Automated electromagnetic electric vehicle charging system

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for wireless charging a load. A first transformer coil from a power source is arranged to be connected with a load having a second transformer coil. The method of charging is independent of the resonant frequency.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] Priority to the provisional application claimed in this application is granted by serial number 63056597, filed July 25, 2020, by D. Kevin Cameron, entitled "ROBOTIC ELECTROMAGNETICELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING SYSTEM," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in any of the references incorporated herein by reference is inconsistent with or contrary to the definition of a term provided herein, the definition provided herein shall apply, and the definition in the references shall not apply. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to the field of charging technology, and in one exemplary embodiment, this disclosure relates to a method, apparatus, and system for selectively charging electric vehicles (EVs). Background Technology

[0004] Electric vehicles (EVs) are proliferating and constantly require regular and rapid charging. While fast charging (for small) cars isn't too difficult, larger vehicles with larger batteries and higher capacities can pose challenges for power electronics capabilities and grid load capacity. Specifically, the aforementioned limitations for residential and light commercial office wiring are typically in the 100 kilowatt range, while fast charging a truck or bus may require megawatts (MW) of power.

[0005] Developing a universal standard for connectors is difficult because buses do not require the large power supplies found in industrial trucks. Therefore, the type of plug will likely differ depending on the power level used for the various applications. However, it is worth asking whether a single power connection system can be developed for all situations, including low-power buses and high-power trucks.

[0006] A manual plug, as indicated by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), can be an expensive and impractical option. Engaging and disengaging prongs on plugs can damage the prongs and interface devices due to misalignment or excessive force applied when attempting to fully insert the plug. This can result in bulky plug and socket designs that are difficult for people to handle.

[0007] Furthermore, the limited availability of fast chargers requires drivers to move their cars immediately after charging to make way for newly arrived electric vehicles (EVs) to charge. This can lead to congestion and potentially uncharged or stranded EVs, or in some cases, the need to hire valet parking attendants to tow cars.

[0008] There are two basic types of wireless charging: one is close-coupled (like a switch-mode power supply (SMPS) transformer), and the other is resonant, with a larger operating distance. The close distance between the charging and receiving coils is typically less than one millimeter, with an efficiency exceeding 95%. On the other hand, resonant wireless charging systems can provide a much wider and more convenient distance between the charging and receiving coils, such as tens of centimeters, three orders of magnitude larger than a transformer, but the efficiency may drop to approximately 15%–40%. Furthermore, the increased circuit complexity requires matching the distributed resistance, inductance, and capacitance (RLC) between the charging and receiving coils, creating an "energy tunnel" between them, rather than radiating an electromagnetic field omnidirectionally as in the inductive application. In a building where many vehicles are charged using a resonant wireless system, this leakage current can cause serious heating problems, weakening the reinforced concrete.

[0009] When a nearby charging cable or first circuit is not directly connected (i.e., non-conductive coupling), the inductive or magnetically coupled charging system for an electric vehicle (EV) will wirelessly induce a voltage, or electromotive force (EMF), at the endpoints of the receiver cable or second circuit, causing a change in current. According to Ampere's law of circuits, this is because the charging circuit generates a changing magnetic field or magnetic flux around it, a phenomenon known as electromagnetic induction. This, in turn, induces a voltage in the receiving circuit according to Faraday's law of induction.

[0010] The inductive coupling or mutual inductance between two lines or circuits can be increased by winding them into coils and placing them close together on a common axis, so that the magnetic field of one coil passes through the other. Coupling can also be increased by the magnetic core of a ferromagnetic material (such as iron or ferrite) in the coils, which increases the magnetic flux. A transformer physically houses the two coils (i.e., the first and second windings) in a single unit. Ideally, the coupling is achieved by winding the windings together (e.g., as a twisted pair), but since this typically does not meet insulation requirements, the windings are made mechanically separated coaxially (possibly with a grounded shield).

[0011] One type of wireless charging is (mechanically) uncoupled or resonant inductive charging (RIC). It is used in some wireless inductive charging applications that require a controlled and matched operating frequency between a first coil (power source) and a second (carrier) coil. The first and second coils are typically located within a fraction of a wavelength of each other. Inefficient overcoupling occurs when the first and second coils are too close, while loose coupling occurs when they are too far apart. Therefore, resonant inductive charging (RIC) can be position-sensitive for efficient charging. Slight misalignment can lead to undercharging and customer dissatisfaction, as well as unnecessary overheating and reliability degradation. One type of resonant inductive charging (RIC) configuration uses flat pads. If a flat pad is used as an interface between wireless charging points, foreign object interference (FOI) can hinder charging efficiency. Foreign objects may include dirt, grease, stones and asphalt, road salt, leaves and other natural road debris, as well as unintentionally placed objects such as tools, personal items, and equipment.

[0012] In summary, wireless charging for electric vehicles (EVs) is an area of ​​innovation that has long been mature but has not yet met demand. Expert skepticism and other factors have hampered promising, non-obvious innovations such as those disclosed herein. Summary of the Invention

[0013] A system, method, and apparatus for wirelessly charging a load. A first transformer coil from a power source is configured to connect to a load having a second transformer coil. The charging method is independent of the resonant frequency.

[0014] The methods, operations, processes, systems, and apparatuses disclosed herein can be implemented by any means to achieve their various aspects and can be executed in the form of a machine-readable and / or machine-accessible medium, comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine or a data processing system (e.g., a computer system) in one or more different sequences, cause the machine to perform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. The invention is defined by the features of the appended claims.

