Wireless Charging System for Electric Vehicles
The charging robot system with an orthogonal hinge and lifting mechanism addresses alignment and battery capacity issues, achieving efficient and continuous charging by aligning pads and switching robots, enhancing magnetic coupling and battery capacity.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- KR · KR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- LEHMAN NETWORKS INC
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
AI Technical Summary
Conventional wireless charging methods for electric vehicles face challenges due to the need for precise alignment of power collection and supply pads, which is difficult to achieve with varying ground clearances, leading to reduced efficiency and flexibility in parking space utilization, and limitations in battery capacity and accessibility of mobile charging robots.
A charging robot system with a hinge mechanism allowing the battery body to rotate orthogonally, combined with a lifting mechanism to minimize the vertical air gap and a precision alignment algorithm, along with a station that organically switches multiple robots for continuous charging, ensuring efficient power transmission and battery capacity.
The system enables uninterrupted charging by aligning pads to the millimeter level, increasing magnetic coupling, and switching robots to maintain battery capacity, overcoming spatial constraints and ensuring high-efficiency power transfer without interruptions.
Smart Images

Figure PAT00001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technology Field
[0001] The present invention relates to electric vehicle wireless charging systems, autonomous driving service robots, and intelligent power management fields.
[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a system that automatically charges an electric vehicle battery without interruption by utilizing a charging robot capable of changing its mechanical shape to enter the narrow ground clearance under the electric vehicle, aligning the central axes of the power supply pad and the power collection pad through an alignment algorithm, increasing the coupling coefficient of the magnetic field through vertical air gap control via a lifting mechanism to improve charging efficiency, and organically switching and deploying multiple robots linked to the station according to the remaining battery level and charging requirements. Background Technology
[0003] With the rapid expansion of electric vehicle adoption recently, the importance of corresponding charging infrastructure is increasing. In particular, wireless charging technology, which enables automatic charging without direct user intervention, is garnering attention as an essential core technology for realizing future autonomous driving and unmanned parking environments.
[0004] However, conventional fixed wireless charging methods had the inconvenience of relying entirely on the driver's precise parking maneuvers to accurately align the positions of the vehicle's power collection pad and the power supply pad on the ground. If the center axes between the two pads do not align, or if the vertical gap deviates from the appropriate range due to varying ground clearances depending on the vehicle model, the magnetic field coupling efficiency is reduced, which can lead to charging power loss and magnetic field leakage problems.
[0005] This method had limitations, such as reducing the flexibility of parking space utilization as charging was only possible at fixed locations, and making it difficult to continuously maintain optimal power transmission efficiency due to the difficulty of correcting the alignment status of the equipment in real time.
[0006] Some prior art attempts to automate using mobile charging robots, but when equipped with a large-capacity battery, the robot becomes thick, limiting its ability to enter the narrow space under electric vehicles with low ground clearance. On the other hand, if the body is designed to be thin to improve the robot's accessibility, there are difficulties in providing continuous charging services, such as charging being interrupted or failing to fully charge the electric vehicle battery due to the limitations of the built-in battery capacity. The problem to be solved
[0007] The present invention aims to overcome entry restrictions caused by the narrow ground clearance of the electric vehicle's underside by varying the base body and battery body of the charging robot into an orthogonal structure through a hinge, and to ensure visibility of the charging status through the battery body exposed to the outside of the electric vehicle.
[0008] The present invention aims to improve power transmission efficiency and secure electromagnetic stability by increasing the coupling coefficient of the magnetic field through the precise alignment of the coil center between the power supply pad and the current collection pad of a vehicle by utilizing data from a sensor composed of side and top sensor parts, and by raising the power supply pad through a lifting mechanism to minimize the vertical air gap between the power supply pad and the current collection pad.
