Baseplate inductive electrical connection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12184086-B2
Application number	US-202217851394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2022
Priority date	Oct 11, 2021
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

An inductive connection system includes a baseplate that provides an attachment interface on a support surface. The baseplate is configured to engage with at least one accessory via the attachment interface to secure the accessory to the support surface. The attachment interface provides a plurality of different mounting positions for the at least one accessory. At least one puck is selectively coupled to the attachment interface to provide a desired one of the plurality of different mounting positions. One of the at least one puck and the at least one accessory includes an inductive transmitter and the other of the at least one puck and the at least one accessory includes an inductive receiver such that the at least one puck in the baseplate and the at least one accessory electrically connect to each other through a wireless electrical power link between the inductive transmitter and the inductive receiver when the at least one accessory is mounted in the desired one of the plurality of different mounting positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inductive connection system, comprising:
a baseplate that provides an attachment interface on a support surface, the baseplate configured to engage with at least one accessory via the attachment interface to secure the accessory to the support surface, and wherein the attachment interface provides a plurality of different mounting positions for the at least one accessory; and
at least one puck selectively coupled to the attachment interface to provide a desired one of the plurality of different mounting positions, wherein one of the at least one puck and the at least one accessory includes an inductive transmitter and the other of the at least one puck and the at least one accessory includes an inductive receiver such that the at least one puck in the baseplate and the at least one accessory electrically connect to each other through a wireless electrical power link between the inductive transmitter and the inductive receiver when the at least one accessory is mounted in the desired one of the plurality of different mounting positions.

2. The inductive connection system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one puck comprises a head portion and a foot portion that is selectively moveable between a locked position where the at least one puck cannot be detached from the baseplate and an unlocked position where the at least one puck can be detached from the baseplate.

3. The inductive connection system of claim 2 , wherein the attachment interface comprises a plurality of puck holes formed within the baseplate, and wherein the plurality of puck holes are each configured to receive the foot portion such that once the foot portion is inserted through a selected one of the plurality of puck holes, the head portion is then rotated to move the at least one puck into the locked position.

4. The inductive connection system of claim 3 , wherein the foot portion includes beveled sides to facilitate insertion through the selected one of the plurality of puck holes.

5. The inductive connection system of claim 2 , wherein the head portion and the foot portion are coupled together with at least one fastener connection that comprises a male portion secured to one of the head portion and the foot portion and a female portion that receives the male portion, and including a resilient member that cooperates with the at least one fastener connection to provide spring-loaded clamping which allows a desired range of compensation movement between the head portion and the foot portion.

6. The inductive connection system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one puck comprises a polygonal shape.

7. The inductive connection system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one puck comprises a plurality of pucks and the attachment interface comprises a plurality of puck holes formed within the baseplate, and wherein two or more of the plurality of pucks are inserted into selected ones of the plurality of puck holes to provide multiple desired mounting positions for two or more accessories.

8. The inductive connection system of claim 7 , including a setup feature to determine where the two or more of the plurality of pucks have been inserted in the baseplate.

9. The inductive connection system of claim 8 , wherein the setup feature comprises one or more of the following:
a user actuated setup button which generates a first command to connect with each accessory and to instruct each accessory to turn off, and then generates a second command to turn on each puck one by one to learn which pucks match which accessory;
a camera that identifies where each puck is located on the baseplate;
NFC or RFID tag that identify puck location;
unique QR code on each puck that can be scanned by a smart device;
a map is made of where each accessory is placed such that as accessories are placed over the pucks, the inductive transmitter and inductive receiver power up and report activation.

10. The inductive connection system of claim 7 , wherein all pucks of the plurality of pucks are powered in parallel.

11. The inductive connection system of claim 7 , wherein all pucks of the plurality of pucks are powered individually or by way of a switch.

12. The inductive connection system of claim 1 , wherein each accessory includes a band shield to prevent any electromagnetic effects from affecting external surroundings.

13. The inductive connection system of claim 1 , wherein each accessory includes a seal extending around a lower periphery of the accessory to prevent water and/or debris from entering a space between the accessory and the baseplate that surrounds the at least one puck.

14. An inductive connection system, comprising:
a baseplate that provides an attachment interface on a support surface, the baseplate configured to engage with a plurality of accessories via the attachment interface to secure the plurality of accessories to the support surface, and wherein the attachment interface provides a plurality of different mounting positions for the plurality of accessories; and
a plurality of pucks selectively coupled to the attachment interface to provide a desired one of the plurality of different mounting positions for each accessory, wherein each puck includes an inductive transmitter and each accessory includes an inductive receiver such that the pucks in the baseplate and the plurality of accessories electrically connect to each other through a wireless electrical power link between the inductive transmitters and the inductive receivers when the plurality of accessories are mounted in the desired mounting positions.

15. The inductive connection system of claim 14 , wherein the attachment interface comprises a plurality of puck holes formed within the baseplate, and wherein each puck comprises a head portion and a foot portion that is selectively moveable between a locked position where puck cannot be detached from the baseplate and an unlocked position where the puck can be detached from the baseplate, and wherein the plurality of puck holes are each configured to receive the foot portion such that once the foot portion is inserted through a selected one of the plurality of puck holes, the head portion is then rotated to move the at least one puck into the locked position.

16. The inductive connection system of claim 15 , wherein the attachment interface further comprises a plurality of mounting holes, and wherein each accessory includes at least one accessory foot that is inserted within one of the plurality of mounting holes.

17. The inductive connection system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one puck comprises a diamond shape.

18. The inductive connection system of claim 14 , including a setup feature to determine where two or more of the plurality of pucks have been inserted in the baseplate, wherein the setup feature comprises one or more of the following:
a user actuated setup button which generates a first command to connect with each accessory and to instruct each accessory to turn off, and then generates a second command to turn on each puck one by one to learn which pucks match which accessory;
a camera that identifies where each puck is located on the baseplate;
NFC or RFID tag that identify puck location;
unique QR code on each puck that can be scanned by a smart device;
a map is made of where each accessory is placed such that as accessories are placed over the pucks, the inductive transmitter and inductive receiver power up and report activation.

19. An accessory attachment method, comprising:
engaging at least one accessory to an attachment interface

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Rutman Matthew B
• Salter Stuart C
• Azzouz Michael M
• Lozano Michael
• Levine Eric Scott
• Sturges Jeff

Classifications

• H04B5/79

  for data transfer in combination with power transfer · CPC title

• H01F38/14

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

• F21V15/01

  Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts (F21V15/02 takes precedence {housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04}) · CPC title

• B60R16/03

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• H02J50/005

  Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices · CPC title