Electronic devices, contactless charging systems, and pet robots

Abstract

To improve the power transmission efficiency of contactless charging while suppressing the increase in the size of electronic devices. [Solution] The electronic device comprises a power receiving coil unit used for contactless charging, a coil holder 266 for holding the power receiving coil unit, and a case 206 for housing the power receiving coil unit and the coil holder 266. An opening 282 is formed in the case 206, and the coil holder 266 holds the power receiving coil unit exposed through the opening 282 and reinforces the opening 282 by fixing to or contacting the peripheral edge of the opening 282 in the case 206.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, a non-contact charging system, and a pet robot.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an electronic device capable of performing non-contact charging has been known. During non-contact charging, the alignment between the position of the coil of the electronic device and the position of the coil of the charger may not be successful, and the transmission efficiency of non-contact charging may decrease. In order to address this, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, it is described that a magnet is used at the center of the coil, or that concavities and convexities that can be fitted between the charger and the electronic device are provided.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when a magnet is used at the center of the coil, the diameter of the coil increases in order to arrange the magnet at the center of the coil, and the electronic device becomes larger. Also, when concavities and convexities that can be fitted between the charger and the electronic device are provided, the electronic device becomes larger due to the provision of the concavities and convexities.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic device, a non-contact charging system, and a pet robot that can improve the transmission efficiency of non-contact charging while suppressing the increase in size of the electronic device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, one embodiment of the electronic device according to the present invention comprises a power receiving coil unit used for contactless charging, a coil holder for holding the power receiving coil unit, and a case for housing the power receiving coil unit and the coil holder, wherein an opening is formed in the case, the coil holder holds the power receiving coil unit in a state exposed from the opening, and the opening is reinforced by being fixed to or in contact with the peripheral edge of the opening in the case. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the transmission efficiency of contactless charging while suppressing the increase in size of electronic devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows the external appearance of the robot according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the robot according to the embodiment, seen from the side. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the housing according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the housing along the IV-IV cutting line. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is inverted vertically to show a disassembled perspective view of the first case of the fuselage. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the second case in Figure 5, but inverted vertically. [Figure 7] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the second case with the coil holder and other components removed from the opening. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the second case according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 7 is a disassembled perspective view of the coil holder and other components removed from the second case. [Figure 10] (a) and (b) are perspective views of a coil holder according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the power receiving coil and power receiving board in Figure 9, with their orientation inverted. [Figure 12] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the housing along the XII-XII cutting line. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of a contactless charging unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 14] Figure 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the contactless charging unit cut along the XIV-XIV cutting line. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. The robot 200 according to the embodiment is a small pet robot that mimics an animal and uses a battery capable of contactless power supply to rock its head. As an example, as shown in Figure 1, the robot 200 is equipped with an exterior 201 having decorative parts 202 that mimic eyes and hair 203. As shown in Figure 2, the robot 200 is equipped with a housing 207. The housing 207 is covered by the exterior 201 and is housed inside the exterior 201. The housing 207 is an electronic device comprising a head 204, a connecting part 205, and a body part (case) 206. The connecting part 205 connects the head 204 and the body part 206.

[0010] In the following explanation, assuming that the robot 200 is placed normally on a horizontal floor, the direction of the part corresponding to the face of the robot 200 (the part of the head 204 opposite to the body 206) will be defined as forward, and the direction of the part corresponding to the tail (the part of the body 206 opposite to the head 204) will be defined as backward. Also, the direction of the part of the robot 200 that contacts the floor surface when placed on a horizontal floor surface will be defined as down, and the opposite direction will be defined as up. Furthermore, the direction that is perpendicular to the straight line extending in the front-to-back direction of the robot 200 and also perpendicular to the straight line extending in the up-to-down direction will be defined as the left-to-right direction.

