Contactless battery charging system with high voltage cable

• US 5,568,036 A
• Filed: 12/02/1994
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Woody, George R., Hulsey, Stephen J., Radys, Ray G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Law, Patrick B.
• Application Number:
  US08/348,663
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 333/12
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/147 electro magnetic [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2019/085 Transformer for galvanic isolation
• 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 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• 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

Abstract

A high voltage cable system for use with a contactless battery charging system that charge propulsion batteries of an electric vehicle, and the like. The contactless battery charging system includes a primary power converter coupled to a power source and a secondary power converter located on the electric vehicle that is coupled propulsion batteries of the electric vehicle. The primary and secondary power converters are connected by way of a coaxial power cable. An isolation transformer is coupled between the output of the primary power converter and the coaxial power cable. This transformer allows one of the two outputs of the primary power converter to be connected to ground potential. The isolation transformer improves the safety and reduces electromagnetic interference (EMI) when coupling power to the secondary power converter. The isolation transformer 30 allows for the use of a stepped-up voltage level to be used in the primary power converter, which reduces the amount of current in the coaxial power cable required to deliver power to the secondary converter. This allows a much higher charge power to be delivered to the electric vehicle using a reasonably sized coaxial power cable.

Claims

1. A cable system for use with a battery charging system that charges a battery of an electric vehicle, wherein the battery charging system includes a primary power converter that is coupled to a power source that is located external to the electric vehicle, and a secondary power converter disposed on the electric vehicle that is coupled to the battery of the electric vehicle, and wherein the primary and secondary power converters are connected by way of a power cable, wherein the improvement comprises:

a coaxial power cable having a central conductor and a ground return;

an isolation transformer having a primary winding coupled to an output of the primary power converter and having a secondary winding coupled to the central conductor and ground return of the coaxial power cable.

2. The cable system of claim 1 wherein the isolation transformer has a predetermined step up turns ratio to increase the voltage and lower the current carried by the coaxial power cable.

3. A cable system for use with a battery charging system that charges a battery of an electric vehicle, wherein the battery charging system includes a primary power converter that is coupled to a power source that is located external to the electric vehicle, and a secondary power converter disposed on the electric vehicle that is coupled to the battery of the electric vehicle, and wherein the primary and secondary power converters are connected by way of a power cable, wherein the improvement comprises:

a coaxial power cable having a central conductor and a ground return;

an isolation transformer having a primary winding coupled to an output of the primary power converter and having a secondary winding coupled to the central conductor and ground return of the coaxial power cable, and wherein the isolation transformer has a predetermined step up turns ratio to increase the voltage and lower the current carried by the coaxial power cable.

4. A cable system for use with a battery charging system that charges a battery of an electric vehicle, wherein the battery charging system includes a primary power converter coupled to a power source located external to the electric vehicle, and a secondary power converter disposed on the electric vehicle that is coupled to the battery of the electric vehicle, wherein the primary power converter is comprised of a transistor bridge that is coupled to a series resonant tank circuit, and wherein the secondary power converter is comprised of a secondary transformer that is coupled by way of rectifiers to the battery of the electric vehicle, and wherein the primary and secondary power converters are connected by way of a power cable, wherein the improvement comprises:

a coaxial power cable having a central conductor and a ground return;

an isolation transformer having a primary winding coupled to the transistor bridge of the primary power converter and having a secondary winding coupled to the central conductor and ground return of the coaxial power cable.

5. The cable system of claim 4 wherein the isolation transformer has a predetermined step up turns ratio to increase the voltage and lower the current carried by the coaxial power cable.