Contactless power supply device

Abstract

This invention provides a contactless power supply device that electrically connects two circuit boards in a simple manner. [Solution] The non-contact power supply device 1, which supplies power to an object without contact, comprises a cover 10 having a mounting surface 11a on which the object to be powered is placed, a case 80, a power supply coil section 20 having a coil 24 that is arranged parallel to the mounting surface 11a in a housing space ss formed by joining the cover 10 and the case 80, and generates a magnetic field for supplying power to the object to be powered placed on the mounting surface 11a when power is supplied, a first substrate 30 arranged in the housing space ss on the opposite side of the mounting surface 11a from the power supply coil section 20 and supplies power to the coil 24, a second substrate 40 arranged in the housing space ss between the mounting surface 11a and the power supply coil section 20 and attenuates noise contained in the magnetic field, and an elastic connecting component 60 arranged between the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40 and electrically connects the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a contactless power supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a contactless power supply device capable of charging a power receiving object in a contactless state has been known. Patent Document 1 describes a composite transmission device capable of performing contactless power supply (energy transmission) using a magnetic field generated by energizing a coil and contactless signal transmission. The composite transmission device has a circuit board between the power receiving object to be powered and the coil. The circuit board has a first partial structure and a second partial structure that function as an antenna. A signal voltage is input to the first partial structure, and the second partial structure is at a ground potential. The second partial structure has a function of attenuating the magnetic field generated by the coil.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the composite transmission device described in Patent Document 1, the first substructure of the circuit board receives a signal via a coaxial cable. In this case, it is suggested that the second substructure of the circuit board is also connected to ground potential via a coaxial cable. There are two main methods for connecting a coaxial cable to a circuit board. One is to directly solder the center conductor and ground conductor of the coaxial cable to the circuit board. The other is to attach a coaxial connector to the end of the coaxial cable and mount the mating coaxial connector on the circuit board, then connect the two coaxial connectors by mating them together. However, both methods require connection time and material costs including coaxial cables, which leads to increased costs for the composite transmission device, leaving room for improvement.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a contactless power supply device that can electrically connect two circuit boards in a simple manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the contactless power supply device according to the present disclosure is a contactless power supply device for supplying power to an object having a secondary battery in a contactless manner, comprising: a cover having a mounting surface on which the object to be powered is placed; a case joined to the cover; a power supply coil section having a coil that is at least partially housed in a housing space formed by the joining of the cover and the case, and arranged parallel to the mounting surface, and which generates a magnetic field for supplying power to the object to be powered placed on the mounting surface when power is supplied to it; a first substrate that is at least partially housed in the housing space and arranged on the opposite side of the mounting surface from the power supply coil section, and supplies power to the coil; a second substrate that is at least partially housed in the housing space and arranged between the mounting surface and the power supply coil section, and which attenuates noise contained in the magnetic field; and an elastic connecting component arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, which electrically connects the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0007] According to the contactless power supply device of this embodiment, by simply arranging a connecting component elastically deformed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a contact force can be applied to the first substrate and the second substrate by the restoring force of the connecting component. This allows for a simple and stable electrical connection between the first substrate and the second substrate. Furthermore, the electrical connection state between the first substrate and the second substrate can be confirmed by visually checking whether or not the connecting component is elastically deformed.

[0008] Furthermore, the contactless power supply device according to this embodiment has a second substrate on which a circuit pattern is formed that can attenuate noise contained in the magnetic field generated from the coil of the power supply coil. This reduces unwanted radiation from the power supply coil and suppresses the influence of radiated noise on the powered object and surrounding equipment. As a result, a contactless power supply device with excellent EMI characteristics can be realized. Moreover, since a housing space can be formed between the cover and the case, the first substrate, the second substrate, and the power supply coil can be protected from external dust and other particles.

[0009] In another embodiment of the contactless power supply device according to the present disclosure, the cover has a rod-shaped support portion extending through the second substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the second substrate, and the connecting component is preferably a compression coil spring which is fitted onto the support portion and positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate in an elastically deformed state, thereby electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0010] According to the contactless power supply device of this embodiment, if the elastic connecting component is a compression coil spring and the cover has a support portion, the compression coil spring can be positioned by simply fitting it onto the support portion, and displacement of the compression coil spring due to elastic deformation is unlikely to occur. Furthermore, since the compression coil spring is brought into contact with the first substrate and the second substrate by the restoring force when elastically deformed, a stable electrical connection between the first substrate and the second substrate can be established by a simple method.

[0011] In another embodiment of the contactless power supply device according to this disclosure, it is preferable that the device further comprises a first shield case which is at least partially housed in the housing space and is positioned between the power supply coil and the first substrate.

[0012] According to the contactless power supply device of this embodiment, the first shield case, which is placed between the power supply coil and the first substrate, shields at least a portion of the first substrate. This increases the shielding rate of noise radiated from the first substrate, and suppresses the noise radiated from the first substrate from being superimposed on the magnetic field generated from the coil of the power supply coil, or from affecting the powered object or surrounding equipment with radiated noise.

[0013] In another embodiment of the contactless power supply device according to this disclosure, it is preferable that a second shield case is further provided, which is located on the opposite side of the first substrate from the power supply coil portion.

