Module for inductive energy transfer

This application claims benefit of German Patent Application No. 10 2018 115 837.8, filed on 29 Jun. 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The invention relates to a module for inductive energy transfer, a ground module GPM for a vehicle charging system for charging an energy storage device on a vehicle with such a module, a vehicle module CPM for a vehicle charging system for charging an energy storage device on a vehicle with such a module, a charging system for a vehicle for charging an energy storage device on the vehicle with such a module, as well as a vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, railway vehicle with such a module.

Inductive charging devices for wireless charging of an energy storage device on the vehicle transfer electrical energy, typically via a resonant magnetic field, wirelessly from a primary unit (GPM or Ground Pad Module), which is typically arranged on the ground with motor vehicles, to a secondary unit on the vehicle (CPM or Car Pad Module).

In order to establish the resonant magnetic field and/or to transfer energy via the magnetic field, both the primary unit (GPM) and the secondary unit (CPM) contain main coils, each of which is connected to an electrical resonance circuit. In doing so, there are very high voltages, for example of from 5000 V to 7000 V, present at the electrical connections for the respective main coils.

In order to fulfill the applicable safety regulations with respect to creepage distances, the insulation of the electrical main coil connections to ground must therefore be executed with very long creepage distances (in the range of several meters). Because the actual distances between components conducting high-voltage in inductive charging devices and grounded components are only within a range of a few centimeters, however, such long creepage distances disadvantageously lead to a great amount of design complexity.

The term creepage distance here is understood to be the shortest distance between two conductive parts along a surface of a solid insulating material. The term creepage current here is understood to be leakage current which flows along the surface of an insulating material.

The object of the invention is to provide a module for inductive energy transfer, which enables a compact design.

The invention results from the features of the main claims. Advantageous further embodiments and designs are the subject matter of the dependent claims. Further features, application options, and advantages of the invention result from the following description, and explanation, of example embodiments of the invention, which are represented in the figures.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a module for inductive energy transfer including the following: a main coil HS, which is completely enclosed by electrical insulation IS 1 , wherein only two connections, A 1 HS and A 2 1E , are routed from/to the main coil HS by insulation IS 1 ; an electrical assembly with two high-voltage parts, HT 1 and HT 2 , and at least one low-voltage part NT, wherein each of the high-voltage parts, HT 1 and HT 2 , is directly and completely enclosed by separate electrical insulation, IS 2 HT1 and IS 2 HT2 , wherein connection A 1 HT is routed to a first connection of the main coil HS, and a first electrical supply line is routed from the low-voltage part NT to the high-voltage part HT 1 by insulation IS 2 HT1 and wherein connection A 2 HT is routed to a second connection of the main coil HS, and a second electrical supply line is routed from the low-voltage part NT to the high-voltage part HT 2 by insulation IS 2 HT2 , and connection A 1 HS is only electrically connectable to connection A 1 HT such that connections A 1 HS -A 1 HT , which are electrically connected to one another, are each directly and completely enclosed by electrical insulation IS 3 A1 , which is in direct contact with insulation IS 1 and insulation IS 2 HT1 , and connection A 2 HS is only electrically connectable to connection A 2 HT such that connections A 2 HS -A 2 HT , which are electrically connected to one another, are directly and completely enclosed by electrical insulation IS 3 A2 , which is in direct contact with insulation IS 1 and insulation IS 2 HT2 .

The terms first connection and second connection of the main coil HS characterize the two connections A 1 HS and A 2 HS of the main coil HS or specifically the main coil winding.

The proposed module effectively prevents leakage currents by use of the indicated electrical insulation such that the module can be produced very compactly, wherein, however, the corresponding safety regulations can be adhered to with respect to the electrical insulation and creepage currents.

The main coil HS is advantageously designed as a flat coil. Electrical insulation IS 1 of the main coil HS may consist particularly of a housing made of an electrically insulating material, into which the main coil HS is integrated. The housing is advantageously designed such that the windings of the main coil HS are routed within the housing. Advantageously, electrical insulation IS 1 exclusively encloses the main coil HS including the two connections A 1 HS and A 2 HS , which penetrate through insulation IS 1 to the outside. The main coil can also be cast into insulation IS 1 .

Electrical insulation IS 1 and/or IS 2 HT1 and/or IS 2 HT2 and/or IS 3 A1 and/or IS 3 A2 advantageously consist of a plastic material, particularly of a hydrophobic plastic material or of a ceramic material (e.g., steatite or porcelain).

