The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 01, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 22, 1996
Yasuharu Odachi, Aichi-ken, JP;
Norimoto Minoshima, Aichi-ken, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho, Kariya, JP;
Abstract
Method and apparatus of charging a battery of an electric vehicle through inductive coupling between a primary inductive device having a core and a primary coil connected to a power source and a secondary inductive device having a core and a secondary coil connected to the battery are disclosed. The primary inductive device is provided on a movable arm of a ground charger unit and the secondary inductive device is mounted on the bottom of the vehicle adjacent its rear end. The power source supplies to the primary coil selectively a charging current and a check current. When the check current is supplied to the primary coil, an electromotive force is induced in the secondary coil which varies with a change of the relative position between the primary and secondary inductive devices. The variation in the induced electromotive force causes a change of the check current flowing in the primary coil. The position where the primary inductive device should be placed with respect to the secondary inductive device just before coupling thereof is determined on the basis of the change of the check current which is monitored while moving the primary inductive device relative to the secondary inductive device.