US20010002788A1 - Waterproof inductive charging paddle - Google Patents
Waterproof inductive charging paddle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20010002788A1 US20010002788A1 US09/728,869 US72886900A US2001002788A1 US 20010002788 A1 US20010002788 A1 US 20010002788A1 US 72886900 A US72886900 A US 72886900A US 2001002788 A1 US2001002788 A1 US 2001002788A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- case
- charging
- circuit board
- housing
- paddle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60L53/00—Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
- B60L53/10—Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles characterised by the energy transfer between the charging station and the vehicle
- B60L53/12—Inductive energy transfer
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60L53/00—Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
- B60L53/30—Constructional details of charging stations
- B60L53/34—Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J50/00—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
- H02J50/10—Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
- Y02T10/70—Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
- Y02T10/7072—Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02T90/10—Technologies relating to charging of electric vehicles
- Y02T90/12—Electric charging stations
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02T90/10—Technologies relating to charging of electric vehicles
- Y02T90/14—Plug-in electric vehicles
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02T90/10—Technologies relating to charging of electric vehicles
- Y02T90/16—Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a waterproof structure for charging paddles used in inductive battery chargers.
- a charging paddle 50 is connected to a cable 63 extending from a power supply unit.
- the paddle 50 is inserted to a receptacle 51 of a vehicle to charge a battery.
- the charging paddle 50 is provided with a primary core 52 and a primary coil 53 .
- the receptacle 51 is provided with a secondary core 54 and a secondary coil 55 .
- the charging paddle 50 is inserted to a slot 56 of the receptacle 51 .
- An alternating current supplied from the power supply unit flows through the primary coil 53 to generate an electromotive force in the secondary coil 55 by electromagnetic induction.
- the battery in the vehicle is charged based on this electromotive force.
- the charging paddle 50 has an insert head 57 that is inserted in the slot 56 of the receptacle 51 and a grip 58 , which is gripped by an operator.
- the insert head 57 includes the primary core 52 , the primary coil 53 and a circuit board 59 having a communication device.
- the communication device carries out wireless communication with a communication device 60 in the receptacle 51 .
- the communication device in the charging paddle 50 receives information about the vehicle, including the battery capacity, through this communication.
- the charging paddle 50 has a housing 62 formed by welding two housing components 61 .
- the cable 63 is introduced into the housing 62 through a lead-in hole defined in the grip 58 .
- a waterproof grommet 64 is fitted in the lead-in hole. The grommet 64 prevents water from entering the housing 62 .
- the present invention provides an induction type charging paddle for engaging a receptacle to charge a battery.
- the charging paddle comprises a housing.
- a circuit board is used for controlling the charging of the battery.
- a case is located in the housing to accommodate the circuit board. The case is sealed to prevent the circuit board from becoming wet.
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the charging paddle according to a first embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle and the charging paddle shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3 - 3 in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the case for the circuit board shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 5 - 5 in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the receptacle and the charging paddle of the prior art.
- FIGS. 1 to 5 A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below referring to FIGS. 1 to 5 .
- FIG. 2 shows a charging paddle 10 connected to a cable 21 extending from a stationary power supply unit and a receptacle 11 incorporated to a vehicle.
- the receptacle 11 is provided with a secondary core 12 and a secondary coil 13 , which is wound around a cylindrical magnetic pole 12 a of the core 12 .
- the receptacle 11 has a circuit board 14 on which a wireless communication device is mounted.
- the charging paddle 10 has a housing 15 , as shown in FIG. 2.
- the charging paddle 10 includes an insert head 16 , which is inserted to a slot 11 a of the receptacle 11 , and a grip 17 , which is to be gripped by an operator.
- the housing 15 has a pair of housing members 18 a and 18 b.
- the housing members 18 a and 18 b are each integrally molded using an infrared-transmitting resin (e.g., a polycarbonate resin), which is colored using an infrared-transmitting pigment.