The two electrical connections A 1 HS and A 2 HS may be designed as plug-in connections, terminal connections, or the like, wherein electrical connections A 1 HS and A 2 HS are connected directly to respective ends of the main coil HS.

The proposed module further includes the electrical assembly with the two connections HT 1 and HT 2 and at least one low-voltage part NT. One of the high-voltage parts HT 1 and HT 2 or one of their connections are assigned to each connection A 1 HS and A 2 HS of the main coil HS, i.e., the following assignment of electrical connections applies for example: A 1 HS -A 1 HT and A 2 HS -A 2 HT .

The two electrical connections A 1 HT and A 2 HT are advantageously designed so as to complement electrical connections A 1 HS and A 2 HS . Advantageously, connections A 1 HS -A 1 HT and A 2 HS -A 2 HT are designed as plugs and sockets.

The main coil HS with the insulation IS 1 and connections A 1 HS and A 2 HS is advantageously designed as a component separate from the electrical assembly. This enables simple production as well as the possibility of an easy replacement of the main coil HS. The electrical assembly is advantageously implemented on a PC board.

Electrical connections A 1 HS -A 1 HT and A 2 HS -A 2 HT , which are designed as plugs and sockets, are advantageously arranged essentially perpendicular to a PC board, on which the electrical assembly is arranged, and parallel to one another, whereby a compact design of the module with simultaneous simple assembly is enabled, because the plug-in connection of the two electrical connections can be produced by a simple linear plug-in movement of an entire preassembled assembly consisting of the insulation IS 1 and the main coil HS and, in this process, a flatly built overall construction results.

In order to prevent lateral forces, the passages of the two connections A 1 HS and A 2 HS (formed as plugs) are advantageously designed by use of the insulation IS 1 such that a certain mobility of the two plugs is enabled with respect to their linear distance (distance between their two center axes). This prevents lateral forces, for example, due to production tolerances or thermal expansions causing different distances between the two sockets and the two plugs. Advantageously, electrical insulation IS 3 A1 and IS 3 A2 as well as the respective connection points between insulation IS 1 , IS 3 A1 , IS 3 a 2 , IS 2 HT1 , and IS 2 HT2 are also respectively designed such that the aforementioned mobility of the two plugs is enabled.

In this case, the low-voltage part NT and high-voltage parts HT 1 and HT 2 are advantageously defined as follows. With the low-voltage part NT, the electrical (alternating) voltages during operation are advantageously in a range from 0 V to 1000 V, or 0 V to 900, or 0 V to 800 V, or 0 V to 700 V, or 0 V to 600 V, or 0 V to 500 V, or 0 V to 400 V, or 0 V to 300 V. With the high-voltage parts HT 1 and HT 2 , the electrical (alternating) voltages during operation are advantageously greater than 1000 V, or greater than 1500 V, or greater than 2000 V, or greater than 3000 V, or greater than 4000 V, or greater than 5000 V, or greater than 6000 V, or greater than 7000 V, or are in a range from 1000 V to 9000 V.

Advantageously, insulation IS 3 A1 and/or IS 3 A2 is a component of insulation IS 1 . Alternatively, insulation IS 3 A1 may be a component of insulation IS 2 HT1 and/or insulation IS 3 A2 may be a component of insulation IS 2 HT2 . Advantageously, insulation IS 3 A1 and/or IS 3 A2 and/or IS 1 and/or IS 2 HT1 and/or IS 2 HT2 are formed from the same electrically insulating material. Advantageously, insulation IS 3 A1 and IS 3 A2 are formed from a different material than insulation IS 1 and/or IS 2 HT1 and/or IS 2 HT2 .

Insulation IS 2 HT1 and IS 2 HT2 are advantageously placed onto high-voltage parts HT 1 /HT 2 in a flowable state of the respective electrically insulating material.

An advantageous further embodiment of the proposed module is characterized in that an array of capacitors and/or coils is arranged as electrical components in high-voltage parts HT 1 and HT 2 . Advantageously, these electrical components are arranged in respective high-voltage parts HT 1 and HT 2 such that a voltage generated/processed by the electrical components increases in one direction via the respective (total) high-voltage part HT 1 /HT 2 . Advantageously, the direction of increase of the voltage extends over the respective high-voltage part HT 1 /HT 2 essentially from a position of the respective inlet of the electrical supply lines, coming from the low-voltage part NT, to a position of respective connection A 1 HT /A 2 HT with respect to the main coil.

