Patent Publication Number: US-2021175737-A1

Title: Industrial wireless charging system using magnetic resonance manner

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION (S) 
     This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0159766 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 4, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     Numerous sensors are used in industrial sites. In the past, power for sensors mostly comes from a wired connection but it gradually tends to use wireless connections due to the burden of material costs and wiring work. Wireless devices include a battery and, when the battery is discharged, it needs to be replaced or recharged. Although recent products consume low power, the cycle of battery replacement is bound to be about 2-3 years. 
     Sensors used in industrial sites are changing from wired to wireless but are still not in wide use because of their short service life. Even if the lifespan is long, the data transmission period is too long, e.g., once every 30 minutes or once every hour, and the data transmission period is not continuous. In the case where real-time transmission of sensor data is needed, the battery, which has a short battery life, may be required to be replaced or recharged for reuse. While the battery is replaced or recharged, the industrial device using the battery is supposed to stop operate, thus causing loss. 
     The description disclosed in the Background section is only for a better understanding of the background of the invention and may also include information which does not constitute the prior art. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to embodiments, there is provided an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner. According to an embodiment, there may be provided a wireless charging system capable of wirelessly supplying power to a sensor(s) within a predetermined distance (e.g., a few meters) thereof, using magnetic resonance-based wireless charging technology so as to minimize the work for replacing or charging the battery used in battery-powered wireless devices. 
     According to an embodiment, an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance manner comprises a pneumatic cylinder having a shaft and a body to reciprocate the shaft, a solenoid valve suppling and exhausting air to/from the body of the pneumatic cylinder, a position sensor installed in the body of the pneumatic cylinder, detecting a position of the shaft, and receiving power from a rechargeable battery, and a controller controlling an operation of the solenoid valve based on an input value to the position sensor. The controller includes a wireless charging transmitter to wirelessly supply charging energy in a magnetic resonance manner. The position sensor includes a wireless charging receiver to receive the charging energy and charge the battery with the charging energy in a magnetic resonance manner. 
     The position sensor includes a magnetic sensor to sense a magnetic field generated by the shaft. 
     The wireless charging transmitter includes a power transmitter receiving direct current (DC) power, converting the DC power into alternating current (AC) power, and transmitting the AC power, a power amplifier amplifying and outputting the AC power, and 
     a transmission antenna wirelessly transmitting the AC power output from the power amplifier. The wireless charging receiver includes a reception antenna receiving the AC power from the transmission antenna, a power receiver converting the AC power received from the reception antenna into DC power, a DC regulator regulating the DC power received from the power receiver, and a charger charging the battery with the DC power regulated by the DC regulator. 
     The transmission antenna and the reception antenna include a coil winding. 
     The wireless charging receiver further includes a receiver short-range wireless communication module receiving position information from the position sensor. 
     The receiver short-range wireless communication module allows power to be supplied from the charger directly to the position sensor while the position information is received from the position sensor and allows power to be supplied from the charger to the battery while the position information is not received from the position sensor. 
     The wireless charging transmitter further includes a transmitter short-range wireless communication module receiving battery charging information from the receiver short-range wireless communication module. The transmitter short-range wireless communication module stops the power transmitter from operating when the battery charging information received from the receiver short-range wireless communication module indicates that the battery is fully charged. 
     The transmitter short-range wireless communication module allows the power transmitter to operate when the battery charging information received from the receiver short-range wireless communication module indicates that the battery is not fully charged. 
     The transmitter short-range wireless communication module stops the power transmitter from operating while the controller outputs a control signal to the solenoid valve and allows the power transmitter to operate while no control signal is output to the solenoid valve. 
     According to an embodiment, there may be provided an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner. According to an embodiment, there may be provided a wireless charging system capable of wirelessly supplying power to a sensor(s) within a predetermined distance (e.g., a few meters) thereof, using magnetic resonance-based wireless charging technology so as to minimize the work for replacing or charging the battery used in battery-powered wireless devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant aspects thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are views illustrating an example cylinder equipped with an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a cylinder equipped with an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a wireless charging transmitter and a wireless charging receiver in an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Embodiments of the disclosure are provided to thoroughly explain the disclosure to those skilled in the art, and various modifications may be made thereto, and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Embodiments of the disclosure are provided to fully and thoroughly convey the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art. 
     As used herein, the thickness and size of each layer may be exaggerated for ease or clarity of description. The same reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or substantially the same elements throughout the specification and the drawings. As used herein, the term “A and/or B” encompasses any, or one or more combinations, of A and B. It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” “coupled to,” or “adjacent to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected, coupled, or adjacent to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. 