- the insert head 16 includes a cylindrical primary core 19 and an annular primary coil 20 , which is fitted around the primary core 19 .
- the grip 17 has a lead-in hole 17 a, in which a waterproof grommet 25 is fitted.
- the cable 21 which extends from the power supply unit, is inserted through the waterproof grommet 25 into the housing 15 .
- the insert head 16 is provided with a circuit board 22 for communication.
- the circuit board 22 confirms whether the charging paddle 10 is correctly connected to the receptacle 11 . Further, information about the vehicle, including the battery capacity, is transmitted through the circuit board 22 .
- infrared communication is employed as the communication method.
- the circuit board 22 includes a communication integrated circuit 23 and an infrared communication element 24 .
- the cable 21 includes electric supply lines 26 connected to the primary coil 20 , power source lines 27 and signal lines 28 , which are connected to the circuit board 22 with the power supply unit.
- the circuit board 22 is contained in a water-proof case 29 .
- the case 29 is made of a colorless and transparent infrared transmitting resin.
- the case 29 substantially conforms to the circuit board 22 , as shown in FIG. 1.
- the case 29 has a first case component 30 , a second case component 31 and an annular gasket 32 located between these two cases 30 and 31 .
- the first case component 30 has an upright guide wall 30 a.
- the first case component 30 also has an peripheral groove 30 b formed along the outer surface of the guide wall 30 a.
- the gasket 32 is fitted in this groove 30 b.
- the second case component 31 is fitted about the guide wall 30 a.
- the first case component 30 contacts the gasket 32 .
- the circuit board 22 is contained in the first case component 30 and is positioned by the guide wall 30 a.
- a notch 30 c is formed in the guide wall 30 a.
- An opening 33 is defined in the second case component 31 to oppose the notch 30 c.
- the power source lines 27 and signal lines 28 connected to the circuit board 22 are led out through the notch 30 c and the opening 33 to the outside of the case 29 .
- a notch 30 d is defined in the first case component 30 to oppose a light-emitting section and a light-receiving section of the communication element 24 .
- a prism 34 is supported by a pair of pins 30 e on the external side of the guide wall 30 a to oppose the notch 30 d.
- the second case component 31 has a pair of regulating pieces 31 a for engaging the prism 34 .
- the prism 34 causes the infrared light radiated from the communication element 24 to exit from both sides of the charging paddle 10 .
- the prism 34 also leads the infrared radiation coming in from either side of the paddle 10 to the communication element 24 . This enables communication when the charging paddle 10 is inserted to the slot 11 a (see FIG. 2) in both possible orientations of the paddle 10 with respect to the receptacle 11 .
- the inner surface of the housing member 18 a has protrusions, such as ribs (not shown), for locating the first case component 30 in a predetermined position.
- a plurality of fixing pieces 31 b are formed at the periphery of the second case component 31 to protrude horizontally.
- Each fixing piece 31 b contains a hole 36 for receiving a fastener such as a screw 35 (see FIG. 1).
- a plurality of bosses 37 are formed to protrude from the inner surface of the housing member 18 a, at sites corresponding to the fixing pieces 31 b of the second case component 31 , respectively (only one boss 37 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 5).
- the circuit board 22 is contained in the case 29 , and with the lines 27 and 28 are led out from the notch 30 c and the opening 33 .
- the case 29 is located in a predetermined position in the housing member 18 a.
- the screws 35 secure the fixing pieces 31 to the bosses 37 , respectively, to fix the case 29 to the housing member 18 a. Since the screws 35 are outside of the gasket 32 , the case 29 is hermetically sealed. Further, the notch 30 c and the opening 33 are hermetically sealed by a sealing resin (e.g., potting material) 38 .
- the joint between the first case component 30 and the second case component 31 of the case 29 is sealed by the gasket 32 , and the opening 33 is sealed by the sealing resin 38 to form water-proof seals.