Advantageously, each of the high-voltage parts HT 1 and HT 2 includes a square or rectangular array of capacitors and/or coils, which are arranged on a PC board. On a first side, the array of the high-voltage part HT 1 , for example, is electrically connected to the low-voltage part NT on the input side. On the side of the array opposite the first side, the array is connected, on the output side, to connection A 1 HT , which serves as the one-sided connection of the main coil HS. The arrangement of the capacitors/coils and their circuitry then advantageously takes place in that the voltage processed by the capacitors/coils increases from the first side to the opposite side. The operating voltage thus increases over the array from the first side to the opposite side.

Due to the proposed insulation concept, all of the high-voltage-conducting parts of the module (main coil HS as well as high-voltage parts HT 1 and HT 2 and connected connections A 1 HS -A 1 HT and A 2 HS -A 2 HT ) are completely enclosed by insulation IS 1 , IS 2 HT2 , IS 3 A2 , and IS 3 A2 in the operating state such that no creepage currents can form. Thus, high-voltage-conducting parts and low-voltage-conducting parts can be implemented next to one another in a compact space. The proposed module can thereby be produced in a space-saving and material-saving manner and fulfils so-to-speak the necessary requirements regarding creepage current resistance.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a ground module GPM for a vehicle charging system for charging an energy storage device on the vehicle, wherein the vehicle charging system includes the ground module GPM and a vehicle module CPM, the vehicle module CPM arranged on the vehicle, wherein energy from the ground module GPM is transferred inductively to the vehicle module CPM, and wherein the ground module GPM has a module, as previously described.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle module CPM for a vehicle charging system for charging an energy storage device on the vehicle, wherein the vehicle charging system includes a ground module GPM and a vehicle module CPM, the vehicle module CPM arranged on the vehicle, wherein energy from the ground module GPM is transferred inductively to the vehicle module CPM, and wherein the vehicle module CPM has a module, as previously described.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a charging system for a vehicle for inductive charging of an energy storage device on the vehicle, including a ground module GPM and a vehicle module CPM, the vehicle module CPM arranged on the vehicle, wherein energy from the ground module GPM is transferred inductively to the vehicle module CPM, and wherein the ground module GPM and/or the vehicle module CPM has a module, as previously described.

A final aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle, particularly a land-based vehicle, an aircraft, watercraft, or a railway vehicle with a module, as previously described.

Other advantages, features, and details result from the following description, in which at least one example embodiment is described in detail—optionally with reference to the drawings. Equivalent, similar, and/or functionally equivalent parts have been given the same reference numbers.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a diagram representation of a module according to the invention with a still separated main coil HS and of a low-voltage part NT and two high-voltage parts HT 1 and HT 2 arranged on a plate 116 ;

FIG. 2 shows a side view along an intersecting line A-A′ of FIG. 1 with the main coil HS and plate 116 in a mounted state ready for operation; and

FIG. 3 shows a side view along an intersecting line B-B′ of FIG. 1 with the main coil HS and plate 116 in a mounted state ready for operation.

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a diagram representation of a module according to the invention for inductive energy transfer with a (still separated) main coil HS and with an electrical assembly, including a low-voltage part NT 107 and two high-voltage parts HT 1 105 and HT 2 106 , arranged on an electrically insulating plate 116 .

The board 116 is advantageously designed as a PC board.

The main coil HS 101 is designed as a flat coil and completely enclosed by electrical insulation IS 1 102 including a plastic material. Only two connections A 1 HS 103 and A 2 HS 104 are routed from/to the main coil HS 101 by insulation IS 1 102 . Connections A 1 HS 103 and A 2 HS 104 in this case are designed as a plug of a plug-in connection.

The electrical assembly, with the two high-voltage parts HT 1 105 and HT 2 106 and one low-voltage part NT 107 , is arranged on the electrically insulating plate 116 . Each of the high-voltage parts HT 1 105 and HT 2 106 is directly and completely enclosed by respective separate electrical insulation IS 2 HT1 108 or IS 2 HT2 109 , respectively, wherein an electrical connection A 1 HT 110 is routed to a first electrical connection of the main coil HS 101 , e.g., electrical connection A 1 HS , and at least one electrical supply line 111 is routed from the low-voltage part NT 107 to the high-voltage part HT 1 105 by insulation IS 2 HT1 108 , and wherein an electrical connection A 2 HT 112 is routed to a second electrical connection of the main coil HS 101 , e.g., electrical connection A 2 HS , and at least one electrical supply line 113 is routed from the low-voltage part NT 107 to the high-voltage part HT 2 106 by insulation IS 2 HT2 109 . Electrical connections A 1 HT 110 and A 2 HT 112 here are designed as sockets for incorporating connections A 1 HS 103 and A 2 HS 104 designed as plugs, thus forming a fixed electrical connections.

