Magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle

• US 5,917,307 A
• Filed: 08/07/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1996
• 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, Kuki, Heiji, Arisaka, Shuji, Shimada, Toshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US08/911,355
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/104, 320/108, 320/109, 320/FOR 101, 320/DIG. 33, 320/DIG. 34, 336/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10

Abstract

In a magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle which is used for charging a power storage device of the electric vehicle by means of a charging power source, a primary coil unit is inserted into a receiving unit which is on an electric vehicle and in which a secondary coil unit is disposed. In the device, junction faces of primary and secondary cores are formed in the insertion direction of the primary coil unit, and primary and secondary coils are disposed at positions where, when the primary coil unit 30 is inserted, the primary and secondary coils do not interfere with each other. Wiping members which wipe the junction faces are disposed. The insertion direction of the primary coil unit is in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the unit.

Claims

1. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle comprising:

a primary coil unit having a primary core and a primary coil wound on said primary core, said primary coil unit disposed on a charging power source side; and

a secondary coil unit having a secondary core and a secondary coil wound on said secondary core, said primary and secondary cores being spaced apart a predetermined lateral distance, said secondary coil unit disposed on the electric vehicle,

wherein said primary coil unit is inserted a predetermined longitudinal insertion distance into the electric vehicle and said primary and secondary cores are coupled in a coupling state so that said primary and secondary cores constitute a closed loop-like magnetic circuit, and

wherein each of said primary and secondary cores has a junction face which faces each other under the coupling state, and said junction faces of said primary and secondary cores face each other in a plane that is parallel to an insertion direction of said primary coil unit such that the predetermined lateral distance between the primary and secondary cores is substantially independent of the predetermined longitudinal insertion distance of the primary coil unit, wherein the insertion direction of said primary coil unit is parallel to a longitudinal direction of said primary coil unit.

2. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle comprising:

a primary coil unit having a primary core and a primary coil wound on said primary core, said primary coil unit disposed on a charging power source side; and

a secondary coil unit having a secondary core and a secondary coil wound on said secondary core, said secondary coil unit disposed on the electric vehicle, said secondary core forming a substantially planar interface with the primary core,

wherein said primary coil unit is inserted into the electric vehicle and said primary and secondary cores are coupled so that said primary and secondary cores constitute a closed loop-like magnetic circuit,

wherein an insertion direction of said primary coil unit is substantially parallel to the interface between the primary and secondary cores and

wherein said primary core comprises a leg portion which elongates in the insertion direction of said primary coil unit and a connecting portion which is continuous with said leg portion is formed to be larger than said connecting portion.

3. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said primary coil is wound on said connecting portion to be a flat shape in a section taken along the insertion direction of said primary coil unit, whereby making smaller the projected area of said primary coil unit in the insertion direction.

4. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said primary coil is wound on said leg portion of said primary core in the form of a single layer, whereby making smaller the projected area of said primary coil unit in the insertion direction.

5. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle comprising:

a primary coil unit having a primary core and a primary coil wound on said primary core, said primary coil unit disposed on a charging power source side; and

a secondary coil unit having a secondary core and a secondary coil wound on said secondary core, said secondary coil unit disposed on the electric vehicle,

wherein said primary coil unit is inserted into the electric vehicle and said primary and secondary cores are coupled so that said primary and secondary cores constitute a closed loop-like magnetic circuit, and

wherein each of said primary and secondary cores has a junction face which contacts each other under the coupling state and at least one of said primary and secondary coil units is provided with a wiping member which, when said primary coil unit is inserted, wipes said junction face of a counter core.

6. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said wiping member is disposed at a position where, before the cores are coupled to each other, the wiping member wipes said junction face of said counter core.

7. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle comprising:

a primary coil unit having a primary core and a primary coil wound on said primary core, said primary coil unit disposed on a charging power source side; and

a secondary coil unit having a secondary core and a secondary coil wound on said secondary core, said secondary coil unit disposed on the electric vehicle,

wherein said primary coil unit is inserted into the electric vehicle and said primary and secondary cores are coupled so that said primary and secondary cores constitute a closed loop-like magnetic circuit, and

wherein said device further comprises an urging member which, under the coupling state, urges at least one of said primary and secondary cores in a direction along which said cores are coupled to each other.

8. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein said urging member is disposed in a receiving case into which said primary coil unit is inserted, and urges said primary coil unit in a direction along which said primary and secondary cores are coupled to each other.

9. A magnetic coupling device for charging an electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein, in at least one of said primary and secondary coil units, said core is provided to be displaceable with respect to said coil by means of the urging member, and under the coupling state, said core is urged in a direction along which said core is coupled to said core of a counter unit while said coil is fixed.