Coil apparatus and method for inductive power transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9987936-B2
Application number	US-201414896600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2014
Priority date	Jun 5, 2013
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

The invention provides a coil apparatus ( 100 ) for inductive power transmission, comprising an electromagnetic coil ( 102 ) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field ( 112 ) on a transmission side ( 106 ) of the coil apparatus ( 100 ), and comprising a housing wall ( 104 ), which covers the coil ( 102 ) on the transmission side ( 106 ) and is transmissive to the electromagnetic field ( 112 ). Furthermore, the coil apparatus ( 100 ) comprises a housing medium ( 108 ), which is enclosed by the housing wall ( 104 ) in such a way that, when a through-opening ( 110 ) is formed in the housing wall ( 104 ), the housing medium ( 108 ) passes through the through-opening ( 110 ). Alternatively, a housing vacuum is provided which is enclosed by the housing wall in such a way that, when a through-opening is formed in the housing wall, atmospheric air ( 118 ) passes through the through-opening. Among further aspects, a vehicle comprising such a coil apparatus and a method for inductive power transmission are provided. The method comprises steps of providing an electromagnetic coil ( 102 ) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field ( 112 ), covering the coil ( 102 ) on a transmission side ( 106 ) with a housing wall ( 104 ) which is transmissive to the electromagnetic field ( 112 ), enclosing a fluid ( 116 ) with an internal pressure which is different than the atmospheric air by the housing wall ( 104 ), sending the internal pressure, evaluating whether the internal pressure reaches a presettable internal pressure threshold value, and outputting a signal when the internal pressure reaches the internal pressure threshold value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coil apparatus ( 100 ) for inductive power transmission, comprising:
an electromagnetic coil ( 102 ) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field ( 112 ) on a transmission side ( 106 ) of the coil apparatus ( 100 );
a housing wall ( 104 ), which covers the coil ( 102 ) on the transmission side ( 106 ) and is transmissive to the electromagnetic field ( 112 ); and
a housing medium ( 108 ) comprising any one or more of: a liquid, a gel, and a colored powder ( 114 ), wherein the housing medium ( 108 ) is enclosed by the housing wall ( 104 ) and operable to distribute itself to an exterior of the housing wall ( 104 ) when a through-opening ( 110 ) is formed in the housing wall ( 104 ).

2. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing medium ( 108 ) comprises a dye.

3. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing medium ( 108 ) comprises a fluid ( 116 ) with an internal pressure (p i ) that is increased compared with the atmospheric air ( 118 ).

4. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the fluid ( 116 ) comprises a liquid and/or a gel.

5. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:
an internal pressure sensor ( 120 ), which senses the internal pressure (p i ); and
a signal unit ( 122 ), which emits a signal ( 132 , 133 ) when the internal pressure (p i ) falls below a predefinable internal pressure threshold value (p th ).

6. A coil apparatus ( 100 ) for inductive power transmission, comprising:
an electromagnetic coil ( 102 ) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field ( 112 ) on a transmission side ( 106 ) of the coil apparatus ( 100 );
a housing wall ( 104 ), which covers the coil ( 102 ) on the transmission side ( 106 ) and is transmissive to the electromagnetic field ( 112 );
a housing vacuum ( 109 ), which is enclosed by the housing wall ( 104 ) in such a way that, when a through-opening ( 110 ) is formed in the housing wall ( 104 ) atmospheric air ( 118 ) passes through the through-opening ( 110 );
an internal pressure sensor ( 120 ), which senses an internal pressure (p i ) of the housing vacuum ( 109 ); and
a signal unit ( 122 ), which emits a signal ( 132 , 133 ) when the internal pressure (p 1 ) exceeds a predefinable internal pressure threshold value (p th ).

7. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising an external pressure sensor ( 121 ), which senses an external pressure (p o ) of the atmosphere ( 118 ), wherein the signal unit ( 122 ) comprises a threshold value determination unit ( 124 ), which determines the internal pressure threshold value (p th ) depending on the external pressure (p o ).

8. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing wall ( 104 ) comprises an inner wall ( 104 ′) and an outer wall ( 104 ″), which cover the coil ( 102 ) on the transmission side ( 106 ).

9. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing wall ( 104 ) encloses the coil ( 102 ).

10. A vehicle ( 200 ) comprising an electric accumulator ( 206 ) and the coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 for inductive power transmission to the electric accumulator ( 206 ).

11. The vehicle ( 200 ) as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the coil device is arranged on an underbody ( 204 ) of the vehicle ( 200 ) and the transmission side ( 106 ) points downward.

12. The vehicle ( 200 ) as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the housing wall ( 104 ) covers the coil ( 102 ) downwardly and to the side.

13. A method for inductive power transmission, comprising the following steps:
providing ( 300 ) an electromagnetic coil ( 102 ) for emitting and/or picking up an electromagnetic field ( 112 );
covering ( 302 ) the coil ( 102 ) on a transmission side ( 106 ) with a housing wall ( 104 ) which is transmissive to the electromagnetic field ( 112 );
enclosing ( 304 ) with the housing wall a fluid ( 116 ) with an internal pressure (p i ) that is different from the atmospheric air ( 118 );
sensing ( 306 ) the internal pressure (p I );
assessing ( 312 ) whether the internal pressure (p i ) reaches a predefinable internal pressure threshold value (p th ); and
emitting ( 316 ) a signal ( 132 , 133 ) when the internal pressure (pi) reaches the internal pressure threshold value (p th ).

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising the following steps:
sensing ( 308 ) an external pressure (p o ) of the atmosphere ( 118 ); and
determining ( 310 ) the internal pressure threshold value (p th ) depending on the external pressure (p o ).

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising a step of switching off ( 314 ) the coil ( 102 ) when the internal pressure (p i ) reaches the internal pressure threshold value (p th ).

16. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing medium ( 108 ) comprises a colored powder ( 114 ).

17. A vehicle ( 200 ) comprising an electric accumulator ( 206 ) and a coil device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 16 for inductive power transmission to the electric accumulator ( 206 ).

18. The vehicle ( 200 ) as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the coil device is arranged on an underbody ( 204 ) of the vehicle ( 200 ) and the transmission side ( 106 ) points downward.

19. The vehicle ( 200 ) as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the housing wall ( 104 ) covers the coil ( 102 ) downwardly and to the side.

20. The coil apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising an external pressure sensor ( 121 ), which senses an external pressure (p o ) of the atmosphere ( 118 ), wherein the signal unit ( 122 ) comprises a threshold value determination unit ( 124 ), which determines the internal pressure threshold value (p th ) depending on the external pressure (p o ).

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Eppler Steffen
• Eckert Bernd

Classifications

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01F27/02

  Casings · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• H01F38/14

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

• B60L11/182 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic