EV wireless charging adjustable flux angle charger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10086715-B2
Application number	US-201615091208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2016
Priority date	Apr 5, 2016
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A method includes detecting that a wireless charging-capable vehicle is in a charging position proximate a primary coil of a wireless charging system that is operable to wirelessly charge the vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle. The primary coil includes a top coil and a bottom coil that are substantially parallel to one another, the top coil and the bottom coil coupled to one another via a plurality of cross-coil junction units each including a switching element that routes electric current through at least a portion of one or more of the top coil and the bottom coil. The method further includes setting the switching elements such that current flowing through the primary coil produces an optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil with respect to a position of the secondary coil, and causing electric current to flow through the primary coil according to the set switching elements to wirelessly charge the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting that a wireless charging-capable vehicle is in a charging position proximate a primary coil of a wireless charging system that is operable to wirelessly charge the vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle,
wherein the primary coil includes a top coil and a bottom coil that are substantially parallel to one another, the top coil and the bottom coil coupled to one another via a plurality of cross-coil junction units each including a switching element that routes electric current through at least a portion of one or more of the top coil and the bottom coil;
setting the switching elements such that current flowing through the primary coil produces an optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil with respect to a position of the secondary coil; and
causing electric current to flow through the primary coil according to the set switching elements to wirelessly charge the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
cycling through a plurality of current flow configurations in the primary coil by adjusting states of the switching elements;
determining which current flow configuration of the plurality of current flow configurations produces the optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle; and
setting the switching elements according to the determined current flow configuration.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving charging efficiency data from the vehicle during the cycling through of the plurality of current flow configurations; and
determining which current flow configuration of the plurality of current flow configurations produces the optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle based on the charging efficiency data.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
causing low-power electric current to flow through the primary coil during the cycling through of the plurality of current flow configurations; and
causing full-power electric current to flow through the primary coil after the setting of the switching elements according to the determined current flow configuration to wirelessly charge the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein each current flow configuration of the plurality of current flow configurations produces a unique angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle is an angle offset from a vertical axis extending upwardly from the primary coil when the vehicle is positioned such that the secondary coil is misaligned with the primary coil.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current flowing through the primary coil produces an angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle that is proportional to a ratio of z/R, where z is a vertical distance between the top coil and the bottom coil, and R is an average coil radius of the primary coil.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cross-coil junction units are disposed between the top coil and the bottom coil.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein one end of each cross-coil junction unit is connected to the top coil, and another end of each cross-coil junction unit is connected to the bottom coil.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cross-coil junction units are disposed along one line traversing a diameter of the top coil and the bottom coil.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cross-coil junction units are disposed along multiple lines traversing a diameter of the top coil and the bottom coil.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each line of cross-coil junction units is angularly offset from an adjacent line of cross-coil junction units by 45 degrees.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein two cross-coil junction units are disposed in the primary coil for every full turn of the top coil or the bottom coil.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
controlling the switching element of a first cross-coil junction unit of the two cross-coil junction units using a first control signal; and
controlling the switching element of a second cross-coil junction unit of the two cross-coil junction units using a second control signal.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electric current flows through the top coil only when the switching elements are in a default state, thus producing an angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle that is parallel to a vertical axis extending upwardly from the primary coil.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the primary coil further includes a first intermediate coil and a second intermediate coil that are disposed between the top coil and the bottom coil and substantially parallel to the top coil and the bottom coil, and
the switching elements included in the plurality of cross-coil junction units route electric current through at least a portion of one or more of the top coil, the bottom coil, the first intermediate coil, and the second intermediate coil.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein each switching element includes a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein each switching element includes dual relays.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein each switching element includes a group of four metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).

20. A wireless charging system comprising:
a primary coil that is operable to wirelessly charge a wireless charging-capable vehicle via a secondary coil installed in the vehicle, the primary coil including a top coil and a bottom coil that are substantially parallel to one another, the top coil and the bottom coil coupled to one another via a plurality of cross-coil junction units each including a switching element that routes electric current through at least a portion of one or more of the top coil and the bottom coil;
a circuit that drives the primary coil and causes electric current to flow through the primary coil; and
a wireless charging controller configured to:
detect that the vehicle is in a charging position proximate the primary coil,
set the switching elements such that current flowing through the primary coil produces an optimal angle of magnetic flux for wirelessly charging the vehicle given a position of the primary coil with respect to a position of the secondary coil, and
control the circuit such that electric current is caused to flow through the primary coil according to the set switching elements to wirelessly charge the vehicle.

Assignees

• Hyundai America Technical Ct Inc
• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Hyundai America Technical Ct Inc

Inventors

• Lewis Allan
• Javaid Bilal
• Robb John
• Naserian Mohammad

Classifications

• B60Y2200/91

  Electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01F38/14

  Inductive couplings {(for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10)} · CPC title

• B60L53/39 Primary

  with position-responsive activation of primary coils · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• B60L53/12

  Inductive energy transfer · CPC title