Charging system for motor-driven vehicle

Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Cell or battery charger structure – Charger inductively coupled to cell or battery

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Details

320107, H02J 700

Patent

active

061507946

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to systems for charging batteries mounted on electrically movable vehicles such bicycles equipped with an electric motor and electric motor vehicles.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, progress has been made in developing electrically assisted bicycles having an electric motor mounted on the body of the bicycle which can be driven by human power and adapted to assist in the human drive force.
With reference to FIG. 49 schematically showing the construction of a bicycle equipped with an electric motor 2, the torque generated by stepping on pedals on the body 1 of the bicycle is detected by a torque sensor 21, which in turn feeds a detection signal to a controller 22. In response to the torque detection signal input, the controller 22 prepares a torque command in accordance with the signal, giving the command to the motor 2. Consequently, the bicycle body 1, which is given human torque, is further supplied with torque delivered by the motor according to the input torque value to supplement the human drive force.
The bicycle body 1 has mounted thereon a battery 20 serving as the power supply for the motor 2. When the output voltage of the battery 20 has dropped, the battery 20 is removed from the bicycle body 1 and charged by a device specifically designed for the bicycle.
However, the above charging method requires the procedure of connecting the output terminals of the charging device to the charging terminals of the battery 20 by a cable, hence the problem that this procedure is cumbersome.
Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide a charging system adapted to charge the battery without necessitating a procedure for connecting the system to the battery with a cable.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system for charging a battery serving as the power source for an electric motor mounted on an electrically movable vehicle. The battery charging system comprises a primary charging device and a secondary charging device. The primary charging device has an energy output portion adapted to emit magnetic wave energy and disposed in the vicinity of a predetermined position where the vehicle is to be stopped. On the other hand, the secondary charging device has an energy input portion adapted to receive the emitted electromagnetic wave energy and provided on the body of the vehicle, converts the input energy to a charging current and supplies the current to the battery. The electromagnetic wave energy is, for example, microwaves, magnetic energy or rays.
When the battery on the electrically movable vehicle is to be charged by the system of the invention, the vehicle is moved to and stopped at the predetermined position to position the energy input portion of the secondary charging device close to the energy output portion of the primary charging device, whereby the electromagnetic wave energy emitted by the energy output portion of the primary charging device is delivered to the energy input portion of the secondary charging device and converted to a charging current. The current is supplied to the battery to charge the battery.
Stated more specifically, the electromagnetic wave energy is magnetic energy, the energy output portion of the primary charging device is a primary coil unit comprising a primary coil provided around an iron core, and the energy input portion of the secondary charging device is a secondary coil unit comprising a secondary coil provided around an iron core. With this charging system thus specifically constructed, the secondary coil unit is brought close to the primary coil unit, causing the lines of magnetic force emanating from the core of the primary coil to impinge on the core of the secondary coil and penetrate through the secondary coil, whereby the primary coil and the secondary coil are electromagnetically coupled to each other. Consequently, the secondary coil affords a current, which is supplied to the battery to charge the battery.
Specifically stated, the electrically mo

REFERENCES:
patent: 5680028 (1997-10-01), McEachern
patent: 5710502 (1998-01-01), Poumey
patent: 5821731 (1998-10-01), Kuki et al.

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