Wireless Power Transfer for Vehicle Seats Using Inductive Coils
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Solution Overview
Problem
Providing wireless electrical power to passenger seats in vehicles poses challenges due to the need for extensive wiring, which increases costs and weight, and complicates seat reconfiguration, as existing solutions require precise coil placement and are not adaptable to changes in seating arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A flexible wireless charging system where transmit coils are mounted behind the sidewall panel or under the floor, and receive coils are positioned between the seats, allowing for reconfiguration without rewiring, with movable and geometrically designed coils to maintain efficient power transfer across varying seat pitches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard-wired power delivery is used to each seat, then reliable electrical power can be delivered to each seat, but the wiring cost, installation labor, and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wiring system with a wireless electromagnetic field-based power transfer system. Transmit coils mounted on vehicle structures generate magnetic fields that induce currents in receive coils at seats, eliminating the need for physical electrical connections and significantly reducing wiring weight while maintaining power delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic fields as an intermediary medium to transfer power between the vehicle's power source and seat devices. The transmit and receive coils act as intermediaries that couple the power source to devices without direct electrical connection, enabling power transfer through magnetic field coupling.
2Reliability
If hard-wired power delivery is used to each seat, then electrical power can be delivered reliably, but the installation labor and cost are multiplied for each seat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power delivery system into independent transmit coil modules mounted on vehicle structures and receive coil modules at seats. This modular segmentation allows each component to be installed independently without requiring extensive wiring to every seat, reducing installation complexity and cost while maintaining reliable power delivery through wireless coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmit coils mounted on vehicle structures serve multiple seats simultaneously through their magnetic field coverage area. A single transmit coil can power multiple receive coils at different seats, making the system universal and reducing the total number of components and installation points needed compared to individual wired connections for each seat.
3Weight of stationary object
If wireless power transfer is used, then wiring requirements are reduced, but the transmit coil must be positioned close to the receive coil which complicates the system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the transmit coil mounting function with existing vehicle structures such as wall panels and floor assemblies. By integrating transmit coils into these structural components during vehicle manufacturing, the coil positioning complexity is reduced as the mounting locations are predetermined by the vehicle's structural framework rather than requiring separate positioning systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-positioning transmit coils on vehicle structures during manufacturing before seats are installed. This allows the transmit coil locations to be established in advance, simplifying subsequent seat installation and ensuring proper positioning without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or post-installation calibration.
4Adaptability or versatility
If seats are reconfigured in a hard-wired system, then seating arrangements can be changed, but the wiring becomes complicated and difficult to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wiring system with wireless electromagnetic coupling, which inherently supports reconfiguration. When seats are moved or reconfigured, the receive coils simply need to remain within the magnetic field coverage area of the transmit coils, eliminating the need to rerewire or reconfigure electrical connections and greatly simplifying the adaptation process.
5Ease of operation
If wireless power transfer is used, then plug-socket incompatibility is eliminated, but the receive coil location precision requirement remains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the receive coil with the seat structure itself, making them an integrated assembly. This integration ensures that the receive coil maintains a consistent, predetermined position relative to the seat frame, reducing the need for high-precision positioning adjustments while allowing seats to be moved within the transmit coil's magnetic field coverage area.
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 system reduces wiring requirements, installation time, and weight, enabling seamless reconfiguration of seating arrangements while ensuring continuous power availability to each seat through standard charging ports, thus addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
Wireless technology involves using a first electrical current in a first conductor to generate a magnetic field that is then used in turn by a second conductor to generate a second electrical current
Implementation Method 2
A transmit coil on the end of the first conductor and a receive coil on the end of the second conductor can be designed and positioned to transfer power efficiently
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical system for low-power charging of personal electronic devices is made available at each passenger seat in a vehicle using wireless power technology. Alternating current is delivered by conductors behind the sidewall panels or under the floor of the vehicle body to the passenger area. Electrical power is transferred from these conductors using transmit coils attached outboard of the sidewall panels or below the floor to receive coils attached to passenger seats near the transmit coils. The electrical current induced in the receive coils is made available via electrical power charging circuits at a convenient location for each seat via conventional charging ports. Transmit and receive coils are designed and configured to permit different seating configurations without the need for rewiring by placement and design of larger transmit and receive coils or by using track-mounted transmit and receive coils or a combination of these.