Power supply device, power supply method, and program

Abstract

To provide a power supply device, a power supply method, and a program, which can improve safety during non-contact charging.SOLUTION: A power supply device includes: a power supply part having a power supply member to supply power to a power receiving device placed on a placing face; a thermally conductive member which is provided in a place positioned between the power receiving device and the power supply member when the power receiving device is placed on the placing face and has higher thermal conductivity than a placing part; and a temperature detection part for detecting a temperature of the thermally conductive member. When the temperature of the thermally conductive member, which is detected by the temperature detection part, satisfies a predetermined condition after the power supply part starts supplying power at prescribed timing, control for stopping power supply by the power supply part is performed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply device, a power supply method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Various measures have been taken to prevent contactless charging devices from becoming too hot due to the presence of metallic foreign objects on the charging stand. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a contactless charging device that is equipped with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the power transmission coil, and reduces the charging current if the temperature during charging exceeds a predetermined temperature. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-153457 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the non-contact charging device described in Patent Document 1, for example, if a sudden temperature rise occurs, there is a risk that the temperature may exceed a predetermined temperature. Therefore, there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of improving safety during non-contact charging.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a power supply device, a power supply method, and a program that can improve safety during contactless charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The power supply device according to the present invention comprises: a placement section having a placement surface on which the power receiving device is placed; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided at a location between the power receiving device and the power supply member when the power receiving device is placed on the placement surface, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than the placement portion; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; a control unit that controls the power supply unit to stop power supply when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition after the power supply unit starts power supply at a predetermined timing; and Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the heat conduction member can slow down the temperature rise, thereby improving safety during contactless charging. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a robot including a power receiving device is placed on the power supply device. [Figure 3] 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a top view of a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power supply control process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1A is a bottom view of a coil cover according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a bottom view of a coil cover according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. To facilitate understanding of the embodiments, the description will be made with reference to the up and down directions in Figs. 1 and 2 as appropriate.

[0010] (Embodiment) First, the configuration of a power supply device 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. The power supply device 100 is a device that supplies electricity to a power receiving device provided in a robot 200 shown in Fig. 1.

[0011] Robot 200 in this embodiment is a pet robot that resembles a small animal. As shown in FIG. 1, robot 200 has two decorative members 202 on the front that resemble the eyes of a small animal. Robot 200 also has exterior 204 that is provided with fur 203 that resembles the fur of a small animal. As shown in FIG. 2, robot 200 is also provided with power receiving coil 201, which is a power receiving device. Power receiving coil 201 is, for example, a spirally wound planar coil, and the coil surface is arranged so that it is parallel to the upper surface of coil cover 101, which is the mounting surface of power supply device 100.

[0012] The power receiving coil 201 receives power through magnetic field coupling, such as electromagnetic induction, with the power transmitting coil 106 provided in the power supply device 100. The power received by the power receiving coil 201 is output to a charging circuit (not shown). The charging circuit rectifies the AC power received by the power receiving coil 201 and converts it into DC current, which charges a secondary battery (not shown). This allows power to be supplied contactlessly from the power supply device 100 to the secondary battery of the robot 200. Therefore, the power transmitting coil 106 corresponds to a power supply member. Also, although this embodiment illustrates an example in which a contactless charging method is performed between the power transmitting coil 106 and the power receiving coil 201, the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, any type of contactless power supply may be used as long as it uses a magnetic field to perform contactless power supply.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2, the power supply device 100 includes a coil cover 101, a floor surface 101a, a heat conduction member 103, a pressing member 104, a temperature sensor 105, a power transmission coil 106, a base 107, a substrate 108, and an outer frame 109.

[0014] The coil cover 101 corresponds to a mounting portion on which the robot 200 is placed. The coil cover 101 is made of a material other than metal so that the coil cover 101 itself does not generate heat when power is supplied by the power transmission coil 106. In this embodiment, the coil cover 101 is made of an insulating material such as plastic. The coil cover 101 may be made of a smooth material that has little friction with the robot 200, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The floor surface 101a is made of an insulating material such as plastic. The floor surface 101a may also be made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), like the coil cover 101.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3 , a thermally conductive member 103 is attached to the underside of the coil cover 101 with a thermally conductive double-sided tape 102. The thermally conductive member 103 is a sheet made of, for example, an acrylic material. The thermally conductive member 103 may be made of a silicone material instead of an acrylic material. The thermally conductive double-sided tape 102 is made of, for example, a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) resin with a thermally conductive acrylic adhesive applied to both sides. The thermally conductive double-sided tape 102 may consist solely of a thermally conductive acrylic adhesive, or may be made of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film with a thermally conductive acrylic adhesive applied to both sides. The thermally conductive member 103 is made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the coil cover 101.