[0009] The present invention aims to provide a system that provides uninterrupted automatic charging services even for electric vehicles equipped with large-capacity batteries by implementing a sequential replacement charging logic that organically switches and deploys multiple charging robots waiting within a station according to the charging requirements of the electric vehicle and the remaining battery levels of the robots, in order to overcome the battery capacity limitations of individual charging robots. means of solving the problem
[0010] A wireless charging system for an electric vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of charging robots that wirelessly charge an electric vehicle including a power collection pad, and a station that charges and stores the charging robots and controls the insertion and replacement of the charging robots into the lower part of the electric vehicle according to the charging status of each charging robot. The charging robots include a base body comprising a power supply pad disposed on one side for transmitting wireless power, a hinge disposed on the other side, and a driving unit that drives the charging robots to drive autonomously, and a battery body coupled to the base body through the hinge, comprising a battery that stores charging power and a display unit that displays charging status information. The battery body rotates upward from the ground with the hinge as an axis to be positioned orthogonally to the base body, and then enters the lower part of the electric vehicle. When charging the electric vehicle, the power supply pad rises to reduce the distance between the power supply pad and the power collection pad.
[0011] The above station may include a rack on which the charging robot is loaded by layer, and a slide-type carrier that moves horizontally and vertically between the racks to load and unload the charging robot.
[0012] The above station includes a robot charging terminal for charging the battery of the charging robot, and the charging robot can receive power by contacting the robot charging terminal when it enters the station.
[0013] The above charging robot includes a first charging robot that is charging the electric vehicle and a second charging robot that has completed recharging within the station, and when the remaining battery level of the first charging robot falls below a preset threshold, the station can release the second charging robot and swap the positions of the first charging robot and the second charging robot to continue charging.
[0014] The above station can continue charging by repeatedly switching the first charging robot and the second charging robot when the electric vehicle battery is below a preset charging capacity of the electric vehicle battery.
[0015] The area of the above-mentioned power supply pad may be smaller than the area of the above-mentioned power collection pad.
[0016] The above drive unit includes a side sensor unit disposed on the side of the base body to detect obstacles and terrain under the electric vehicle, and a top sensor unit disposed on the top surface of the base body to measure the vertical separation distance between the power supply pad and the power collection pad, and the side sensor unit can guide the entry of the electric vehicle by tracking the horizontal position of the power collection pad.
[0017] The capacity of the above battery may be 5 kWh or more and 11 kWh or less.
[0018] The battery body further includes an indicator positioned on the top of the display unit, the color of which varies according to the remaining charge and normal operation status, and the indicator and the display unit are exposed to the outside of the electric vehicle when the battery body is standing upright perpendicular to the base body, so that the user can visually identify the charging status even from a distance. Effects of the invention
[0019] The present invention allows only a thin base body to enter the underside of the vehicle while the battery body is standing upright on the outside of the vehicle through an orthogonal structure. This allows for securing a space capable of storing large amounts of energy while completely overcoming the narrow spatial constraints of electric vehicles with low ground clearance.
[0020] The present invention can align the center axes of the power supply pad and the power collection pad to the millimeter level through a precision alignment algorithm that combines sensor data.
[0021] The present invention can increase the magnetic coupling coefficient between the transmitting and receiving coils by vertically raising the power supply pad through a lifting mechanism after the alignment of the power supply pad and the power collection pad is completed, thereby reducing the gap between the power supply pad and the power collection pad.
[0022] The present invention has the effect of stably supplying large-capacity energy without interruption, by organically switching between a robot with depleted capacity and a fully charged robot until the electric vehicle battery connected to the station is fully charged. Brief explanation of the drawing
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charging robot according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a charging robot according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a charging robot according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a station according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention
[0024] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention.
[0025] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention; thus, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications that can replace them may exist at the time of filing this application.
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charging robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, a wireless charging system for an electric vehicle may include a plurality of charging robots (R1) and a station (S, see FIG. 4).
[0028] The charging robot (R1) can wirelessly charge an electric vehicle including a power collection pad. The power collection pad is mounted on the underside of the vehicle in the electric vehicle wireless charging and can obtain power by receiving the alternating magnetic field created by the power supply pad (11) of the present invention into a coil, generating an induced voltage. This power can be converted into direct current capable of charging a battery by passing through a power conversion unit such as a rectifier or DC / DC converter. The power collection pad may be composed of a coil, a ferrite, a shield, and a protective housing.
[0029] The charging robot (R1) can move in a flat state parallel to the ground or be loaded at a station (S), and its mechanical shape can be varied during actual charging. The charging robot (R1) may include a base body (1) and a battery body (2).
