Foreign object detector for non-contact charging device

• US 9,376,028 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hickox, Jeffrey Michael, Thompson, Gary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US14/269,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20150314689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/108, 307/9.1, 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/147 electro magnetic [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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 non-contact charging device for charging a battery in a vehicle includes a source resonator, and a foreign object detector. The source resonator is configured to transfer electrical energy to a capture resonator in a vehicle. The foreign object detector is configured to detect a foreign object proximate to the source resonator. The foreign object detector includes a vertical antenna configured to detect a foreign object above the source resonator, and a horizontal antenna configured to detect a foreign object beside the source resonator.

Claims

1. A non-contact charging device for charging a battery in a vehicle, said device comprising:

a source resonator configured to transfer electrical energy to a capture resonator in a vehicle; and

a foreign object detector configured to detect a foreign object proximate to the source resonator, wherein the foreign object detector includes a vertical antenna configured to detect a foreign object above the source resonator, and a horizontal antenna configured to detect a foreign object beside the source resonator, wherein the vertical antenna is arranged upon a substrate of the device and within a perimeter of the substrate, and the horizontal antenna is coupled to the perimeter and oriented perpendicular to the vertical antenna.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the perimeter is defined by the source resonator.

3. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vertical antenna includes an array of vertically directed elements and the horizontal antenna includes a plurality of horizontally directed elements.