Non-Contact Charging Station with Power Transmission Planar Spiral Core, Non-Contact Power-Receiving Apparatus, and Method For Controlling the Same

• US 20110140653A1
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Chun-Kil Jung
• Inventors: Jung, Chun-Kil, Kook, Yoon-Sang
• Granted Patent: US 9,178,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/36 Electric or magnetic shields or screens movable for varying inductance H01F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/361 made of combinations of electrically conductive material and ferromagnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A non-contact charging station with a planar-spiral power transmission core, a non-contact power-receiving apparatus, and a method for controlling the same. A primary core of the non-contact charging station transmitting a power signal to a portable device using an induced magnetic field and a secondary core of the non-contact power-receiving apparatus are configured as a power transmission Printed Circuit Board (PCB) core in which a planar-spiral core structure is formed on a core base. The power transmission PCB core has a simplified shape along with improved applicability that facilitates its mounting on a non-contact charger. In addition, the receiving core has a reduced volume to reduce the entire size of the power-receiving apparatus so that it can be easily mounted onto a portable device.

Claims

1. A non-contact charging station for generating an induced magnetic field toward a non-contact power-receiving apparatus for power charge and data transmission, comprising:

a transmission controller provided inside the non-contact charging station, for controlling power transmission and data transmission/reception; and

a station part electrically connected with the transmission controller, generating the induced magnetic field, and placing the non-contact power-receiving apparatus on top thereof,

wherein the station part includes a primary core generating the induced magnetic field,

wherein the primary core has an inductance pattern core on a core base, which is fastened to the station part, and

wherein the inductance pattern core comprises a power transmission printed circuit board core having a planar-spiral core structure.

2. The non-contact charging station in accordance with claim 1, wherein the primary core of the station part includes a lower core placed on the core base, a spacer member placed on the lower core, and first and second upper cores placed on the spacer member,

wherein the lower core is placed in a position between the first upper core and the second upper core.

3. The non-contact charging station in accordance with claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

a power supply part supplying electric power;

a resonant converter allowing the electric power from the power supply to be supplied to the lower core, the first upper core, and the second upper core of the primary core;

a pre-driver transmitting an oscillation signal to the resonant converter under control of the transmission controller;

the transmission controller controlling the resonant controller to operate;

a station memory storing data;

a received signal processor connected to the lower core, the first upper core, and the second upper core of the primary core to discriminate a signal transmitted from the non-contact power-receiving apparatus;

a first switch connected between the resonant converter and the lower core;

a second switch connected between the resonant converter and the first upper core;

a third switch connected between the resonant converter and the second upper core; and

a solid state relay controller allowing the first, second and third switches to operate under control of the transmission controller.

4. A method of controlling a non-contact charging station, the method comprising:

transmitting, at a primary core, a unique identification request signal to the non-contact power-receiving apparatus under control of a transmission controller;

detecting and processing, at a received signal processor, a unique identification signal transmitted from the non-contact power-receiving apparatus in response to the unique identification request signal;

transferring the signal detected by the received signal processor to the transmission controller, and determining from which one of first upper, second upper and lower cores the detected signal is from;

transmitting a switch control signal to a state controller block, the switch control signal allowing the determined one of the cores to be switched on; and

transmitting a power transmission control signal along with the switch control signal toward the pre-driver so that the switched-on core is applied with electric power to generate an induced magnetic field,

wherein the non-contact charging station includes a power transmission printed circuit board core having a planar-spiral core structure.

5. A non-contact charging station for generating an induced magnetic field toward a non-contact power-receiving apparatus for power charge and data transmission, comprising:

a transmission controller provided inside the non-contact charging station, for controlling power transmission and data transmission/reception; and

a station part enclosing a primary core electrically connected with the transmission controller to generate the induced magnetic field, and placing the non-contact power-receiving apparatus on top thereof,

wherein the primary core has an inductance pattern core on a core base, which is provided to the station part, and

wherein the induction pattern core comprises a power transmission printed circuit board core having a planar-spiral core structure based on a planar unit core in which a plurality of fine coil threads are formed in a lateral direction to be parallel, and

wherein the induction pattern core includes first and second planar coils on top of the core base.

6. The non-contact charging station in accordance with claim 5, wherein the primary core includes a shielding section under the induction pattern core,

wherein the shielding section includes a shielding panel, a shielding mesh, and a metal thin film.

7. The non-contact charging station in accordance with claim 5 or 6, further comprising:

a power supply part supplying electric power;

a resonant converter allowing the electric power from the power supply to be supplied to the first and the second planar cores of the primary core;

a pre-driver transmitting an oscillation signal to the resonant converter under control of the transmission controller;

the transmission controller controlling components of the non-contact charging station including the power supply, the resonant converter, and the pre-driver to operate;

a station memory storing data;

a received signal processor connected to the first and second planar cores of the primary core to discriminate a signal transmitted from the non-contact power-receiving apparatus;

a first switch connected between the resonant converter and the first planar core;

a second switch connected between the resonant converter and the second planar core; and

a solid state relay controller allowing the first, second switches to operate under control of the transmission controller.

8. A non-contact power-receiving apparatus, in which a secondary core receives a power signal caused by an induced magnetic field generated from a non-contact charging station, so that electric power is charged to a battery cell under control of a battery pack controller and charged power is supplied to a portable device, the non-contact power-receiving apparatus comprising:

the second core provided on top of the battery cell;

a charging printed circuit board having the battery pack controller and provided on a front or side edge of the battery cell; and

a terminal connector provided in the charging printed circuit on the front or side edge of the battery cell, and allowing electric power to be supplied to the portable device via connector contact, wherein the terminal connector includes a central connector arranged in a central portion, a left connector arranged in left, and a right connector arranged in right;

a rectifier block connected with the secondary core to rectify an induced current;

a battery pack controller processing data transmitted/received by the secondary core;

a charge circuit block allowing electric power supplied from the rectifier block to be charged to the battery cell under control of the battery pack controller; and

a charge monitor circuit block monitoring a level of charge of the battery cell and transmitting a signal notifying that the battery cell is fully charged or is discharged to the battery pack controller, wherein the rectifier block, the battery pack controller, the charge circuit block, and charge monitor circuit block are provided on the charge printed circuit board.

9. The non-contact power-receiving apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the charge monitor circuit block includes a connector controller controlling power to be transmitted to one of the left, central and right connectors of the terminal connector.

10. The non-contact power-receiving apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the secondary core includes a shielding section under the pattern core,

wherein the shielding section includes a shielding panel, a shielding mesh, and a metal thin film.

11. The non-contact power-receiving apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the secondary core

wherein the primary core has a pattern core on a printed circuit board base, which is fastened to an inside of the non-contact power-receiving apparatus, and

wherein the pattern core comprises a planar-spiral power transmission core.

12. The non-contact power-receiving apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 8 through 11, wherein:

the front charging printed circuit board is coupled to the front edge or the side edge of the battery cell,

the battery cell is coupled at a rear end with a rear case and at a front end with a front case and is coupled with an outside case, which surrounds the battery cell,

the front charging printed circuit board coupled to the front end is disposed between the front case and a front printed circuit board case so as to be connected to the connector of the battery cell and thereby to the secondary core, and the side charging printed circuit board coupled to the side edge is disposed between the side printed circuit board case coupled to the battery cell so as to be connected to the connector of the battery cell and thereby to the secondary core.