[0030] A charging robot (R1) having a base body (1) and a battery body (2) can simultaneously achieve space efficiency during movement and storage and functionality during charging. Specifically, the charging robot (R1) may be composed of a base body (1) that is adjacent to the ground and is responsible for driving and power transmission, and a battery body (2) that is connected to the base body (1) via a hinge (12) and is responsible for power storage and a user interface.
[0031] The base body (1) may include a power supply pad (11), a hinge (12), and a driving part (13).
[0032] A power supply pad (11) is positioned on one side of the base body (1) to transmit wireless power. The power supply pad (11) may be a transmitting coil unit for transmitting energy to an electric vehicle. Inside the power supply pad (11), a transmitting coil wound with a spiral or square Litz wire may be provided, and it may have a sandwich structure loaded with a ferrite core and a shielding plate to control the directionality of the magnetic field and block interference by a metal body. Since the base body (1) must enter the low ground clearance of the vehicle's underside, the power supply pad (11) may be designed as a thin, slender structure while maintaining power transmission performance.
[0033] The base body (1) may include a lifting mechanism (not shown) for actively adjusting the physical distance between the power supply pad (11) and the power collection pad at the bottom of the electric vehicle. When the power supply pad (11) of the charging robot (R1) is positioned directly below the power collection pad through an alignment algorithm, a motor drive unit (14) or a linear actuator (not shown) installed inside the base body (1) is driven to raise the power supply pad (11) in a vertical direction.
[0034] That is, when charging an electric vehicle, the power supply pad (11) rises to reduce the distance between the power supply pad (11) and the power collection pad. The rising movement of the power supply pad (11) can minimize the air gap between the power supply pad (11) and the power collection pad to a level of several millimeters to several centimeters. According to the principle of wireless power transmission, as the distance between the two coils decreases, the coupling coefficient, which indicates the degree of coupling of the magnetic field, can increase. As a result, magnetic field leakage is prevented and power transfer efficiency is increased, enabling high-speed charging. In addition, electromagnetic stability can be ensured by minimizing leakage magnetic flux emitted into the surrounding environment.
[0035] The power supply pad (11) may have a smaller area than the power collection pad attached to the electric vehicle. If the coil of the power supply pad (11) and the center of the coil of the power collection pad are misaligned, efficiency may decrease. Therefore, it is common practice to make the power supply pad (11) larger to increase wireless power transmission efficiency, but the present invention can align the coil of the power supply pad (11) and the center of the coil of the power collection pad through a precision sensor-based alignment algorithm.
[0036] The area of the power supply pad (11) of the present invention may be smaller than the area of the power collection pad. Since the above position control is presupposed, even if the area of the power supply pad (11) is reduced, the magnetic field may not go beyond the power collection pad area. The miniaturization of the power supply pad (11) reduces the overall weight of the charging robot (R1) and minimizes the volume of the base body (1), thereby facilitating entry into the narrow space under the vehicle.
[0037] The base body (1) and the battery body (2) can be joined through the hinge (12). The hinge (12) is positioned on the other side of the base body (1) to adjust the angle between the base body (1) and the battery body (2).
[0038] A hinge drive motor (121, see FIG. 3) may be placed inside the hinge (12). The battery body (2) can be rotated at a predetermined angle from the ground through the hinge drive motor (121). When the charging robot (R1) is driving or is loaded and waiting inside the station (S), the hinge (12) is controlled so that the charging robot (R1) maintains a horizontal state, thereby maintaining an overall thin and flat shape.
[0039] When the charging robot (R1) enters the stage of preparing to charge adjacent to the electric vehicle, the hinge (12) is actuated to rotate the battery body (2), which was lying on the ground, upward by 90 degrees. Through this rotational actuation of the hinge (12), the base body (1) of the charging robot (R1) and the battery body (2) can form a mutually orthogonal L-shape.
[0040] Through this mechanical deformation, the hinge (12) can perform the function of supporting the battery body (2) to stand vertically in the exposed area outside the vehicle. At the same time, only the base body (1) can enter the space under the vehicle starting from the hinge (12).