Specifically, this means that the electronic components, which are arranged on the non-electrically conductive plate 116 , of high-voltage parts HT 1 105 and HT 2 106 may be correspondingly electrically connected within the respective high-voltage parts HT 1 105 and HT 2 106 , but any available surfaces of the electronic components, the non-conductive plate 116 , and the connection lines between the components within high-voltage parts HT 1 105 and HT 2 106 are enclosed by the corresponding electrical insulation IS 2 HT1 or IS 2 HT2 , respectively.

According to the invention, connection A 1 HS 103 can only be electrically connected to connection A 1 HT 110 and connection A 2 HS 104 can only be electrically connected to connection A 2 HT 112 such that connections A 1 HS -A 1 HT , which are electrically connected to one another, are directly and completely enclosed by electrical insulation IS 3 A1 114 , which is directly in contact with insulation IS 1 102 and IS 2 HT1 108 as illustrated in FIG. 2 , and connections A 2 HS -A 2 HT , which are electrically connected to one another, are directly and completely enclosed by electrical insulation IS 3 A2 115 , which is directly in contact with insulation IS 1 102 and IS 2 HT2 109 as illustrated in FIG. 3 .

This is especially clear from FIG. 2 , which shows a side view along an intersecting line A-A′ of FIG. 1 with the main coil HS and electrical assembly in a mounted state ready for operation. In this case, the plug of connection A 1 HS 103 is electrically connected to the socket of connection A 1 HT 110 , i.e., the plug 103 is inserted in the socket 110 . Similarly, FIG. 3 shows a side view along an intersecting line B-B′ of FIG. 1 with the main coil HS and electrical assembly in a mounted state ready for operation. In this case, the plug of connection A 2 HS 104 is electrically connected to the socket of connection A 2 HT 112 , i.e., the plug 104 is inserted in the socket 112 .

FIG. 2 clearly shows that all high-voltage-conducting components (main coil HS 101 , plug-in connection: connections A 1 HS -A 1 HT and high-voltage part HT 1 105 ) and the surfaces surrounding them are completely enclosed by electrical insulation IS 1 102 , IS 2 HT1 108 , and IS 3 A1 114 such that the problem of occurring creepage currents is significantly reduced and thus compact designs of the module can be implemented for inductive energy transfer. Similarly, FIG. 3 clearly shows that all high-voltage-conducting components (main coil HS 101 , plug-in connection: connections A 2 HS -A 2 HT and high-voltage part HT 1 106 ) and the surfaces surrounding them are completely enclosed by electrical insulation IS 1 102 , IS 2 HT2 109 , and IS 3 A2 115 such that the problem of occurring creepage currents is significantly reduced and thus compact designs of the module can be implemented for inductive energy transfer.

Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in more detail by preferred example embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations may be derived by one of ordinary skill in the art without extending beyond the protective scope of the invention. It is thus clear that a plurality of variation options exist. It is likewise clear that example embodiments actually only represent examples, which are not to be interpreted in any manner as a limitation, for example, of the protective scope, the use options, or the configuration of the invention. Rather, the previous description and the description of figures should make one of ordinary skill in the art capable of specifically implementing the example embodiments, wherein one of ordinary skill in the art with knowledge of the disclosed concept of the invention can undertake various changes, for example with respect to the function or the arrangement of individual elements listed in an example embodiment, without going beyond the scope of protection, which is defined by the claims and the legal equivalents thereof such as, for example, more extensive explanations in the description.

101 Main coil HS

102 Insulation IS 1

103 Connection A 1 HS from/to the main coil HS

104 Connection A 2 HS from/to the main coil HS

105 High-voltage part HT 1

106 High-voltage part HT 2

107 Low-voltage part NT

108 Electrical insulation IS 2 HT1

109 Electrical insulation IS 2 HT2

110 Connection A 1 HT

111 Electrical supply line

112 Connection A 2 HT

113 Electrical supply line

114 Electrical insulation IS 3 A1

115 Electrical insulation IS 3 A2

116 Electrically insulating plate