[0016] Pressing member 104 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and is provided near the center of the lower part of heat conducting member 103 so as to cover the periphery of temperature sensor 105. More specifically, pressing member 104 has through-hole 104a formed therein, and pressing member 104 is disposed so that temperature sensor 105 is located inside through-hole 104a.

[0017] Temperature sensor 105 is a sensor for detecting the temperature of heat conducting member 103, and is a contact-type temperature sensor such as a resistance thermometer, a linear resistor, or a thermistor, and is provided at the center of the lower part of heat conducting member 103 as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 4. In other words, temperature sensor 105 is located on the side of coil cover 101 opposite to the side on which robot 200 is placed, at a position corresponding to the center position of heat conducting member 103.

[0018] In this embodiment, temperature sensor 105 is mounted on flexible printed wiring board 105a. Temperature information detected by temperature sensor 105 is transmitted to electronic components mounted on substrate 108 via flexible printed wiring board 105a. Flexible printed wiring board 105a may be formed by forming a circuit pattern on a film made of a resin or the like having high thermal conductivity, for example.

[0019] Furthermore, pressing member 104 is arranged such that flexible printed wiring board 105a is pressed against heat conductive member 103 by pressing member 104. This brings pressing member 104, flexible printed wiring board 105a, and heat conductive member 103 into close contact with each other. Even if a metallic foreign object is present on coil cover 101 and generates heat when power is supplied by power transmission coil 106, the generated heat is easily conducted to temperature sensor 105 via coil cover 101, thermally conductive double-sided tape 102, heat conductive member 103, and flexible printed wiring board 105a. Temperature sensor 105 corresponds to a temperature detection unit.

[0020] As described above, temperature sensor 105 is disposed inside through hole 104a formed in pressing member 104. Therefore, temperature sensor 105 contacts flexible printed wiring board 105a at a portion (specifically, a region inside the periphery of through hole 104a) different from the portion where pressing member 104 and flexible printed wiring board 105a contact each other (specifically, the periphery of through hole 104a). In other words, if pressing member 104 is not disposed, temperature sensor 105 would need to press heat conduction member 103 against flexible printed wiring board 105a, which could impose a load on temperature sensor 105. In contrast, according to this embodiment, temperature sensor 105 is disposed so as to be in contact with flexible printed wiring board 105a that is pressed against heat conduction member 103 by pressing member 104, thereby preventing a load from being applied to temperature sensor 105.

[0021] The pressing member 104 may be configured to function as a cushion for protecting the temperature sensor 105. The pressing member 104 may also function as a cushion by generating a repulsive force according to the gravity of the robot 200 placed on the coil cover 101.

[0022] Furthermore, by using the temperature sensor 105 to detect the temperature at a location corresponding to the central position of the heat conduction member 103 disposed on the underside of the coil cover 101, the manufacturing cost of the power supply device 100 can be reduced. More specifically, if the heat conduction member 103 is not provided, temperature sensors would need to be provided at multiple locations to detect temperature changes in the central portion and peripheral portions of the coil cover 101, resulting in increased costs. In contrast, in this embodiment, heat generated from the metallic foreign matter is transferred to the temperature sensor 105 via the heat conduction member 103. Therefore, the temperature sensor 105 disposed at a location corresponding to the central position of the heat conduction member 103 can detect temperature changes not only in the central portion of the coil cover 101 but also in other portions. In this way, the heat conduction member 103 functions as a member for quickly transferring heat generated by the metallic foreign matter to the temperature sensor 105. The heat conduction member 103 also functions as a member for diffusing heat from the heated metallic foreign matter to slow down the temperature rise of the metallic foreign matter.

[0023] Furthermore, as described above, the coil cover 101 is made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the thermally conductive member 103. Therefore, compared to the thermally conductive layer formed by the thermally conductive member 103, the coil cover 101 functions as a heat insulating layer that is less likely to transfer heat. In this case, even if the metal foreign object generates heat, the heat is prevented from diffusing over a wide area on the coil cover 101, and therefore, the heat generated by the metal foreign object can be prevented from being transferred to the robot 200.

[0024] The power transmitting coil 106 is, for example, a spirally wound planar coil, and is arranged so that the coil surface is parallel to the upper surface of the coil cover 101. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the power transmitting coil 106 is arranged so as to directly face the power receiving coil 201 of the robot 200 placed on the coil cover 101. In this embodiment, the power transmitting coil 106 is provided outside or inside the power supply device 100, and converts DC voltage supplied from an AC adapter connected to a household outlet into AC voltage, and transmits power from the power transmitting coil 106.