[0015] This invention is provided to introduce one option of the concept in a simplified form, which is further described in the following detailed description. This invention is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Exemplary embodiments are described by way of illustration and are not limited to the figures in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1A This is a functional block diagram of a wireless charging transformer according to one or more embodiments.

[0018] Figure 1B For an automotive application having a single wireless charging transformer interface according to one or more embodiments.

[0019] Figure 1C An industrial truck application having multiple wireless charging transformer interfaces according to one or more embodiments.

[0020] Figure 2A An isometric view of a matched first and second coil wireless charging transformer according to one or more embodiments.

[0021] Figure 2B A cross-sectional view of a first and second coil wireless charging transformer with matched nominal energy according to one or more embodiments.

[0022] Figure 2C A cross-sectional view of a wireless charging transformer that matches an undersized first coil and an oversized second coil according to one or more embodiments.

[0023] Figure 2D A cross-sectional view of a wireless charging transformer that matches an oversized first coil and an undersized second coil according to one or more embodiments.

[0024] Figure 2E A cross-sectional view of a matched high-energy first coil and a second coil wireless charging transformer according to one or more embodiments.

[0025] Figure 2F A cross-sectional view of a wireless charging transformer with a non-rotating pyramidal matched high-energy first and second coils according to one or more embodiments.

[0026] Figure 3A A shear jack vertical adjustment platform for a first coil, according to one or more embodiments.

[0027] Figure 3B A self-propelled platform for a second coil according to one or more embodiments.

[0028] Figure 3C A self-propelled platform with a brushless spool for a second coil, according to one or more embodiments.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a switching relay that includes a wireless charging transformer and a plurality of charging sources according to one or more embodiments.

[0030] Figure 5A This is a schematic diagram of an electric vehicle (EV) motor drive according to one or more embodiments, wherein the electrical energy can be reused to drive a first transformer for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications.

[0031] Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram of multiple wirelessly peggable charging transformer interfaces according to one or more embodiments, each individual interface charging its respective paired battery pack.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a method for scalable and wireless transformer power transmission independent of resonant frequency according to one or more embodiments.

[0033] Unless otherwise specified for clarity of the details of this disclosure, the figures referenced in this specification should be understood as not drawn to scale. The same component symbols in the figures denote the same components in the several views described herein. Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Detailed Implementation

[0034] A method, apparatus, and system for charging electric vehicles (EVs) across different power levels are disclosed. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth for purposes of explanation to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various embodiments can be practiced without these specific details.

[0035] See now Figure 1A Figure 100-A illustrates the transformer arrangement between a first coil 111 surrounded by a shield 111-S and powered by a power source 102-A. This power source can be a coupled power line or an independent energy source, such as a battery or fuel cell. Paired with the first coil 111 is a second coil 112, which is itself surrounded by a shield 112-S. Both are disposed within an EV load 104. The smaller the gap 114 between the first coil 111 and the second coil 112, the lower the losses and the more efficient the energy transfer.

[0036] In one embodiment, the solution for charging different electric vehicles (EVs) with different power level requirements is to expand the number of charging connections. For example, an EV designed for a higher power specification or requirement is charged through a greater number of nominal voltage charging connections, for example, arranged in parallel. Typically, a high-power EV, such as a large industrial vehicle, uses a large number of standard, physically independent battery packs that can be charged in parallel.

[0037] Figure 1A The electromagnetic coupling described herein is used to couple power to one or more battery packs via a parallel transformer coil interface. The electromagnetic coupling is easy to automate and inexpensive to manufacture. The greatest cost is the transformer coil, which is simply a winding and does not require sophisticated power electronics for power supply or control, unlike a resonant frequency-matched wireless inductive charging platform. Furthermore, engaging and disengaging the electromagnetic coupling is easier than using a conductive plug, such as pins or blades, which are easily overtightened, misaligned, or damaged.

[0038] See now Figure 1B A single-person electric vehicle (EV) van 100-B is shown with a single battery pack 120-1 and a single second coil device 122-1. When ready to charge, the second coil device 122-1 can remain stationary to receive a telescopic first coil, or it can extend downwards or outwards to more easily receive a telescopic or movable coil. Optionally, the EV 100-B includes additional first or secondary coils 122-2 or 122-3, which can extend horizontally or remain stationary to receive a telescopic mating coil for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) series charging, whether stationary or in motion. For a typical commuting range, with available residential overnight parking, a single wireless transformer interface or connector should be sufficient to charge the vehicle.

[0039] See Figure 1CThe illustration depicts a van with multiple standard, physically independent battery packs 120-2, 120-3, 120-4, and 120-5, each the same size as the individual EV's battery packs. Each battery pack has its own independent second coil unit 122-2, 122-3, 122-4, 122-5, providing parallel charging for battery packs 120-1, 120-2, 120-3, and 120-4, respectively. The battery packs can be wired in series or parallel. For example, ten 48-volt battery packs can be connected in series to provide a 400-500 volt charging level. Each of the ten battery packs can be connected in parallel to charge each other. This arrangement eliminates the need for a series charging system with the lead-acid battery packs bearing the maximum voltage, where a faulty connecting blade or a short circuit in the separator could be more dangerous. Furthermore, the larger device size necessitates greater robustness, and the manufacturing cost of a single high-voltage connector is significantly higher than that of multiple low-voltage, smaller, and cheaper connectors. Additionally, a problem with one of the parallel charging power supplies or connectors can be independently and on-the-go for replacement and maintenance without interrupting the charging of the remaining battery packs by their own independent charging units. The parallel charging system also prevents a connection failure in one battery pack from interrupting the charging operation of a downstream battery pack. Therefore, even if an upstream battery pack is open-circuited, in this embodiment where each battery pack is charged independently in parallel, the downstream battery pack will still be charging.

