal, and

wherein the one or more holes are located on lateral surfaces of the contact part.

7. The wireless charger according to claim 1, further comprising a foreign substance blocking part provided at a location where the first air passage and the second air passage are connected.

8. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the second air passage has a cross section that gradually becomes narrower in a direction extending from the third end of the second air passage to the fourth end of the second air passage.

9. The wireless charger according to claim 1, further comprising:

a partition wall provided in the first air passage, the partition wall being provided at a predetermined angle relative to the first direction of the first air passage; and

a foreign substance discharge hole provided in the case, the foreign substance discharge hole being connected to the first air passage and configured to discharge a foreign substance, blocked by the partition wall, to an outside of the wireless charger.

10. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the tray is inclined at a predetermined angle relative to a horizontal surface.

11. The wireless charger according to claim 1, wherein the fan module is located above the tray.

12. A wireless charger for a mobile terminal in a vehicle, the wireless charger comprising:

a tray configured to receive the mobile terminal thereon, the tray having one or more holes therein;

a coil part configured to wirelessly provide electrical energy to the mobile terminal;

a driving part configured to drive the coil part;

a case accommodating the coil part and the driving part therein, the case including an air flow path; and

a fan module configured to either discharge air toward the mobile terminal through the air flow path and the one or more holes, or suction ambient air past the mobile terminal and through the one or more holes and the air flow path;

wherein the fan module comprises a first fan and a second fan, and further comprising;

a first fan accommodator in which the first fan is accommodated; and

a second fan accommodator in which the second fan is accommodated, and

wherein the air flow path comprises;

a first air flow path connected to the first fan accommodator and configured to discharge air toward the mobile terminal through the one or more holes; and

a second air flow path connected to the second fan accommodator and configured to discharge air toward the coil part and the driving part.

13. A wireless charger for a mobile terminal in a vehicle, the wireless charger comprising:

a tray configured to receive the mobile terminal thereon, the tray having one or more holes therein;

a coil part configured to wirelessly provide electrical energy to the mobile terminal;

a driving part configured to drive the coil part;

a case accommodating the coil part and the driving part therein, the case including an air flow path; and

a fan module configured to either discharge air toward the mobile terminal through the air flow path and the one or more holes, or suction ambient air past the mobile terminal and through the one or more holes and the air flow path;

wherein the air flow path comprises;

a first air passage located between the tray and the coil part; and

a second air passage located between the coil part and the driving part, and

wherein the fan module induces air to flow through the first air passage and the second air passage.

14. A wireless charger for a mobile terminal in a vehicle, the wireless charger comprising:

a tray configured to receive the mobile terminal thereon, the tray having one or more holes therein;

a fan module configured to either discharge air toward the mobile terminal through an air flow path and the one or more holes, or suction ambient air past the mobile terminal and through the one or more holes and the air flow path;

a coil part configured to wirelessly provide electrical energy to the mobile terminal;

a driving part comprising;

a circuit board;

an interface mounted on the circuit board and configured to receive driving situation information, the driving situation information being at least one of a group selected from information on an object outside the vehicle, navigation information, and vehicle state information;

a processor mounted on the circuit board and configured to receive driving situation information from the interface, drive the coil part, and drive the fan module based on the driving situation information received by the processor; and

a case accommodating the coil part and the driving part therein, the case including the air flow path.

15. The wireless charger according to claim 14, wherein the interface is further configured to receive vehicle speed information, and wherein the processor is further configured to control a rotational speed of the fan module based on the vehicle speed information.

16. The wireless charger according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to receive temperature information from the mobile terminal, and wherein the processor is further configured to control a rotational speed of the fan module based on the temperature information.

17. The wireless charger according to claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the temperature information through the coil part.

18. The wireless charger according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to control the fan module to be driven for a preset period of time after wireless charging of the mobile terminal is complete.