Charging receptacle

Details Charging receptacle Charging receptacle

2000-09-28

2002-02-26

Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)

Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging

Cell or battery charger structure

Charger inductively coupled to cell or battery

Reexamination Certificate

active

06351098

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a charging receptacle for use in an induction type charging apparatus for charging a battery of an electric vehicle or the like.
Conventionally, a conduction type charging apparatus and an induction type charging apparatus have been utilized for charging batteries of electric vehicles. The conduction type charging apparatus has a contact type connection terminal for directly connecting a power supply positioned external to a vehicle with a battery equipped in the vehicle. In contrast, the induction type charging apparatus has a non-contact type connection terminal for connecting a power supply with a battery through electromagnetic induction. The induction type charging apparatus is less susceptible to a contact failure. In addition, the induction type charging apparatus is smaller than the conduction type charging apparatus, so the induction type charging apparatus has drawn particular attention in recent years.
FIG. 5
illustrates a connection terminal of a conventional induction type charging apparatus. The connection terminal has a charging paddle
61
, and a charging receptacle
71
for receiving the charging paddle
61
. The charging paddle
61
is connected to a cable
62
extending from an external power supply station (not shown). The charging receptacle
71
is equipped in an electric vehicle, and connected to a battery also equipped in the vehicle.
The charging receptacle
71
has an enclosure
75
, an inserting hole
72
formed through the enclosure
75
, a power receiving core
73
accommodated in the enclosure
75
, and a power receiving coil
74
contained in the enclosure
75
and wound around the power receiving core
73
. For reducing the time required for charging, i.e., for achieving rapid charging, some charging apparatuses for electric vehicles use high frequencies and high power. For example, a charging apparatus that uses 430 volts and high frequencies (100 kHz to 370 kHz) to produce power of 80 kilowatts has been developed. In regard to this type of charging apparatus, the charging receptacle
71
is accommodated in the enclosure
75
, which is shielded against the noise to prevent external noise of radio waves, electromagnetic waves and so on from entering the connection terminal, and to prevent emission of noise due to a large current at a high frequency handled by the connection terminal itself.
The charging paddle
61
has an distal end
63
, which contains a power transmitting core
64
and a power transmitting coil
65
wound around the power transmitting core
64
. For supplying power, the charging paddle
61
is inserted into an inserting hole
72
of the charging receptacle
71
to place the power transmitting coil
65
upon the power receiving coil
74
. Then, the power supply station passes a current (alternate current) through the power transmitting coil
65
to induce power in the power receiving coil
74
.
A plurality of ventilation holes
76
are formed around the inserting hole
72
of the enclosure
75
of the charging receptacle
71
for introducing external air. When heat is generated during charging from the power transmitting coil
65
of the charging paddle
61
and the power receiving coil
74
of the charging receptacle
71
, external air is introduced through the holes
76
, and is exhausted to the outside by a cooling fan
77
on the opposite side of the enclosure
75
. In this way, the heat is discharged to the outside.
The charging apparatus also includes an interlock function for starting conduction after confirming that the charging paddle
61
is securely inserted into the charging receptacle
71
; a function of determining a charging rate (power value) from a power supply station external to the vehicle based on a vehicle determination such as the voltage of an on-vehicle battery or the like; and a function of charging while monitoring condition such as the liquid temperature of the on-vehicle battery. Suitable charging conditions are set through communications of information between the vehicle and the external power supply station. Consequently, the power supply station external to the vehicle supplies appropriate power for the preferred charging conditions to the power transmitting coil
65
of the charging paddle
61
through the cable
62
.
The transmission and reception of the information are performed by a communication unit
78
attached on the enclosure
75
of the charging receptacle
71
and a communication unit
66
contained in the charging paddle
61
through wireless communications. The communication unit
78
is accommodated in a noise shielded case
79
for preventing malfunctions due to radio waves of portable telephones or other devices.
However, due to the structure in which the communication unit
78
is accommodated in the case
79
attached on the enclosure
75
of the charging receptacle
71
, the resultant charging receptacle
71
is large. This is a problem for electric vehicles, which are required to be smaller.
In addition, a space must be provided for insulation between the noise shielded case
79
of the communication unit
78
and a current-carrying part of a communication circuit. This also increases the size of the communication unit
78
.
During charging, the power receiving coil
74
and the power transmitting coil
65
generate heat. Then, the heat is conducted from the enclosure
75
of the charging receptacle
71
to the communication unit
78
carried on the enclosure
75
of the charging receptacle
71
to elevate the temperature of the communication unit
78
. As a result, the communication unit
78
become unstable due to the elevated temperature, particularly when the atmospheric temperature is high as in summer.
Also, for securely inserting the charging paddle
61
into the charging receptacle
71
when the battery is charged, guiding members (not shown) must be formed on the top and bottom within the inserting hole
72
of the enclosure
75
of the charging receptacle
71
. The formation of the guiding members also increases manufacturing costs.
Moreover, the enclosure
75
of the charging receptacle
71
is loaded with the weight of such parts as the power receiving core
73
of the charging receptacle
71
accommodated therein, the power receiving coil
74
, the cooling fan
77
, and other parts. Also, when the charging paddle
61
is inserted into the enclosure
75
, and the enclosure
75
is required to have strength enough to withstand this weight. In addition, an operator may inadvertently twist the charging paddle
61
when inserting or removing the charging paddle
61
, so the enclosure
75
is also required to withstand such torsion. It is therefore necessary to form the enclosure
75
of a strong material, thereby increasing manufacturing costs.
The communication units
66
,
78
used in the charging paddle
61
and the charging receptacle
71
wirelessly communicate with each other. The frequency band of radio waves available to the wireless communication differs from one country or area (zone) to another. Therefore, for commercializing the charging paddle
61
and the charging receptacle
71
, a plurality of different types must be manufactured to adapt to the available frequency bands in respective countries and areas. Thus, the provision of a large number of types increase the manufacturing costs of the charging receptacle
71
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a charging receptacle which is capable of maintaining a good shielding capability against electromagnetic noise while reducing the size.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a charging receptacle which is manufactured at a low cost.
To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a charging receptacle for an electromagnetic induction type connection terminal for connecting a power supply station with a battery for charging the battery. The connection terminal has a charging paddle that plugs into the charging receptacle. The charging paddle has a primary coil supplie

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Charging receptacle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Charging receptacle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Charging receptacle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2956700