[0040] See now Figures 2A to 2D According to one or more embodiments, some first and second transformer arrangements for providing electromagnetic coupling are shown. A transformer can be fabricated in various shapes. The efficiency of a high-frequency transformer (e.g., 50 kHz and above) depends primarily on how close the first and second windings are to each other. In another embodiment, additional magnetic material is used to reduce leakage current. If a high level of insulation is not required in one embodiment, a first winding can be wound on top of the second winding.

[0041] See now Figure 2A This is an isometric view of a matched first and second coil wireless charging transformer according to one or more embodiments. Although the tapered plugs or receptacles have different sizes, cross-section 2B-2B is shown. Figure 2B ,and Figure 2C-2D A similar cross-sectional view is shown.

[0042] See also Figure 2AThis embodiment for automatic charging uses a selective engagement assembly 200-A, which includes a tapered plug 220-A (male) and a mating tapered socket 230-A (female). The tapered plug 220-A has a first winding 225-A, which has a cone shape disposed around an inner tapered core 223-A. The mating tapered socket 230-A has a second winding 234-A, which has a cone shape embedded in a magnetic material 232-A. The tapered plug 220-A is shown engaging with the first winding 225-A in the mating tapered socket 230-A via engagement / disengagement arrow 244, and contacting the second winding 234-A for power transmission. As shown in the figure, misalignment 252 is overcome by the approximately coaxial position of the shaft 254 of the first winding 255-A and the shaft 256 of the mating winding, the second winding 234-A, wherein the physical geometry, i.e., the tapered nature and conformal shape of the parts, provides self-alignment. Physical pressure holds the first winding 225-A against the second winding 234-A during charging due to gravity or forces applied by the charging device (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, solenoid, etc.). In one embodiment, the pressure of the mating socket is sufficient to keep the first and second coils sufficiently close for efficient power transmission, for example, 60% or more of conventional transformer materials and 80% or 90% or more of an amorphous metal transformer embodiment. This efficiency can be superior to conventional wireless inductive charging, and the cost is naturally lower. In one embodiment, the electromagnetic force generated by the first coil acts as an electromagnet, which, given their iron-rich body composition, attracts the tapered socket 230-A and the tapered plug 220-A together. For this design, compared to most other conductive plugs that utilize an interference fit between cylindrical plugs or rectangular blades to form a mating socket, less force is required to engage the mating charger half. In this embodiment, the first and second coils are recessed into their respective bodies. Thus, the mating surfaces are flat and smooth, without protruding windings or the corrugated surface of stacked windings that could otherwise hinder the smooth insertion and engagement of the cone in the cone socket. Instead, insulating material can fill the gaps between the wires, forming a smooth cone surface. Optional Teflon or low-friction coatings can be applied to both the cone plug and the cone socket to facilitate quick and complete placement.

[0043] Since coils 225-A and 234-A are essentially in direct contact, and considering the insulation thickness of at least one or both coils, and given the high-speed rail composition of bodies 232-A and 223-A, this charger operates as a transformer. Therefore, this embodiment does not require the resonant frequency adjustment required for inductive charging designs. In other words, this embodiment is resonant frequency independent. Instead, by selecting the operating frequency based on maximum energy transfer or other beneficial characteristics (e.g., noise, electromagnetic interference with other electronic devices, etc.), this embodiment can operate efficiently over a wider range of AC frequencies.

[0044] In one embodiment, both the tapered plug and the tapered socket are grounded. In another embodiment, the individual battery pack is floating and not at a high voltage, serving as ground in the event of a chassis failure.

[0045] Electronic devices for transmitting power can be directly attached to the housing (cone 223-A or socket 232-A) of the first and / or second coils for the transformer interface to minimize the distance traveled by high-frequency signals. Further details regarding the electronic devices are provided in Figure 5 below.

[0046] In this embodiment, the shape assignment describes the first coil as an upward-facing conical plug 220-A and the second coil as a downward-facing conical socket. This is primarily for cleaning purposes, as foreign objects, debris, and other interfering substances will not accumulate on the upward-facing conical socket, which will dislodge the debris. However, in the opposite direction, due to gravity, debris will certainly accumulate in the upward-facing conical plug. However, for a given charging infrastructure, these roles can easily be reversed. In one embodiment, a through-hole at the top of the conical socket opens to the outside, allowing small debris to fall completely out of the device. Additionally, one embodiment of the conical plug utilizes a rounded, flat nose shape to prevent sharp noses from getting caught on one side wall of the conical socket during engagement.

[0047] Because the split socket 230-A performs forward / backward movement and alignment, and the plug 220-A performs lateral movement and alignment, as well as directional alignment between vertical engagement, the alignment between the tapered socket 230-A and the tapered plug 220-A can be achieved in a variety of schemes. For a given alignment and engagement protocol, any of these roles can be interchanged or combined to ensure compatibility among all users of a protocol.

[0048] See now Figure 2D and 2C According to one or more embodiments, diagrams are shown for a first and a second charging scenario that are mismatched but functionally normal. Specifically, as Figure 2CAs shown, the tapered plug and socket can be of different sizes and have one or more windings, so a small, low-power charger (first winding) 220-C can work with a larger, high-power battery (second winding) 230-C. Conversely, as Figure 2D As shown, a large, high-power charger (first winding) 220-D can be used with a small, low-power vehicle / battery (second winding) 230-D. Using a fixed inner angle for the tapered plug and socket allows for this size or primary / secondary coil mismatch while still providing a functional charger.