[0025] Base 107 is made of an insulating material such as plastic, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, power transmission coil 106 is placed on the upper surface thereof.

[0026] The board 108 is composed of a printed circuit board on which various electronic components are mounted. Specifically, the board 108 is mounted with a microcomputer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and a memory for storing various information.

[0027] The outer frame 109 is made of an insulating material such as plastic. In this embodiment, the outer frame 109 is shown to have an elliptical shape as shown in FIG. 4, but this is just an example and the shape is not limited to an elliptical shape. For example, the outer frame 109 may have a shape that is so-called egg-shaped, with the front bulging out more than the rear. The outer frame 109 is also provided with a notification unit (not shown), such as a lamp such as an LED or a speaker, that notifies the user of the presence of a metallic foreign object.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, power supply device 100 in this embodiment has an elliptical shape when viewed from above on a support surface such as a table. A circular heat-conducting member 103 is attached to the underside of circular coil cover 101 with heat-conducting double-sided tape 102 (see FIG. 2). A temperature sensor 105 is provided at a location corresponding to the center of circular heat-conducting member 103. While the illustrated example shows an example in which coil cover 101 and heat-conducting member 103 are circular, they are not limited to being circular and may be, for example, elliptical or polygonal. The shape of heat-conducting member 103 may be any shape as long as it matches the shape of coil cover 101.

[0029] Next, each functional unit of the power supply device 100 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the power supply device 100 includes a storage unit 110, a control unit 120, an input / output unit 130, a communication unit 140, and a system bus (not shown) that interconnects these units. Note that each of these functional units is realized by a microcomputer or FPGA that includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM mounted on a substrate 108, a memory that stores various information, and the like.

[0030] The memory unit 110 is a storage device such as a ROM, RAM, or flash memory, and stores various data (not shown) required in advance for executing the program 111 executed by the CPU of the control unit 120, set temperature information 112, and set time information 113.

[0031] The program 111 is a program for executing a power supply control process, which will be described later, and is stored in the storage unit 110 in advance.

[0032] The set temperature information 112 is a plurality of preset temperatures set by the user from a first set temperature to an n-th set temperature (n is an integer of 2 or more set by the user). The temperature set as the set temperature information 112 is a reference temperature to be compared with the rising temperature of the heat conductive member 103 detected by the temperature sensor 105 in the power supply control process described later.

[0033] In the set time information 113, for example, one second is set as the first set time corresponding to a first set temperature (e.g., 3 degrees), and three seconds is set as the second set time corresponding to a second set temperature (e.g., 5 degrees), and so on. An nth set time corresponding to an nth set temperature is set in advance by the user for each set temperature set in the set temperature information 112. The second set temperature is higher than the first set temperature, and the larger the value of n, the higher the temperature. The second set time is longer than the first set time, and the larger the value of n, the longer the time.

[0034] The control unit 120 is configured with a CPU, an FPGA, etc. The control unit 120 operates in accordance with a program 111 stored in the storage unit 110, and executes processing in accordance with the program 111. The control unit 120 includes a power supply control unit 121 and a determination unit 122 as main functional units provided by the program 111 stored in the storage unit 110.

[0035] The power supply control unit 121 is a functional unit that controls the start, continuation, and stop of power supply to the robot 200 according to the determination result by the function of the determination unit 122 .

[0036] The determination unit 122 is a functional unit that performs various determinations. The determination unit 122 has a function of determining whether the robot 200 is placed on the power supply device 100, for example, by determining whether communication has been established between the communication unit of the robot 200 and the communication unit 140 of the power supply device 100. The determination unit 122 also determines whether the permissible condition for continued power supply is met based on the rate of temperature change of the heat conduction member 103 detected by the temperature sensor 105. More specifically, the determination unit 122 determines whether the permissible condition for continued power supply is not met, whether the permissible condition for continued power supply is met, or whether the provisional permissible condition for continued power supply is met.

[0037] Here, determining that the permissible conditions for continued power supply are not met corresponds to determining that there is a metallic foreign object on the coil cover 101 and that there is a possibility that the temperature of the metallic foreign object will reach a preset temperature (for example, 70 degrees) if power supply by the power transmission coil 106 is continued. Note that the above-mentioned 70 degrees is an example of the preset temperature, and a different temperature may be set depending on the purpose.