- the communication element 24 on the circuit board 22 performs reliable infrared communication with the receptacle 11 through the housing 15 and case 29 . Further, since the case 29 is colorless and transparent, whether or not the circuit board 22 is set properly in the case 29 can be visually confirmed from the outside of the case 29 . Thus, a defect in the position of the circuit board 22 in the case 29 can be eliminated before the housing members 18 a and 18 b are welded.
- the sealing resin 38 is poured into the opening 33 to seal it, so that the case 29 is fully sealed against moisture.
- the screws 35 are on the external side of the gasket 32 , they do not impair the gasket 32 . For example, if a screw is driven into a location inside the gasket 32 , that location must be additionally sealed. However, such a complicated sealing structure is not necessary.
- the shape the case 29 substantially conforms to that of the circuit board 22 . This reduces the size of the case 29 to facilitate incorporation of the case 29 into the housing 15 . Further, the circuit board 22 is correctly positioned by the guide wall 30 a.
- the prism 34 Since the prism 34 is attached to the case 29 , the prism 34 can be easily positioned with respect to the communication element 24 by merely setting the circuit board 22 in the case 29 .
- the gasket 32 may be replaced with a sealing resin, or a liquid sealing material may be applied to the joint faces.
- the case 29 may be fixed to the housing 15 using, for example, an adhesive.
- the opening 33 may be sealed with a sealing material such as a rubber.
- the lid-like case component may be bonded to the housing 15 with a sealing material.
- the case may contain a plurality of circuit boards.
- the method of communication is not limited to infrared communication.
- an antenna may be contained in the housing 15 to enable radio communication.
- the material of the case 29 is not limited to infrared transmitting resin, and the case 29 may be opaque. Further, a combination of infrared communication and radio wave communication may be used as the communication method.
- Circuit boards for charging control devices other than the communication device may be contained in the case 29 . Also, more than one case 29 may be incorporated, as necessary.
- the present invention may be applied not only to a vehicle charging paddle but also to various kinds of battery-powered apparatuses, such as self-propelled robots.
Abstract
An induction type charging paddle engages a receptacle to charge a battery. The charging paddle has a housing, and a circuit board is located in the housing to control the charging operation. A case is located in the housing to accommodate the circuit board. The case is sealed to prevent the circuit board from becoming wet.
Description
- The present invention relates to a waterproof structure for charging paddles used in inductive battery chargers.
- Generally, there is an induction method for charging batteries in electric vehicles. According to this charging method, as shown in FIG. 6, a
charging paddle 50 is connected to acable 63 extending from a power supply unit. Thepaddle 50 is inserted to areceptacle 51 of a vehicle to charge a battery. - The
charging paddle 50 is provided with aprimary core 52 and aprimary coil 53. Thereceptacle 51 is provided with asecondary core 54 and asecondary coil 55. Thecharging paddle 50 is inserted to aslot 56 of thereceptacle 51. An alternating current supplied from the power supply unit flows through theprimary coil 53 to generate an electromotive force in thesecondary coil 55 by electromagnetic induction. The battery in the vehicle is charged based on this electromotive force. - The
charging paddle 50 has aninsert head 57 that is inserted in theslot 56 of thereceptacle 51 and agrip 58, which is gripped by an operator. Theinsert head 57 includes theprimary core 52, theprimary coil 53 and acircuit board 59 having a communication device. The communication device carries out wireless communication with acommunication device 60 in thereceptacle 51. The communication device in thecharging paddle 50 receives information about the vehicle, including the battery capacity, through this communication. - The
charging paddle 50 has ahousing 62 formed by welding twohousing components 61. Thecable 63 is introduced into thehousing 62 through a lead-in hole defined in thegrip 58. Awaterproof grommet 64 is fitted in the lead-in hole. Thegrommet 64 prevents water from entering thehousing 62. - However, for example, if it happens that an operator drops the
charging paddle 50 and cracks thehousing 62, water may penetrate thehousing 62. Also, if thecable 63 is pulled very strongly, thewaterproof grommet 64 fails to fully seal the lead-in hole, and water may enter thehousing 62 through the lead-in hole. Therefore, thecircuit board 59 may get wet. - It is an objective of the present invention to provide a waterproof structure for an inductive charging paddle, which prevents the circuit board from becoming wet, even if water enters the housing of the charging paddle.