[0049] The second windings 234-A and 234-B1 / B2 can be protected by spring-loaded doors that are pushed open when the tapered plug 220-A engages and mates with the tapered socket 230-A. Transformers of this type can be designed with an air gap, thus providing some resistance to dust and contaminants. The windings themselves are insulated, but the core material should be grounded (if only through contact).

[0050] See now Figure 2D This is a cross-sectional view of a wireless charging transformer with a matched, oversized first coil and an undersized second coil, according to one or more embodiments. In this embodiment, an oversized tapered plug 220-D with a nominally sized first coil 225-D1 successfully connects to the interface of an undersized second tapered socket 230-D with a nominally sized or nominally sized second coil 234-D. The oversized primary coil 225-D2 on the tapered plug 220-D has no matching second coil available, thus causing no damage. While this configuration may result in a slight reduction in efficiency, the ability to connect to a wide range of socket sizes and power ratings, from high-power sockets of parallel sizes down to nominally undersized sockets, provides the benefit of versatility with a single tapered plug for a broad range of vehicle and battery pack sizes and requirements.

[0051] See now Figure 2EThe figure is a cross-sectional view illustrating a matched high-energy first and second coil wireless charging transformer 200-E according to one or more embodiments. In this embodiment, any number, size, and quantity of windings can be used for the high-energy first and second coils. In one embodiment, the larger first coil 225-E2 and second coil 234-E2 have similar or different power capacities than the smaller first coil 225-E1 and second coil 234-E1. In this approach, if the dimensions are determined in this manner, the increased power transfer from the smaller coil to the larger coil can be linear or can increase dramatically, i.e., exponentially, thus safely meeting lower charging requirements while the higher charging requirements can meet the higher energy demands of a larger industrial application.

[0052] See now Figure 2F The figure is a cross-sectional view illustrating a matched high-energy first and second coil wireless charging transformer with a non-rotating pyramidal shape according to one or more embodiments. Edge 246 forms the base of the square pyramid; however, any polygonal pyramid can be used. Any other shape can be used for a ferromagnetic core or shield and associated windings, provided that the shape matches a given charging power or scenario or application. Different charging powers, scenarios, or applications use different incompatible shapes to prevent misconnection.

[0053] See now Figure 3A A charging system 300-A (first component) with a tapered plug 220-D is mounted on a robotic arm 308, allowing it to be guided to engage with a second component on the vehicle, such as a vertically moving telescopic jack or scissor jack 306. The robotic arm 308 can be mounted on a basic mechanical structure having one or more degrees of freedom to swing, extend, or rotate the robotic arm 308 into position to engage with a charging receiver. In this embodiment, a wired alternating current (AC) power supply 331 is provided to the tapered plug 220-D as a grid to vehicle (G2V) system. Figure 2C As described, the tip 222 of the tapered plug 220-D is an optional LED, aligned with an optical sensor 221 disposed in the tapered socket.

[0054] See Figure 3BAccording to one or more embodiments, a self-propelled robot is illustrated. Robot component 300-B includes a motorized tracked chassis with a power source 334 thereon, an attached AC 331 or an internal DC battery and / or supercapacitor power source, and one or more power control electronic modules, such as an inverter 332, a Battery Management System (BMS) 342, and / or a Thermal Management System (TMS) 340 to sense charging status, charging cut-off time, temperature profile, and overhead conditions, etc. One or more extendable telescopic shafts with tapered plugs 220-1 and 220-2 are used for horizontal and / or vertical coupling and charging of a load, such as an electric vehicle (EV), utilizing displacement units based on pneumatic, hydraulic, or mechanical means (e.g., wound cables, rigid nylon ropes, etc.), which can extend from robot 300-B. Therefore, a single charging source 300-B can be used to charge one or more battery packs simultaneously in parallel on a single application (e.g., commercial trucks) or multiple applications (e.g., battery packs of each vehicle parked in parallel).

[0055] Inverter module 332 may include a switch-mode power supply (DC boost converter) to boost a standard DC voltage from a 12V, 24V, or 48V power supply to a higher voltage, such as 110V, and then invert it to alternating current (AC). Alternatively, the DC to AC conversion can be performed at a given battery pack level in the robot, and then a transformer of the desired frequency can be used in the robot to generate the desired AC output voltage.

[0056] In another embodiment, a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) device has bidirectional energy transfer capability with robot 300-B. In this embodiment, a rectifier and bidirectional switch are added to robot 300-B to allow bidirectional current modes, particularly current transfer from the vehicle to robot 300-B. This allows excess power from remote energy storage units (e.g., parked electric vehicles (EVs)) to be supplied to the grid during power outages. Instead of constantly moving parked cars to access a power outlet, the mobile robot 300-B travels to the vehicle, receives a charge from it, travels to an AC power source, and connects to the grid to power itself. The onboard inverter 332, or an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) inverter, provides DC-to-AC inversion to match the grid frequency and power phase.

[0057] Both the robotic arm 300-A and the self-propelled robot 300-B can locate the second component by various means—optically via a single reflector or its pattern, a light-emitting diode (LED) (e.g., infrared), tracking provided by the navigation (NAV) module 336 and optional antenna 321, and optical sensor suites 322-A and 322-B, machine vision, cameras, radio frequency (RF) transponders, triangulation, ultrasonic positioning, global positioning system (GPS), or any wireless means.