[0011] The exterior 201 is an example of an exterior component, and is long in the front-to-back direction and has a bag-like shape that can accommodate the housing 207 inside. The exterior 201 is formed in a cylindrical shape from the head 204 to the torso 206, and integrally covers the torso 206 and the head 204. By having an exterior 201 of this shape, the robot 200 is formed in a prone position. The outer surface of the exterior 201 is made of an artificial pile fabric that mimics the fur 203 of a small animal in order to simulate the feel of a small animal's skin. The lining of the exterior 201 is made of a flexible material such as leather, resin, or rubber. Because it is made of a flexible material, the exterior 201 follows the movement of the housing 207. Specifically, the exterior 201 follows the rotation of the head 204 relative to the torso 206.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the torso 206 extends in the front-to-back direction. The torso 206 contacts the mounting surface, such as a floor or table, on which the robot 200 is placed, via the outer casing 201. The torso 206 is equipped with a twist motor 221 at its front end. The head 204 is connected to the front end of the torso 206 via a connecting part 205. The connecting part 205 is equipped with an up-and-down motor 222. In Figure 2, the twist motor 221 is located on the torso 206, but it may also be located on the connecting part 205 or on the head 204. The head 204 is rotatably connected to the torso 206 with respect to the left-to-right and front-to-back directions of the robot 200.

[0013] The connecting part 205 connects the body part 206 and the head part 204 so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis that extends in the front-rear direction of the body part 206 through the connecting part 205. The twisting motor 221 is a servo motor for rotating (forward rotation) the head part 204 relative to the body part 206 clockwise (rightward) or counterclockwise (leftward) about the first rotation axis. Further, the connecting part 205 connects the body part 206 and the head part 204 so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis that extends in the left-right direction of the body part 206 through the connecting part 205. The up-down motor 222 is a servo motor for rotating (forward rotation) the head part 204 upward or downward (reverse rotation) about the second rotation axis.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the body part 206 is, for example, a cylindrical case made of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resin, and includes a first case 250 that constitutes the back side of the body part 206 of the robot 200 and a second case 280 that constitutes the ventral side of the body part 206. The body part 206 houses the twisting motor 221, the secondary battery 264, the battery holder 265, the coil holder 266, the power receiving coil 268, and the like.

[0015] [[ID=S]]

[0016] ​The twist motor 221, together with the head 204, the connecting section 205, the up / down motor 222 within the connecting section, and the operating unit fixing section 262 (described later), constitutes the operating unit 208. The operating unit 208 is a component that enables the robot 200 to move. The operating unit 208 is a consumable part and is replaced with a new operating unit 208 after a certain period of use. The operating unit fixing section 262 secures the operating unit 208 to the upper front of the first case 250 of the torso section 206 using fixing members 290 such as screws. The operating unit fixing section 262 also houses the twist motor 221. The main board 275 is mounted on the rear side of the board mounting section 263, and the PSoC board 276 is mounted on the left side of the board mounting section 263.

[0017] The secondary battery 264 that supplies power to the robot 200 is a battery that can be charged by contactless charging. The secondary battery 264 is located in the position closest to the opening 282 among the components arranged inside the first case 250. Shock-absorbing material 270 is attached to the secondary battery 264 to protect the position where the protective circuit board inside the battery is located. The battery holder 265 houses the secondary battery 264 with its lower main surface 2651 and peripheral walls 2653, 2654, and 2655, and protects the secondary battery 264 from vibration, shock, etc., together with the shock-absorbing material 270, etc. The upper main surface 2652 of the battery holder 265 is fixed to the lower end of the circuit board mounting part 263 with fixing members 290 such as screws. Of the peripheral walls 2653, 2654, and 2655 erected below the main surface 2651, the rear peripheral wall 2654 is provided with an impact-absorbing material (for preventing foreign matter from entering) 270 between it and the secondary battery 264.

