Electric power transmitting device with inductive coupling

• US 5,070,293 A
• Filed: 03/02/1990
• Issued: 12/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation), Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation), Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Inventors: Ito, Katsunori, Asai, Shigenori, Ishii, Naoki, Mori, Koji, Ina, Toshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US07/487,032
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 336/DIG. 2, 336/225
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 336/02 Separable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/95 Electrical connector adapted to transmit electricity to mating connector without physical contact, e.g. by induction, magnetism, or electrostatic field

Abstract

An electric power transmitting device transmits electric energy from one coil to another coil through an inductive coupling therebetween. One of the coils has an end bent in the axial direction of the coil. When the other coil is to be inserted into said one coil, it can be inserted in not only the axial direction of said one coil, but also a direction transverse to the axial direction through the bent end of the coil. Said one of the coils is typically housed in a holder, and the other coil in the grip of a gun-shaped, hand-held bar-code scanner. When the grip is inserted into a groove defined in the holder, the coils are magnetically coupled to each other, thus providing an inductive coupling. The bar-code scanner can easily be placed on and removed from the holder.

Claims

1. An electric power transmitting device comprising:

a first coil;

a second coil which can be combined with said first coil to provide an inductive coupling therebetween;

means for supplying a current which is variable in magnitude with time to said first coil to induce an electric current across said second coil through said inductive coupling;

one of said first and second coils having a bent portion extending along the axial direction of one of the coils;

the other of said first and second coils being insertable into said one of the coils through said bent portion; and

the arrangement being such that said first and second coils can be disposed in substantially one plane, and said other of the coils can be moved into and out of said one of the coils in the axial direction of said one of the coils and in a direction transverse to said axial direction.

2. An electric power transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein said one of the coils is of a rectangular shape, said bent portion being on one longitudinal end of said one coil.

3. An electric power transmitting device according to claim 2, wherein said one of the coils has another bent portion extending along the axial direction of said one of the coils, said other bent portion being on the other longitudinal end of said one coil.

4. An electric power transmitting device according to claim 1, wherein said bent portion comprises an arcuately curved portion.

5. A manually operable device and holder combination comprising:

a manually operable device;

a first coil disposed in said manually operable device;

a secondary battery disposed in said manually operable device and electrically chargeable by an electric current induced across said first coil;

a holder for holding said manually operable device;

means defining a groove in said holder, said manually operable device being insertable into said groove in two substantially perpendicular directions;

a second coil disposed in said holder along said groove, said second coil having a bent portion extending transversely around said groove, said bent portion being bent in one of said two substantially perpendicular directions; and

an electric power transmitter for supplying said second coil with an electric current which varies in magnitude with time.

6. A manually operable device and holder combination according to claim 5, wherein said manually operable device includes a grip, said first coil being housed in said grip and disposed along a side surface thereof, said groove extending obliquely vertically for receiving said side surface of the grip, said bent portion being disposed near one end of said groove.

7. A manually operable device and holder combination according to claim 5, wherein said manually operable device includes a grip, said first coil being housed in said grip and disposed along a bottom surface thereof, said groove extending horizontally for receiving said bottom surface of the grip, said bent portion being disposed near one end of said groove.

8. A hand-held bar-code scanner and holder combination comprising:

a gun-shaped hand-held bar-code scanner having a grip;

a first coil disposed in said grip of the bar-code scanner;

a secondary battery disposed in said bar-code scanner and electrically chargeable by an electric current induced across said first coil;

a holder having a groove therein for holding said grip of the bar-code scanner,

said grip of the bar-code scanner being insertable into said groove in at least two substantially perpendicular directions;

a second coil disposed in said holder along said groove, said second coil having a bent portion extending transversely around said groove, said first and second coils being positioned in substantially one plane when said grip is received in said groove; and

an electric power transmitter for supplying said second coil with an electric current which varies in magnitude with time.

9. A hand-held bar-code scanner and holder combination according to claim 8, wherein said first coil is disposed along a side surface of said grip, said groove extending obliquely vertically for receiving said side surface of the grip, said bent portion being disposed near one end of said groove.

10. A hand-held bar-code scanner and holder combination according to claim 8, wherein said first coil is disposed along a bottom surface of said grip, said groove extending horizontally for receiving said bottom surface of the grip, said bent portion being disposed near one end of said groove.

11. A hand-held bar-code scanner and holder combination according to claim 8, wherein said bent portion is bent in one of said two substantially perpendicular directions.