[0058] Cooling for transformer operation may include a liquid coolant supplied by supply line 346, which flows out near the top of the tapered surface of plug 220-E2 and is collected in recovery tray 348 for filtration and reuse. An optional air-cooled fan (not shown) with aluminum heat sink fins coupled to tapered plug 220-E2 may also provide heat reduction for transformer operation.

[0059] This type of mobile robot is ideally suited for retail parking lots or apartment and condominium parking lots. In these applications, a parking area is separated from the building by a driveway; there are no power outlets for charging users; there are insufficient Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) for long-term, low-rate overnight charging; or there are no easily accessible power outlets. In these applications, the robot can traverse the parking lot from electric vehicles (EVs) to EVSEs, quietly and seamlessly bringing the EVs to the required charging state throughout the night.

[0060] See now Figure 3CAccording to one or more embodiments, a self-propelled platform with a brushless spool for a second coil is shown. A rotary table 362 is driven by three or more racks (on the outer edge of the lip) and a pinion assembly 354. A spool 368 remains fixed to a chassis 372, while a wire distribution motor 361 and a distribution outlet, along with a roller 360 with a tensioner 363, distribute and retract the wire in a controlled manner. The chassis 372 rotates as the wire is distributed or retracted. A powertrain 358 drives a ball bearing 370 to provide translational motion. A powertrain motor 356 controls one or more outer wheels on the chassis 372 to provide rotation of the chassis. An internal battery 362 can provide wireless charging for a load, particularly in the event of a grid outage or when a remote application does not have grid power. Components are coupled to the top of the chassis 372, such as an optional antenna 321 and optical sensor kits 322-A and 322-B. Descriptions of these components are provided earlier. Figure 3B Provided in the document. Multiple terminals may include a 220V plug 364-A, a 110V plug 364-C, and an electric vehicle (EV) plug adapter 364-B, allowing an electric vehicle power supply unit (EVSE) fixed power unit to be inserted 350, considered as the electric vehicle (EV) itself, providing convenient remote service to an electric vehicle (EV) located away from the EVSE. A cable tensioner 363, powered by a motor, allows the cable to be tightly wound around the roller without applying tension to the external cable, which is intended to lie loosely across the floor or road surface. The motor itself may be a stepper motor for precise control of cable entry and exit, or simply a current control loop providing continuous tension when needed.

[0061] See now Figure 4According to one or more embodiments, a schematic diagram of adapting a manual and automatic charger to an electric vehicle (EV) is shown. The automatic charging device in the vehicle can be retrofitted using a small plug connected to the charging door 416, such that when the door is closed, a standard SAE / CHAdeMO / etc. interface is connected to the transformer's second module, for example, with a plug on the back of the door connecting to the automatic charging interface (cone socket), or by activating a relay switch to do so. The first-side electronics can be connected to the charger by inserting the cable into a robot (not the vehicle) or an equivalent connection, and power is simply passed through, so the vehicle knows it is directly connected to the same power source. In this approach, the system charges from only one source: either the user manually connects an Electric Vehicle Power Supply Equipment (EVSE) charging cable via the standard SAE / CHAdeMO / etc. interface, or the automatic charging interface provides the charging. In another embodiment, a back-mounted power supply from the automatic charging interface of the rectifier / transformer supplements the standard SAE / CHAdeMO / etc. interface charging. In this embodiment, the two systems communicate via a mobile application or a locally / centrally managed service to coordinate charging, time, heat, and battery management algorithms to keep the battery pack within specifications.

[0062] The first / second naming convention is for transmitting power to the vehicle, but this is only nominal; power can be transmitted in other ways if the electronics allow. Power can be transmitted to the charger, which in turn can power a home or the grid (V2G). For large-scale, fast charging, the charger may have battery storage to allow buffering of power entering and leaving the grid, and energy can be transferred from the electric vehicle (EV) for later use.

[0063] In the scenario described, where there is a charger and multiple robots and multiple vehicles, the power electronics are bidirectional, and power may simply be transferred from one vehicle to another. For example, if a full-capacity electric vehicle (EV) is parked next to a smaller, depleted electric vehicle (EV), the larger battery can charge the smaller one, allowing a commuter to drive home.

[0064] A vehicle may have multiple second units (even if there is only one battery pack) in different locations, such as on the front and rear bumpers, so that it can share power in places where it is preferably laterally connected, such as a wall-mounted charger at the front of the electric vehicle (EV) or in an EV-to-EV scenario in a fleet.

[0065] For units connected to the front or rear, the robot's behavior can be split, such that the electric vehicle (EV) end has (telescopic) extension and some vertical movement (angle up / down), while the (wall-mounted) end has some lateral movement (e.g., can move on a track).

[0066] The fast charger itself can be a robot (with onboard storage) that can move around parking lots, charging and refueling as needed. It can have multiple attached deployment robots connected to electric vehicles (EVs). It can also connect to other vehicles, such as hybrid vehicles or trucks, which can charge themselves by burning fuels (such as biodiesel or hydrogen) or charge adjacent electric vehicles, and similarly may have onboard power generation capabilities in addition to batteries.

[0067] Parking lots or parking spaces with solar roofs and buildings may incorporate robots that simply inject electricity into any parked electric vehicles (EVs) instead of connecting them to the power grid. This is an ideal solution to avoid the "duck curve" problem of over-generating electricity.

