The present invention relates to a contactless power supply system and a power reception device.
Various types of electromagnetic induction contactless power supply systems have recently been proposed (e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-109810). An electric appliance including a power reception device is set on a setting surface of a contactless power supply device and supplied with power in a contactless manner implementing electromagnetic induction. In this state, a primary coil of the contactless power supply device is excited, and a secondary coil arranged in the power reception device is excited by electromagnetic induction. The secondary coil generates secondary power that is converted to DC power in the power reception device. The DC power is supplied to a load in the electric device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a contactless power supply system and a power reception device in which a secondary coil of a power reception device can receive power with high efficiency from a plurality of adjacent primary coils.
One aspect of the present invention is a contactless power supply system provided with an electric appliance, which includes a secondary coil of a power reception device, and a contactless power supply device including a setting surface, which is formed by a plurality of adjacent power supply areas, and a primary coil, which is arranged in each power supply area. The contactless power supply device excites the primary coil to supply secondary power to the secondary coil of the electric appliance that is set on the setting surface. The secondary coil has a larger coil contour than the primary coil.
Preferably, the coil contour of the secondary coil is 1.25 times or larger and 1.7 times or smaller than the coil contour of the primary coil.
Preferably, the coil contour of the secondary coil is 1.3 times or larger and 1.45 times or smaller than the coil contour of the primary coil.
Preferably, the coil contour of the secondary coil is 1.4 times larger than the coil contour of the primary coil.
Preferably, each primary coil is tetragonal and shaped in conformance with the corresponding power supply area, and the secondary coil is tetragonal and similar to the coil contour of the primary coil.
Preferably, the primary coil and the secondary coil are each wound around a magnetic body.
The present invention provides a power reception device arranged in an electric appliance and used with a contactless power supply device including a setting surface, which is formed by a plurality of adjacent power supply areas, and a primary coil, which is arranged in each power supply area. The power reception device includes a secondary coil that receives secondary power from the primary coil that is excited. The secondary coil has a larger coil contour than the primary coil.
Preferably, the coil contour of the secondary coil is 1.25 times or larger and 1.7 times or smaller than the coil contour of the primary coil.
Preferably, the coil contour of the secondary coil is 1.3 times or larger and 1.45 times or smaller than the coil contour of the primary coil.
Preferably, the coil contour of the secondary coil is 1.4 times larger than the coil contour of the primary coil.
Preferably, the secondary coil is tetragonal and similar to the coil contour of the primary coil.
Preferably, the primary coil and the secondary coil are each wound around a magnetic body.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example the principles of the invention.
The invention, together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description of the presently preferred embodiments together with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referential examples that were contemplated by the inventors of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to
The vertical axis of
As apparent from the characteristic line V2 in
In addition, in the first referential example, the output voltage variation rate was 104% and extremely high. Thus, a large difference was produced in the power supply rate depending on the position at which the electric appliance was set.
In the same manner as the first referential example, the output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions above the primary coils L1 within the range from the position shown in
Further, in the same manner as the first referential example, the output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions above the primary coils L1 within the range from the position shown in
A contactless power supply system according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described.
As illustrated in
The power supply device 1 includes a tetragonal and planar frame 2. The frame 2 includes a flat upper surface that defines a setting surface 3 on which the electric appliance E is set. The setting surface 3 includes a plurality of tetragonal power supply areas AR1. The power supply areas AR1 of the setting surface 3 are in a three by four matrix in the present embodiment.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The primary coil L1, which is wound around the core 12 of the magnetic body 10, is square as viewed from above. In one example, the primary coil L1 has a square contour and its sides have lengths DX1 and DY1 that are 40 mm. The magnetic body 10, which has the primary coil L1 wound around the core 12, is fixed at a position corresponding to each power supply area AR1 in the frame 2.
In the present embodiment, the magnetic bodies 10, around which the primary coils L1 are wound, are fixed at predetermined intervals (approximately one millimeter) from the adjacent magnetic body 10.
