Contactless power transfer system

• US 9,825,473 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Yuji, Yuasa, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, James
• Application Number:
  US14/813,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20160036243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• 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 power supply ECU controls a converter to have a first control region in which a voltage is raised as a coupling coefficient is larger, and a second control region in which the voltage is maintained at a rating irrespective of a coupling coefficient. An ECU controls a converter such that an input impedance of the converter attains a prescribed value in the first control region and controls the converter such that received electric power becomes close to a target by changing the input impedance in the second control region.

Claims

1. A contactless power transfer system comprising:

a power transmission device; and

a power reception device,

said power transmission device including

a power transmission unit including a power transmission coil and a first capacitor connected in series to said power transmission coil, and configured to transmit electric power to said power reception device in a contactless manner,

a voltage variable high-frequency power supply configured to supply alternating-current (AC) power to said power transmission unit while adjusting a voltage of the voltage variable high-frequency power supply, and

a first control unit controlling said voltage variable high-frequency power supply,

said power reception device including

a power reception unit including a power reception coil and a second capacitor connected to said power reception coil, and configured to receive electric power from said power transmission unit in a contactless manner,

an impedance adjuster provided between said power reception unit and load equipment, and

a second control unit controlling said impedance adjuster,

said first control unit controlling said voltage variable high-frequency power supply to include a first control region and a second control region, in the first control region the voltage of said voltage variable high-frequency power supply being raised as a coupling coefficient between said power transmission unit and said power reception unit is larger, a coupling coefficient in the second control region being larger than that in the first control region, in the second control region the voltage of said voltage variable high-frequency power supply being maintained at a constant value or substantially at said constant value irrespective of said coupling coefficient, and

said second control unit controlling said impedance adjuster such that an input impedance of said impedance adjuster becomes equal to a prescribed value or substantially to said prescribed value when said voltage variable high-frequency power supply is controlled in said first control region, and controlling said impedance adjuster such that received electric power becomes close to a target by changing said input impedance from said prescribed value or substantially from said prescribed value when said voltage variable high-frequency power supply is controlled in said second control region.

2. The contactless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein

said second capacitor is connected in series to said power reception coil, and

said second control unit controls said impedance adjuster such that said input impedance becomes greater than said prescribed value when said voltage variable high-frequency power supply is controlled in said second control region.

3. The contactless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein

said second capacitor is connected in parallel with said power reception coil, and

said second control unit controls said impedance adjuster such that said input impedance becomes smaller than said prescribed value when said voltage variable high-frequency power supply is controlled in said second control region.

4. The contactless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein

said power reception device further includes a rectifier configured to rectify AC power received by said power reception unit, and

said impedance adjuster is a first converter provided between said rectifier and said load equipment.

5. The contactless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein said prescribed value is set based on a rated current of said power reception device.

6. The contactless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein said prescribed value is set at an input impedance at which maximum transfer efficiency is implemented when said coupling coefficient is a prescribed minimum value.

7. The contactless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein

said voltage variable high-frequency power supply includes

an inverter connected to said power transmission unit, and

a second converter configured to adjust an input voltage of said inverter,

said first control unit controls said second converter such that said input voltage is raised as said coupling coefficient is larger in said first control region, and controls said second converter such that said input voltage is maintained at a rated voltage of said inverter or substantially at said rated voltage thereof irrespective of said coupling coefficient in said second control region,

the voltage of said voltage variable high-frequency power supply is the input voltage of said inverter, and

said first control unit maintains the voltage of said voltage variable high-frequency power supply at said constant value or substantially at said constant value by maintaining said input voltage at said rated voltage or substantially at said rated voltage.