     The terms as used herein are provided merely to describe some embodiments thereof, but not intended as limiting the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term “comprise,” “include,” and/or “comprising” or “including” does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations, and/or elements than the component, step, operation, and/or element already mentioned. 
     As used herein, the terms “first” and “second” may be used to describe various members, parts, regions, areas, layers, and/or portions, but the members, parts, regions, areas, layers, and/or portions are not limited thereby. These terms are used merely to distinguish one member, part, region, area, layer, or portion from another. Accordingly, the term “first member,” “first part,” “first region,” “first area,” “first layer,” or “first portion” described herein may denote a “second member,” “second part,” “second region,” “second area,” “second layer,” or “second portion” without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. 
     The terms “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “under,” “above,” “upper,” “on,” or other terms to indicate a position or location may be used for a better understanding of the relation between an element or feature and another as shown in the drawings. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereby or thereto. For example, where a lower element or an element positioned under another element is overturned, then the element may be termed as an upper element or element positioned above the other element. Thus, the term “under” or “beneath” may encompass, in meaning, the term “above” or “over.” 
     As described herein, the controller (or control box or processor) and/or other related devices or parts may be implemented in hardware, firmware, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), software, or a combination thereof. For example, the controller (or control box or processor), server, and/or other related devices or components or parts may be implemented in a single integrated circuit (IC) chip or individually in multiple IC chips. Further, various components of the controller (or control box or processor) may be implemented on a flexible printed circuit board, in a tape carrier package, on a printed circuit board, or on the same substrate as the controller. Further, various components of the controller (or control box) may be processes, threads, operations, instructions, or commands executed on one or more processors in one or more computing devices, which may execute computer programming instructions or commands to perform various functions described herein and interwork with other components. 
     The computer programming instructions or commands may be stored in a memory to be executable on a computing device using a standard memory device, e.g., a random access memory (RAM). The computer programming instructions or commands may be stored in, e.g., a compact-disc read only memory (CD-ROM), flash drive, or other non-transitory computer readable media. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that various functions of the computing device may be combined together or into a single computing device or particular functions of a computing device may be distributed to one or other computing devices without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     As an example, the controller (or control box or processor) or server of the present invention may be operated on a typical commercial computer including a central processing unit, a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD) or other high-volume storage, a volatile memory device, a keyboard, mouse, or other input devices, and a monitor, printer, or other output devices. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  are views illustrating an example cylinder equipped with an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment, may wirelessly supply power to magnetic sensors (or location or position sensors) that check the operation state of the pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders used in the clamp jigs in an automobile production plant. The clamp jig is a device to hold the panel to perform work, such as welding or applying silicon. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example in which a car side panel is placed on the jig to weld the side panel in which case the cylinder is in an open state (backed-off state).  FIG. 2  illustrates an example in which a panel fixed to the jig is welded in which case the cylinder is in a closed state (advanced state). 
       FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a cylinder equipped with an industrial wireless charging system using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , two magnetic sensors  130  may be positioned on both sides of the body of the cylinder  110  and, by the magnetic field values sensed by the magnetic sensors  130 , it may be known or determined whether the shaft of the cylinder  110  is in the advanced or backed-off state. When one or two cylinders are used, there may be no need for recharging the battery in a wireless manner. 
     However, when more cylinders are used, two magnetic sensors are attached onto each cylinder and may consume more power and may thus be required to be connected to a separate power source in which case more costs and time may be consumed. Thus, it may be required to reduce material costs and work time for connecting to a power source. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an industrial wireless charging system  100  using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an industrial wireless charging system  100  using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment, may include a pneumatic cylinder  110 , a solenoid valve  120 , a position sensor  130  (e.g., a magnetic sensor), a controller  140 , a wireless charging transmitter  150 , and a wireless charging receiver  160 . 
     The pneumatic cylinder  110  (or a hydraulic cylinder) may include a shaft and a body to reciprocate the shaft. When air is supplied through a first side of the shaft-coupled body and exhausted through a second side (e.g., the side opposite the first side) of the shaft-coupled body, the shaft may be moved in a first direction and, when air is exhausted through the first side of the shaft-coupled body and is supplied through the second side of the shaft-coupled body, the shaft linearly moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     The solenoid valve  120  allows air to be supplied and exhausted to/from the body of the pneumatic cylinder  110 . As an example, the solenoid valve  120  opens, closes, or switches the air path so that the air is supplied through the first side of the body of the pneumatic cylinder  110  and exhausted through the second side of the body of the pneumatic cylinder  110  or so that the air is exhausted through the first side of the body of the pneumatic cylinder  110  and supplied through the second side of the body of the pneumatic cylinder  110 . 
