Power Transfer Unit Common Voltage Range Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power transfer units may supply voltages exceeding the allowable range for receivers, leading to malfunctions when powering multiple devices simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

The power transfer unit acquires the proper voltage ranges of multiple receivers and sets the supply voltage to a common range within these limits, using equations to determine approximate minimum and maximum voltage values, and adjusts the supply voltage accordingly to prevent overvoltage issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If power is supplied to multiple receivers simultaneously, then power transfer capability is improved, but voltage control precision deteriorates causing malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower transfer capabilityVSAvoidvoltage control precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the power transfer process into multiple stages: first acquiring proper voltage ranges for each receiver individually, then determining a common supply voltage range that satisfies all receivers. This segmentation allows the system to manage multiple receivers without losing voltage control precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control portion performs preliminary actions by acquiring the proper voltage ranges of all receivers before actually supplying power. It calculates the common range in advance, ensuring that when power is supplied to multiple receivers simultaneously, the voltage remains within acceptable limits for all devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If supply voltage is increased to meet all receivers' requirements, then adaptability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to overvoltage malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage range adaptabilityVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter approach by not fixing a single supply voltage value, but rather determining a common voltage range that adapts to all receivers' requirements. The control portion calculates the intersection of all receivers' proper voltage ranges, allowing the system to adapt to different receiver configurations while maintaining reliability by never exceeding any receiver's maximum voltage tolerance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If individual voltage control is implemented for each receiver, then voltage precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage control precisionVSAvoidcontrol circuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the voltage control approach by determining a single common supply voltage range that satisfies all receivers simultaneously, rather than implementing separate control circuits for each receiver. This combining approach maintains voltage precision for all devices while significantly reducing control circuit complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2897251B1Power Transfer Unit

Publication Date: 2019.03.13 FUNAI ELECTRIC CO LTD

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AI summary

This power transfer unit (1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) includes a power supply portion (15) and a control portion (11, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d), and the control portion acquires proper voltage ranges of a plurality of receivers (2, 2a, 2b, 3, 3a, 3b, 4, 4a, 4b, 6) and sets a supply voltage value in a common range among the proper voltage ranges.