[0038] On the other hand, "determining that the allowable conditions for continued power supply are satisfied" corresponds to determining that there is no metallic foreign matter on the coil cover 101, or that there is no metallic foreign matter that would reach a preset temperature (for example, 70 degrees) even if power supply from the power transmission coil 106 is continued. In this embodiment, no distinction is made between a case where there is no metallic foreign matter and a case where there is metallic foreign matter but the temperature does not reach 70 degrees, and a determination is made that the allowable conditions for continued power supply are satisfied in both cases. Furthermore, "determining that the provisional allowable conditions for continued power supply are satisfied" corresponds to determining that the conditions for continued power supply are satisfied, without determining that the allowable conditions for continued power supply are not satisfied, or that they are satisfied, but rather determining that the conditions for continued power supply are satisfied.

[0039] Furthermore, in order to set the conditions for the above-mentioned determination by the control unit 120, data is acquired when power is supplied to the robot 200 placed on the coil cover 101 with a metallic foreign object placed on the coil cover 101. More specifically, data is acquired regarding the change in temperature of the metallic foreign object during power supply, the change in the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 105, and the time required for the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 105 to increase by a predetermined temperature. Then, based on the acquired data, an nth set temperature and an nth set time corresponding to the nth set temperature are set. For example, based on data regarding the foreign object temperature reaching 70 degrees Celsius with continued power supply, it is possible to set the conditions for determining that the temperature of the metallic foreign object may exceed 70 degrees Celsius if power supply is continued.

[0040] The determination unit 122 has a function of comparing the temperature with each set temperature indicated by the set temperature information 112, and also a function of comparing the time at which the temperature reaches or exceeds the set temperature with each set time indicated by the set time information 113. Furthermore, the determination unit 122 has a function of determining whether the robot 200 is fully charged. In addition, the determination unit 122 has a function of making a determination required in the power supply control process described later.

[0041] The input / output unit 130 is a functional unit for inputting and outputting various data, such as temperature information of the heat conduction member 103 detected by the temperature sensor 105, and information for notifying the user of the presence of a metallic foreign object.

[0042] The communication unit 140 is a functional unit that enables the power supply device 100 to communicate with the robot 200 via the communication unit of the robot 200 .

[0043] These functional units work together to enable the power supply device 100 to start supplying power when the robot 200 is placed on the power supply device 100, and to stop supplying power when the temperature of the heat conduction member 103 satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0044] The above is the configuration of the power supply device 100. Next, the operation of the power supply device 100 will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a power supply control process executed in the power supply device 100. The power supply control process is started when the determination unit 122 determines that communication has been established between the communication unit of the robot 200 and the communication unit 140 of the power supply device 100. That is, the power supply control process is started when the robot 200 is set in the power supply device 100. Note that in this embodiment, an example will be described in which first to fifth set temperatures are set as the set temperature information 112 (i.e., an example in which n=5). Note that the initial value of n is 1, and is cleared to the initial value 1 each time the power supply control process is completed.

[0045] 6 starts, the control unit 120 first starts power supply to the robot 200 using the function of the power supply control unit 121 (step S101). Specifically, in step S101, power supply is started by magnetic field coupling between the power transmitting coil 106 of the power supply device 100 and the power receiving coil 201 of the robot 200. Note that in the processing of step S101, the temperature of the heat conductive member 103 immediately after the start of power supply is also acquired, similar to step S102 described later. In addition, after starting power supply in the processing of step S101, the control unit 120 starts measurement using a timer to measure the elapsed time since the start of power supply.

[0046] After executing the process of step S101, the control unit 120 acquires the temperature of the heat conducting member 103 (step S102). Specifically, in the process of step S102, the control unit 120 acquires temperature information of the heat conducting member 103 detected by the temperature sensor 105 via the input / output unit 130.

[0047] After executing the process of step S102, control unit 120 determines whether the rising temperature of heat conduction member 103 is equal to or higher than the nth set temperature by using the function of determination unit 122 (step S103). Specifically, in step S103, the rising temperature of heat conduction member 103 is calculated (derived) by subtracting the temperature of heat conduction member 103 acquired in the process of step S101 from the temperature of heat conduction member 103 acquired in step S102. Then, it is determined whether the calculated rising temperature is equal to or higher than the first set temperature indicated by set temperature information 112 stored in storage unit 110.

[0048] In the processing of step S103, if it is determined that the rising temperature of the heat conduction member 103 is less than the nth set temperature, that is, in this example, less than the first set temperature (step S103; No), the processing returns to step S102 while continuing to supply power, and the temperature of the heat conduction member 103 is acquired again.

