Patent Publication Number: US-2013234660-A1

Title: In-vehicle charger

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an in-vehicle charger to be mounted to a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     With the widespread use of mobile devices, an in-vehicle charger has been suggested which is capable of charging the mobile devices also in the vehicle. For this purpose, there is a need for a so-called non-contact in-vehicle charger in which charging is performed just by placing the mobile device on the in-vehicle charger so that a vehicle driving is not hindered by the action to charge the mobile device. 
     The non-contact charger disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a case whose one face has an opening, a lid which covers the opening of the case in an openable/closable manner and a charging coil which is disposed inside a bottom surface of the case facing the lid. When the mobile device is charged using the non-contact charger, power is supplied by magnetic flux in such a way that the mobile device is accommodated in the case and the charging coil of the non-contact charger and a charging coil of the mobile device are placed to face each other. 
     RELATED ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Document 
     
         
         Patent Document 1: JP-A-4-317527 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     While a vehicle mounted with the non-contact charger described above is running, there is a possibility that a mobile device cannot be effectively charged using the non-contact charger. That is, when the mobile device is charged using the non-contact charger, the charging coil of the mobile device and the charging coil of the non-contact charger are just opposed to each other in the case and the mobile device is not engaged with the non-contact charger. Accordingly, there is a possibility that these two charging coils are not opposed to each other due to oscillation or impact occurred during running of the vehicle. When these two charging coils are not opposed to each other, efficient charging cannot be carried out. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle charger which is capable of performing an efficient charging at all times even during running of a vehicle. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     The invention provides an in-vehicle charger comprising: a case whose one face having an opening; a lid that covers the opening of the case in an openable and closable manner; a charging coil that is provided in an inner portion of the case facing the lid; and an urging portion that is provided on an inner surface side of the lid and urges a mobile device disposed in the case toward the charging coil. 
     Advantageous Effects of the Invention 
     According to the in-vehicle charger of the present invention, it is possible to perform an efficient charging at all times even during running of a vehicle. 
     Specifically, since the urging portion for urging the mobile device disposed in the case toward the charging coil is provided at the inner surface side of the lid in the present invention, it is possible to suppress positional deviation of the mobile device in the case due to oscillation or impact occurred during running of a vehicle mounted with the in-vehicle charger according to the present invention. As a result, it is possible to perform an efficient charging at all times even during running of a vehicle. 
     Further, since the urging portion is provided with a plurality of vent holes, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise due to the charging of the mobile device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an in-vehicle charger according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention in the state of being mounted to a vehicle. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing the in-vehicle charger according to the illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view showing the in-vehicle charger according to the illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing an internal electrical configuration of the in-vehicle charger according to the illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an internal electrical configuration of a mobile device which is charged from the in-vehicle charger according to the illustrative embodiment in a non-contact charging manner. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view showing an in-vehicle charger according to another illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view showing the in-vehicle charger according to another illustrative embodiment. 
     
    
    
     MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, an illustrative embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an in-vehicle charger according to an illustrative embodiment in the state of being mounted to a vehicle. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a steering wheel  3  is arranged in front of a vehicle interior  2  of a vehicle body  1  and an in-vehicle electronic device  4  is mounted to the front left side of the steering wheel  3 . Further, an in-vehicle charger  5  is arranged at a left side of the steering wheel  3  and in front of the in-vehicle electronic device  4  in the vehicle interior  2 . 
       FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are sectional views showing the in-vehicle charger  5  according to the illustrative embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 2  or  FIG. 3 , the in-vehicle charger  5  includes a box-shaped case  7  whose upper face is an opening  6 , a lid  8  which covers the opening  6  of the case  7  in an openable/closable manner and a charging coil  9  which is provided in a bottom portion of the case  7  facing the lid  8 . Here, one charging coil  9  is provided substantially at the center of the bottom portion of the case  7 . 
     In the present embodiment, a frame  12  is provided on an inner surface side of the lid  8  and protrudes into the case  7  from a lower surface of the lid  8  when the opening  6  of the case  7  is covered with the lid  8 . Further, an urging portion  11  formed by an elastic net is fixed to an end of the frame  12 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the urging portion  11  is attached substantially parallel to an inner surface of the lid  8 . Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a mobile device  10  such as a mobile phone is placed on a bottom surface of the case  7  to configure an inner space and the urging portion  11  urges the mobile device  10  toward the charging coil  9  when the opening  6  of the case  7  is covered with the lid  8 . Here, a charging coil  19  is provided inside the mobile device  10 . 
     Since the urging portion  11  is formed by the elastic net, portions between the meshes constitute a plurality of vent holes  11   a  in a state where the urging portion  11  is fixed to the frame  12 . A viewing window  13  is provided at a portion of the lid  8  facing the charging coil  9 . Further, vent holes  13   a  are provided at an outer peripheral portion of the viewing window  13 . 
     Further, an engaging portion  8   a  is provided at at least one place outside the frame  12  in an inner surface side of the lid  8 . In addition, an engaging portion  7   a  is provided at a place of the case  7  corresponding to the engaging portion  8   a  when the opening  6  of the case  7  is covered with the lid  8 . Accordingly, as the lid  8  is lowered toward the case  7 , the engaging portion  8   a  of the lid  8  and the engaging portion  7   a  of the case  7  are engaged with each other. At this time, the lid  8  is fixed in a state of covering the opening  6  of the case  7 . 
     Furthermore, a shield portion  31  is provided below the charging coil  9  in the bottom surface portion of the case  7 . The shield portion  31  is provided for preventing magnetic flux generated in the charging coil  9  from being leaked downward from the case  7 . 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing an internal electrical configuration of the in-vehicle charger  5 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the in-vehicle charger  5  includes the charging coil  9 , a power transmission unit  14 , a control unit  15 , a display unit  16 , an operation unit  17  and a storage unit  18 . The charging coil  9  is connected to the control unit  15  via the power transmission unit  14 . Further, the control unit  15  is connected to the display unit  16  to display a charging state, the operation unit  17  to instruct charging and the storage unit  18  to store an operating program. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an internal electrical configuration of the mobile device  10  which is charged from the in-vehicle charger  5  in a non-contact charging manner. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the mobile device  10  includes the charging coil  19 , a power reception unit  20 , a secondary battery  21 , a control unit  22 , a display unit  23 , an operation unit  24  and a storage unit  25 . The secondary battery  21  is connected to the charging coil  19  via the power reception unit  20 . The control unit  22  performs a charging control. The control unit  22  is connected to the display unit  23  to display a charging state, etc., the operation unit  24  to operate the mobile device  10  and the storage unit  25  to store an operating program. 
     Hereinafter, the change of state when charging the mobile device  10  using the in-vehicle charger  5  of the present embodiment will be described. 
     First, as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , a user opens the lid  8  of the in-vehicle charger  5  and places the mobile device  10  on a bottom surface of the case  7  to configure an inner space. At this time, the user places the mobile device  10  in such a way that the charging coil  19  of the mobile device  10  is opposed to the charging coil  9  of the in-vehicle charger  5 . 
     Next, the engaging portion  8   a  of the lid  8  and the engaging portion  7   a  of the case  7  are engaged with each other when the lid  8  is closed by the user. When the lid  8  is closed and the opening  6  of the case  7  is covered with the lid  8 , a central portion of the urging portion  11  provided on an inner surface of the lid  8  abuts against an upper surface of the mobile device  11  and the urging portion is elastically deformed in the shape of a dome, as shown in  FIG. 2 . As the urging portion  11  is elastically deformed in the shape of a dome, the mobile device  10  is urged toward the charging coil  9  of the in-vehicle charger  5 . 
     As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the lid  8  is closed in a state where the mobile device  10  which can be charged in a non-contact charging manner is placed in the case  7  of the in-vehicle charger  5  so that both charging coils  9 ,  19  are opposed to each other, the mobile device  10  is urged by the urging portion  11  provided on an inner surface side of the lid  8 . By doing so, it is possible to suppress positional deviation of the mobile device  10  in the case  7  due to oscillation or impact occurred during running of a vehicle mounted with the in-vehicle charger  5 . As a result, it is possible to perform an efficient charging at all times even during running of a vehicle. 
     Further, as described above, the urging portion  11  is provided with a plurality of vent holes  11   a . Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise due to the charging of the mobile device  10 . 
     Further, the lid  8  is also provided with vent holes  13   a . From this point too, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise due to the charging of the mobile device  10 . 
     Furthermore, the viewing window  13  is provided at a portion of the lid  8  facing the charging coil  9 . Accordingly, it is possible for a user to visually confirm the state of the mobile device  10  even during charging. 
     In the present embodiment, a member similar to the shield portion  31  is not provided in the lid  8 . When the shied portion is provided in the lid  8 , it is difficult to receive a call during charging of the mobile device  10 . Accordingly, the shied portion is not provided above a place in which the mobile device  10  is arranged. In this regard, since the charging coil  19  or the mobile device  10  is present above the charging coil  9  of the in-vehicle charger  5 , leakage of magnetic flux toward the upper side becomes very small. 
       FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  are sectional views showing an in-vehicle charger  5 A according to another embodiment. In the in-vehicle charger  5  described above, one charging coil  9  is provided substantially at the center of the bottom portion of the case  7 . However, the number of the charging coil  9  disposed at the bottom portion of the case  7  is not limited to one, but may be plural, as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . In a case where a plurality of charging coils  9  is disposed, any one of the charging coils  9  is opposed to the charging coil  19  of the mobile device  10  even when a user puts the mobile device  10  at any position on the bottom surface of the case  7  to configure the inner space. Accordingly, it is convenient for a user to use the in-vehicle charger. 
     Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to particular illustrative embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiments and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrative embodiments can be variously modified without departing a spirit and a scope of the present invention. 
     This application is based upon Japanese Patent Application (Patent Application No. 2011-061965) filed on Mar. 22, 2011, and the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     As described above, since the present invention has a configuration that the urging portion for urging the mobile device disposed in the case toward the charging coil is provided at the inner surface side of the lid, it is possible to prevent both charging coils from being deviated from a proper opposing state due to oscillation or impact occurred during running of a vehicle. As a result, it is possible to perform an efficient charging at all times even during running of a vehicle. 
     Further, since the urging portion is provided with a plurality of vent holes, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise due to the charging of the mobile device. 
     Accordingly, the present invention is expected to be utilized as the in-vehicle charger. 
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS 
     
         
           1  vehicle body 
           2  vehicle interior 
           3  steering wheel 
           4  in-vehicle electronic device 
           5 , 5 A in-vehicle charger 
           6  opening 
           7  case 
           8  lid 
           9 , 19  charging coil 
           10  mobile device 
           11  urging portion 
           11   a  vent hole 
           12  frame 
           13  viewing window 
           13   a  vent hole 
           14  power transmission unit 
           15  control unit 
           16  display unit 
           17  operation unit 
           18  storage unit 
           20  power reception unit 
           21  secondary battery 
           22  control unit 
           23  display unit 
           24  operation unit 
           25  storage unit 
           31  shield portion