[0018] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the second case 280 includes a coil holder 266 to which a power receiving coil is attached, a power receiving board 267 that transmits the power received by the power receiving coil 268 to the robot 200, a power receiving coil 268 that is wirelessly connected to a power transmitting coil 310 of a charging device 300 (described later), and a coil tape 269 that protects the power receiving coil 268. The second case 280 constitutes the lower half of the outer shell of the body 206. A rectangular opening 282 is formed at the bottom 281 of the second case 280 (the position furthest from the first case 250), and as shown in Figure 4, the power receiving coil 268 is positioned inside the opening 282 along the outer surface of the second case 280. At the lower rear of the inside of the second case 280, as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8, a coil holder retainer 283 is formed, which contacts the protruding portion 2667 of the coil holder 266 when a strong upward force is applied to the coil holder 266. The coil holder retainer 283 has a horizontal portion 2831 that is horizontal to the main surface of the coil holder 266, and a vertical portion 2832 that is vertical and serves as a reinforcing rib for the horizontal portion 2831. The coil holder 266 is fixed to the opening 282 by tightening fixing members 290 such as screws into the four screw holes 287 and the four screw holes 26681 of the coil holder 266. A connecting portion 205 is positioned at the front of the body 284 with a small gap between them. The upper end of the second case 280 has one screw hole 286 on each side. The first case 250 and the second case 280 are fixed to each other and integrated by inserting fixing members 290 such as screws from the screw holes 286 into the screw holes 253 of the first case 250 and tightening them.

[0019] As shown in Figures 4, 7, and 9, a power receiving board 267 is mounted on the upper main surface 2661 of the coil holder 266 with a gap, and a power receiving coil 268, which is attached to the ferrite 271 (bottom surface), is attached to the lower main surface 2662 with double-sided tape 272. As shown in Figures 4, 9, and 10(a) and (b), the coil holder 266 has vertical risers 2663, 2664, 2664, and 2665 formed on the main surface 2661. The power receiving board 267 is mounted on the coil holder 266 with a fixing member 290 such as a single screw, with the circuit components facing the main surface 2661, on a mounting projection 26611, a mounting base screw hole 26612, etc., and its front end is sandwiched between 2666. Thus, the coil holder 266 is mounted so that the power receiving board 267 is housed inside the coil holder 266. The coil holder 266 has a protruding portion 2667 that may come into contact with the coil holder retainer 283 of the second case 280. The protruding portion 2667 includes a flat portion 26671 that comes into contact with the horizontal portion 2831 to suppress deformation of the coil holder 266 when a load is applied, such as when the power receiving coil 268 or the coil holder 266 is pushed upward, and a vertical wall 26672 which is a rib that reinforces the flat portion 26671. In normal operation, the flat portion 26671 faces the horizontal portion 2831 with a gap between them and does not come into contact. In addition, the coil holder 266 has a small wall 2669 fitted into the opening 282 of the second case 280. Furthermore, an impact cushioning material 270 is attached to the mounting portion 26683 of the coil holder 266. As a result, the coil holder 266 is positioned below the secondary battery 264, with shock-absorbing material 270 on either side of its left and right ends, and supports the secondary battery 264 via the shock-absorbing material 270. The shock-absorbing material is positioned furthest from the opening 282 among the components arranged within the second case 280. Furthermore, the coil holder 266 is surrounded on all four sides by rising edges of a rectangular flat plate and reinforced by reinforcing ribs 26613, thus possessing high strength while having an internal cavity to house the power receiving board 267. As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 9, the coil tape 269 is positioned to cover the power receiving coil 268 shown in Figure 11 and to close the opening 282.The coil tape 269 has its ends 2692, 2693, 2694, and 2695 bent and is sandwiched and fixed between the end of the opening 282 and the coil holder 266, as shown in Figure 12.

[0020] Furthermore, the robot 200 is equipped with various sensors, a control unit, a memory unit, etc., which are known configurations as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2024-104908, but a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0021] Next, the positional relationships of the components arranged inside the fuselage section 206 will be explained. As shown in Figure 4, in the fuselage section 206, the first case 250 is mounted in the following order from top to bottom: circuit board mounting section 263, operating unit fixing section 262, twist motor 221, battery holder 265, and secondary battery 264. In the second case 280, the power receiving circuit board 267, coil holder 266, power receiving coil 268, and coil tape 269 are mounted in the following order from top to bottom. More specifically, the secondary battery 264 is positioned closest to the opening 282 among the components located inside the first case 250, and the shock absorber 270 attached to the coil holder 266 is positioned furthest from the opening 282 among the components located inside the second case 280. Since the secondary battery 264 is supported by the shock absorber 270 attached to the coil holder 266, when the first case 250 and the second case 280 are disassembled, the secondary battery 264 is positioned in the first case 250 for easy replacement. Therefore, the secondary battery 264 can be removed as soon as the second case 280 is removed by inverting the torso 206 upside down. In addition, the secondary battery 264 is protected from above and to the left by the battery holder 265, from the front by the second case 280, and from the remaining directions by the shock absorber 270 (Figure 12, etc.), thereby enhancing the safety of the robot 200. Furthermore, the coil holder 266 is fixed to the second case 280 by inserting its insertion portion 288 through two insertion holes 26682 to suppress movement of the coil holder 266 in the front-back and left-right directions, and by fixing it to the periphery of the opening 282 with a fixing member 290 using four screw holes 26681,287, thereby suppressing movement in the vertical and front-back and left-right directions, thereby increasing the integration between the second case 280 and the coil holder 266 and increasing the strength of the second case 280. In addition, the receiving coil 268, coil tape 269, and ferrite 271 are components of the receiving coil unit 295 that receives power for contactless charging. The receiving coil unit may not include the coil tape and ferrite, and may consist only of the receiving coil 268. The coil holder 266 may be fixed to the second case 280 by tightly sealing its periphery rather than using screws or the like.

