Wireless power receiving unit or wireless power transferring unit with guide member providing magnetic permeability transition between a concentrator core and surrounding medium

• US 8,829,732 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB BV (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tengner, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US13/683,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20130082539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 27/363 made of electrically conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• 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 wireless power transferring device, a wireless power transferring unit and a wireless power receiving unit for transferring and receiving power. The power receiving unit includes an induction coil adapted to be subjected to an alternating magnetic field so that an alternating current is induced in the induction coil, a receiving concentrator core adapted to concentrate the magnetic field wherein the receiving concentrator core is surrounded by a medium, and a receiving guide member arranged to provide a smooth transition for the magnetic field between the medium and the concentrator core, and abutting the receiving concentrator core. The receiving guide member has a magnetic permeability in the range between the magnetic permeability of the receiving concentrator core and the medium.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiving unit for receiving power, wherein the power receiving unit comprises:

an induction coil, the induction coil being subjected to power in the form of an alternating magnetic field from a power transferring unit so that an alternating current is induced in the induction coil,

a receiving concentrator core for concentrating the magnetic field towards the induction coil, wherein the receiving concentrator core is surrounded by a medium, and

a receiving guide member providing a transition for the magnetic field between the medium and the receiving concentrator core, the receiving guide member abutting the receiving concentrator core, the receiving guide member having a magnetic permeability in the range between the magnetic permeability of the receiving concentrator core and the medium,

wherein the induction coil is turned about a center axis, the receiving concentrator core comprises opposing base surfaces and a peripheral surface extending between the opposing base surfaces, the peripheral surface being directed away from the center axis in a radial direction, and the receiving guide member at least partially covers the peripheral surface.

2. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving guide member at least partly surrounds the receiving concentrator core.

3. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving guide member comprises an inner part abutting the receiving concentrator core and an outer part abutting the surrounding medium.

4. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the magnetic permeability of the receiving guide member is decreasing from the inner part to the outer part.

5. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the magnetic permeability of the receiving guide member is decreasing continuously from the inner part to the outer part.

6. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving guide member comprises an inner ring abutting the receiving concentrator core and an outer ring abutting the surrounding medium, wherein the magnetic permeability of the inner ring is higher than the outer ring.

7. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the power receiving unit comprises a shield member shielding the magnetic field, wherein the shield member comprises a conductive non-magnetic material.

8. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 7, characterized in that the shield member is located in between the induction coil and an arrangement comprising a ferromagnetic conductive material.

9. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the power receiving unit is connected to a battery unit, wherein, with the induction coil being subjected to power in the form of the alternating magnetic field, the alternating current induced in the induction coil charges the battery unit.

10. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the power receiving unit is disposed in a vehicle and directed towards the power transferring unit.

11. The wireless power receiving unit according to claim 10, wherein the power transferring unit is disposed at the ground.

12. A wireless power transferring unit for transferring power, wherein the power transferring unit comprises:

a generating coil, the generating coil generating power in the form of an alternating magnetic field that is subjected to a power receiving unit,

a transferring concentrator core for concentrating the magnetic field towards the power receiving unit, wherein the transferring concentrator core is surrounded by a medium, and

a transferring guide member providing a transition for the magnetic field between the medium and the transferring concentrator core, the transferring guide member at least partly abutting the transferring concentrator core, the transferring guide member having a magnetic permeability in the range between the magnetic permeability of the transferring concentrator core and the medium,

wherein the generating coil is turned about a center axis, the transferring concentrator core comprises opposing base surfaces and a peripheral surface extending between the opposing base surfaces, the peripheral surface being directed away from the center axis in a radial direction, and the transferring guide member at least partially covers the peripheral surface.

13. The wireless power transferring unit according to claim 12, characterized in that the transferring guide member at least partly surrounds the transferring concentrator core.

14. A wireless power transferring device comprising:

a wireless power transferring unit for transferring power, wherein the power transferring unit comprises;

a generating coil, the generating coil generating power in the form of an alternating magnetic field that is subjected to a power receiving unit,

a transferring concentrator core for concentrating the magnetic field towards the power receiving unit, wherein the transferring concentrator core is surrounded by a medium, and

a transferring guide member providing a transition for the magnetic field between the medium and the transferring concentrator core, the transferring guide member at least partly abutting the transferring concentrator core, the transferring guide member having a magnetic permeability in the range between the magnetic permeability of the transferring concentrator core and the medium; and

a wireless power receiving unit, wherein the power receiving unit comprises;

an induction coil, the induction coil being subjected to power in the form of an alternating magnetic field from a power transferring unit so that an alternating current is induced in the induction coil,

a receiving concentrator core for concentrating the magnetic field towards the induction coil, wherein the receiving concentrator core is surrounded by a medium, and

a receiving guide member providing a transition for the magnetic field between the medium and the receiving concentrator core, the receiving guide member abutting the receiving concentrator core, the receiving guide member having a magnetic permeability in the range between the magnetic permeability of the receiving concentrator core and the medium;

wherein the induction coil is turned about a center axis, the receiving concentrator core comprises opposing base surfaces and a peripheral surface extending between the opposing base surfaces, the peripheral surface being directed away from the center axis in a radial direction, and the receiving guide member at least partially covers the peripheral surface.