[0014] According to the contactless power supply device of this embodiment, the second shield case shields at least partially the side of the first substrate opposite to the power supply coil, thereby suppressing the adverse effects of radiated noise emitted from the first substrate on peripheral equipment.

[0015] In another embodiment of the contactless power supply device according to this disclosure, the second shield case has a rod-shaped support portion extending through the first substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the first substrate, and the connecting component is preferably a compression coil spring which is fitted onto the support portion and positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate in an elastically deformed state, thereby electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0016] According to the contactless power supply device of this embodiment, if the elastic connecting component is a compression coil spring and the second shield case has a support portion, the compression coil spring can be positioned by simply fitting it onto the support portion, and displacement of the compression coil spring due to elastic deformation is unlikely to occur. Furthermore, since the compression coil spring is brought into contact with the first substrate and the second substrate by the restoring force when elastically deformed, a stable electrical connection between the first substrate and the second substrate can be established by a simple method.

[0017] In another embodiment of the contactless power supply device according to this disclosure, it is preferable that the second case has a shielding function.

[0018] According to the contactless power supply device of this embodiment, since the case has a shielding function, there is no need to use a separate component with a shielding function in addition to the case, and the contactless power supply device can be constructed inexpensively and lightly.

[0019] In another embodiment of the contactless power supply device according to the present disclosure, the case has a rod-shaped support portion extending through the first substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the first substrate, and the connecting component is preferably a compression coil spring which is fitted onto the support portion and positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate in an elastically deformed state, thereby electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0020] According to the contactless power supply device of this embodiment, if the elastic connecting component is a compression coil spring and the case has a support portion, the compression coil spring can be positioned by simply fitting it onto the support portion, and displacement of the compression coil spring due to elastic deformation is unlikely to occur. Furthermore, since the compression coil spring is brought into contact with the first substrate and the second substrate by the restoring force when elastically deformed, a stable electrical connection between the first substrate and the second substrate can be established by a simple method.

[0021] In another embodiment of the non-contact power supply device according to the present disclosure, it is preferable to further include a communication antenna capable of signal communication with the power-receiving object in a non-contact manner.

[0022] According to this embodiment, since a communication antenna is further provided, power supply to the power-receiving object can be started or stopped based on the result of signal communication with the power-receiving object in a non-contact manner.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the non-contact power supply device according to this embodiment as viewed from the front side and the back side. [Figure 2] It is an exploded perspective view of the non-contact power supply device. [Figure 3] It is an exploded perspective view of the non-contact power supply device. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration around the support portion of the non-contact power supply device according to another embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration around the support portion of the non-contact power supply device according to another embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the non-contact power supply device according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are examples for explaining the non-contact power supply device according to the present disclosure, and the non-contact power supply device is not limited to these embodiments. Therefore, the non-contact power supply device according to the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist thereof.

[0025] 〔Configuration of the Non-Contact Power Supply Device〕 The contactless power supply device 1 according to this embodiment is used to contactlessly charge a secondary battery (for example, a lithium-ion battery) (not shown) built into a portable information terminal 5 such as a smartphone (an example of a device to be powered). The contactless power supply device 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, as shown in Figure 1. The contactless power supply device 1 according to this embodiment is configured to include a cover 10, a power supply coil section 20, a first circuit board 30, a connector 35, a second circuit board 40, a first shield case 50, a compression coil spring 60 (an example of a connecting component), a heat dissipation fan 70, and a case 80, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the contactless power supply device 1 supplies power to the secondary battery built into the portable information terminal 5, which is placed on the mounting surface 11a of the mounting portion 11 of the cover 10, in a contactless manner. Specifically, the contactless power supply device 1 energizes multiple (three in this embodiment) primary coils 24 (see Figure 2) of the power supply coil section 20 to generate a magnetic field, and the generated magnetic field induces an electromotive force (electromagnetic induction) in the secondary coil (not shown) built into the portable information terminal 5. The secondary battery of the portable information terminal 5 is charged by this induced electromotive force of the secondary coil.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1 below, the direction along the shortest side (thickness direction) of the contactless power supply device 1, which has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, is referred to as the Z direction. In other words, the Z direction is the stacking direction of the cover 10 and the case 80. Furthermore, within the Z direction, the direction and side from which the cover 10 is viewed from the case 80 is referred to as the Z1 direction and Z1 side, and the direction and side from which the case 80 is viewed from the cover 10 is referred to as the Z2 direction and Z2 side. In a plan view along the Z2 direction, the direction along the longer side of the mounting surface 11a of the roughly rectangular cover 10 is referred to as the X direction, and the direction along the shorter side is referred to as the Y direction.

