Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Cell or battery charger structure – Charger inductively coupled to cell or battery
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-06
2001-11-20
Tso, Edward H. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Cell or battery charger structure
Charger inductively coupled to cell or battery
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320352
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electric charging devices for batteries and, more particularly, to an electric coupling apparatus suited for electromagnetic type induction charging devices for use in self-propelled objects such as electric vehicles powered by batteries.
Non-contact type battery charging devices have heretofore been proposed to charge batteries of electric vehicles by means of electromagnetic, inductive charging.
Each of the battery charging devices includes a power supply charging device, which is located at a charging station and has a power supply coupler, and a power receiver charging device, which includes a power receiver coupler that is mounted, for example, in the vehicle. The power supply charging device and the power receiver charging device are electrically coupled to each other by coupling a power supply coupler
50
to a power receiver coupler
51
as shown in FIG.
7
.
The power supply coupler
50
includes a paddle-shaped casing
50
a.
The casing
50
a
houses a primary core
52
and a primary coil
53
. The power receiver coupler
51
includes a box-shaped casing
51
a
having an opening
56
into which the power supply coupler
50
is inserted. The casing
51
a
houses a secondary core
54
and a secondary coil
55
.
When the power supply coupler
50
is inserted into the power receiver coupler
51
, a closed magnetic flux circuit is formed between the cores
52
and
54
. When an alternating electric current is supplied to the coil
53
from the power supply charging device, an electromotive force is induced in the secondary coil
55
of the power receiver charging device due to electromagnetic induction. This electric power is converted to direct electric power and is used to charge the battery of the vehicle.
In the above-mentioned prior art power receiver coupler, an extremely small gap is formed between a core member
60
and the power supply coupler
50
, thereby providing a high charging rate.
FIG. 8
shows a typical arrangement of cores of the power supply coupler and the power receiver coupler.
The primary core
52
of the power supply coupler
50
is located in the lower end of the casing
50
a.
Both ends of the primary core
52
are exposed. The coil
53
is assembled in the casing
50
a,
while wound around the primary core
52
. The secondary core
54
of the power receiver coupler
51
includes a core member
59
and a core member
60
. The core member
59
has a magnetic pole
57
and a pair of yokes
58
, which extend upright at the ends of the magnetic pole
57
. The core member
60
has a plate like configuration and is combined with the core member
59
to magnetically connect the yokes
58
to one another. A hollow is formed between the core members
59
and
60
. The casing
50
a
of the power supply coupler
50
fits in the hollow. A secondary coil
55
is formed in a printed circuit board and has a bore formed in its center. The magnetic pole
57
fits in the bore and extends into the hollow between the cores
59
and
60
.
In the prior art electric coupling devices discussed above, there is a great deal of heat generated by the coils
53
and
55
and the temperature of the cores
52
and
54
increases. The core
54
and the coil
55
in the power receiver coupler
51
are cooled by air that flows through the casing
5
l
a.
The core
52
and the coil
53
of the power supply coupler is cooled by the air surrounding the casing
50
a.
In the structure mentioned above, the gap between the casing
50
a
and the core member
60
is extremely small and cooling air scarcely circulates through the gap. For this reason, the casing of the power receiver coupler
51
tends to overheat. The temperature of the coil
53
, the core
52
and the core member
60
of the power receiver coupler
51
increase to an extremely high level.
When the temperature increases, the printed circuit board and other electric components may be damaged or malfunction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electric coupling apparatus for a battery charging device to enable charging of batteries in a reliable manner at all times.
In order to meet the above and other objects, the present invention provides an electric coupling apparatus for a charging device.
The electric coupling apparatus has a power supply coupler and a power receiver coupler that is coupled to the power receiver coupler. The power supply coupler includes a first coil and a first core around which the first coil is located. The power receiver coupler includes a second core, which forms a magnetic flux path with the first core. The second coil located around the second core to generate an inductive electromotive force with the magnetic path in response to electric power applied to the first coil. The first coil of the power receiver coupler is formed with a recess in a region adjacent to the first coil.
The present invention also provides a coupling apparatus for a charging device.
The electric coupling apparatus has a power supply coupler and a power receiver coupler that is coupled to the power receiver coupler. The power supply coupler includes a hollow casing having a paddle shape, the first core accommodated in the hollow casing, and the first coil located around the first core and in the hollow casing. The power receiver coupler includes a second core including a first core member, which has a magnetic pole, and yokes extending at opposite ends of the magnetic pole, and a second core member for forming a magnetic flux path with the first core member. The power receiver coupler further includes a second coil surrounding the magnetic pole to generate an inductive electromotive force in response to electric power applied to the first coil and a casing enclosing the second core and the second coil, the second core having a recess formed in a region facing the first coil to conduct air to cool the first coil. The casing of the power receiver coupler receives the casing of the power supply coupler to couple the power supply coupler with the power receiver coupler. The first coil of the power receiver coupler is adjacent to the recess when the power supply coupler is coupled to the power receiver coupler.
The present invention further provides a power receiver coupler for use in an electric coupling apparatus including a power supply coupler having a first core and a first coil surrounding the first core, which includes:
a casing having an opening to allow insertion of the power supply coupler;
a second core located in the casing, the second core including a first part, which has a magnetic pole and yokes, a second part, which is magnetically coupled to the first part, wherein a second coil is wound around the magnetic pole, the second core having a space between the first and second parts to accommodate the power supply coupler to cause the first core to form a closed magnetic flux path with the second core, which produces an inductive electromotive force in the second coil, the second core having a recess that faces the first coil to conduct an air stream to cool the first coil.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5408209 (1995-04-01), Tanzer et al.
patent: 5483143 (1996-01-01), Hall et al.
patent: 5594315 (1997-01-01), Ramos et al.
patent: 5703462 (1997-12-01), Woody et al.
patent: 6084381 (2000-07-01), Kajiura
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Tso Edward H.
LandOfFree
Electric coupling apparatus for charging device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electric coupling apparatus for charging device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electric coupling apparatus for charging device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2588702