Foldable Parallel Conductor Spacing for Contactless Power Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Contactless power supply systems experience decreased power reception efficiency when the distance between parallel conductors varies, necessitating a solution for maintaining efficiency while allowing for compact and flexible design.

Innovation Solution

A two-parallel-line unit with foldable conductors and guide plates that maintain a consistent distance between conductors, featuring a cavity for accommodation and an insulating cover to control the width of the bending part, utilizing flat braided copper wire conductors and optionally combining with a capacitor unit to reduce impedance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the two parallel lines are made foldable to achieve compactness and flexibility, then the portability and layout flexibility are improved, but the distance between conductors varies causing power reception efficiency to decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelayout flexibilityVSAvoidpower reception efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide plates are divided into multiple segments connected by bending parts, allowing the structure to be folded into compact forms while maintaining the ability to extend to various lengths. This segmentation enables both portability and consistent conductor spacing through proper design of the guide plate connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Guide plates are introduced as intermediary components between the conductors to maintain a constant distance between them. These guide plates ensure that even when the parallel lines are folded or extended, the conductors remain at the optimal spacing for power transfer efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If guide plates are added to maintain consistent distance between conductors, then power reception efficiency is improved, but the number of components and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower reception efficiencyVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide plates are designed to combine multiple functions: they maintain conductor spacing, provide structural support, enable folding through integrated bending parts, and guide assembly. By merging these functions into a single component, the overall device complexity is reduced despite adding the guide plates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide plates serve multiple purposes simultaneously: they act as spacers to maintain distance, as structural elements to support the conductors, and as folding joints to enable compact storage. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Volume of moving object

If the two parallel lines are made foldable for compact storage, then the carryability is improved, but the consistency of conductor spacing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage compactnessVSAvoidconductor spacing consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The foldable structure is segmented into guide plates connected at bending parts, with each segment designed to maintain a fixed conductor spacing. This segmentation allows the overall structure to be compact when folded while ensuring precision is maintained in each individual segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide plates are designed as thin, flat plate structures that can flex at the bending parts while maintaining their rigid spacing function in the extended state. This flexible yet rigid design enables compact folding without compromising the precision of conductor spacing when deployed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides high power reception efficiency, compactness, and flexibility, reducing the number of components and minimizing power loss by maintaining consistent conductor spacing and incorporating a capacitor unit for impedance matching.

Implementation Method 1

A contactless power supply system which supplies high-frequency power to two parallel lines on which two conductors are laid parallel to each other and magnetically couples a coil on a power reception side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3654493B1Contactless power transfer system having two parallel conductors
Publication Date: 2021.09.08 DAIHEN CORP
  • EP3654493B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3654493B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3654493B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A two-parallel-line unit with high power reception efficiency is provided. A two-parallel-line unit includes two parallel lines and a plurality of guide plates and supplies power from a power supply device to a power reception device in a contactless manner. The two parallel lines are composed of a pair of foldable conductors. The plurality of guide plates control a distance between the pair of the conductors.