[0049] On the other hand, if it is determined that the rising temperature of heat conduction member 103 is equal to or higher than the nth set temperature, that is, in this example, equal to or higher than the first set temperature (e.g., 3 degrees) (step S103; Yes), control unit 120 determines whether the elapsed time is less than a first set time (e.g., 1 second) by the function of determination unit 122 (step S104). Specifically, in step S104, it is determined whether the elapsed time since the measurement started in the process of step S101 is less than a first set time corresponding to the first set temperature indicated by set time information 113 stored in memory unit 110.

[0050] In step S104, if it is determined that the elapsed time is shorter than the first set time, that is, if the time it takes for the temperature detected by temperature sensor 105 to rise to the first set temperature (e.g., 3 degrees) after the start of power supply is shorter than the first set time (e.g., 1 second) (step S104; Yes), control unit 120 determines that the permissible condition for continuing power supply is not met (step S104A) and stops power supply (step S107). In this way, by stopping power supply by power transmission coil 106 when it is determined that the permissible condition for continuing power supply is not met, safety in contactless power supply can be improved.

[0051] On the other hand, if it is determined that the permissible conditions for continuing power supply are not satisfied, the control unit 120 performs a foreign object notification process to notify the user that a metallic foreign object is present (step S108), and ends the power supply control process. Specifically, in the process of step S108, the notification unit notifies the user via the input / output unit 130 by turning on a lamp such as an LED provided on the outer frame 109 or by outputting a sound from a speaker.

[0052] On the other hand, in the process of step S104, if it is determined that the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the nth set time, that is, in this example, if it is determined that the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the first set time, then the following will be described. If the time it takes for the temperature detected by temperature sensor 105 to rise to the first set temperature (e.g., 3 degrees) after the start of power supply is equal to or longer than the first set time (e.g., 1 second) (step S104; No), control unit 120, using the function of determination unit 122, determines whether the temperature is the nth set temperature corresponding to the maximum value of n (step S105). Specifically, since the maximum value of n in this example is 5, in the process of step S105, it determines whether the temperature is the fifth set temperature.

[0053] In the process of step S105, since n=1, it is determined that the temperature is not the fifth set temperature (step S105; No). Then, the control unit 120 determines that the provisional allowable condition for continuing charging is satisfied by the function of the determination unit 122, and continues the power supply (step S109).

[0054] In this example, after the process of step S109, n is incremented by 1 in the process of step S111 to make it 2. The value of n incremented in the process of step S111 corresponds to n of the nth set temperature indicated by the set temperature information 112 stored in the storage unit 110, and the process of step S111 can be executed until the value of n becomes the same as n of the nth set temperature indicated by the set temperature information 112. In other words, if the first to fifth set temperatures are set as the set temperature information 112, step S111 will be executed until n=5, which corresponds to the fifth set temperature, and will not be executed thereafter.

[0055] Also, if n=2 and the process returns to step S102, when determining in step S103 whether the rising temperature of the heat conduction member 103 is equal to or higher than the nth set temperature, this time it determines whether the rising temperature is equal to or higher than the second set temperature indicated by the set temperature information 112.

[0056] Furthermore, in the second processing of step S104, it is determined whether the elapsed time since measurement began in the processing of step S101 is less than the second set time corresponding to the second set temperature indicated by the set time information 113 stored in the memory unit 110. If the elapsed time is shorter than the second set time, it is determined that the permissible condition for continuing power supply is not met, and power supply is stopped. On the other hand, if the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the second set time, it is determined that the provisional permissible condition for continuing power supply is met, and power supply is continued. In this case, the control unit 120 adds 1 to n to make it 3, and returns to the processing of step S102. The same process is repeated thereafter.

[0057] The process of step S111 is then executed until n=5, which is the maximum value in this example. When it is detected that the temperature of the heat conductive member 103 has risen to the fifth set temperature, the control unit 120 determines whether the elapsed time is less than the fifth set time (step S104). If the control unit 120 determines that the elapsed time is shorter than the fifth set time, it determines that the permissible condition for continuing power supply is not met (step S104A) and stops power supply (step S107). On the other hand, if the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the fifth set time, the control unit 120 determines that the permissible condition for continuing power supply is met because the temperature is the nth set temperature corresponding to the maximum value of n (step S106). In other words, the control unit 120 determines that no metallic foreign object is present on the coil cover 101, or that no metallic foreign object that would reach a preset temperature (e.g., 70°C) is present even if power supply from the power transmitting coil 106 is continued, and continues power supply.

