Power transmission system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power transmission systems for shopping carts face challenges in accurately aligning antennas for efficient contactless power transmission, leading to difficulties in reliably moving carts to and from storage positions, especially due to manufacturing errors in wheel clearances and stability issues during movement.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a power transmission system that includes guide rails with grooves tailored to the width of the cart's wheels, ensuring precise alignment of power transmission and reception antennas, and stabilizing the cart's movement by adjusting the groove widths to accommodate manufacturing variations, allowing for efficient contactless power transfer and stable cart navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the groove width of guide rails is reduced to improve alignment precision for contactless power transmission, then antenna alignment precision is improved, but the ease of moving the cart deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail system applies different groove widths to different wheels: the first wheel (closer to the power transmission antenna) has a narrower groove width for precise alignment, while the second wheel has a wider groove width for ease of movement. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each wheel's groove width according to its specific functional requirement.
2Ease of operation
If the groove width of guide rails is increased to improve ease of moving the cart, then ease of operation is improved, but antenna alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail system applies different groove widths to different wheels: the first wheel (closer to the power transmission antenna) has a narrower groove width for precise alignment, while the second wheel has a wider groove width for ease of movement. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each wheel's groove width according to its specific functional requirement.
3Reliability
If the groove width is adjusted to accommodate manufacturing errors, then reliability of power transmission is improved, but the precision of alignment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail system applies different groove widths to different wheels: the first wheel (closer to the power transmission antenna) has a narrower groove width for precise alignment, while the second wheel has a wider groove width for ease of movement. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each wheel's groove width according to its specific functional requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The wider groove width at the second wheel position provides a cushioning effect that accommodates manufacturing errors and positional deviations before they affect the alignment at the first wheel. This prior cushioning allows the system to maintain reliability despite variations in cart manufacturing.
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
This solution enables reliable guidance of carts to storage positions and efficient contactless power transmission, even with manufacturing errors, while facilitating easy movement and storage operations by optimizing the groove widths in the guide rails.
Implementation Method 1
a power transmission system that transmits power contactlessly
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment, a power transmission system includes a power transmission antenna, a first rail and a second rail. The power transmission antenna is disposed facing the power reception antenna installed on the side surface of the cart stored in the storage position. The first rail includes a first groove that guides, among a plurality of wheels for moving the cart to the storage position, a first wheel that is closest to the power transmission antenna while the cart is stored in the storage position, and that causes a distance between the power reception antenna and the power transmission antenna installed on the side surface of the cart to be within a power transmittable range. The second rail includes a second groove that guides, among the plurality of wheels for moving the cart, a second wheel that is different from the first wheel to the storage position.