As illustrated in
The power supply unit circuits M cooperate with solely the corresponding primary coil L1 or with other primary coils L1 to supply power in a contactless manner to the electric appliance E set on the corresponding power supply area AR1.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The secondary coil L2 is wound around the core 32 of the magnetic body 30. The secondary coil L2, which is wound around the core 32 of the magnetic body 30, is square as viewed from below. In one example, the secondary coil L2 has a square contour and its sides have lengths DX3 and DY3 that are 56 mm. The secondary coil L2 is fixed, together with the magnetic body 30, in the frame 2 at the power supply area AR2.
When the electric appliance E is set on the setting surface 3 of the power supply device 1, the primary coil L1 of the power supply area AR1 located immediately below the electric appliance E is excited. Further, the secondary coil L2 in the electric appliance E receives secondary power through electromagnetic induction. The secondary power of the secondary coil L2 is affected by the magnetic coupling of the primary coil L1 and the secondary coil L2. Like in the referential example, when the secondary coil L2 is directly opposed to a single primary coil L1, the secondary coil L2 receives the maximum secondary power. When the secondary coil L2 is not directly opposed to a primary coil L1, interference with the magnetic flux of the adjacent primary coil L1 changes the secondary power received by the secondary coil L2.
The secondary power received by the secondary coil L2 is rectified by a rectification circuit arranged in a power reception device 7, which is located in the frame 5 at a position adjacent to the secondary coil L2, converted by a DC/DC converter to the desired DC voltage, and supplied to a load of the electric device E.
The operation of the non-contact power supply system will now be described.
As apparent from the characteristic lines V1 and V2 of
Further, regardless of where the electric appliance E is arranged on the setting surface 3, power is supplied with a power supply efficiency that has a small difference in which the output is centered on approximately 40%. Unlike the referential example, there were no positions where the secondary power of the secondary coil L2 was zero. Accordingly, in this embodiment, regardless of where the electric device E is located, the supply of power to the power reception device of the electric device from the contactless power supply device is never stopped.
In example 1, 40 mm×40 mm primary coils L1 and a 54 mm×54 mm secondary coil L2 was used. The output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by solid lines in
Further, the output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by solid lines in
As apparent from the characteristic lines V1 and V2 in
In example 2, 40 mm×40 mm primary coils L1 and a 52 mm×52 mm secondary coil L2 was used. The output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
Further, the output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
As apparent from the characteristic lines V1 and V2 in
In example 3, 40 mm×40 mm primary coils L1 and a 50 mm×50 mm secondary coil L2 was used. The output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
Further, the output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
As apparent from the characteristic lines V1 and V2 in
In example 4, 40 mm×40 mm primary coils L1 and a 58 mm×58 mm secondary coil L2 was used. The output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
Further, the output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
As apparent from the characteristic lines V1 and V2 in
In example 5, 40 mm×40 mm primary coils L1 and a 60 mm×60 mm secondary coil L2 was used. The output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
Further, the output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
As apparent from the characteristic lines V1 and V2 in
In example 6, 40 mm×40 mm primary coils L1 and an 80 mm×80 mm secondary coil L2 was used. The output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
Further, the output of the secondary coil L2 was measured at various positions in a range from the position shown by the solid lines in
As apparent from the characteristic lines V1 and V2 in
The following is apparent from
(1) When using a secondary coil L2 with a coil contour of 56 mm×56 mm for the 40 mm×40 mm primary coils L1, the output voltage variation rate is 31%, which is the minimum output voltage variation rate. In other words, when the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 is 1.4 times larger than the coil contour of the primary coil L1, the output voltage variation rate is minimal.
(2) When using a secondary coil L2 with a coil contour in the range of 50 mm×50 mm to 80 mm×80 mm, the secondary power of the secondary coil L2 does not become zero regardless of where the secondary coil L2 is arranged on the setting surface 3. In other words, as long as the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 is 1.25 to 2.0 times larger that the coil contour of the primary coil L1, the secondary power of the secondary coil L2 does not become zero.
(3) When using the 40 mm×40 mm primary coil L1 and the 56 mm×56 mm secondary coil L2 as a reference, the output voltage variation rate increases as the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 becomes closer to the coil contour of the 40 mm×40 mm primary coil L1. In other words, the output voltage variation rate increases as the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 becomes smaller than 1.4 times the coil contour of the primary coil L1.
