Inductive Charging Housing Segmentation for Mechanical Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inductive charging systems for motor vehicles face challenges in transmitting high energy efficiently while ensuring mechanical stability, protecting electrical components, and maintaining adequate cooling, especially in scenarios where mechanical damage or accidental vehicle contact occurs.

Innovation Solution

An electrical assembly with a housing containing a coil device, a carrier for the coil, and integrated electronic control, featuring a ferrite body for enhanced magnetic field transmission, movable housing parts for flexibility, and a cooling system to manage heat, along with sensor devices for monitoring and protection against foreign objects and mechanical stress.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If very high currents are used for inductive energy transfer, then energy transmission efficiency is improved, but mechanical stability and resistance to mechanical damage deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinductive energy transfer capabilityVSAvoidmechanical stability
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The transmitting coil assembly is divided into two separate housing parts (first housing part and second housing part) that are fastened together. This segmentation allows each housing part to independently support mechanical loads, distributing the stress and improving overall mechanical stability while maintaining the high power inductive charging capability through the coil assembly positioned between them.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Power

If high power electronics are integrated into the transmitting coil, then energy transfer efficiency is improved, but protection of electrical components from mechanical damage becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy transfer efficiencyVSAvoidprotection of electrical components
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The power electronics and control electronics are integrated within the housing structure of the transmitting coil assembly. The housing parts enclose and protect these electrical components while maintaining their functional integration with the coil assembly, ensuring both high energy transfer efficiency and mechanical protection of the electronics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Temperature

If adequate cooling is provided for the transmitting device, then thermal management is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidcooling system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling function is merged with the housing structure itself. The housing parts are designed to facilitate heat dissipation, potentially incorporating cooling channels or thermally conductive materials directly into the housing, thereby providing adequate cooling for the high-power electronics and coil assembly without adding separate complex cooling systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enables efficient high-energy inductive charging with enhanced mechanical stability, effective cooling, and protection against mechanical damage and foreign objects, ensuring reliable operation even under heavy loads or accidental vehicle contact.

Implementation Method 1

at least one electrical coil assembly for inductive energy transfer is arranged

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

In another advantageous embodiment, the device also has a ferrite body and, in particular, one or more ferrite plates arranged inside the housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFerromagnetism: Ferromagnetism

Data Source

PatentEP3567618B1Induction device for charging motor vehicles
Publication Date: 2022.09.28 ZOLLNER ELEKTRONIK
  • EP3567618B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3567618B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3567618B1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

An electrical assembly (1) for inductive charging current transfer, comprising a housing (2) within which at least one electrical coil assembly (10) for inductive energy transfer is arranged, with an interface that enables electrically conductive contact of this coil assembly (10), wherein the housing (2) has a first housing part (22) and a second housing part (24) which are fastened to one another by at least one fastening means (74), and wherein the two housing parts (22, 24) each extend at least along a longitudinal direction (L) and a lateral direction (B) perpendicular to this longitudinal direction (L), and with at least one electrical connection device (6) for connecting the electrical assembly (1) to a power grid. According to the invention, at least one housing part is made of a plastic.