[0028] The cover 10 is made of an insulator such as resin and has a bottomed rectangular tube shape. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the mounting portion 11 of the cover 10 is a roughly rectangular area visible in plan view (the bottom of the bottomed rectangular tube shape). The mounting portion 11 is thin-walled, and the portable information terminal 5 to be powered is placed on the mounting surface 11a, which is the outer surface of the mounting portion 11. The cover 10 also has thin-walled cover side walls 12 that are erected in the Z2 direction from each of the four outer edges (four sides) of the mounting portion 11 and surround the outer edges along the circumferential direction. However, the corners (four corners) of the four sides of the mounting portion 11 that are closer to the mounting portion 11 are recessed inward, and mounting through holes 13 are formed in the remaining portions excluding the recessed parts. The non-contact power supply device 1 can be attached to a support wall (not shown) by inserting a screw or the like through the mounting through hole 13 and screwing it into the support wall (not shown). In addition, on one of the two sides of the cover side wall 12 that are the short sides of the mounting portion 11 in a plan view, a plurality of (10 in this embodiment) ventilation holes 14 are formed to allow air to circulate between the inside and outside of the cover 10.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, on the back surface 11d of the mounting portion 11 of the cover 10, which is the surface opposite to the mounting surface 11a, a recessed portion 11b is formed in the Z1 direction, into which the second substrate 40 fits. The recessed portion 11b has the same shape as the second substrate 40 when viewed from the bottom, which is a view along the Z1 direction, and the second substrate 40 fits in without any gaps. However, the recessed portion 11b may be larger than the second substrate 40. In this case, the second substrate 40 fits into the recessed portion 11b at least partially in contact with or close to the second substrate 40. The depth of the recessed portion 11b is slightly deeper than the thickness of the second substrate 40. However, the depth of the recessed portion 11b may be the same as or shallower than the thickness of the second substrate 40. In addition, a rod-shaped support portion 11c extending in the Z2 direction is formed on the bottom surface of the recessed portion 11b. Furthermore, on the back surface 11d, outside the fitting portion 11b, there are multiple (four in this embodiment) bosses 11e that are used to position the first shield case 50, the first substrate 30, and the case 80 in the Z direction relative to the cover 10, and are fixed to the cover 10 by screwing in fixing screws 88. The bosses 11e have a cylindrical shape and four outward-facing ribs are formed on their sides. The bosses 11e have a bottomed hole.

[0030] The compression coil spring 60 is a coil spring made of a conductive metal or the like, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, it has a shape in which the coil diameter at both ends is relatively larger than the coil diameter at the center. The natural length of the compression coil spring 60 is longer than the distance between the Z1 side surface of the first substrate 30 and the Z2 side surface of the second substrate 40. Therefore, the compression coil spring 60 is positioned between the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40 in a state of elastic deformation in the direction of compression, and exerts a restoring force on the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40. The compression coil spring 60 may be made of a uniform diameter, or the diameter at both ends may be relatively smaller than the diameter at the center. Furthermore, the compression coil spring 60 may be configured to gradually decrease or increase in diameter from one end to the other. The compression coil spring 60 can be made of any shape as long as the necessary restoring force (contact force) can be obtained.

[0031] The first substrate 30 has a roughly rectangular plate shape, with both ends of one short side recessed inward. Electrical circuits (not shown) such as a power supply circuit, charging circuit, and control circuit that control power supply in the non-contact power supply device 1 are formed on the first substrate 30. To establish an electrical connection with the second substrate 40, the first substrate 30 has a first land 32 on the Z1 side that is connected to the ground potential of the electrical circuit (see Figure 2). The first land 32 is not covered with resist, and the surface of the copper foil or copper foil with metal plating is exposed. The first land 32 has a circular or annular outer shape. The first land 32 is in contact with one end of the elastically deformed compression coil spring 60, and the pressing force (contact force) of the compression coil spring 60 acts on the first land 32. The outer diameter of the first land 32 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the end of the compression coil spring 60. This ensures that the compression coil spring 60 is reliably electrically connected to the first land 32. A first through-hole 32a is formed in the center of the first land 32, having an inner diameter through which the support portion 11c of the cover 10 can be inserted. The first substrate 30 may be a rigid substrate or a flexible substrate. Furthermore, the first substrate 30 may be a single-sided substrate, a double-sided substrate, or a multilayer substrate.

[0032] A connector 35 is mounted on the Z2-side surface of the first substrate 30, to which a cable (not shown) that supplies power to the contactless power supply device 1 from an external source is connected. A first opening 82a (through hole) is formed in the second shield portion 82 of the case 80 at a location corresponding to the connector 35, so that the connector 35 protrudes from the case 80 in the Z2 direction (see Figure 1). However, the connector 35 may not protrude from the case 80 in the Z2 direction, but may simply be exposed. The cable is electrically connected to the connector 35 by passing through the first opening 82a. The first opening 82a may be formed to penetrate from the case 80 in the X direction, the Y direction, or a direction between the X direction and the Y direction. In these cases, the connector 35 may protrude or be exposed in the direction in which the first opening 82a is formed from the case 80.

[0033] Furthermore, a heat dissipation fan 70 is attached to the Z2 side of the first substrate 30. This fan releases high-temperature air heated by the heat generated by energizing the electrical circuit of the first substrate 30 and the primary coil 24 (an example of a coil) of the power supply coil section 20 to the outside of the non-contact power supply device 1, thereby suppressing a temperature rise of at least a portion of the non-contact power supply device 1. A second opening 82b (through hole) is formed in the second shield section 82 of the case 80 at a location corresponding to the outlet of the heat dissipation fan 70. This makes the heat dissipation fan 70 visible from the outside of the case 80 (see Figure 1). The heat dissipation fan 70 rotates to release high-temperature air from the second opening 82b to the outside of the non-contact power supply device 1 or to draw in outside air into the containment space ss (details described later). In addition, this high-temperature air may also be released from at least one ventilation hole 14 of the cover 10 described above, or outside air may be drawn in from at least one ventilation hole 14.