     The position sensor  130  may be installed on the body of the cylinder and may sense the position of the shaft and transmit the sensed position to the controller  140 . As an example, the position sensor  130  may be installed on each of both sides of the body of the cylinder, sensing the current position of the shaft and transmitting the sensed value to the controller  140 . According to an embodiment, the position sensor  130  may be a magnetic sensor (e.g., a magnetic field sensor) or may be a proximity sensor or limit sensor. The position sensor  130  may receive power from a rechargeable battery  170 . According to an embodiment, the position sensor  130  may receive power from the battery  170  and/or a charger  164 . 
     The controller  140  may control the operation of the solenoid valve  120  based on the input value from the position sensor  130 . For example, when the input value from the position sensor  130  is value A of predetermined values A and B, the controller  140  may control the solenoid valve  120  to perform operation C (e.g., supplying air through the first side of the body and exhausting air through the second side of the body) of predetermined operations C and D and, when the input value from the position sensor  130  is value B, the controller  140  may control the solenoid valve  120  to perform operation D (e.g., exhausting air through the first side of the body and supplying air through the second side of the body) of predetermined operations C and D. 
     The wireless charging transmitter  150  may be installed in the controller  140  and wirelessly transmit charging energy in a magnetic resonance manner. The wireless charging receiver  160  may be installed in the position sensor  130  and wirelessly receive the charging energy and charge the battery  170  in a magnetic resonance manner. 
     The operation of the wireless charging transmitter  150  and the wireless charging receiver  160  may be precisely, accurately, or finely controlled based on the operation state of the position sensor  130  and/or the operation state of the controller  140 , so that the overall operation efficiency of the system  100  may be enhanced. 
     As such, according to an embodiment, there may be provided a wireless charging system  100  capable of wirelessly supplying power to the position sensor  130  within a predetermined distance (e.g., a few meters) using magnetic resonance-based wireless charging technology so as to minimize the work of replacing or charging the battery in the position sensor  130  using the battery  170 . 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a wireless charging transmitter  150  and a wireless charging receiver  160  in an industrial wireless charging system  100  using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner, according to an embodiment. The configuration and operation of the wireless charging system  100  are described below with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the wireless charging transmitter  150  may include a power transmitter  151 , a power amplifier  152 , and a transmission antenna  153 . The wireless charging transmitter  150  may further include a transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154 . 
     The power transmitter  151  may receive DC power which is used as power for the controller  140  and convert the DC power into AC power (e.g., radio frequency (RF) energy or power) and output the AC power. According to an embodiment, an oscillator may be connected to the power transmitter  151  to obtain a predetermined frequency. The power amplifier  152  may amplify the AC power received from the power transmitter  151  to a predetermined level and output the amplified AC power. The transmission antenna  153  may convert the AC power output from the power amplifier  152  and transmit the converted AC power. For example, the transmission antenna  153  may convert the AC power output from the power amplifier  152  into a radio wave (or radio waveform) and transmit the radio wave. The transmission antenna  153  may include a coil winding for performing magnetic resonance. The coil winding may be a coil wound several times. By the configuration, the power transmitter  151  may supply power to the power receiver  162  in a magnetic resonance manner or scheme. 
     The transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154  may receive charging information of the battery  170  from the receiver short-range wireless communication module  165 , and the transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154  may receive state information of the solenoid valve  120  from the controller  140 . According to an embodiment, an oscillator may be connected to the transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154  to obtain a predetermined frequency. 
     Thus, according to an embodiment, the transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154  may transmit a stop signal, which stops the power transmitter  151  from operating, to the power transmitter  151  when the charging information of the battery  170  received from the receiver short-range wireless communication module  165  indicates that the battery  170  is fully charged. According to an embodiment, the transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154  may transmit an operation signal, which enables the power transmitter  151  to operate, to the power transmitter  151  when the charging information of the battery  170  received from the receiver short-range wireless communication module  165  indicates that the battery  170  is not fully charged, e.g., the power level of the battery  170  is lower than the power level of the battery  170  when fully charged. Thus, whether to operate the wireless charging transmitter  150  may be determined depending on the charging state of the battery  170 , thus preventing energy waste in the wireless charging transmitter  150 . 
