Inductive battery charger

• US 5,903,134 A
• Filed: 05/19/1998
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tdk-Lambda Corporation (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIN, KYUNG E
• Application Number:
  US09/081,125
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/108, 320/109, 335/281
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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

The present invention can be implemented in various forms. One of them is disclosed in which a secondary core of a secondary-side charge port to be provided at an electric vehicle side and into which a primary magnetic coupler provided at the battery charger is to be inserted, has the general shape of L, for example, at no sacrifice of the charging output (capability).

Claims

1. An inductive battery charger for inductive charging of a battery used on board in an electric vehicle, wherein a secondary core to be provided at the vehicle side and into which a primary magnetic coupler provided at the battery charger is to be inserted, has the general shape of V.

6. The inductive battery charger as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein a disc-like core projection is provided only on one of upper and lower inner walls of an insertion space forming a slot formed in the secondary core and in which the primary-side magnetic coupler is to be inserted, and a secondary coil is fixed only on the inner wall on which the core projection is provided.

2. An inductive battery charger for inductive charging of a battery used on board in an electric vehicle, wherein a secondary core to be provided at the vehicle side and into which a primary magnetic coupler provided at the battery charger is to be inserted, has the general sectional shape of C.

3. The inductive battery charger as set forth in claim 2, wherein the secondary core having a shape of a cantilever of which an upper member and/or a lower member have a generally sector-like shape.

4. The inductive battery charger as set forth in claim 2, wherein the secondary core having a shape of a cantilever of which an upper member and/or a lower member have a generally triangular shape.

5. The inductive battery charger as set forth in claim 2, wherein the secondary core having a shape of a cantilever of which an upper member and/or a lower member have a generally polygonal shape.