[0041] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a charging robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the charging robot (R1) can drive autonomously through the drive unit (13). The drive unit (13) is located in the base body (1) and can control the overall movement of the charging robot (R1). Inside the drive unit (13), a control board (131) that performs judgments and calculations of the system and a motor drive unit (14) that controls the physical operation of the motor may be included. The charging robot (R1) can drive independently by receiving power from the charging robot battery (132) mounted inside. The charging robot battery (132) can support the driving of the charging robot (R1) by supplying power to the control board (131), motor drive unit (14), side sensor unit (135), and top sensor unit (136) within the drive unit (13).
[0043] The driving mechanism of the drive unit (13) can be configured as a QD (Quad Drive) type. This can be implemented by combining two steering motors (133) and two driving motors (134), thereby enabling free horizontal movement in all directions (front, back, left, and right) as well as rotational driving in place. This omnidirectional driving capability can play a key role in the process of precisely adjusting the position of the power supply pad (11) to align with the power collection pad within the narrow space of the electric vehicle's undercarriage.
[0044] The driving unit (13) may include a side sensor unit (135) and a top sensor unit (136).
[0045] The side sensor unit (135) is positioned on the side of the base body (1) to detect obstacles and terrain under the electric vehicle. The side sensor unit (135) may include an ultrasonic sensor (1351), a camera (1352), and a LiDAR sensor (1353). The side sensor unit (135) can detect obstacles in real time and acquire surrounding terrain information when the charging robot (R1) enters the area under the electric vehicle, and can guide the safe entry of the charging robot (R1) by tracking the horizontal coordinates of the power collection pad. That is, the side sensor unit (135) can guide the entry of the charging robot (R1) into the electric vehicle by tracking the horizontal position of the power collection pad.
[0046] The ultrasonic sensor (1351) can calculate the distance to an object by emitting sound waves and measuring the time it takes for them to be reflected back. It is primarily used for detecting and avoiding obstacles at close range and can function as a safety aid to prevent physical collisions. The ultrasonic sensor (1351) can reliably measure the distance regardless of the surface material or color of the object.
[0047] The camera (1352) includes an RGB camera, etc., and can analyze colors, patterns, shapes, etc. based on visual information collected through image data. By utilizing this, various visual tasks such as object recognition, person identification, and lane recognition can be processed. In addition, by combining image data with a deep learning algorithm, it can contribute to three-dimensionally recognizing and judging the surrounding situation of the charging robot (R1).
[0048] The LiDAR sensor (1353) can identify information about the surrounding environment by emitting a laser and measuring the time it takes for the light to reflect back from an object. This allows the location of vehicles, road structures, buildings, and people around the charging robot (R1) to be identified. In particular, the LiDAR sensor (1353) can precisely scan the 3D environment to generate a map of the surroundings and can be used for precise obstacle detection and avoidance driving by identifying obstacles.
[0049] An upper surface sensor unit (136) positioned on the upper surface of the base body (1) can measure the vertical separation distance between the power supply pad (11) and the power collection pad. The upper surface sensor unit (136) may include a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor or an infrared distance sensor capable of precise distance measurement. Distance data obtained through this upper surface sensor unit (136) can be used as basic data for height control to raise the power supply pad (11) and bring it into close contact with the power collection pad, thereby securing an air gap between the power supply pad (11) and the power collection pad that can improve wireless charging efficiency.
[0050] A charging terminal (137) for recharging the battery (21) of the charging robot (R1) may be provided on the rear of the drive unit (13). This may be configured as a contact-type charging interface used in AGVs or AMRs, and power may be supplied through physical contact with a robot charging terminal (5) provided inside the station (S) when the charging robot (R1) enters the station (S, see FIG. 4) after completing a mission. The contact charging method allows charging to begin automatically upon entry without the need for a separate cable connection, thereby completing the automation of system operation.
[0051] The battery body (2) may include a battery (21) and a display unit (22).
[0052] The battery (21) can store power for wireless charging to be supplied to the electric vehicle. The battery (21) can be safely stored inside the battery body (2) and can be positioned considering the overall balance and driving stability of the charging robot (R1).
[0053] The capacity of the battery (21) mounted on the flat-shaped charging robot (R1) may be 5 kWh or more and 11 kWh or less. By designing the capacity of the battery (21) to be 5 kWh or more and 11 kWh or less, the overall shape can be maintained in a thin form so that the charging robot (R1) can enter the space under the electric vehicle.