[0034] Second lands 34, having a circular or annular shape, are formed near each of the four corners of the surface of the first substrate 30. The second lands 34 are formed in the same locations on both sides of the surface and are not covered with resist, leaving the surface of the copper foil or copper foil with metal plating exposed (see Figures 2 and 3). In other words, the number of second lands 34 is twice the number of fixing screws 88 (eight in this embodiment) on the first substrate 30. The second lands 34 are connected to the ground potential of the electrical circuit. A first fixing through hole 34a is formed in the center of the second land 34. In other words, four first fixing through holes 34a are formed on the first substrate 30. Each of the first fixing through holes 34a is positioned to overlap with each of the pilot holes of the boss 11e of the cover 10 when viewed from below.

[0035] The power supply coil section 20 includes a sheet 22 made of a dielectric material having a rounded rectangular plate shape and magnetic absorption properties, at least one (three in this embodiment) primary coils 24 fixed to the Z1 side of the sheet 22, and a coil-shaped communication antenna 26 arranged along the outer edge of the sheet 22 so as to surround the three primary coils 24. The surface area of ​​the sheet 22 is smaller than the surface area of ​​the first substrate 30 and is large enough not to overlap with the first land 32 of the first substrate 30 in a plan view. The Z2 side of the sheet 22 of the power supply coil section 20 is fixed to the first shield section 52 of the first shield case 50 by any method such as adhesive or double-sided tape. By providing the sheet 22, the magnetic field generated by energizing the primary coils 24 can be controlled to improve the power supply efficiency to the portable information terminal 5.

[0036] Two of the three primary coils 24 are positioned side-by-side so as to be in contact with the Z1 side surface of the sheet 22 and are fixed to the sheet 22 by adhesive or other means. The remaining primary coil 24 is stacked so as to straddle the other two primary coils 24 and is fixed to the other two primary coils 24 by adhesive or other means. The sheet 22 has first positioning holes 22a formed at the center of each of the three primary coils 24 (see Figure 3). The communication antenna 26 is also fixed to the sheet 22 by adhesive or other means. Note that the primary coils 24 and the communication antenna 26 can be fixed not only by adhesive, but also by any method such as double-sided tape.

[0037] The ends of the wires constituting the three primary coils 24 of the power supply coil section 20 and the wires constituting the communication antenna 26 are connected to the electrical circuit of the first circuit board 30 by any electrical connection method such as soldering. This allows the primary coils 24 and the communication antenna 26 to be energized, and the energization of each is controlled by the electrical circuit of the first circuit board 30. The three primary coils 24 generate a magnetic field when energized, and the generated magnetic field induces an electromotive force in a secondary coil (not shown) built into the portable information terminal 5, thereby charging the secondary battery of the portable information terminal 5. The communication antenna 26 is used to perform wireless communication, which is contactless signal communication, with the portable information terminal 5.

[0038] When the personal information terminal 5 is placed on the mounting surface 11a, the communication antenna 26 receives information from the personal information terminal 5 via wireless communication. Based on this information, the electrical circuit of the first circuit board 30 starts supplying power to the primary coil 24 and begins supplying power to the personal information terminal 5. Furthermore, when the communication antenna 26 receives information via wireless communication that the secondary battery of the personal information terminal 5 is fully charged, the electrical circuit stops supplying power to the primary coil 24.

[0039] In this embodiment, three primary coils 24 are arranged, but if there is only one primary coil 24 in the center, a magnet (not shown) may be placed around the periphery of the primary coil 24 or in the central air core. In this case, the primary coil 24 and the magnet can be fixed to the sheet 22 by any method such as adhesive or double-sided tape. If the power supply coil section 20 is equipped with a magnet, when the portable information terminal 5 is placed on the mounting surface 11a of the cover 10, the attractive force between the magnet (not shown) built into the portable information terminal 5 and the magnet provided on the power supply coil section 20 can position the portable information terminal 5 on the mounting surface 11a of the cover 10 (magnetic alignment). This can improve the efficiency of contactless power supply to the portable information terminal 5.

[0040] The second substrate 40 is a rounded rectangular plate with a similar shape to the sheet 22 of the power supply coil section 20, but slightly larger. The second substrate 40 is fixed to the fitting portion 11b of the cover 10 by any method such as adhesive or double-sided tape. The second substrate 40 has a noise attenuation pattern (an example of a circuit pattern) formed on it that attenuates the noise contained in the magnetic field generated by energizing the primary coil 24 of the power supply coil section 20. An example of a noise attenuation pattern is a mesh pattern.

