System of securing a wide-range of devices during wireless charging

• US 9,148,033 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US13/723,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/115, 320/109, 310/50, 307/10.1, 307/153, 414/281, 414/282, 414/283, 180/68.5, 104/34, 336/45, 336/75, 336/121
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/00 Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for devices for protecting vehicle occupants in case of accidents B60R21/00; safety belts B60R22/00; central door locking E05B49/00, E05B77/50
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 11/00 Serving peculiar to locomotives, e.g. filling with, or emptying of, water, sand, or the like at the depots lifting or lowering axles or wheels B61K5/00; filling stations for steam or pneumatic accumulator locomotives B61C8/00; water or fuel supply fittings on locomotives B61C17/02; refuelling locomotives with solid fuels B65G67/18; washing or cleaning boilers F28G
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/00 Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops B65G37/00; stacking of articles B65G57/00; removing articles from stacks B65G59/00; loading machines B65G65/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/02 continuously variable, e.g. variometers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/04 by relative movement of turns or parts of windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 21/02 specially adapted for optimising the efficiency at low load
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/00 Arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output Ward-Leonard arrangements H02P7/34; vector control H02P21/00; feeding a network by two or more generators H02J; for charging batteries H02J7/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7062 Clamped members

Abstract

A system for securing and wirelessly charging a chargeable device on a charger, particularly in a vehicle, is provided. The system includes at least one transmitting coil in proximity to a charging surface and an adjustable retaining assembly configured to substantially engage at least a portion of a perimeter of the chargeable device to position the chargeable device on the charging surface.

Claims

1. A system for wirelessly charging a chargeable device comprising:

a charger comprising at least one transmitting coil in proximity to a charging surface; and

an adjustable retaining assembly configured to substantially engage the chargeable device, the assembly having a first retaining member and a second retaining member coupled such that movement of the first retaining member results in a simultaneous movement of the second retaining member.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first retaining member has a first teeth pattern and the second retaining member has a second teeth pattern, further wherein a driving gear is positioned to engage both the first teeth pattern and the second teeth pattern.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable retaining assembly further comprises:

at least one adjustable mechanism comprising an adjustable pivot structure configured to allow a user to lock at least one pin within the retaining assembly engaged to at least one tooth or hole within the retaining assembly.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable retaining member engages at least a portion of a perimeter of the chargeable device in a first position and disengages the chargeable device in a second position.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said adjustable retaining assembly substantially simultaneously engages corners of the chargeable device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the adjustable retaining assembly engages four corners of a rectangular shaped device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said substantial engagement maintains a receiving coil of the chargeable device in a particular orientation on the charging surface.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a charging region provided in a tray within a vehicle.

9. An in-vehicle system for wirelessly charging a chargeable device, comprising:

a charger comprising at least one transmitting coil in proximity to a charging surface in a vehicle; and

an adjustable retaining assembly configured to engage corners of the chargeable device such that a plurality of gaps are defined around the chargeable device between the chargeable device and the retaining assembly which extend from corner to corner.

10. The in-vehicle system of claim 9, wherein the adjustable retaining assembly further comprises a first retaining member, a second retaining member and an adjustable mechanism configured to allow the first retaining member to move relative to the second retaining member.

11. The in-vehicle system of claim 10, wherein a movement of the first retaining member causes the second retaining member to move in synchronization.

12. The in-vehicle system of claim 10, wherein the adjustable retaining assembly further comprises:

at least one adjustable mechanism comprising an adjustable pivot structure configured to allow a user to lock at least one pin within the retaining assembly engaged to at least one tooth or hole within the retaining assembly.

13. The in-vehicle system of claim 10, wherein the adjustable retaining member engages at least a portion of a perimeter of the chargeable device in a first position and disengages the chargeable device in a second position.

14. The in-vehicle system of claim 9, wherein said adjustable retaining assembly substantially simultaneously engages corners of the chargeable device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the adjustable retaining assembly engages four corners of a rectangular shaped device.

16. A retainer assembly comprising:

first and second retaining members configured to substantially engage at least a portion of a perimeter of a chargeable device to position the chargeable device on a surface in proximity to at least one retaining member; and

an adjustable mechanism configured to allow the first retaining member to move relative to the second retaining member to position the device, wherein the first and second retaining members are substantially symmetrical.

17. The retainer assembly of claim 16 further comprising a charger comprising at least one transmitting coil in proximity to a charging surface.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the system comprises a charging region provided in a tray within a vehicle.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second retaining members are configured to only engage corners of the chargeable device.