[0022] The above describes the configuration of the robot 200 according to this embodiment. Next, the configuration of the charging device 300 according to this embodiment will be described. Note that in Figures 13 and 14 used to describe the charging device 300, the exterior 201 has been omitted for clarity. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the charging device 300 has a bowl-like shape and comprises an outer frame 301, a base surface 302, and a power transmission unit 303. The outer frame 301 forms the outer circumference of the charging device 300 and is made of an insulating material such as plastic. An AC adapter (not shown) connected to a household outlet is connected to the connection part 3011 of the outer frame 301. The base surface 302 is the surface on which the body portion 206 of the robot 200 is placed, and is configured to be parallel to the power receiving coil 268 provided on the body portion 206 when the robot 200 is placed on it. The floor surface 302 has a position-defining wall 304 and a power transmission opening 305 formed therein to define the position on which the body 206 of the robot 200 is placed. The power transmission unit 303 converts the DC current supplied from the AC adapter into AC current and transmits power to the robot 200 via the power transmission board 311 from a power transmission coil 310 (a power transmission coil unit that is exposed from the power transmission opening 305) located inside the power transmission opening 305 and along the floor surface 302. A coil tape 312 is arranged to cover the power transmission opening 305. The power transmission coil 310 and coil tape 312 are components of a power transmission coil unit that performs contactless charging power transmission. The power transmission coil unit may not include the coil tape, or it may consist only of the power transmission coil 310.

[0023] The above describes the configuration of the charging device 300 according to this embodiment. Next, the method for replacing the secondary battery 264 of the robot 200 will be described. First, open the zipper (not shown) on the exterior 201 of the robot 200 and remove the housing 207. Next, turn the housing 207 upside down and remove the second case 280 from the housing 207. With the second case 280 removed, the housing 207 has the secondary battery 264 positioned in a way that allows it to be easily removed from the first case 250, and the user can replace the depleted (or faulty) secondary battery 264 with a new secondary battery 264. After that, attach the second case 280, return the housing 207 to the exterior 201, and close the zipper to easily complete the battery replacement.

