Electromagnetic coupling device for charging an electric motor vehicle

• US 5,852,394 A
• Filed: 08/23/1996
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kunihiko, Kanagawa, Shuichi, Arisaka, Shuji, Keishi, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, ANH T
• Application Number:
  US08/697,363
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 336/66, 320/2, 439/138, 439/142
• US Class Current: 336/66
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• 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: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• 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

An electromagnetic coupling device for charging an electric motor vehicle is provided which is easy for handling a charging coupler and hardly lowers electric power transmission efficiency for a long period of time. A charging coupler (10) containing a primary coil (15) is provided with a pair of heat-shielding covers (16), which are pivotably mounted on the coupler (10) by pins (17). When the charging coupler (10) is inserted into a depression (31) in an incoming unit of the electric motor vehicle, guides (21) push lower ends (16a) of the covers (16) to open the covers (16). The primary coil (15) in the charging coupler (10) is electromagnetically coupled to a pair of secondary coils (32, 32) in the depression (31). After charging, when the charging coupler (10) is drawn out of the depression (31), the heat-shielding covers (16) are closed by tension coil springs (18), thereby protecting the primary coil (15) and preventing a person from carelessly touching it.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic coupling device for connecting a source of electricity with a receiver, an incoming unit containing at least one secondary coil near a depression in said receiver,

a supplying unit having a primary coil in a casing therefor, said primary coil adapted to be electromagnetically coupled to said secondary coil when said primary coil is introduced into said depression in an insertion direction, said supplying unit having a leading end in said insertion direction and a trailing end remote from said leading end,

a first cover pivotally mounted on a first side of said supplying unit at a point between said leading end and said trailing end and rotatable in a plane perpendicular to said insertion direction between a protecting position, wherein said first cover overlies said first side of said primary coil, and an open position wherein said first cover is rotated about said point so that one end thereof is spaced apart from said primary coil, said first cover being urged into said open position from said protecting position by insertion of said primary coil into said depression,

a second cover pivotally mounted on a second side, opposite said first side, of said primary coil at said point and rotatable in said plane between said protecting position and said opening position, said second cover being urged into said open position from said protecting position by insertion of said primary coil into said depression,

at least one guide on said receiver adjacent said depression, said guide adapted to contact said first cover and said second cover, whereby said first cover and said second cover are moved from said protecting position to said open position as said supply unit enters said depression.

2. The coupling device of claim 1 comprising a handle on said supplying unit remote from said leading end, said point being nearer said handle than said leading end.

3. The coupling device of claim 1 wherein there is provided a hinge at said point about which said first cover and said second cover rotate.

4. The coupling device of claim 1 wherein said receiver is an electric motor vehicle.

5. The coupling device of claim 1 wherein said guide comprises a central projection adapted to contact said first cover and said second cover at said leading end, sections on either side of said central projection, said sections sloping in a direction perpendicular to said insertion direction.

6. The coupling device of claim 1 wherein there are two guides, one adjacent each end of said depression.

7. The coupling device of claim 1 wherein said first cover and said second cover are biased toward said protecting position.

8. The coupling device of claim 7 wherein said first cover and said second cover are biased toward each other by a tension spring.