[0041] The second substrate 40 has a third land 42 on the Z2 side that is electrically connected to a noise attenuation pattern for electrical connection with the first substrate 30 (see Figure 3). The third land 42 is not covered with resist, and the surface of the copper foil or copper foil with metal plating is exposed. The third land 42 has a circular or annular outer shape. The third land 42 is in contact with the other end of the elastically deformed compression coil spring 60, and the compressive force (contact force) of the compression coil spring 60 acts on the third land 42. The outer diameter of the third land 42 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the end of the compression coil spring 60. This ensures that the third land 42 and the compression coil spring 60 are reliably electrically connected. The second substrate 40 may be a rigid substrate or a flexible substrate. Furthermore, the second substrate 40 may be a single-sided substrate, a double-sided substrate, or a multilayer substrate.

[0042] A second through-hole 42a is formed in the center of the third land 42, having an inner diameter through which the support portion 11c of the cover 10 can be inserted. The support portion 11c penetrates both the second through-hole 42a and the first through-hole 32a when the compression coil spring 60 is fitted onto it. The support portion 11c restricts the movement of the compression coil spring 60 in the X and Y directions, and supports it in a fixed position, thereby more reliably electrically connecting the first land 32 and the third land 42. Furthermore, the compression coil spring 60 has a shape in which the coil diameter at the center is relatively smaller than the coil diameter at both ends. Therefore, the movement of the compression coil spring 60 in the X and Y directions by the support portion 11c is further restricted. In the contactless power supply device 1, the compression coil spring 60 elastically deforms and applies a contact force to the first land 32 of the first substrate 30 and the third land 42 of the second substrate 40. As a result, the first land 32 and the third land 42 are electrically connected via the compression coil spring 60, and the circuit pattern of the second substrate 40 is also at ground potential.

[0043] The first shield case 50 is formed by bending a roughly rectangular plate made of a material with high electromagnetic wave shielding performance, such as iron, and is positioned on the Z2 side of the power supply coil section 20 and on the Z1 side of the first substrate 30. In other words, the first shield case 50 is positioned between the sheet 22 of the power supply coil section 20 and the first substrate 30. The first shield case 50 may be made of an insulating material with a metal plating or paint applied to its surface.

[0044] The first shield case 50 has a plate-shaped first shield portion 52 facing the Z2 side of the sheet 22 of the power supply coil portion 20, and a first shield side wall 54 that is bent from the long side edge of the first shield portion 52 and faces in the Z2 direction toward the first substrate 30. The first shield portion 52 has a plurality of second positioning holes 52a (two in this embodiment) formed therein to determine the relative position with respect to the power supply coil portion 20 when manufacturing the non-contact power supply device 1.

[0045] The four corners of the first shield portion 52 are first bent portions 56 that are bent in a crank shape toward the Z2 direction, and the ends of the first bent portions 56 are all parallel to the first shield portion 52. A second fixing through hole 56a is formed at the end of each of the four first bent portions 56. When viewed from the bottom, each of the second fixing through holes 56a overlaps with the pilot holes of the boss 11e of the cover 10.

[0046] On the side of the first substrate 30 opposite to the power supply coil section 20 and the first shield case 50, a case 80 is positioned. Similar to the first shield case 50, the case 80 is formed by bending a plate material of a material with high electromagnetic wave shielding performance, such as iron, and has a shielding function. Similar to the cover 10, the case 80 has a bottomed rectangular tube shape. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the case 80 has a roughly rectangular plate-shaped second shield section 82 and thin-walled second shield side walls 84 that are erected from each of the four outer edges (four sides) of the second shield section 82 in the Z1 direction and surround the outer edges along the circumferential direction. However, the corners (four corners) of the four sides of the second shield section 82 among the second shield side walls 84 are recessed inward, similar to the cover 10, and the mounting through holes 13 are visible in a bottom view taken from the case 80 side along the Z1 direction. Furthermore, the case 80 may be made of an insulating material with a metal plating or coating on its surface, instead of a material with high electromagnetic wave shielding performance. If the case 80 is made of an insulating material, it is advantageous in terms of weight reduction, and if it is made of a conductive metal material, it is advantageous in terms of strength. In addition, if the case 80 is made of a metal material, the thermal conductivity of the case 80 will be relatively higher than that of a resin material, so the heat dissipation effect of the heat generated by energizing the electrical circuit of the first substrate 30 and energizing the primary coil 24 of the power supply coil section 20 will be enhanced, and the temperature rise of the electrical circuit and the primary coil 24 can be further suppressed.

[0047] Multiple (four in this embodiment) second bent portions 86 are formed at the end of the second shield side wall 84 opposite to the second shield portion 82, and are bent inward at a 90-degree angle relative to the second shield side wall 84 (see Figure 2). A third fixing through hole 86a is formed in each of the second bent portions 86. Each of the third fixing through holes 86a overlaps with each of the pilot holes of the boss 11e of the cover 10 when viewed from the bottom. In addition, the second shield portion 82 has screw insertion openings 82c with an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the third fixing through holes 86a, at positions that overlap with each of the third fixing through holes 86a when viewed from the bottom. Furthermore, as described above, the second shield portion 82 has a first opening 82a and a second opening 82b, respectively, which allow the connector 35 and the heat dissipation fan 70 to be visible from the outside.