[0068] This embodiment does not use inter-battery connections or couplings to charge them. Instead, each battery is isolated and charged independently due to the movement associated with a single battery pack and / or the local connection that aligns the charging device therein, or because the portion with independent leads is only connected to that portion of the battery pack. This embodiment uses thicker conduits locally with individual inputs to each battery pack—rather than the usual serial charging through multiple or all battery packs.

[0069] See now Figure 5A According to one or more embodiments, a schematic diagram of multiple wireless charging transformer interfaces is shown, each individual interface charging its respective paired battery pack. Each battery charging interface 520-A to 520-D includes a full-wave rectifier 510 (or alternatively a half-wave rectifier), consisting of a diode or any other type of existing current direction control device. Figure 2B-2EAs shown, the second coil 512 is paired with the first coil 513, and the arrows indicate different sized interfaces that can transmit more or less power. It is worth noting that battery pack 520-D has an initial State of Charge (SoC) of 80%, while battery pack 520-C has a SoC of 60%, both requiring charging. However, battery pack 520-B is already 95% charged and is therefore fully charged, requiring no additional charging resources unless all battery packs are in that state of charge and they wish to be fully charged. The AC power supply 514 can be an inverter power supply provided by DC batteries and / or supercapacitors. Time-division multiplexing shares the autonomous robot power supplies 530-A to 530-D among the battery packs. Although battery packs 520-A to 520-D are depicted in series achieving a high traction voltage, connections can be shared between battery packs if one or more battery packs are coupled in parallel, and if the number of robots is less than the number of battery packs (to avoid stressing individual battery packs). Several examples of robot power supplies are shown in... Figure 3A and 3B As shown in the image.

[0070] See now Figure 5A According to one or more embodiments, a schematic diagram of an electric vehicle (EV) motor drive is shown, whose electrical energy can be reused to drive a primary transformer for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. This configuration utilizes the EV's own motor drive power electronics to power windings connected to a robot transformer, which here act as the first winding. Therefore, this disclosure operates as a bidirectional energy transfer system with minimal additional cost. Furthermore, the independent use of the aspect drive allows for driving separate transformers on each aspect. An alternative configuration using a triangular configuration of the transformers allows operation without capacitors.

[0071] Cooling / Cleaning

[0072] High-power fast charging efficiency can be very high, but at 100 kW, a loss of 1 kW (1%) can easily occur in the transformer connection, and the same applies to the power electronic equipment. This inefficiency is primarily converted into heat, which in turn translates into cooling requirements. Active cooling of the transformer can be achieved by allowing coolant (e.g., water) from the first conical plug to flow through the middle of the body housing the active coil, allowing the coolant to flow back through the gap between the first and second coils (between the conical plug and the conical socket). Gravity pulls the coolant back to the robot chassis, where it can be collected and recycled. If needed, the robot can find a path to a water source for replenishment. This cooling method also serves as a cleaning mechanism. The fluid can be a composition or include additives designed for the task, such as corrosion inhibitors. Grooves or conduits in the interface surfaces of one or both of the conical plugs or the conical sockets provide a flow path for the fluid in gaseous or liquid form to escape from the transformer. Alternatively, passive cooling, such as aluminum heat sink fins, can be applied to the exposed surfaces of the tapered plug and / or tapered socket (other than the interface surface), and optional active cooling fans for air convection cooling.

[0073] communication

[0074] If infrared lasers are used as the positioning mechanism, they can also serve as a communication channel, with the robot / secondary communication also within line of sight. The infrared (IR) lasers will be positioned at the center of the first / second components for close proximity during pairing. In other aspects, conventional communication methods including cellular, WiFi, Zigbee, and Bluetooth can be used for monitoring device status, scheduling charging, and placing charging orders and billing.

[0075] operate

[0076] See now Figure 6 According to one or more embodiments, a flowchart 600-A is shown of a method for transmitting scalable wireless transformer power independent of resonant frequency. In one embodiment, process 400 is implemented by the apparatus and application shown in Figures 1 to 5.

[0077] Operation 602 receives charging requests from a mobile application, the cloud, or an interface electric vehicle (EV) service kiosk or user interface panel. Output 602-A provides the number and rating of the battery packs for the user-defined application. This can be a wireless identification code (ID), radio frequency identification (RFID), barcode, QR code, or any other identification method.

[0078] Operation 604 arbitrates charger resources to the battery pack. An output of 604-A determines the duration and rotation of the charger resources. For example, if the charger's power output is twice that of the battery to be charged, the charger can operate at a 50% duty cycle for a given charging cycle or duration to charge a set of battery packs with uniformly starting states of charge (SoCs) to a state of charge that is nearly equal to the end of the charging cycle. Alternatively, if the initial states of charge of the battery packs or their individual rechargeable portions are not equal, the arbitrator will allocate the duration and rotation so that the battery with the lowest SoC receives the longest and highest power from the charger, while battery packs with higher initial SoCs receive shorter durations and allow the chargers to rotate more frequently. This achieves time-division multiplexing across multiple battery packs. This also provides time for surface charge or high charge-discharge rate (C-rate) input to dissipate through battery balancing, thereby reducing the stress on the cathode, preventing lithium plating on the anode (for lithium-ion batteries), and maintaining a reasonable battery temperature (avoiding overheating). The mobile robot provides this capability that manual insertion operations cannot offer.