[0058] After the process of step S106, the control unit 120 determines whether the robot 200 is fully charged, that is, whether the robot 200 is fully powered, by using the function of the determination unit 122 (step S110). Specifically, in the process of step S110, the control unit 120 determines whether the robot 200 is fully powered by checking whether a signal indicating that the robot 200 is fully powered is received from the communication unit 140.

[0059] If it is determined in the process of step S110 that the robot 200 has reached full power supply, i.e., if a signal indicating that the robot 200 has reached full power supply is received from the communication unit 140 (step S110; Yes), the control unit 120 ends the power supply control process. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of step S110 that the robot 200 has not reached full power supply, i.e., if a signal indicating that the robot 200 has reached full power supply is not received from the communication unit 140 (step S110; No), the control unit 120 continues power supply until a signal indicating that the robot 200 has reached full power supply is received from the robot 200.

[0060] In this way, instead of continuing power supply until full power supply is achieved when the condition that the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the first set time is met in the first determination of step S104, multiple timings are set to determine whether or not to continue power supply, thereby further improving safety during power supply.

[0061] Furthermore, when the robot 200 is set on the power supply device 100, a power supply control process is executed, and if the temperature of the heat conduction member 103 satisfies a predetermined condition, i.e., if the temperature rise of the heat conduction member 103 reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature within a predetermined time, the power supply is stopped. In other words, if the temperature rise reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature within a predetermined period after the start of power supply, the power supply is stopped. Therefore, the safety of the power supply can be improved even when a sudden temperature rise occurs, and the safety during contactless charging can be improved.

[0062] Furthermore, while the configuration described above determines the presence or absence of a metallic foreign object based on the detection result of temperature sensor 105 and controls power supply, a foreign object detection method defined in the Qi standard, an international standard for wireless power supply, may be used in combination. This foreign object detection method derives the difference between the power transmitted from the power supply coil and the power received by the power receiving coil as a power loss, and detects the presence of a metallic foreign object when this power loss exceeds a threshold. By using such a method in combination, safety in contactless charging can be further improved.

[0063] (Variation) The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and applications are possible. For example, the power supply device 100 and the robot 200 do not need to have all of the technical features described in the above-described embodiment, but may have some of the configurations described in the above-described embodiment so as to solve at least one problem in the prior art. Furthermore, at least a portion of each of the following modifications may be combined.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the heat conductive member 103 has a circular shape, but this is merely an example. In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7(A), the heat conductive member 103 having the same shape as the coil cover 101 is provided on the underside of the coil cover 101. However, as shown in FIG. 7(B), for example, radial heat conductive members 999 may be provided. Furthermore, the radial heat conductive members 999 may be made of an acrylic or silicone material, similar to the heat conductive member 103, or may be made of a metal such as aluminum tape. When made of a metal such as aluminum tape, the width of each of the radial heat conductive members 999 may be narrowed to prevent the heat conductive member 999 itself from generating heat during power supply.

[0065] In addition, although the above embodiment shows an example in which the thermally conductive member 103 is provided on the lower surface of the coil cover 101, it may be provided on the upper surface. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example in which the thermally conductive member 103 is attached with the thermally conductive double-sided tape 102 is shown, but it is sufficient if a thermally conductive material is added to the coil cover 101, and for example, only the thermally conductive double-sided tape 102 may be provided without providing the thermally conductive member 103.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the set time information 113 is set in advance by the user for each set temperature set by the set temperature information 112. However, this is merely an example. For example, a second set time that is later than the first set time may be set. In this case, in the power supply control process shown in FIG. 6, it is sufficient to determine whether the elapsed time exceeds the second set time as a process after step S104. Furthermore, it is also possible to stop power supply when the elapsed time is shorter than the second set time, and to continue power supply when the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the second set time. In addition to this, a third set temperature and a fourth set temperature may also be set. Then, a process similar to the above process related to the second set time may be performed for the third set temperature and the fourth set temperature.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the maximum n is 5 has been described, but the maximum n may also be 1. That is, only the first set temperature and the first set time may be set. When only the first set temperature and the first set time are set, if the determination in step S104 in the power supply control process shown in FIG. 6 is No, power supply is continued until full power supply is achieved. That is, the first determination in step S104 may determine whether the allowable condition for continuing power supply is met or not met.

[0068] In the above embodiment, when it is determined that the permissible conditions for continuing power supply are met based on the determination results for the nth set temperature and nth set time corresponding to the maximum n, the case where power supply is continued until full power supply is reached has been described. However, this is just one example. For example, the nth set temperature and nth set time may be set so that full power supply is reached during the cycle until the maximum n is reached.