From the viewpoint of practicability, when the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 is reduced from 1.4 times, it is preferred that the output voltage variation rate be substantially 70% at maximum regardless of where the secondary coil L2 is arranged on the setting surface 3 (power supply area AR1). Accordingly, as apparent from
Further, when the coil profile of the secondary coil L2 is reduced to 52 mm×52 mm, it is preferred that the output voltage variation rate be 54% or less. That is, it is further preferred that the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 be 1.3 times or larger than the coil contour of the primary coil L1.
(4) When using the 40 mm×40 mm primary coil L1 and the 56 mm×56 mm secondary coil L2 as a reference, the output voltage variation rate increases as the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 becomes larger.
In other words, when using a secondary coil L2 that is 1.4 times larger than the coil contour of the primary coil L1 as a reference, the output voltage variation rate increases as the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 becomes larger than 1.4 times.
From the viewpoint of practicability, when the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 is enlarged from 1.4 times, it is preferred that the output voltage variation rate be substantially 70% at maximum regardless of where the secondary coil L2 is arranged on the setting surface 3 (power supply area AR1). Accordingly, as apparent from
As can be understood from the above, when the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 is set to be 1.25 to 1.7 times larger than the coil contour of the primary coil L1, the output voltage variation rate is substantially 50% and becomes further practical.
The above embodiment has the advantages described below.
(1) In the above embodiment, the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 in the electric appliance E is larger than the coil contour of the primary coils L1 in the power supply device 1. Thus, the secondary power received by the secondary coil L2 does not become zero regardless of where the electric appliance E is set on the setting surface 3.
(2) In the above embodiment, the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 is set to be 1.25 times or larger and 1.7 times or smaller than the coil contour of the primary coil L1. As a result, the output voltage variation rate is 70% or less, and a preferred output voltage variation rate can be obtained.
(3) In the preferred embodiment, the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 is set to be 1.3 times or larger and 1.45 times or smaller than the coil contour of the primary coil L1. As a result, the output voltage variation rate is 50% or less, and a further preferred output voltage variation rate can be obtained.
(4) In the preferred embodiment, the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 of the electric appliance E is set to be 1.4 times larger than the coil contour of the primary coil L1. As a result, the output voltage variation rate is 31%. Accordingly, changes can be decreased in the secondary power received by the secondary coil L2 regardless of where the electric appliance E is set on the setting surface 3. That is, the bias in the secondary power received by the secondary coil L2, which results from where the electric appliance E is set on the setting surface 3, can be significantly decreased. Consequently, the electric appliance E can be set at any position on the setting surface 3 without the need to worry where it should be set.
(5) In the present embodiment, the primary coils L1 are tetragonal. The tetragonal primary coils L1 eliminate locations unreached by the exciting magnetic flux of the primary coils L1 and increase the power supplying efficiency.
The above embodiment may be modified as described below.
In the above embodiment, the primary coils L1 have a coil contour of 40 mm×40 mm but are not limited to such dimensions and may be changed as required. In this case, the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 must be changed relative to the change in the coil contour of the primary coil L1.
In the above embodiment, the primary coil L1 and the secondary coil L2 are respectively wound around the magnetic bodies 10 and 30 to increase the magnetic flux. However, the magnetic bodies 10 and 30 may be omitted.
In the above embodiment, the primary coils L1 are square. However, rectangular or hexagonal primary coils may be used instead. This also eliminates locations unreached by the exciting magnetic flux in the rectangular or hexagonal power supply areas. In this case, the coil contour of the secondary coil L2 is similar to the primary coil L1 and must be changed at the same rate relative to the change in the coil contour of the primary coil L1.
In the above embodiment, adjacent primary coils L1 around which the primary coils L1 are wound are spaced apart by an interval (one millimeter). However, this may be changed as required. Obviously, the magnetic bodies 10 may be arranged in contact with one another.
In the above embodiment, twelve power supply areas AR1 are formed. However, there is no such limitation and this may be changed as required.
The embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not to be limited to above description and may be modified within the scope and equivalence of the appended claims.