- In order to attain the above objective, the present invention provides an induction type charging paddle for engaging a receptacle to charge a battery. The charging paddle comprises a housing. A circuit board is used for controlling the charging of the battery. A case is located in the housing to accommodate the circuit board. The case is sealed to prevent the circuit board from becoming wet.
- Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrated by way of examples the principles of the invention.
- The invention together with the 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:
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the charging paddle according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle and the charging paddle shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line3-3 in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the case for the circuit board shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line5-5 in FIG. 1; and
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the receptacle and the charging paddle of the prior art.
- A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below referring to FIGS.1 to 5.
- FIG. 2 shows a
charging paddle 10 connected to acable 21 extending from a stationary power supply unit and areceptacle 11 incorporated to a vehicle. - The
receptacle 11 is provided with asecondary core 12 and asecondary coil 13, which is wound around a cylindricalmagnetic pole 12 a of thecore 12. Thereceptacle 11 has acircuit board 14 on which a wireless communication device is mounted. - The
charging paddle 10 has ahousing 15, as shown in FIG. 2. Thecharging paddle 10 includes aninsert head 16, which is inserted to aslot 11 a of thereceptacle 11, and agrip 17, which is to be gripped by an operator. Thehousing 15 has a pair ofhousing members housing members - The
insert head 16 includes a cylindricalprimary core 19 and an annularprimary coil 20, which is fitted around theprimary core 19. - As shown in FIG. 1, the
grip 17 has a lead-inhole 17 a, in which awaterproof grommet 25 is fitted. Thecable 21, which extends from the power supply unit, is inserted through thewaterproof grommet 25 into thehousing 15. - As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the
insert head 16 is provided with acircuit board 22 for communication. Thecircuit board 22 confirms whether thecharging paddle 10 is correctly connected to thereceptacle 11. Further, information about the vehicle, including the battery capacity, is transmitted through thecircuit board 22. - In this embodiment, infrared communication is employed as the communication method. The
circuit board 22 includes a communication integratedcircuit 23 and aninfrared communication element 24. - The
cable 21 includeselectric supply lines 26 connected to theprimary coil 20,power source lines 27 andsignal lines 28, which are connected to thecircuit board 22 with the power supply unit. - Next, the characteristics of the present invention will be described specifically.
- The
circuit board 22 is contained in a water-proof case 29. Thecase 29 is made of a colorless and transparent infrared transmitting resin. Thecase 29 substantially conforms to thecircuit board 22, as shown in FIG. 1. - As shown in FIG. 4, the
case 29 has afirst case component 30, asecond case component 31 and anannular gasket 32 located between these twocases - The
first case component 30 has anupright guide wall 30 a. Thefirst case component 30 also has anperipheral groove 30 b formed along the outer surface of theguide wall 30 a. Thegasket 32 is fitted in thisgroove 30 b. Thesecond case component 31 is fitted about theguide wall 30 a. Thefirst case component 30 contacts thegasket 32. Thecircuit board 22 is contained in thefirst case component 30 and is positioned by theguide wall 30 a. - A
notch 30 c is formed in theguide wall 30 a. Anopening 33 is defined in thesecond case component 31 to oppose thenotch 30 c. As shown in FIG. 5, the power source lines 27 andsignal lines 28 connected to thecircuit board 22 are led out through thenotch 30 c and theopening 33 to the outside of thecase 29. - As shown in FIG. 4, a