[0054] When the charging mode is initiated, the energy stored in the battery (21) is transferred to the power supply pad (11) located in the base body (1) and can be transmitted to the power collection pad of the electric vehicle.
[0055] A charging robot (R1) whose battery (21) level has been depleted below a threshold can return to the station (S) on its own and recharge via the charging terminal (137) located on the rear. At this time, another fully charged charging robot (R1) waiting at the station (S) can be introduced to provide uninterrupted charging service.
[0056] This method of operating the battery (21) allows the physical size of the individual charging robot (R1) to be kept small, while the entire wireless charging system for electric vehicles can efficiently deliver a large amount of energy to the electric vehicle. Further details will be described later.
[0057] The display unit (22) can display charging status information of the electric vehicle. The display unit (22) can be positioned on the front of the battery body (2) and in a location easily accessible to the user's gaze. The display unit (22) may include an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) panel, and can display specific numerical values and text information in real time, such as the charging progress of the electric vehicle, current charging power, estimated time remaining until full charge, and the remaining amount of the charging robot (R1)'s own battery (21).
[0058] The indicator (221) is positioned at the top of the display unit (22) and can function as a visual aid. That is, the color of the indicator (221) can be varied depending on the remaining charge of the electric vehicle and whether the charging robot (R1) is operating normally. The indicator (221) may include a bar-shaped or dot-shaped light source in which a plurality of RGB LEDs are arranged, and unlike the display unit (22) which simply displays information as numbers, it can intuitively convey the status of the robot through the color of the light.
[0059] For example, when charging is in progress normally, a blue or green flashing light is displayed, and when charging is complete, the green light is maintained, and in the event of a system error or low battery (21), a warning can be conveyed to the user through a red light.
[0060] When the charging robot (R1) enters the lower part of the electric vehicle and begins charging, the battery body (2) can rotate upward around the hinge (12) as an axis to maintain an upright state perpendicular to the base body (1). At this time, the upright battery body (2) can be exposed to the outside of the vehicle without entering the lower space of the electric vehicle.
[0061] As a result, the user can determine whether the charging robot (R1) is operating normally and the charging stage from a distance through the color change status of the indicator (221) without having to approach the electric vehicle. In addition, if specific charging data is required, detailed information can be checked through the externally exposed display (22), thereby improving intuitiveness and convenience during the use of the wireless charging system.
[0062] The color change of the indicator (221) can be linked to the logic control of the system. The control board (131) can analyze voltage and current data collected from the battery (21) to determine the current state and transmit a corresponding control signal to the indicator (221) to update visual information in real time.
[0063] The battery body (2) can be rotated upward from the ground around the hinge (12) as an axis and positioned to be orthogonal to the base body (1). Afterward, the charging robot (R1) enters the lower part of the electric vehicle, and when charging the electric vehicle, the power supply pad (11) rises to reduce the distance between the power supply pad (11) and the power collection pad.
[0064] The charging robot (R1) is maintained in a flat form horizontal to the ground during movement and standby, but before entering the actual charging stage, the battery body (2) can rotate upward by about 90 degrees from the ground around the hinge (12) as an axis. Through this movement, the base body (1) and the battery body (2) form an orthogonal structure that is perpendicular to each other, and can have an L-shape when viewed from the side. Therefore, the charging robot (R1) can enter even the narrow ground clearance of an electric vehicle.
[0065] If the entire robot, including the battery (21), enters the underside of the vehicle, the thickness of the robot may increase, making entry impossible. The present invention overcomes spatial constraints by manufacturing only the base body (1), which includes the power supply pad (11) that is a power transmission device, in a thin form so that it enters the underside of the vehicle, and by having the battery body (2), which includes the bulky battery (21), stand vertically on the outside of the vehicle.
[0066] In addition, the battery body (2) and the base body (1) can have an L-shaped configuration to increase power transmission efficiency. After the base body (1) enters the lower part of the current collection pad and completes alignment, the power supply pad (11) mounted inside the base body (1) can move vertically upward to minimize the physical separation distance from the current collection pad. The gap between the two pads is reduced, thereby increasing the coupling coefficient—the magnetic coupling force between the transmitting and receiving coils—to its maximum value. This blocks leakage flux and enables high-efficiency power transmission.