     The transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154  and the receiver short-range wireless communication module  165  may include at least one of predetermined short-range communication means, e.g., infrared (IR) communication devices or circuits, radio frequency (RF) communication devices or circuits, Bluetooth devices or circuits, Wireless LAN devices or circuits, wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) devices or circuits, and Zigbee devices or circuits, and/or all types of short-range wireless communication means to be equipped therein in the future. 
     According to an embodiment, the transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154  may receive the information of the solenoid valve  120  from the controller  140  and may stop the power transmitter  151  from operating while the controller  140  outputs the control signal to the solenoid valve  120  and allow the power transmitter  151  to operate while the controller  140  outputs no control signal to the solenoid valve  120 . Thus, whether to operate the wireless charging transmitter  150  may be determined depending on the controlling state of the controller  140  and/or solenoid valve  120 , thus preventing energy waste in the wireless charging transmitter  150 . According to an embodiment, the wireless charging transmitter  150  may be controlled to operate regardless of the controlling state of the controller  140  and/or the solenoid valve  120 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the wireless charging receiver  160  may include a reception antenna  161 , a power receiver  162 , a DC regulator  163 , and a charger  164 . The wireless charging receiver  160  may further include a receiver short-range wireless communication module  165 . 
     The reception antenna  161  may wirelessly receive AC power from the transmission antenna  153 . There may be provided multiple reception antennas  161  to enhance the reception efficiency. The reception antenna  161  may include a coil winding to be operated in a magnetic resonance manner. The coil winding may be a coil wound several times. The power receiver  162  may convert the AC power received from multiple reception antennas  161  into DC power, rectify the DC power, and output the rectified DC power. The DC regulator  163  may regulate and thus stabilize the DC power received from the power receiver  162  and then output the regulated DC power. The charger  164  may charge the battery  170  with the DC power from the DC regulator  163 . The charger  164  may charge the battery  170  or supply power to the position sensor  130  while charging the battery  170 , or the charger  164  may stop charging the battery  170  while directly supplying power to the position sensor  130 . 
     The receiver short-range wireless communication module  165  may receive position information from the position sensor  130  and charging information from the charger  164  and/or battery  170 . According to an embodiment, an oscillator may be connected to the receiver short-range wireless communication module  165  to obtain a predetermined frequency. 
     Thus, according to an embodiment, the receiver short-range wireless communication module  165  may output a control signal to the charger  164  to allow the power to be supplied from the charger  164  directly to the position sensor  130  while receiving the position information from the position sensor  130  (at this time, the battery  170  may, or may not be, supplied power), and the receiver short-range wireless communication module  165  may output a control signal to the charger  164  to allow the power to be supplied from the charger  164  to the battery  170  while the position information is not received from the position sensor  130 . 
     Thus, the wireless charging receiver  160  allows the ratio of power supply to the position sensor  130  and the battery  170  to be determined depending on the controlling state of the position sensor  130 , thus stably operating the position sensor  130  and efficiently charging the battery  170 . Further, the wireless charging receiver  160 , e.g., the receiver short-range wireless communication module  165 , transmits the charging information (e.g., information indicating that the battery  170  is fully charged, over-charged, or over-discharged) of the battery  170  to the wireless charging transmitter  150 , e.g., the transmitter short-range wireless communication module  154 , thereby allowing the wireless charging transmitter  150  to be operated more efficiently. As an example, when the battery  170  is fully charged, the wireless charging transmitter  150  may be stopped from operating, thus preventing unnecessary energy consumption or waste. 
     As such, according to an embodiment, the industrial wireless charging system  100  using a magnetic resonance scheme or manner may wirelessly supply power to the position sensor  130  within a predetermined distance (e.g., a few meters) using magnetic resonance-based wireless charging technology so as to minimize the work of replacing or charging the battery in the position sensor  130  using the battery  170 . Further, according to an embodiment, in the wireless charging system  100 , the operation of the wireless charging transmitter  150  and/or the wireless charging receiver  160  may be accurately controlled based on the charging information (e.g., information indicating the battery  170  is fully charged) of the battery  170 , position information of the pneumatic cylinder  110  (or the operation information of the position sensor  130 ), and/or control information of the controller  140  (or the operation information of the solenoid valve  120 ), thereby allowing the operation of each device to be performed smoothly while preventing energy waste. 
     While the disclosure has been shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.