notch 30 d is defined in thefirst case component 30 to oppose a light-emitting section and a light-receiving section of thecommunication element 24. Aprism 34 is supported by a pair ofpins 30 e on the external side of theguide wall 30 a to oppose thenotch 30 d. Thesecond case component 31 has a pair of regulatingpieces 31 a for engaging theprism 34. Theprism 34 causes the infrared light radiated from thecommunication element 24 to exit from both sides of the chargingpaddle 10. Theprism 34 also leads the infrared radiation coming in from either side of thepaddle 10 to thecommunication element 24. This enables communication when the chargingpaddle 10 is inserted to theslot 11 a (see FIG. 2) in both possible orientations of thepaddle 10 with respect to thereceptacle 11. - The inner surface of the
housing member 18 a has protrusions, such as ribs (not shown), for locating thefirst case component 30 in a predetermined position. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of fixingpieces 31 b are formed at the periphery of thesecond case component 31 to protrude horizontally. Each fixingpiece 31 b contains ahole 36 for receiving a fastener such as a screw 35 (see FIG. 1). A plurality ofbosses 37 are formed to protrude from the inner surface of thehousing member 18 a, at sites corresponding to the fixingpieces 31 b of thesecond case component 31, respectively (only oneboss 37 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 5). - The
circuit board 22 is contained in thecase 29, and with thelines notch 30 c and theopening 33. Thecase 29 is located in a predetermined position in thehousing member 18 a. Thescrews 35 secure the fixingpieces 31 to thebosses 37, respectively, to fix thecase 29 to thehousing member 18 a. Since thescrews 35 are outside of thegasket 32, thecase 29 is hermetically sealed. Further, thenotch 30 c and theopening 33 are hermetically sealed by a sealing resin (e.g., potting material) 38. - As described above, the joint between the
first case component 30 and thesecond case component 31 of thecase 29 is sealed by thegasket 32, and theopening 33 is sealed by the sealingresin 38 to form water-proof seals. - This embodiment has the following effects.
- If water enters the
housing 15 through cracks formed in the chargingpaddle 10 or through the lead-inhole 17 a of thecable 21, thecircuit board 22 is protected in the hermetically sealed and water-proof case 29. - The
communication element 24 on thecircuit board 22 performs reliable infrared communication with thereceptacle 11 through thehousing 15 andcase 29. Further, since thecase 29 is colorless and transparent, whether or not thecircuit board 22 is set properly in thecase 29 can be visually confirmed from the outside of thecase 29. Thus, a defect in the position of thecircuit board 22 in thecase 29 can be eliminated before thehousing members - The sealing
resin 38 is poured into theopening 33 to seal it, so that thecase 29 is fully sealed against moisture. - Since the
screws 35 are on the external side of thegasket 32, they do not impair thegasket 32. For example, if a screw is driven into a location inside thegasket 32, that location must be additionally sealed. However, such a complicated sealing structure is not necessary. - The shape the
case 29 substantially conforms to that of thecircuit board 22. This reduces the size of thecase 29 to facilitate incorporation of thecase 29 into thehousing 15. Further, thecircuit board 22 is correctly positioned by theguide wall 30 a. - Since the
prism 34 is attached to thecase 29, theprism 34 can be easily positioned with respect to thecommunication element 24 by merely setting thecircuit board 22 in thecase 29. - The above embodiment can be modified as follows.
- The
gasket 32 may be replaced with a sealing resin, or a liquid sealing material may be applied to the joint faces. - The
case 29 may be fixed to thehousing 15 using, for example, an adhesive. - The
opening 33 may be sealed with a sealing material such as a rubber. - While the
case 29 includes thefirst case component 30 and thesecond case component 31, the lid-like case component may be bonded to thehousing 15 with a sealing material. - The case may contain a plurality of circuit boards.