[0067] In addition, the battery body (2) and base body (1) have an L-shape, ensuring visibility in terms of the user interface (UI). Since the battery body (2) does not go inside the lower part of the vehicle but remains in an upright position on the side or the front and rear outer side of the vehicle, the display unit (22) and indicator (221) provided on the front of the battery body (2) can always be exposed to the outside. The user can determine the current status and progress of the charging robot (R1) through the upright battery body (2) even from a distance, without having to lower their posture or stand close to the vehicle to check the charging status.
[0068] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a charging robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0069] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the charging robot (R2) may be configured such that the planar dimensions of the battery body (2) and the base body (1) are mutually identical or corresponding. When the charging robot (R2) is folded into a flat shape to drive or be loaded at a station (S), the battery body (2) may be positioned to completely cover the entire upper surface of the base body (1).
[0070] The charging robot (R2) can completely isolate the power supply pad (11) from the external environment by having the battery body (2) act as a cover. This prevents the ingress of dust and foreign matter that may occur during operation and protects the surface of the power supply pad (11) from external impacts or scratches, thereby increasing mechanical reliability. Additionally, by minimizing exposure to moisture such as humidity or rain, it can prevent corrosion of the wireless power transmission components and contribute to maintaining insulation performance for a long period.
[0071] The charging robot (R2) can increase the capacity of the battery (21). As the size of the battery body (2) is expanded to the same level as the base body (1), the number of battery (21) cells that can be loaded inside can be increased. For example, the charging robot (R2) can be equipped with a high-capacity battery (21) of 10 kWh. This can serve as a basis for increasing the charging operation rate of the entire system by extending the replacement cycle of the charging robot (R2) when charging electric vehicles.
[0072] The charging robot (R2) can explain functional optimization when forming an orthogonal structure. When the battery body (2) is rotated upward around the hinge (12) as an axis to perform the charging mode, the power supply pad (11) hidden on the upper surface of the base body (1) can be exposed to the outside. In this state, the charging robot (R2) enters the lower part of the electric vehicle and performs alignment with the power collection pad. As the large-area battery body (2) is erected vertically, the display unit (22) and the indicator (221) can be positioned on the front of the battery body (2) in a larger size. This can improve the amount of information and visibility conveyed to the user.
[0073] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a station according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0074] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a wireless charging system for an electric vehicle may include a plurality of charging robots (R1) and stations (S).
[0075] The station (S) can charge and store the charging robot (R1). The station (S) can control the insertion and replacement of the charging robot (R1) into the lower part of the electric vehicle according to the charging status of each charging robot (R1).
[0076] The station (S) may include a rack (3) and a carrier (4).
[0077] The station (S) may have a multi-level stacking structure to efficiently manage multiple charging robots (R1) and increase space utilization. Inside the station (S), a rack (3) may be provided for stacking the charging robots (R1) layer by layer, thereby allowing a large number of charging robots (R1) to be stored even in a narrow space.
[0078] A sliding carrier (4) may be positioned between racks (3) to move horizontally and vertically and to automatically load and unload a charging robot (R1). The sliding carrier (4) is driven in a manner similar to an elevator parking device and can move freely between racks (3) in horizontal and vertical directions. When the charging robot (R1) finishes charging and returns to the station (S) or is unloaded for electric vehicle charging, the sliding carrier (4) can transport the charging robot (R1) to a target rack (3) location to realize automation of system operation.
[0079] A robot charging terminal (5) may be provided on the rack (3) of the station (S). The robot charging terminal (5) can charge the charging robot battery (132). When the charging robot (R1) enters the station (S), it can receive power by making contact with the robot charging terminal (5). That is, the charging robot battery (132) can be recharged inside the station (S) for charging the electric vehicle battery. A contact-type charging terminal (137) is located on the rear of the drive unit (13) of the charging robot (R1), and physical contact can be made between the charging terminal (137) and the robot charging terminal (5) of the station (S) simultaneously when the charging robot (R1) enters the rack (3) and stops. This contact charging method allows power to be supplied directly without a separate cable connection, thereby enabling multiple charging robots (R1) to be managed in a fully charged state simultaneously.
