Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Battery or cell charging – With thermal condition detection
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-30
2001-10-30
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Battery or cell charging
With thermal condition detection
C320S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06310465
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to battery charging device and, more particularly, to an electromagnetic induction, non-contact type battery charging device suited for charging batteries of a self-propelled apparatus such as electric vehicles.
In conventional battery charging devices, there are two types of charging systems, namely, conductive charging device and an inductive charging device. The inductive charging device is also called an electromagnetic, non-contact type battery charging device. The inductive charging device is advantageous in that it cannot be hindered by a bad electrical contact unlike the conductive charging device. Further, with the use of the inductive charging device, vehicles are not required to carry large battery charging equipment, and the size of the battery charging device can be reduced.
Charging of the battery is usually achieved by inserting a power supply coupler connected to a power supply device with a cable into a power receiver coupler mounted within the electric vehicle. When the couplers are coupled to one another, the couplers transmit or receive information necessary for setting charging conditions by means of respective internal communication units.
In the prior art battery charging device discussed above, the charging of the battery is done at high frequency and at high rates, there is a great deal of heat buildup in the power supply charging coupler. In order to prevent the power supply coupler from being damaged due to thermal shock, it is a usual practice to have the power receiver coupler equipped with a cooling unit of an air type or a water type. The power receiver coupler is also equipped with a temperature sensor, which serves to monitor the operating temperature of the power receiver coupler during charging and to transmit a temperature signal related to the detected temperature to a control unit of the power supply device via the communication unit of the power supply coupler. When the battery charger overheats, the control unit of the power supply device serves to stop the charging of the battery in response to the temperature signal delivered from the temperature sensor.
However, even when such thermal protection is carried out, if there is a failure in the communication system, it is difficult to prevent a decrease in cooling performance or an abnormal operating condition of the power supply coupler.
In the prior art battery charging device as discussed above, the cooling performance and overheating is usually detected by a detector incorporated in the power receiver coupler. For this reason, if the temperature of the power supply coupler is excessive and the temperature of the power receiver coupler is not excessive, charging of the battery continues. As the charging of the battery continues, the temperature of the power supply coupler further increases, which may cause unstable operation of the communication units and cause difficulties in achieving a stable charging of the battery. In addition, the power supply coupler is subject to thermal distortion and various component parts incorporated in the power supply coupler are subject to thermal cracking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a battery charging device which is highly reliable.
In order to meet the above and other objects, the present invention provides a battery charging device.
The battery charging device has a power supply coupler connected to a power supply device, and a power receiver coupler into which the power supply coupler is adapted to be inserted for charging a battery of an electric vehicle. The power supply coupler has components, which include a first core, a primary coil located around the first core and supplied with electric power from the power supply device, and a case accommodating the first core and the primary coil. The power receiver coupler includes a second core that forms a magnetic path with the first core when the power supply coupler is coupled to the power receiver coupler, a secondary coil located around the second core, and a case accommodating the second core and the secondary coil. The power supply device is connected to the primary coil. The battery is connected to the secondary coil and is charged with an electric current generated in the secondary coil when the electric power is supplied to the primary coil. The power supply coupler includes a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the power supply coupler to generate an electrical signal that is used to avoid avoiding an excessive temperature in the components of the power supply coupler.
The present invention further provides a battery charging device. The battery charging device has a power supply coupler including a first core, a primary coil located around the first core and connected to receive electric power from a power supply device, and a case accommodating the first core and the primary coil. The power receiver coupler includes a second core that forms a magnetic path with the first core of the power supply coupler when it is coupled to the power receiver coupler, a secondary coil located around the second core, and a case accommodating the second core and the secondary coil. The power supply device supplies an electric current to the primary coil. The battery is connected to the secondary coil and is charged with an electric current generated in the second coil when the electric power is supplied to the primary coil. The power receiver coupler includes a first communication unit for transmitting a first electric signal, which includes information related to the charging state of the battery, to the power supply coupler. The power supply coupler includes a second communication unit for receiving the first electric signal and transmitting the same as a second electric signal to the power supply device; temperature detector for generating a third electric signal indicating the temperature of the power supply coupler; and a communication interruption circuit connected to the temperature detector for receiving the third electric signal. The communication interruption circuit interrupts when the third electric signal exceeds a predetermined value. The power supply device includes a control unit for controlling the electric power supplied to the primary coil on the basis of the second electric signal.
The present invention also provides a power supply coupler for a battery charging device which is connected to a power supply device having a control unit and which has a power receiver coupler mounted in an electric vehicle for a battery located in the vehicle. The power receiver coupler has a core and a secondary coil located around the core and connected to the battery.
The power supply coupler has a core and a primary coil located around the core. The core of the power supply device forms a magnetic path with the core of the power receiver coupler. The primary coil induces an electric current in the secondary coil when an electric power is supplied to the primary coil. The power supply coupler also has a temperature detector, which detects the temperature of the power supply coupler to generate an electric signal when the temperature of the power supply coupler exceeds a predetermined value. The power supply device has a control unit responsive to the electric signal for controlling the electric power to be supplied to the primary coil.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5412304 (1995-05-01), Abbott
patent: 5594315 (1997-01-01), Ramos et al.
patent: 9-103037 (1997-04-01), None
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Toatley Jr. Gregory J
Wong Peter S.
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