[0048] As described above, case 80 is made of a plate material made of a material with high electromagnetic wave shielding performance, such as iron. Therefore, the first substrate 30 is positioned between the first shield case 50 and case 80. In this way, by sandwiching the first substrate 30 between the first shield case 50 and case 80, the electrical circuit formed on the first substrate 30 is prevented from being affected by external noise, and unwanted radiation from the electrical circuit is prevented from affecting surrounding equipment (EMC countermeasures).

[0049] The first shield case 50, the first substrate 30, and the case 80, to which the power supply coil section 20 is fixed, are secured to the cover 10 by being screwed together with four fixing screws 88 while resting on the boss 11e of the cover 10. This creates an internal housing space ss between the cover 10 and the case 80. The second substrate 40, the power supply coil section 20, the first shield case 50, and the first substrate 30 are at least partially housed in the housing space ss. At this time, the first bent portion 56 of the first shield case 50 and the second bent portion 86 of the case 80 are pressed against the second land 34 of the first substrate 30, respectively, so the potential of the first shield case 50 and the case 80 becomes the ground potential.

[0050] [Manufacturing method for contactless power supply device] Next, the manufacturing method for the contactless power supply device 1 will be described. However, as long as the contactless power supply device 1 is manufactured correctly, the manufacturing order is not limited to the order described below, and may be any order.

[0051] The second substrate 40 is fitted into the fitting portion 11b formed on the back surface 11d of the cover 10, and the second substrate 40 is fixed to the cover 10 by any method such as adhesive or double-sided tape. As a result, the support portion 11c of the cover 10 is inserted through the second through hole 42a of the second substrate 40.

[0052] Using a jig or the like, the relative positions of the first shield case 50 and the power supply coil section 20 are aligned so that the second positioning hole 52a of the first shield case 50 and the first positioning hole 22a of the power supply coil section 20 coincide in a plan view, and the power supply coil section 20 is fixed to the first shield case 50 by any method such as adhesive or double-sided tape. Furthermore, using a jig or the like, the relative positions of the first substrate 30 and the first shield case 50 are aligned so that the first fixing through hole 34a of the first substrate 30 and the second fixing through hole 56a of the first shield case 50 coincide in a plan view. Then, the ends of the conductors constituting the three primary coils 24 of the power supply coil section 20 and the conductors constituting the communication antenna 26 are connected to the electrical circuit of the first substrate 30 by soldering or the like. As a result, the primary coils 24 and the communication antenna 26 become energized, and the power supply coil section 20, the first substrate 30, and the first shield case 50 are integrated. Before or after this, a connector 35 and a cooling fan 70 are attached to the first circuit board 30.

[0053] After inserting the compression coil spring 60 into the support portion 11c of the cover 10 to which the second substrate 40 is fixed, the integrated power supply coil portion 20, the first substrate 30, and the first shield case 50 are placed on the boss 11e of the cover 10. Furthermore, the case 80 is placed on top of them. Then, four fixing screws 88 are inserted from the Z2 side of the case 80 into the screw insertion opening 82c, passing through the third fixing through hole 86a of the case 80, the first fixing through hole 34a of the first substrate 30, and the second fixing through hole 56a of the first shield case 50, and screwed into the pilot holes of the boss 11e of the cover 10, thereby joining the cover 10 and the case 80. This completes the contactless power supply device 1. At this time, the joining of the cover 10 and the case 80 creates an internal storage space ss. The second circuit board 40, the power supply coil section 20, the first shield case 50, and the first circuit board 30 are at least partially housed in this housing space ss.

[0054] [How to use a contactless power supply device] When the personal information terminal 5 is placed on the mounting surface 11a of the cover 10 of the contactless power supply device 1, power is supplied from the first circuit board 30 to the primary coil 24 by communication between the personal information terminal 5 and the communication antenna 26 of the contactless power supply device 1. At this time, if the personal information terminal 5 is compatible with the magnetic alignment described above, by placing the personal information terminal 5 on the mounting surface 11a, the personal information terminal 5 is fixed to the optimal power supply position by the attractive force with the magnets arranged in the power supply coil section 20 and charged. If the personal information terminal 5 is not compatible with magnetic alignment, the personal information terminal 5 is charged by either searching for the position of the personal information terminal 5 while checking whether power supply is possible or not through communication with the personal information terminal 5 via the communication antenna 26, or by selecting the primary coil 24 with the best power supply efficiency among the three primary coils 24 and supplying power. In this case, the contactless power supply device 1 itself or the location where the contactless power supply device 1 is installed may be provided with a structure that restricts the position on which the mobile information terminal 5 is placed so that the relative position of the mobile information terminal 5 and the primary coil 24 allows for power supply.

[0055] [Effects and Effects of Contactless Power Supply Devices] According to the contactless power supply device 1 of this embodiment, by simply arranging a compression coil spring 60 elastically deformed between the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40, a contact force can be applied to the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40 by the restoring force of the compression coil spring 60, thereby easily electrically connecting the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40. Furthermore, since the cover 10 has a support portion 11c, the compression coil spring 60 can be positioned by the simple method of fitting the compression coil spring 60 onto the support portion 11c, making it difficult for the compression coil spring 60 to shift position due to elastic deformation. In addition, the electrical connection state between the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40 can be confirmed by visually checking whether or not the compression coil spring 60 is elastically deformed.