[0024] As described above, in the robot 200 according to this embodiment, by providing an opening 282 in the second case 280, the receiving coil 268 can be positioned closer to the transmitting coil 310 without significantly impairing the shape of the body portion 206, thereby improving the transmission efficiency of contactless charging by reducing the distance between the receiving coil 268 and the transmitting coil 310. Furthermore, the coil holder 266 holds the receiving coil 268 so that it is positioned inside the opening 282 and along the outer circumferential surface of the second case 280 (the receiving coil unit is held exposed from the opening 282 and fixed to the body portion 206 at multiple points on the periphery of the opening 282), making it possible to position the receiving coil 268 while ensuring the freedom of arrangement of other electronic components inside the second case 280, and also making it possible to bring the receiving coil 268 closer to the transmitting coil 310 of the charging device 300 during contactless charging, thereby improving the transmission efficiency of contactless charging while suppressing the increase in size of the electronic equipment. Furthermore, when contactless charging, the user can more accurately position the receiving coil 268 above the transmitting coil 310 of the charging device 300 by holding the robot 200 around its abdomen with their fingertips, thereby confirming the position of the receiving coil 268 by touch. In addition, the coil holder 266 is provided inside the second case 280 so as to close the opening 282, thereby reinforcing the opening 282 and suppressing the reduction in strength caused by the presence of the opening 282. The coil holder 266 has a projection 2667 that contacts the coil holder retainer 283 formed on the periphery of the opening 282 of the second case 280 when subjected to a large upward force, thus suppressing deformation of the coil holder 266. In addition, since the small wall 2669 is fitted into the opening 282 of the second case 280, the reduction in strength caused by the presence of the opening 282 can be suppressed. Furthermore, the power receiving coil 268 is located inside the opening 282 and is thinner than the outer wall of the second case 280, thus contributing to space saving. Also, the power receiving board 267 is positioned to be housed in the coil holder 266, which also contributes to space saving. Therefore, the positioning of the power receiving coil 268 used for contactless charging is easy, and the size of the housing 207 can be kept down.Furthermore, the second case 280 can be removed from the housing 207 with the receiving coil 268, receiving board 267, coil holder 266, etc., which are located below the secondary battery 264, attached to it. Since the secondary battery 264 is located at the very bottom of the first case 250, the secondary battery 264 can be easily replaced by inverting the housing 207 and removing the second case 280, resulting in high maintainability.

[0025] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of application of the present invention is not limited thereto. In other words, embodiments of the present invention can be applied in various ways, and all embodiments fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiments, the robot 200 was a pet robot, but it may also be an electronic device powered by a secondary battery, such as a cleaning robot or a serving robot, which does not have an exterior that imitates a small animal, such as the exterior 201.

[0026] In the above embodiment, the body portion 206 was configured to have a first case 250 and a second case 280. However, for example, the body portion may be composed of a single case with a removable bottom portion 281, or a single case may have an openable and closable door that allows for easy replacement of secondary batteries, motor units, etc.

[0027] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the exterior 201 had hair 203, but instead of hair, it may be feathers, or something that imitates the skin of a reptile, etc.

[0028] In the above embodiment, the head 204 was configured to move, but the tail may move instead of the head, or both the head and tail may move. Alternatively, the arms, legs, etc. may move instead of the head.

[0029] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0030] 206...Body (case), 266...Coil holder, 282...Opening, 295...Power receiving coil unit

Claims

1. A power receiving coil unit used for contactless charging, A coil holder that holds the power receiving coil unit, The system comprises a case housing the power receiving coil unit and the coil holder, The case has an opening, The aforementioned coil holder is The power receiving coil unit is held in a state exposed from the opening, The opening in the case is reinforced by fixing or contacting it with the peripheral edge of the opening. electronic equipment.

2. The coil holder is fixed to the case by being screwed to the peripheral edge at multiple points. The electronic device according to claim 1.

3. The power receiving coil unit includes a power receiving coil used for contactless charging and a power receiving board connected to the power receiving coil. The coil holder has the power receiving substrate attached to the main surface opposite to the main surface that holds the power receiving coil. The electronic device according to claim 1.

4. The system further comprises a secondary battery that is charged by the power received by the aforementioned power receiving coil, The case comprises a first case in which the secondary battery is installed and a second case in which the opening is formed. The first case and the second case are fixed to each other by a detachable fixing member. The electronic device according to claim 3.

5. The coil holder has a protruding portion that may contact a coil holder retainer formed in the case, and a small wall that fits into the opening. The electronic device according to claim 3.

6. The secondary battery is positioned closest to the opening among the components arranged in the first case. The coil holder is fitted with a shock-absorbing material to support the secondary battery. The shock-absorbing material is positioned at the position furthest from the opening among the components arranged in the second case. The electronic device according to claim 4.

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The charging device includes a power transmission coil unit that transmits power to the electronic device placed on the floor surface in a non-contact manner, An opening for power transmission is formed in the floor surface. The power transmission coil unit is positioned so as to be exposed from the power transmission opening. Contactless charging system.

8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, It has an exterior that resembles a small animal, The electronic device is housed in the casing, Non-contact charging is performed by bringing the part of the outer casing corresponding to the abdomen of the small animal into contact with the floor surface of the bowl-shaped charging device. Pet robot.

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