[0069] 6, an example has been shown in which it is determined whether the rising temperature of the heat conductive member 103 is equal to or higher than the nth set temperature, but it may be determined whether the rising temperature of the heat conductive member 103 exceeds the nth set temperature. Also, in the process of step S104, an example has been shown in which it is determined whether the elapsed time is less than the nth set time, but it may be determined whether the elapsed time is equal to or shorter than the nth set time.

[0070] In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which it is determined whether or not the temperature of the metallic foreign matter is likely to reach 70 degrees based on the rate of temperature change detected by temperature sensor 105, but this is just one example. For example, control unit 120 may determine whether or not the temperature of heat conduction member 103 is 70 degrees or higher. Specifically, it may directly determine whether or not the temperature of heat conduction member 103 acquired in the process of step S102 is a preset value of 70 degrees or higher.

[0071] Then, if it is determined that the temperature of the heat conduction member 103 is 70 degrees or higher, the function of the determination unit 122 may determine that a metal foreign object is present on the coil cover 101, which serves as the mounting portion on which the robot 200 is placed, and the control unit 120 may be configured to stop the power supply using the function of the power supply control unit 121.

[0072] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the case where no metallic foreign object is present and the case where a metallic foreign object is present but the temperature does not reach 70 degrees are determined to satisfy the conditions for allowing continuation of power supply together without distinguishing between them, but other determinations may also be made. For example, conditions may be set to distinguish between the case where no metallic foreign object is present and the case where a metallic foreign object is present but the temperature does not reach 70 degrees, and a determination may be made separately for the case where no metallic foreign object is present and the case where a metallic foreign object is present but the temperature does not reach 70 degrees.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the power supply device 100 starts supplying power when the robot 200 is placed on the power supply device 100. However, this is just one example. Other timings may be set as the timing at which the power supply device 100 starts supplying power. For example, power supply may start when a predetermined time has elapsed since it was detected that the robot 200 was placed on the power supply device 100. Furthermore, power supply may start when a user issues an instruction to start power supply after the robot 200 is placed on the power supply device 100.

[0074] In addition, in the above embodiment, a metal foreign object has been described as the foreign object, but this is only one example, and the present invention can be applied to any type of foreign object that generates heat when power is supplied by the power transmission coil 106.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the programs for the power supply control process and the like executed by the power supply device 100 have been described as being stored in advance in the storage unit 110. However, these programs may be stored and distributed on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), an MO (Magneto-Optical disc), a memory card, or a USB memory, and the programs may be read and installed on a computer to configure a computer that can execute the above-described processes.

[0076] It is also possible to superimpose a program that realizes the above-mentioned functions onto a carrier wave and distribute it via a communication network. For example, the program may be posted on a bulletin board system (BBS) on the communication network and distributed via the network.

[0077] The present invention allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the meaning of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. The invention as originally described in the claims of this application is set forth below.

[0078] (Appendix 1) a placement section having a placement surface on which the power receiving device is placed; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided at a location between the power receiving device and the power supply member when the power receiving device is placed on the placement surface, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than the placement portion; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; a control unit that controls the power supply unit to stop power supply when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition after the power supply unit starts power supply at a predetermined timing; and A power supply device comprising:

[0079] (Appendix 2) the control unit, when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit rises by a predetermined temperature range or more set corresponding to the predetermined period within a predetermined period after the power supply unit starts supplying power, determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied and stops power supply by the power supply unit. 10. The power supply device according to claim 1.

[0080] (Appendix 3) the control unit, when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit rises by a predetermined temperature range or more within a predetermined period after the power supply unit starts supplying power, determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied and stops power supply by the power supply unit. The power supply device according to Supplementary Note 1 further comprises:

[0081] (Appendix 4) a plurality of the predetermined temperature ranges are set, and different predetermined periods are set corresponding to the plurality of predetermined temperature ranges, the control unit continues power supply by the power supply unit when it is determined that the predetermined condition is not satisfied for all of the predetermined temperature ranges and the predetermined periods corresponding to the predetermined temperature ranges. 10. The power supply device according to claim 2.

[0082] (Appendix 5) a determination unit that determines that a foreign object is present on the placement surface when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit rises by a predetermined temperature range or more within a predetermined period after the power supply unit starts supplying power, The power supply device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, further comprising:

[0083] (Appendix 6) the heat conduction member is provided on the opposite side of the mounting surface of the mounting portion; 4. The power supply device according to claim 3.

