POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM AND FIXED AND MOVABLE BODY THEREFOR

• US 20120038223A1
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Exh Corporation
• Inventors: Harakawa, Kenichi, Oshi, Yuuji
• Granted Patent: US 8,907,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/109
• 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 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

Provided is a power supply system which makes it possible to stably supply power regardless of changes in placement of electrodes. The power supply system for supplying power to a load (24). The fixed body (10) includes: a first power-transmitting electrode (12) and second power-transmitting electrode (13); and an AC power supply (11) to supply AC power to the first power-transmitting electrode (12) and second power-transmitting electrode (13). The movable body (20) includes: a first power-receiving electrode (21a) and second power-receiving electrode (21b) to form a first coupling capacitor (30) and a second coupling capacitor (31), respectively, by being placed in a manner opposed to and not contacting corresponding ones of the first power-transmitting electrode (12) and second power-transmitting electrode (13) while facing one side of an interface, the one side not being faced by these power-transmitting electrodes, and a first capacitor (22a) and first coil (22b) connected to one another in parallel between the first power-receiving electrode (21a) and second power-receiving electrode (21b). The AC power supply (11) transmits power to the load (24) via the first and second coupling capacitors under a condition that causes parallel resonance between the first capacitor (22a) and first coil (22b).

Claims

1. A power supply system for supplying power from a fixed body placed in a power-supplying region, via a movable body placed in a power-consuming region, to a predetermined load,

wherein the fixed body is configured to be placed at a position in the neighborhood of the interface between the power-supplying region and power-consuming region, the fixed body comprises:

a first power-transmitting electrode and second power-transmitting electrode to which AC power is supplied; and

an AC power supply to supply power to the first power-transmitting electrode and second power-transmitting electrode,

wherein the movable body comprises;

a first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode to be placed in a manner opposed to and not contacting the first power-transmitting electrode and second power-transmitting electrode with the interface interposed therebetween;

a first capacitor and first coil connected to each other in parallel between the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode,

wherein, while a first coupling capacitor is formed when one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode is placed in a manner opposed to the first power-transmitting electrode, a second coupling capacitor is formed when the other one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode is placed in a manner opposed to the second power-transmitting electrode,

wherein the AC power supply transmits power to the load via the first and second coupling capacitors under a condition that causes parallel resonance between the first capacitor and first coil.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein:

the fixed body further comprises a second capacitor and second coil connected to each other in parallel between the first power-transmitting electrode and second power-transmitting electrode; and

the AC power supply supplies power to the load under a condition that causes parallel resonance between the second capacitor and second coil.

3. The power supply system of claim 2, wherein:

the fixed body further comprises a third capacitor and third coil connected to each other in parallel in such a manner that the third capacitor and third coil are laid parallel to the first and second power-transmitting electrodes and to the second capacitor and second coil;

the second and third coils are arranged in a manner that enables transformation of the voltages thereof due to mutual induction; and

the AC power supply supplies power to the load via the third coil under a condition that causes parallel resonance between the third capacitor and third coil.

4. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein:

the movable body further comprises a fourth capacitor and fourth coil connected to each other in parallel in such a manner that the fourth capacitor and fourth coil are laid parallel to the first capacitor, the first coil and the load;

the first and fourth coils are arranged in a manner that enables transformation of the voltages thereof due to mutual induction; and

the AC power supply supplies power to the load via the fourth coil under a condition that causes parallel resonance between the fourth capacitor and fourth coil.

5. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein:

the multiple first power-transmitting electrodes and the multiple second power-transmitting electrodes are provided to the fixed body along the foregoing interface in such a manner that the respective first power-transmitting electrodes are side by side with the second power-transmitting electrodes;

connection means, which electrically connects the first power-receiving electrode, second power-receiving electrode and load to one another, is provided to the movable body, the connection means being configured to enable electric conduction from any one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode to one electrode of the load, and electric conduction from the other electrode of the load to the other one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode when, while the one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode is placed in a manner opposed to the first power-transmitting electrode, the other one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode is placed in a manner opposed to the second power-transmitting electrode, the connection means being further configured to enable electric conduction from the other one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode to the one electrode of the load, and electric conduction from the other electrode of the load to the one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode when, while the one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode is placed in a manner opposed to the second power-transmitting electrode, the other one of the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode is placed in a manner opposed to the first power-transmitting electrode.

6. The power supply system of claims 2 and 5, wherein the fixed body comprises the second capacitor and second coil of claim 2 corresponding to each set of the first power-transmitting electrode and second power-transmitting electrode.

7. The power supply system of claim 6, wherein conditions that cause parallel resonance in the respective sets of the second capacitors and second coils are made different from one another.

8. A movable body to be placed in a power-consuming region and to supply power to a predetermined load, the power having been supplied from a fixed body placed in a power-supplying region, comprising:

a first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode, the first power-receiving electrode and second power-receiving electrode being a set of power-receiving electrodes to be placed in a manner opposed to and not contacting a first power-transmitting electrode or second power-transmitting electrode and with the interface, of the power-supplying region and power-consuming region, having the pair of power-receiving electrodes on one side and the first power-transmitting electrode and second power-transmitting electrode on the other side, the first power-transmitting electrode and second power-transmitting electrode being those arranged in the fixed body and to which AC power is supplied, wherein, while a first coupling capacitor is formed when one of the paired power-receiving electrodes is placed in a manner opposed to the first power-transmitting electrode, a second coupling capacitor is formed when the other one of the paired power-receiving electrodes is placed in a manner opposed to the second power-transmitting electrode; and

a first capacitor and first coil connected to each other in parallel between the first and second power-receiving electrodes,

wherein power is transmitted to the load via the first and second coupling capacitors under a condition that causes parallel resonance between the first capacitor and first coil.

9. A fixed body placed in a power-supplying region and configured to supply power to a predetermined load via a movable body placed in a power-consuming region, comprising:

a plurality of first power-transmitting electrodes and plurality of second power-transmitting electrodes, which form capacitors with at least one set of power-receiving electrodes arranged in the movable body when being placed in a manner opposed to and not contacting this pair of power-receiving electrodes and with the interface, of the power-supplying region and power-consuming region, having the pluralities of first power-transmitting electrodes and second power-transmitting electrodes on one side and the paired power-receiving electrodes on the other; and

an AC power supply to supply power to the first and second power-transmitting electrodes,

wherein the AC power supply transmits power to the load via the first and second coupling capacitors under a condition that causes parallel resonance between a first capacitor and first coil, which are connected to each other in parallel between the first and second power-receiving electrodes in the movable body.

10. The fixed body of claim 9, wherein the first power-transmitting electrodes and second power-transmitting electrodes are provided along the foregoing interface in such a manner that the respective first power-transmitting electrodes are side by side with the second power-transmitting electrodes.