System for recharging the storage batteries of an electric motor vehicle

• US 5,710,502 A
• Filed: 06/07/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cableco and Poumey
• Original Assignee: Cableco and Poumey
• Inventors: Poumey, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAW, PATRICK B
• Application Number:
  US08/660,518
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 336/232, 336/227
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• 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: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/34 Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles positioning means for charging devices using inductive energy transfer B60L53/38
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• 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 50/12 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A system for recharging storage batteries in an electric motor vehicle includes a stationary unit and a vehicle mounted unit. The stationary unit is provided with a first dielectric case and a high-frequency generator connected to the electric supply mains and to at least one inductor positioned proximate a front wall of the first dielectric case. The vehicle mounted unit includes a second dielectric case positionable adjacent the front wall of the first dielectric case. The second dielectric case is provided with at least one sensor connected to a rectifier which is connected, in turn, to the storage batteries of the vehicle. The at least one sensor is positioned proximate an exterior wall of the second case while both the at least one inductor and sensor are formed from respective flat coils capable of being magnetically coupled through air when positioned adjacent each other.

Claims

1. A system for recharging storage batteries of an electric motor vehicle, comprising:

an electrical supply means;

at a stationary unit, a first dielectric case having an inductor disposed therein, said inductor having a terminal arranged in a front wall of said case, said case comprising a high-frequency generator connected, on the one hand, to said electric supply mains and, on the other hand, to said terminals of said inductor;

permanently mounted on the vehicle, a second dielectric case comprising, on a face intended to come opposite the front wall of the first case, a sensor which can be magnetically coupled through the air and at some distance from the inductor, connected via its two terminals to a rectifier, itself connected via its two output terminals to the batteries, wherein the inductor and the sensor are produced in the form of a flat coil arranged against the wall of the two cases intended to come opposite each other.

2. A system for recharging storage batteries in an electric motor vehicle, comprising:

a stationary unit including a first dielectric case and a high frequency generator connected on an input side to an electric supply mains and on an output side to at least one inductor positioned proximate a front wall of said first dielectric case; and

a second dielectric case being permanently mounted on the vehicle and positionable adjacent said front wall of said first dielectric case, said second dielectric case including at least one sensor connected to a rectifier being connected, in turn, to the storage batteries of the vehicle, said at least one sensor positioned proximate an exterior wall of the second case, said at least one inductor and sensor including respective closed approximately flat coils adapted to become magnetically coupled essentially entirely through air when positioned in proximity to each other without use of magnetic cores in said at least one inductor and sensor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said stationary unit includes an inset part and wherein said rectifier and storage batteries are housed within the vehicle, and said second dielectric case is detachable from the vehicle by means of flexible cable so that the second case is positionable within said inset port for recharging the storage batteries of the vehicle.

4. A system for recharging storage batteries in an electric motor vehicle, comprising:

a stationary unit including a first dielectric case and a high-frequency generator connected on an input side to an electric supply mains and on an output side to a plurality of inductors each connected in parallel to output terminals of said high-frequency generator, said inductors positioned proximate a front wall of said first dielectric case;

a second dielectric case being permanently mounted on the vehicle and positionable adjacent said front wall of said first dielectric case said second dielectric case including at least one sensor connected to a rectifier being connected, in turn, to the storage batteries of the vehicle, said at least one sensor positioned proximate an exterior wall of the second case, said inductors and said sensor formed from respective flat coils capable of being magnetically coupled through air when positioned adjacent each other;

each inductor further connected in series with a corresponding relay contact for activation of a respective inductor when positioned adjacent said at least one sensor.

6. The system for recharging storage batteries according to claim 4 further including a tuning capacitor connected in parallel with said at least one sensor to form a trap type oscillating circuit with self-inductance of the sensor, the resonance frequency of said oscillating circuit being equal to the operating frequency of said high-frequency generator.

7. The system for recharging storage batteries according to claim 4 further including a charging regulator connected in series between a first output terminal of said rectifier and the storage batteries.

8. The system for recharging storage batteries according to claim 7 further including a filtering capacitor connected in parallel between said first output terminals of said rectifier and a second output terminal thereof.

9. The system for recharging storage batteries according to claim 8 further including a Zener diode connected in series with an indicator light, said Zener diode and said indicator light, in turn, connected in parallel between said filtering capacitor and said charging regulator so that an output terminal of the diode is connected to an input terminal of said charging regulator.

5. A system for recharging storage batteries in an electric motor vehicle, comprising:

a stationary unit including a first dielectric case and a high-frequency generator connected on an input side to an electric supply mains and on an output side to at least one inductor positioned proximate a front wall of said first dielectric case;

a second dielectric case being permanently mounted on the vehicle and positionable adjacent said front wall of said first dielectric case, said second dielectric case including a plurality of sensors positioned proximate said exterior wall of said second dielectric case, each sensor connected in parallel to input terminals of a respective rectifier, output terminals of said respective rectifiers of like polarity connected in parallel with a filtering capacitor connected, in turn, in parallel with the storage batteries, said at least one inductor and said sensors formed from respective flat coils capable of being magnetically coupled through air when positioned adjacent each other.