Wireless power transmission device and wireless power transmission method

• US 9,866,059 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Original Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Inventors: Niizuma, Motonao
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel
• Application Number:
  US14/488,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20150001960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B7/30 takes precedence
• 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 50/10 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: H02M 3/33573 Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer

Abstract

The wireless power transmission device is a wireless power transmission device which wirelessly transmits electric power between a power-transmitting coil and a power-receiving coil, and which includes: a metal member; a power supply unit which supplies the electric power to the power-transmitting coil; a measurement unit which measures a relative position of the power-receiving coil with respect to the power-transmitting coil; and a control unit which controls the power supply unit. The control unit adjusts the electric power based on the relative position measured by the measurement unit, so that an amount of induced current flowing through the metal member is decreased.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmission device which wirelessly transmits electric power between a power-transmitting coil provided in a fixed portion and a power-receiving coil provided in a movable portion, comprising:

a power supplier which supplies the electric power to the power-transmitting coil;

a controller which controls the power supplier; and

a measurer which measures a relative position of the power-receiving coil with respect to the power-transmitting coil,

wherein the controller includes a duty table which stores a duty of the electric power, the duty being set based on the relative position such that an amount of induced current flowing through a metal member is decreased, and the metal member being provided in a predetermined position of one or both of the fixed portion and the movable portion, and

wherein the controller is configured to adjust a duty of the electric power based on the relative position, with reference to the duty table.

2. The wireless power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the duty table is set beforehand based on a relative distance between the metal member and an electromagnetic field which occurs between the power-transmitting coil and the power-receiving coil.

3. The wireless power transmission device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission power measurement circuit which measures a transmission electric power amount which is transmitted by the power-transmitting coil; and

a received power measurement circuit which measures a received electric power amount which is received by the power-receiving coil,

wherein the duty table is set based on transmission efficiency of the electric power at the relative position.

4. A wireless power transmission method of wirelessly transmitting electric power between a power-transmitting coil provided in a fixed portion and a power-receiving coil provided in a movable portion, the wireless power transmission method for a wireless power transmission device including a metal member, comprising:

a first step of supplying the electric power to the power-transmitting coil;

a second step of measuring a relative position of the power-receiving coil with respect to the power-transmitting coil; and

a third step of adjusting a duty of the electric power based on the measured relative position, with reference to a duty table which stores a duty of the electric power, the duty stored in the duty table being set based on the relative position such that an amount of induced current flowing through the metal member is decreased, the metal member being provided in a predetermined position of one or both of the fixed portion and the movable portion.