INDUCTIVE CHARGER ALIGNMENT SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES

• US 20170274787A1
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Danowski, Christopher A., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Buttolo, Pietro
• Granted Patent: US 10,011,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An inductive charger alignment system for a vehicle that includes: a plurality of on-board inductive receiving coils adapted to charge an on-board power source; an alignment controller coupled to the coils; an on-board signal element, e.g., a pair of headlamps, coupled to the controller; and an off-board inductive transmitter coil. Further, the controller is configured to direct the element to communicate an alignment between the receiving coils and the transmitter coil to an on-board driver. The alignment may include vehicle forward and side-to-side alignment between the receiving coils and the off-board transmitter coil.

Claims

1. An inductive charger alignment system for a vehicle, comprising:

an on-board inductive receiving coil adapted to charge an on-board power source;

an alignment controller coupled to the coil; and

a headlamp coupled to the controller,

wherein the controller is configured to direct the headlamp to communicate an alignment between the receiving coil and an off-board inductive transmitter coil to an on-board driver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to direct the headlamp to communicate the alignment by varying an illumination state of the headlamp.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an alarm element coupled to the controller and in proximity to the driver, wherein the controller is further configured to direct the alarm element to communicate the alignment by varying an audible state of the alarm element.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

an on-board sensor configured to provide an input to the controller based on reflected light from the headlamp,

wherein the controller is further configured to direct one of the alarm element and the headlamp to communicate the alignment based at least in part on the input from the sensor.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the on-board inductive receiving coil is affixed to a non-metallic component on the underside of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the on-board inductive receiving coil is affixed to an oil pan coupled to an engine of the vehicle and the coil is further configured to heat oil in the oil pan upon charging from the off-board inductive transmitter coil.

7. An inductive charger alignment system for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of on-board inductive receiving coils adapted to charge an on-board power source;

an alignment controller coupled to the coils; and

an on-board signal element coupled to the controller,

wherein the controller is configured to direct the element to communicate an alignment between the receiving coils and an off-board inductive transmitter coil to an on-board driver.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the on-board signal element is a headlamp and the controller is configured to direct the headlamp to communicate the alignment by varying an illumination state of the headlamp.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the on-board signal element further comprises an alarm element coupled to the controller and in proximity to the driver, and the controller is further configured to direct the alarm element to communicate the alignment by varying an audible state of the alarm element.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

an on-board sensor configured to provide an input to the controller based on reflected light from the headlamp,

wherein the controller is further configured to direct one of the alarm element and the headlamp to communicate the alignment based at least in part on the input from the sensor.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the alignment comprises vehicle forward and side-to-side alignment between the receiving coils and the off-board inductive transmitter coil.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the on-board inductive receiving coils are affixed to a non-metallic component on the underside of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the on-board inductive receiving coils are affixed to an oil pan coupled to an engine of the vehicle and the coil is further configured to heat oil in the oil pan upon charging from an off-board inductive transmitter coil.

14. An inductive charger alignment system for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of on-board inductive receiving coils adapted to charge an on-board power source;

an alignment controller coupled to the coils;

an on-board signal element coupled to the controller;

an off-board inductive transmitter coil,

wherein the controller is configured to direct the element to communicate an alignment between the receiving coils and the transmitter coil to an on-board driver.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the on-board signal element is a headlamp and the controller is configured to direct the headlamp to communicate the alignment by varying an illumination state of the headlamp.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the on-board signal element further comprises an alarm element coupled to the controller and in proximity to the driver, and the controller is further configured to direct the alarm element to communicate the alignment by varying an audible state of the alarm element.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

an on-board sensor configured to provide an input to the controller based on reflected light from the headlamp,

wherein the controller is further configured to direct one of the alarm element and the headlamp to communicate the alignment based at least in part on the input from the sensor.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the alignment comprises vehicle forward and side-to-side alignment between the receiving coils and the off-board inductive transmitter coil.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the on-board inductive receiving coils are affixed to a non-metallic component on the underside of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the on-board inductive receiving coils are affixed to an oil pan coupled to an engine of the vehicle and the coil is further configured to heat oil in the oil pan upon charging from an off-board inductive transmitter coil.