[0056] Furthermore, the non-contact power supply device 1 has a second substrate 40 on which a noise attenuation pattern is formed that can attenuate noise contained in the magnetic field generated from the primary coil 24 of the power supply coil section 20. This reduces unwanted radiation from the power supply coil section 20 and suppresses the impact of radiated noise on the portable information terminal 5 and peripheral devices. As a result, a non-contact power supply device 1 with excellent EMI characteristics can be realized.

[0057] According to the non-contact power supply device 1, the first shield case 50, which is placed between the power supply coil section 20 and the first substrate 30, shields at least a portion of the first substrate 30. This increases the shielding rate of noise radiated from the first substrate 30, suppressing the noise radiated from the first substrate 30 from being superimposed on the magnetic field generated from the primary coil 24 of the power supply coil section 20, and preventing it from affecting the mobile information terminal 5 and peripheral devices due to radiated noise.

[0058] Since the non-contact power supply device 1 is equipped with a case 80 that has a shielding function, it can at least partially shield the side of the first substrate 30 opposite to the power supply coil section 20, thereby suppressing the adverse effects of radiated noise emitted from the first substrate 30 on surrounding equipment. Furthermore, by providing the case 80, a containment space ss can be formed between it and the cover 10, thereby protecting the first substrate 30, the second substrate 40, and the power supply coil section 20 from external dust and other debris.

[0059] Furthermore, since the contactless power supply device 1 is equipped with a communication antenna 26, it can start and stop power supply to the mobile information terminal 5 based on the results of contactless signal communication with the mobile information terminal 5.

[0060] [Other Embodiments] (1) In the contactless power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the support portion 11c into which the compression coil spring 60 is fitted was configured to penetrate the second through hole 42a of the second substrate 40 and the first through hole 32a of the first substrate 30, but it is not limited to this. As long as the compression coil spring 60 can be positioned and supported, the support portion 11c may be of a length that penetrates only the second through hole 42a and not the first through hole 32a. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the first through hole 32a.

[0061] (2) In the contactless power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the support portion 11c into which the compression coil spring 60 is fitted is formed on the cover 10, but it is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 5, the support portion 11c may be provided to stand upright on the second shield portion 82 of the case 80. In this case, the support portion 11c passes through the first through hole 32a of the first substrate 30, but it may or may not pass through the second through hole 42a of the second substrate 40. In the latter case, it is not necessary to provide the second through hole 42a.

[0062] (3) In the non-contact power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the case 80 had a shielding function, but as shown in Figure 6, a second shield case 90 may be independently provided inside the case 80. In this case, the second shield case 90 may be made of a material with high electromagnetic wave shielding performance such as iron, and the case 80 may be made of resin or the like. In this embodiment, the support part 11c may be provided on the second shield case 90 (see Figure 6), or it may be provided on the case 80 and pass through the second shield case 90. The second shield case 90 may be made of an insulating material and have a metal plating or paint applied to its surface.

[0063] (4) In the contactless power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, a compression coil spring 60 was used to electrically connect the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40, but the device is not limited to this. Instead of a coil spring, a leaf spring may be used to electrically connect the first substrate 30 and the second substrate 40.

[0064] (5) In the non-contact power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the first shield case 50 and the case 80 are arranged on both sides of the first substrate 30. However, if EMC countermeasures are unnecessary or of low importance, either or both of the first shield case 50 and the case 80 having a shielding function may be omitted. If the first shield case 50 is not provided, the second land 34 on the Z1 side of the first substrate 30 may be omitted, and if the case 80 is omitted, the second land 34 on the Z2 side of the first substrate 30 may be omitted. If the case 80 having a shielding function is omitted, a case 80 made of an insulating material and not having a shielding function may be provided instead.

[0065] (6) In the non-contact power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the cover 10 was made of an insulating material (resin), but it may be made of a conductive metal material, or it may be made of an insulating material with a metal plating or paint applied to the surface. If the cover 10 is made of an insulating material, it is advantageous in terms of weight reduction, and if it is made of a conductive metal material, it is advantageous in terms of strength.

[0066] (7) In the non-contact power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, ventilation holes 14 and a heat dissipation fan 70 are provided to release the heat generated by energizing the electrical circuit of the first substrate 30 and energizing the primary coil 24 of the power supply coil section 20 to the outside of the non-contact power supply device 1. However, if the amount of heat generated is small, either or both of the ventilation holes 14 and the heat dissipation fan 70 may be omitted. Conversely, if the amount of heat generated is large, the number of ventilation holes 14 and the heat dissipation fan 70 may be increased, or the number of ventilation holes 14 may be increased to the extent that the strength of the cover 10 is not compromised. In addition, ventilation holes 14 may be provided in the case 80 in addition to the cover 10.

[0067] (8) In the contactless power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the first circuit board 30 was configured to receive power from an external source via a connector 35 and to energize the power supply coil section 20 with that power, but it is not limited to this. Instead of supplying power from an external source, a battery for energizing the power supply coil section 20 may be built into the contactless power supply device 1. In this case, the connector 35 may be omitted, or the connector 35 may be configured to enable communication to control the contactless power supply device 1 from an external source. Alternatively, instead of the connector 35, a cable may be directly connected to the first circuit board 30 by soldering or the like.