- The method of communication is not limited to infrared communication. For example, an antenna may be contained in the
housing 15 to enable radio communication. In this case, the material of thecase 29 is not limited to infrared transmitting resin, and thecase 29 may be opaque. Further, a combination of infrared communication and radio wave communication may be used as the communication method. - Circuit boards for charging control devices other than the communication device may be contained in the
case 29. Also, more than onecase 29 may be incorporated, as necessary. - The present invention may be applied not only to a vehicle charging paddle but also to various kinds of battery-powered apparatuses, such as self-propelled robots.
- It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
- Therefore, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (14)
1. An induction type charging paddle for engaging a receptacle to charge a battery, the charging paddle comprising:
a housing;
a circuit board used for controlling the charging of the battery; and
a case located in the housing to accommodate the circuit board, wherein the case is sealed to prevent the circuit board from becoming wet.
2. The charging paddle according to , wherein the receptacle has an infrared communication device, wherein an infrared communication device is located on the circuit board to communicate the infrared communication device of the receptacle.
claim 1
3. The charging battery according to , wherein the housing and the case is formed with a resin that transmits infrared light.
claim 2
4. The charging battery according to , wherein the housing has a first side and a second side, wherein the second side is substantially parallel to the first side, and wherein a prism is located in the charging paddle, and the prism causes the infrared light radiated from the communication device to exit from both of two opposite sides of the charging paddle, and the prism leads infrared radiation from either of the two opposite sides of the paddle to the communication device.
claim 3
5. The charging battery according to , wherein the prism is attached to the case.
claim 4
6. The charging battery according to , wherein the shape of the case substantially conforms to that of the circuit board.
claim 1
7. The charging battery according to , wherein an opening is defined in the case, and the opening is sealed by a sealing resin.
claim 1
8. The charging battery according to , wherein the case has a first case component and a second case component, which are fitted each other, wherein a peripheral seal member is located between the first case component and the second case component.
claim 1
9. The charging battery according to , wherein a fastener fixes the case to the housing, wherein the fastener is located outside of the seal member.
claim 8
10. The charging battery according to , wherein the case is transparent to infrared light.
claim 1
11. An induction type charging paddle for cooperating with a receptacle to charge a battery, wherein the receptacle has an infrared communication device, the charging paddle comprising:
a housing;
a circuit board used for controlling the charging of the battery, wherein the circuit board has an infrared communication device to communicate with the infrared communication device of the receptacle; and
a case located in the housing to accommodate the circuit board, wherein the case is made with an infrared-transmitting resin, and the case is colorless and transparent, and wherein the case is sealed to prevent moisture from reaching the circuit board.
12. The charging battery according to , wherein an opening is defined in the case, and the opening is sealed by a sealing resin.
claim 11
13. The charging battery according to , wherein the case has a first case component and a second case component, which are fitted each other, wherein a peripheral seal member is located between the first case component and the second case component.
claim 11
14. The charging battery according to , wherein a fastener fixes the case to the housing, wherein the fastener is located outside of the seal member.