[0079] Operation 606 deploys a charging interface on a vehicle. The charging interface on the vehicle is the second winding portion of the transformer interface. The charging interface can be static and fixed to the application, such as an electric vehicle (EV), or it can be recessed and dynamic or expandable, for example, protected by an access panel. Other functions of the charging interface include a positioning function, which includes active outputs such as wireless signals, ultrasonic signals, etc., or a passive positioner, such as providing a directional optical reflective surface for a wheeled robot unit or a robotic arm, etc. Some charging interface embodiments are described in... Figure 1B and 1C The diagram and description are shown below. As illustrated in Figures 5 and 606-A, most applications have multiple charging ports. Output 606-A provides quality control (QC) checks on alignment and power transfer efficiency, such as leakage current detection. A feedback system monitoring the State of Charge (SoC) can provide an indication of power transfer efficiency. If the SoC rises slower than expected, the port can be retracted and redeployed, and / or a replacement charging power supply unit can be replaced. The load application, such as an electric vehicle (EV), can be static (parked) or dynamic (moving). Charging ports exposed or extended during transport, such as... Figure 1B As shown, for example, the charging ports are provided in the front and rear bumpers of the electric vehicle (EV).

[0080] Operation 608 pushes, moves, or aligns the charging unit to the load, such as the vehicle. Figure 3A , 3B As shown in Figure 5. Any embodiment providing some form of motion or movement is useful in automatically aligning the first coil of the charging unit close to the mating charging interface on the load. 608-A, as input, one or more position sensors are utilized to achieve, as shown in Figure 608-A. Figure 3B The aforementioned alignment. Output 608-B provides feedback to a control mechanism for propulsion or movement to direct the positioning device, whether it be a robotic arm, a self-propelled power source, etc.

[0081] Operation 610 aligns the first and / or second coils of the transformer with each other. Because the first and second coils are geometrically self-centering conical, both with convex and concave surfaces, and due to the assistance of gravity at the vertically extending interfaces, the system's flexibility and robustness regarding nominal alignment errors are improved compared to other designs. Using this embodiment, positioning the first and second coils within a range of 2.5 mm, 5.0 mm, or even 10 mm or more is accurate enough to allow the self-centering aspect to compensate for any remaining misalignment, allowing the conical coils to be fully installed and thus have surface contact with each other. Other features, such as flexible cords and multi-jointed robotic arms, enable vibratory operation or swinging of the conical plug to ensure proper installation and centering in the conical socket. Optional lubricant added to the conical plug also contributes to a smooth and fully installed interface between the conical plug and the conical socket. This operation can be performed using optical alignment 610-A, self-centering 610-B, and a separation shaft 610-C. The output results include contact pressure 610-D, electromagnetic coupling 610-E, and self-adjusting coil engagement and voltage level 610-E.

[0082] Operation 612 manages the charging needs and capabilities of each OEM's electric vehicle (EV) and grid (GRID). Inputs include resonant frequency independence 612-A with said inductive charging, and outputs with full contact 612-B and overheat temperature measurement 612-C.

[0083] Alternative options:

[0084] In the claims, any reference numerals between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims. The word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of components or steps other than those listed in the claims. Furthermore, the words “a” or “an” used herein are defined as “one or more.” Additionally, even if the same claim includes the introductory phrases “at least one” or “one or more” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an,” the use of introductory phrases such as “at least one” and “one or more” in the claims should not be construed as implying that another claim element introduced by the indefinite article “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such an introduced claim element to an invention containing only one such element. This also applies to the use of definite articles. Unless otherwise stated, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between elements described by such terms. Therefore, these terms do not necessarily indicate the time or other priority of such elements. The fact that certain measures are listed only in mutually different claims does not mean that combinations of these measures cannot be advantageously used.

[0085] As used throughout this application, the words “may” or “can” are used in a permissive sense (i.e., implying the potential or ability to do something) rather than a mandatory sense (i.e., implying a requirement). Similarly, words such as “including,” “contains,” and “have” indicate “including, but not limited to” the listed items.

[0086] Various units, circuits, or other components can be described as being "configured" to perform a task. In this context, "configured" is a broad description of the structure, generally meaning "having" a "circuit" that performs a task during operation. Therefore, a unit / circuit / component can be configured to perform a task even if it is not currently powered on. Generally, the circuits forming the structure corresponding to "configured" can include hardware circuits. Similarly, for convenience, various units / circuit / components can be described as performing a task in the description. This description should be interpreted as including the phrase "configured." The description of a unit / circuit / component configured to perform one or more tasks is clearly intended not to invoke the interpretation of that unit / circuit / component in paragraph 6 of 35 U.S.SC §112.

[0087] Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the foregoing discussion, it should be understood that throughout the description of the embodiments, terms such as “receive,” “charge,” “arbitrate,” “deploy,” “advance,” “align,” “manage,” “transmit,” “operate,” “communicate,” “execute,” and “replace” as used in the discussion refer to the actions and processes of an integrated circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a storage device, a computer system, or a similar electronic computing device. The storage device or similar electronic computing device manipulates and converts data represented as physical (electronic) quantities in the device's registers and memories into other similarly represented physical quantities in the device's memory or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or other display devices.

[0088] The methods and operations described herein may have a different order than the exemplary methods and operations described herein, for example, in a different sequence. Therefore, depending on a given application, one or more additional new operations may be inserted into existing operations, or one or more operations may be reduced or eliminated.

[0089] Other features of this embodiment will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and detailed description. Furthermore, it should be understood that, under the control of computer-readable and computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-usable storage medium, the processor and electronic user interface controls can perform at least a portion of the various operations, processes, and methods disclosed herein. These computer-readable and computer-executable instructions reside, for example, in computer-usable volatile or non-volatile memory and non-scrambling memory. However, non-scrambling computer-readable and computer-executable instructions may reside on any type of computer-usable storage medium.

