Vehicular charging and protection systems

• US 9,493,085 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• 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, Kautz, Richard William, Gardner, Cornel Lewis, Salter, Stuart C., Reed, Eric L., Price, Don David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US14/793,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20150306963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/147 electro magnetic [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging system for a vehicle. The charging system includes an on-board battery, a charger region and a wireless receiver for generating a charging signal in the charger region to charge a battery. The system also includes a plurality of sensors located to sense living beings and foreign objects in proximity to the charger region. The system further includes a controller for filtering transient conditions and terminating the charging signal when a being or a foreign object is near the charger region.

Claims

1. A charging system for a vehicular battery, comprising:

an on-board wireless receiver for collecting a charging signal from an off-board charger to charge the battery;

a charger region produced by the receiver and charger;

a plurality of sensors located to sense living beings and foreign objects near the charger region; and

a controller for differentiating between the beings, objects and transient conditions comprising motion of a vehicle comprising the receiver to terminate the charging signal.

2. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to activate an alarm component when a living being or a foreign object is in proximity to the charger region.

3. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors generate capacitance data to sense living beings and foreign objects in proximity to the charger region.

4. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors is coupled to the controller, and further wherein the controller evaluates the presence of living beings and foreign objects in proximity to the charger region based at least in part on input data from the sensors.

5. The charging system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a reference sensor.

6. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the transient conditions further comprise objects not susceptible to EMF associated with the charging signal in the charger region.

7. A vehicular protection system, comprising:

a vehicular battery;

a catalytic converter;

an on-board, wireless receiver that collects a charging signal from an off-board charger to charge the battery;

a plurality of sensors located to sense living beings near the converter and a charger region defined by the receiver and charger and unrelated transient conditions comprising motion of a vehicle comprising the receiver; and

a controller coupled to the sensors for differentiating between the transient conditions and living beings, terminating the charging signal when a being is near the charger region and activating an alarm when a being is near the converter.

8. The protection system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to activate the alarm when a living being is in proximity to the charger region.

9. The protection system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of sensors generate capacitance data to sense living beings near the charger region and the catalytic converter.

10. The protection system of claim 7, wherein the controller evaluates the presence of living beings near the charger region and the catalytic converter based at least in part on input data from the sensors.

11. The protection system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a reference sensor.

12. A charging system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicular battery;

an on-board wireless receiver that collects a charging signal from an off-board charger to charge the battery;

a charger region produced by the receiver and charger; and

an on-board controller coupled to a plurality of sensors that wirelessly terminates the charging signal from the charger upon detecting living beings and foreign objects near the charger region and differentiates unrelated transient conditions comprising motion of a vehicle comprising the receiver.

13. The charging system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to activate an alarm component when a living being or a foreign object is in proximity to the charger region.

14. The charging system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of sensors generate capacitance data to sense living beings and foreign objects in proximity to the charger region.

15. The charging system of claim 12, wherein the controller evaluates the presence of living beings and foreign objects in proximity to the charger region based at least in part on input data from the sensors.

16. The charging system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a reference sensor.

17. The charging system of claim 12, wherein the transient conditions further comprise objects not susceptible to EMF associated with the charging signal in the charger region.