claim 13
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP11-346239 | 1999-12-06 | ||
JP34623999A JP2001160423A (en) | 1999-12-06 | 1999-12-06 | Feeding coupler for electromagnetic induction type charge |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20010002788A1 true US20010002788A1 (en) | 2001-06-07 |
US6356052B2 US6356052B2 (en) | 2002-03-12 |
Family
ID=18382066
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/728,869 Expired - Fee Related US6356052B2 (en) | 1999-12-06 | 2000-12-01 | Waterproof inductive charging paddle |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US6356052B2 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2001160423A (en) |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20080258677A1 (en) * | 2007-04-18 | 2008-10-23 | Powertech Industrial Co., Ltd. | Power supply for portable apparatuses |
US20140021908A1 (en) * | 2012-03-23 | 2014-01-23 | Hevo Inc. | Systems and mobile application for electric wireless charging stations |
WO2015164486A1 (en) * | 2014-04-25 | 2015-10-29 | Colgate-Palmolive Company | Electric toothbrush with a rechargeable battery, and inductance charger apparatus for use with the same |
WO2016176984A1 (en) * | 2015-05-07 | 2016-11-10 | 深圳市极客空间科技有限公司 | Vehicle charging device |
US10128697B1 (en) | 2017-05-01 | 2018-11-13 | Hevo, Inc. | Detecting and deterring foreign objects and living objects at wireless charging stations |
US10369894B2 (en) | 2016-10-21 | 2019-08-06 | Hevo, Inc. | Parking alignment sequence for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle |
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US7836760B2 (en) * | 2007-10-23 | 2010-11-23 | Saylor David J | Method and device for the assessment of fluid collection networks |
US8633616B2 (en) * | 2007-12-21 | 2014-01-21 | Cynetic Designs Ltd. | Modular pocket with inductive power and data |
US9472971B2 (en) | 2007-12-21 | 2016-10-18 | Cynetic Designs Ltd. | Wireless inductive charging of weapon system energy source |
US9126514B2 (en) | 2007-12-21 | 2015-09-08 | Cynetic Designs Ltd | Vehicle seat inductive charger and data transmitter |
RU2540896C2 (en) * | 2009-07-24 | 2015-02-10 | Эксесс Бизнесс Груп Интернешнл Ллс | Power supply |
CA2715937C (en) * | 2009-09-30 | 2017-11-07 | Cynetic Designs Ltd. | Vehicle seat inductive charger and data transmitter |
CA2777596C (en) | 2009-10-13 | 2018-05-29 | Cynetic Designs Ltd. | An inductively coupled power and data transmission system |
SG182745A1 (en) | 2010-01-27 | 2012-08-30 | Cynetic Designs Ltd | Modular pocket with inductive power and data |
US20110302078A1 (en) | 2010-06-02 | 2011-12-08 | Bryan Marc Failing | Managing an energy transfer between a vehicle and an energy transfer system |
EP2614980B1 (en) | 2012-01-11 | 2015-03-18 | Tyco Electronics Nederland B.V. | Contactless connector system for coupling an electric vehicle to a power supply |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US5412304A (en) | 1993-08-09 | 1995-05-02 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Cooled primary of automobile battery charging transformer |
-
1999
- 1999-12-06 JP JP34623999A patent/JP2001160423A/en active Pending
-
2000
- 2000-12-01 US US09/728,869 patent/US6356052B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20080258677A1 (en) * | 2007-04-18 | 2008-10-23 | Powertech Industrial Co., Ltd. | Power supply for portable apparatuses |
US7855528B2 (en) * | 2007-04-18 | 2010-12-21 | Powertech Industrial Co., Ltd. | Power supply for portable apparatuses |
US20140021908A1 (en) * | 2012-03-23 | 2014-01-23 | Hevo Inc. | Systems and mobile application for electric wireless charging stations |
US9796280B2 (en) * | 2012-03-23 | 2017-10-24 | Hevo Inc. | Systems and mobile application for electric wireless charging stations |
US20180272874A1 (en) * | 2012-03-23 | 2018-09-27 | Hevo Inc. | Systems and mobile application for electric wireless charging stations |
US11052778B2 (en) * | 2012-03-23 | 2021-07-06 | Hevo Inc. | Systems and mobile application for electric wireless charging stations |
WO2015164486A1 (en) * | 2014-04-25 | 2015-10-29 | Colgate-Palmolive Company | Electric toothbrush with a rechargeable battery, and inductance charger apparatus for use with the same |
WO2016176984A1 (en) * | 2015-05-07 | 2016-11-10 | 深圳市极客空间科技有限公司 | Vehicle charging device |
US10369894B2 (en) | 2016-10-21 | 2019-08-06 | Hevo, Inc. | Parking alignment sequence for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle |
US10128697B1 (en) | 2017-05-01 | 2018-11-13 | Hevo, Inc. | Detecting and deterring foreign objects and living objects at wireless charging stations |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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US6356052B2 (en) | 2002-03-12 |
JP2001160423A (en) | 2001-06-12 |
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