[0068] This battery may be a primary battery or a secondary battery, and may be configured to supply power based on power obtained by at least one of two methods: self-generation and contactless power supply. Self-generation includes, for example, photoelectric power generation, thermoelectric power generation, and ambient power generation using kinetic energy such as vibration. If the contactless power supply device 1 has a built-in battery, the portable information terminal 5 can be charged even when there is no external power source when the contactless power supply device 1 is carried and used.

[0069] (9) In the contactless power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, three primary coils 24 were arranged in the power supply coil section 20, but the number of primary coils 24 may be two or fewer, or four or more.

[0070] (10) In the non-contact power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the second substrate 40 had a noise attenuation pattern that attenuates noise contained in the magnetic field generated by energizing the primary coil 24 of the power supply coil section 20, but is not limited to this. In addition to noise attenuation, a circuit pattern that controls the characteristics of the primary coil 24 of the power supply coil section 20 may be formed thereon. Furthermore, electronic components may be mounted on the second substrate 40 in addition to the circuit pattern. Moreover, the second substrate 40 does not have to be fitted into the fitting portion 11b of the cover 10. Specifically, the fitting portion 11b may not be formed on the back surface 11d of the cover 10, and the second substrate 40 may be directly fixed to the back surface 11d of the cover 10.

[0071] (11) In the contactless power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the second substrate 40 is fixed to the cover 10, but it may also be configured to be fixed to the power supply coil section 20.

[0072] (12) In the contactless power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the communication antenna 26 was fixed to the sheet 22 of the power supply coil section 20, but it may be supported by the primary coil 24 or by the first substrate 30. The communication antenna 26 may also be supported in a state in which it is electrically insulated from the first shield case 50. When the communication antenna 26 is supported by the first substrate 30, it is preferable that, in a plan view, at least a part of the communication antenna 26 is exposed from the first shield case 50 and not shielded by the first shield case 50.

[0073] (13) The communication antenna 26 may be fixed to the second substrate 40, or it may be formed on the second substrate 40 by a pattern. When the communication antenna 26 is located on the second substrate 40, it is desirable to use a compression coil spring for signal communication that is at a potential different from the ground potential, separate from the compression coil spring 60 (ground potential), in order to communicate signals between the communication antenna 26 and the first substrate 30.

[0074] (14) In the contactless power supply device 1 of the above embodiment, the cover 10 may be integrally formed with the equipment or facility on which the contactless power supply device 1 is installed. If the cover 10 is integrally formed with the equipment or facility on which the contactless power supply device 1 is installed, the second substrate 40, the power supply coil section 20, the first shield case 50, and the first substrate 30, which are at least partially housed in the housing space ss, may be supported and fixed by the case 80. [Industrial applicability]

[0075] This disclosure can be used in contactless power supply devices. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0076] 1: Contactless power supply device 5: Portable information terminals (devices receiving power) 10: Cover 11a: Mounting surface 11c: Support part 20: Power supply coil section 24: Primary coil (coil) 30: First board 40: Second board 50: First Shield Case 60: Compression coil spring (connecting part) 80: Case 90: Second Shield Case

Claims

1. A non-contact power supply device that supplies power to an object having a secondary battery without contact, A cover having a mounting surface on which the object to be powered is placed, The case to be joined to the aforementioned cover, A power supply coil section is provided, which is at least partially housed in a housing space formed by joining the cover and the case, and is positioned parallel to the aforementioned mounting surface, and has a coil that generates a magnetic field for supplying power to the powered object placed on the aforementioned mounting surface when power is supplied to it. A first substrate is provided, which is at least partially housed in the aforementioned housing space and is positioned on the opposite side of the mounting surface to the power supply coil section, and supplies power to the coil. A second substrate is at least partially housed in the aforementioned housing space and positioned between the aforementioned mounting surface and the power supply coil section to attenuate noise contained in the magnetic field, A contactless power supply device comprising: an elastic connecting component disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, which electrically connects the first substrate and the second substrate.

2. The cover has a rod-shaped support portion that extends through the second substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the second substrate, The contactless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting component is a compression coil spring, which is fitted onto the support portion and positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate in an elastically deformed state, thereby electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate.

3. The contactless power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a first shield case that is at least partially housed in the housing space and disposed between the power supply coil and the first substrate.

4. The contactless power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a second shield case disposed on the opposite side of the first substrate from the power supply coil portion.

5. The second shield case has a rod-shaped support portion that extends through the first substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the first substrate, The contactless power supply device according to claim 4, wherein the connecting component is a compression coil spring, which is fitted onto the support portion and positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate in an elastically deformed state, thereby electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate.

6. The contactless power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the case has a shielding function.

7. The case has a rod-shaped support portion that extends through the first substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the first substrate, The contactless power supply device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting component is a compression coil spring, which is fitted onto the support portion and positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate in an elastically deformed state, thereby electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate.

8. The contactless power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a communication antenna capable of non-contact signal communication with the object to be powered.

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