[0080] The charging robot (R1) may include a first charging robot that is charging an electric vehicle and a second charging robot that has completed recharging within the station (S).
[0081] The charging robot (R1) may have an individual battery (21) capacity that is insufficient to charge the entire electric vehicle battery in order to maintain a thin structure. To overcome this physical limitation, the station (S) can perform a replacement charging logic by sequentially deploying multiple charging robots (R1).
[0082] For example, when the remaining battery level of the first charging robot falls below a preset threshold, the station (S) can release the second charging robot and swap the positions of the first and second charging robots to continue charging. Additionally, when the electric vehicle battery is below a preset charging capacity, the station (S) can repeatedly swap the first and second charging robots to continue charging. That is, the charging robot (R1) can be swapped until the electric vehicle battery reaches a preset charging capacity or higher, thereby fully charging the electric vehicle battery.
[0083] When electric vehicle charging begins, the first charging robot can first enter the underside of the vehicle to supply energy to the electric vehicle. The station (S) monitors the battery (21) status of the first charging robot in real time, and if the remaining charge drops below a threshold, it can call the second charging robot, which is in a fully charged state and waiting within the station (S). As the first charging robot is removed from the underside of the electric vehicle and returns to the station (S), the second charging robot enters the location of the power collection pad under the vehicle, thereby minimizing the charging gap and continuously supplying power.
[0084] This replacement process can be repeated multiple times until the electric vehicle battery reaches the target charging capacity set by the user. As a result, a flexible wireless charging infrastructure can be constructed that can sufficiently meet the high-capacity power requirements of the electric vehicle through organic interaction with the station (S) while keeping the size of the charging robot (R1) small.
[0085] As described above, although the present invention has been explained by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.
[0086] Meanwhile, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back have been used in this invention, these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that they may vary depending on the position of the object or the position of the observer. Explanation of the symbols
[0087] R: Charging robot S: Station 1: Base body 11: Quick Pad 12: Hinge 13: Drive unit 2: Battery body 21: Battery 22: Display section
Claims
Claim 1 A wireless charging system for an electric vehicle comprising: a plurality of charging robots for wirelessly charging an electric vehicle including a power collection pad; and a station for charging and storing the charging robots and controlling the insertion and replacement of the charging robots into the lower part of the electric vehicle according to the charging status of each charging robot, wherein the charging robots include: a base body comprising a power supply pad disposed on one side for transmitting wireless power, a hinge disposed on the other side, and a driving unit for driving the charging robots to drive autonomously; and a battery body coupled to the base body through the hinge, comprising a battery for storing charging power and a display unit for displaying charging status information, wherein the battery body rotates upward from the ground around the hinge as an axis to be positioned orthogonally to the base body, and then enters the lower part of the electric vehicle, and when charging the electric vehicle, the power supply pad rises to reduce the distance between the power supply pad and the power collection pad. Claim 2 A wireless charging system for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the station comprises: a rack on which the charging robot is loaded by layer; and a sliding carrier that moves horizontally and vertically between the racks to load and unload the charging robot. Claim 3 A wireless charging system for electric vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the station includes a robot charging terminal for charging the battery of the charging robot, and the charging robot receives power by contacting the robot charging terminal when it enters the station. Claim 4 A wireless charging system for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the charging robot includes a first charging robot that is charging the electric vehicle and a second charging robot that has completed recharging within the station, and the station releases the second charging robot when the remaining battery level of the first charging robot falls below a preset threshold, thereby swapping the positions of the first charging robot and the second charging robot to continue charging. Claim 5 A wireless charging system for electric vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the area of the power supply pad is smaller than the area of the power collection pad. Claim 6 A wireless charging system for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises: a side sensor unit disposed on the side of the base body to detect obstacles and terrain below the electric vehicle; and a top sensor unit disposed on the top surface of the base body to measure the vertical separation distance between the power supply pad and the power collection pad, wherein the side sensor unit tracks the horizontal position of the power collection pad to guide the entry of the charging robot into the electric vehicle. Claim 7 A wireless charging system for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the capacity of the battery is 5 kWh or more and 11 kWh or less.