Inductive power transfer pad, system for inductive power transfer and method of operating inductive power transfer pad

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10071644-B2
Application number	US-201515121979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Feb 28, 2014
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

Provided herein is an inductive power transfer pad for inductive power transfer to a vehicle. The inductive power transfer pad includes a stationary part and a movable part. The movable part includes a primary winding structure. The movable part is movable between a retracted state and an extended state. The power transfer pad is designed or controllable such that the movable part is only movable to a position from a set of predetermined positions. The set of predetermined positions is a subset of the set of all positions between the retracted and the extended state. A method of operating an inductive power transfer pad and an inductive power transfer system are also provided herein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inductive power transfer pad for inductive power transfer to a vehicle, comprising a stationary part and a movable part, wherein the movable part comprises a primary winding structure, wherein the movable part is movable between a retracted state and an extended state,
wherein
the power transfer pad is designed or controllable such that the movable part is only movable to a position from a set of predetermined positions, wherein the set of predetermined positions is a subset of the set of all positions between the retracted and the extended state,
wherein
the power transfer pad is controllable interval-dependent, wherein the retracted state is assigned to a first interval of ground clearances of a set of chargeable vehicles and the extended state is assigned to another interval of ground clearances of the set of chargeable vehicles, wherein the power transfer pad is designed or controllable such that in the retracted state and the extended state a minimal air gap height is provided, and wherein the minimal air gap height is larger than zero.

2. The inductive power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the movable part is only movable to the retracted state or to the extended state.

3. The inductive power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the movable part is movable in steps.

4. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the movable part is controllable depending on a vehicle category, wherein the first interval of ground clearances is assigned to a first category and the other interval of ground clearances is assigned to another category.

5. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein a maximal movement of the movable part is determined depending on the minimal ground clearance of the interval comprising a maximal ground clearance of all intervals.

6. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the minimal air gap height is chosen from an interval from 20 mm to 60 mm.

7. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the movable part comprises at least one object detection means.

8. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary part comprises a converter, wherein the stationary part comprises at least one DC connecting terminal for connecting the stationary part to an external DC voltage supply means, wherein an input side of the converter is electrically coupled to the at least one DC connecting terminal and an output side of the converter is electrically coupled to the primary winding structure or wherein the stationary part comprises at least one AC connecting terminal for connecting the stationary part to an external AC voltage supply means, wherein the converter is coupled to the AC connecting terminal via a rectifier.

9. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the power transfer pad comprises at least one DC voltage supply unit, wherein the DC voltage supply unit is connected to a DC connecting terminal of the stationary part.

10. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the power transfer pad comprises at least one communication means for communicating with a vehicle.

11. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein the power transfer pad comprises a scissor lift, an air actuator, a jack-like lift, or a sliding block guide.

12. The power transfer pad according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the movable part is additionally movable in a second or a third direction.

13. An inductive power transfer system, for an inductive energy transfer to a vehicle, comprising the inductive power transfer pad according to claim 1 , and at least one receiving device for receiving an alternating electromagnetic field generated by a primary winding structure of the inductive power transfer pad.

14. A method of operating an inductive power transfer pad, wherein the power transfer pad comprises a stationary part and a movable part, wherein the movable part comprises a primary winding structure, wherein the movable part is movable between a retracted state and an extended state,
wherein
the movable part is only moved to a position from a set of predetermined positions, wherein the set of predetermined positions is a subset of the set of all positions between the retracted state and the extended state,
wherein
the power transfer pad is controlled interval-dependent, wherein the movable part is moved to the retracted state if a vehicle with a ground clearance of a first interval of ground clearances of a set of chargeable vehicles is to be charged, wherein the movable part is moved to the extended state if a vehicle with a ground clearance of another interval of ground clearances is to be charged, wherein the power transfer pad is designed or controlled such that in the retracted state and the extended state a minimal air gap height is provided, and wherein the minimal air gap height is larger than zero.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the movable part is controlled depending on a category of a vehicle arranged above or approaching the power transfer pad.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a minimal ground clearance of a vehicle to be charged is determined, wherein movement of the movable part is controlled depending on a determined minimal ground clearance.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a set of chargeable vehicles is divided into more than one category of vehicles, wherein a vehicle to be charged is identified and assigned to one of at least two categories of vehicles, and wherein the movable part is moved to a category-dependent position.

18. The power transfer pad of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the movable part is additionally rotatable.

Assignees

• Bombardier Primove Gmbh

Inventors

• Wechsler Simon
• Anders Dominik

Classifications

• B60L53/305

  Communication interfaces · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• B60L53/38 Primary

  specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer · CPC title

• H02J50/60

  responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings · CPC title