Power transmission system

• US 9,577,462 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2014
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Original Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Inventors: Maekawa, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/266,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2211/02 Oceanography
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/008 Docking stations for unmanned underwater vessels, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/08 Propulsion schnorkels B63G8/36; nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1886 using probes, e.g. submersible probes, buoys
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/42 for ships or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A power transmission system transmits power underwater between a power-transmitting device and a power-receiving device of which at least one is capable of moving freely underwater. In this power transmission system, the power-transmitting device and the power-receiving device are each provided with a resonance coil that performs the power transmission wirelessly underwater by means of magnetic field resonance. At least one of the power-transmitting device and the power-receiving device is provided with a balloon that internally houses the resonance coil of its own device.

Claims

1. A power transmission system that transmits power underwater between a power-transmitting device and a power-receiving device of which at least one is capable of moving freely underwater, wherein

the power-transmitting device and the power-receiving device are each provided with a resonance coil that performs the power transmission wirelessly underwater by means of magnetic field resonance, and

at least one of the power-transmitting device and the power-receiving device is provided with a balloon that internally houses the resonance coil of its own device.

2. The power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the power-transmitting device and the power-receiving device is provided with a balloon control mechanism that, during a power transmission, causes the balloon to inflate, and at other times, causes the balloon to be deflated.

3. The power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein

the power-receiving device is an autonomous underwater vehicle that collects water quality data as it moves through the water under battery power, and

the power-transmitting device is an underwater base station that is installed in a predetermined location underwater and is connected by a cable to an on-land electrical power system, and receives from the electrical power system a supply of power that is to be transmitted to the autonomous underwater vehicle.

4. The power transmission system according to claim 2, wherein

the power-receiving device is an autonomous underwater vehicle that collects water quality data as it moves through the water under battery power, and

the power-transmitting device is an underwater base station that is installed in a predetermined location underwater and is connected by a cable to an on-land electrical power system, and receives from the electrical power system a supply of power that is to be transmitted to the autonomous underwater vehicle.

5. The power transmission system according to claim 3, wherein

the autonomous underwater vehicle wirelessly transmits the water quality data to the underwater base station during a power transmission, and

the underwater base station is connected by cable to an on-land water quality data control device, and transmits the water quality data that it receives from the autonomous underwater vehicle by cable to the water quality data control device.

6. The power transmission system according to claim 4, wherein

the autonomous underwater vehicle wirelessly transmits the water quality data to the underwater base station during a power transmission, and

the underwater base station is connected by cable to an on-land water quality data control device, and transmits the water quality data that it receives from the autonomous underwater vehicle by cable to the water quality data control device.