[0090] The foregoing description of specific embodiments of this disclosure has been presented with reference to the accompanying drawings and the description. These are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations can be made based on the foregoing teachings without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the various embodiments described. The embodiments chosen and described are intended to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications suitable for the intended particular use. It should be understood that the embodiments described herein can be used or practiced alone or in combination with each other. Although this disclosure has been described in specific embodiments, it should be understood that the invention should not be construed as limited to these embodiments, but rather as determined by the appended claims and their equivalents. The invention is defined by the features of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A charging unit for wireless energy transfer, the charging unit comprising: A tapered plug with two or more first windings is connected to a tapered socket interface with one or more mating windings for the wireless transmission of energy between the two or more first windings and the one or more mating windings, wherein one of the two or more first windings has no matching mating winding. A first ferromagnetic core, wherein the two or more first windings are arranged around the first ferromagnetic core; and wherein: The two or more first windings cannot be electrically coupled to the one or more cooperating windings; as well as The two or more first windings are not arranged in the same plane.

2. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The wireless transmission of energy is for charging an electric vehicle battery; The two or more first windings serve as the first windings to provide energy; The one or more cooperating windings serve as a second winding to receive energy; And the two or more first windings are half of a transformer.

3. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two or more first windings and the one or more cooperating windings may be nested together; The two or more first windings and the one or more cooperating windings are coaxial with each other during a charging operation.

4. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two or more first windings do not have rotational symmetry.

5. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The angle formed by the shape of the two or more first windings is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

6. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two or more first windings form one of a conical, hemispherical, or pyramidal shape.

7. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two or more first windings are wound around the outside or inside of the first ferromagnetic core.

8. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The first ferromagnetic core has one of the following shapes: conical, hemispherical, or pyramidal.

9. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The first ferromagnetic core is a frustum shaped like an upright cone.

10. The charging unit of claim 1, further comprising: One or more cooperating windings are available to cooperate with the two or more first windings; as well as A ferromagnetic shield is coupled to one or more of the cooperating windings.

11. The charging unit of claim 10, wherein: The two or more first windings are wound around the outer side of the first ferromagnetic core; and the one or more cooperating windings are wound around the inner side of the first ferromagnetic core.

12. The charging unit of claim 10, wherein: The two or more first windings are mechanically self-aligned with the one or more mating windings.

13. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two or more first windings and the one or more mating windings are constrained by an internal ferromagnetic core and an external ferromagnetic shield, the internal ferromagnetic core and the external ferromagnetic shield being arranged along a pair of position axes of the two or more first windings and the one or more mating windings.

14. The charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two or more first windings disposed on the first ferromagnetic core can be configured as a first winding function or a second winding function; and the one or more cooperating windings can be configured as a complementary winding function to the two or more first windings to provide bidirectional energy transfer.

15. The charging unit of claim 1, wherein: The first ferromagnetic core comprises at least one of the following composition: A ferrous material, suitable for AC frequencies below 100Hz; and A ferrite material suitable for AC frequencies above 10kHz.

16. The charging unit of claim 1, further comprising: An inductor and a capacitor are coupled to the two or more first windings to perform a resonant transformer operation.

17. The charging unit of claim 1, further comprising: A light source is positioned near the first ferromagnetic core; An optical sensor is placed near a ferromagnetic shield; And among them: The light source and the optical sensor provide alignment for charging.

18. An automatic charging system, comprising: One chassis; A powertrain is coupled to the chassis; as well as A brushless distribution unit, coupled to the chassis, is used for a wire; A charging unit for wireless energy transmission, the charging unit further comprising: A tapered plug with two or more first windings is connected to a tapered socket interface with one or more mating windings for wirelessly transmitting energy between the two or more first windings and the one or more mating windings, wherein one of the two or more first windings has no matching mating winding. A first ferromagnetic core, wherein the two or more first windings are arranged around the first ferromagnetic core; and wherein: The two or more first windings cannot be electrically coupled to the one or more cooperating windings; and the two or more first windings are not arranged in a plane.

19. The automatic charging system of claim 18, further comprising: One or more position sensors detect the position of a device that needs to be charged.

20. The automatic charging system of claim 18, further comprising: One local battery pack; as well as An inverter, coupled to the local battery pack, is used to drive the two or more first windings in the charging unit.

21. The automatic charging system of claim 18, further comprising: A cable is guided and coupled to the chassis, and a power cable is deployed when the chassis is running to a load that needs to be charged.

22. The automatic charging system of claim 18, wherein: The two or more first windings can be connected to multiple different turns ratios provided by the one or more cooperating windings.

23. The automatic charging system of claim 18, further comprising: A liquid cooling system that draws a liquid coolant into at least one of the two or more first windings and the first ferromagnetic core.

24. A method for wirelessly transferring energy from a charging unit to a load: Transverse the tapered plug with two or more first windings or the tapered socket with one or more mating windings to the position where they are closest to each other; Align one axis of the two or more first windings with one axis of the one or more cooperating windings coaxially; The two or more first windings and the one or more mating windings are longitudinally self-aligned along the coaxial self-alignment axis of the two or more first windings and the one or more mating windings, wherein one of the two or more first windings has no matching mating winding.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: A variable number of the two or more first windings are engaged with one or more cooperating windings to generate a variable power level of charging.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising: No brushes are configured to transfer power from the wires to the two or more first windings.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising: The two or more first windings and the one or more cooperating windings can be configured to operate in a resonant transformer mode or a non-resonant transformer mode.

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