[0084] (Appendix 7) the heat conductive member is attached to the mounting portion by a heat conductive adhesive member; 6. The power supply device according to claim 5.

[0085] (Appendix 8) a mounting portion having a mounting surface on which the power receiving device is placed, the mounting portion functioning as a heat insulating layer; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided on a surface of the mounting portion opposite to the mounting surface side, the heat conduction member functioning as a heat conduction layer; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; a control unit that controls the power supply unit to stop power supply when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition after the power supply unit starts power supply at a predetermined timing; and A power supply device comprising:

[0086] (Appendix 9) a placement section having a placement surface on which the power receiving device is placed; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided at a location between the power receiving device and the power supply member when the power receiving device is placed on the placement surface, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than the placement portion; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; A power supply method using a power supply device including a control unit that controls power supply, starting power supply from the power supply unit at a predetermined timing; stopping power supply from the power supply unit when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition; A power supply method comprising:

[0087] (Appendix 10) a placement section having a placement surface on which the power receiving device is placed; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided at a location between the power receiving device and the power supply member when the power receiving device is placed on the placement surface, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than the placement portion; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; a control unit that controls power supply, a control unit that controls the power supply unit to stop power supply when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition after the power supply unit starts power supply at a predetermined timing; A program that functions as a [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 100 power supply device, 101 coil cover, 101a floor surface, 102 thermally conductive double-sided tape, 103 thermally conductive member, 104 pressing member, 104a through-hole, 105 temperature sensor, 106 power transmission coil, 107 base, 108 substrate, 109 outer frame, 110 memory unit, 111 program, 112 set temperature information, 113 set time information, 120 control unit, 121 power supply control unit, 122 determination unit, 130 input / output unit, 140 communication unit, 200 robot, 201 power receiving coil

Claims

1. a placement section having a placement surface on which the power receiving device is placed; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided at a location between the power receiving device and the power supply member when the power receiving device is placed on the placement surface, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than the placement portion; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; a control unit that controls the power supply unit to stop power supply when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition after the power supply unit starts power supply at a predetermined timing; and A power supply device comprising:

2. the control unit, when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit rises by a predetermined temperature range or more set corresponding to the predetermined period within a predetermined period after the power supply unit starts supplying power, determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied and stops power supply by the power supply unit. The power supply device according to claim 1 .

3. the control unit, when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit rises by a predetermined temperature range or more within a predetermined period after the power supply unit starts supplying power, determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied and stops power supply by the power supply unit. The power supply device according to claim 1 .

4. a plurality of the predetermined temperature ranges are set, and different predetermined periods are set corresponding to the plurality of predetermined temperature ranges, the control unit continues power supply by the power supply unit when it is determined that the predetermined condition is not satisfied for all of the predetermined temperature ranges and the predetermined periods corresponding to the predetermined temperature ranges. The power supply device according to claim 2 .

5. a determination unit that determines that a foreign object is present on the placement surface when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit rises by a predetermined temperature range or more within a predetermined period after the power supply unit starts supplying power, The power supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

6. the heat conduction member is provided on the opposite side of the mounting surface of the mounting portion; The power supply device according to claim 3 .

7. the heat conductive member is attached to the mounting portion by a heat conductive adhesive member; The power supply device according to claim 5 .

8. a mounting portion having a mounting surface on which the power receiving device is placed, the mounting portion functioning as a heat insulating layer; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided on a surface of the mounting portion opposite to the mounting surface side, the heat conduction member functioning as a heat conduction layer; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; a control unit that controls the power supply unit to stop power supply when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition after the power supply unit starts power supply at a predetermined timing; and A power supply device comprising:

9. a placement section having a placement surface on which the power receiving device is placed; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided at a location between the power receiving device and the power supply member when the power receiving device is placed on the placement surface, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than the placement portion; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; A power supply method using a power supply device including a control unit that controls power supply, starting power supply from the power supply unit at a predetermined timing; stopping power supply from the power supply unit when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition; A power supply method comprising:

10. a placement section having a placement surface on which the power receiving device is placed; a power supply unit having a power supply member for supplying power to the power receiving device placed on the placement surface; a heat conduction member provided at a location between the power receiving device and the power supply member when the power receiving device is placed on the placement surface, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than the placement portion; a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the heat conduction member; a control unit that controls power supply, a control unit that controls the power supply unit to stop power supply when the temperature of the heat conduction member detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition after the power supply unit starts power supply at a predetermined timing; A program that functions as a

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