U.S. patent application number 16/349076 was filed with the patent office on 2019-12-12 for coil arrangement and model car having such coil arrangement.
The applicant listed for this patent is Stadlbauer Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH. Invention is credited to Christian Koker, Christian Rathge.
Application Number | 20190374867 16/349076 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57583962 |
Filed Date | 2019-12-12 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190374867 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Koker; Christian ; et
al. |
December 12, 2019 |
COIL ARRANGEMENT AND MODEL CAR HAVING SUCH COIL ARRANGEMENT
Abstract
A model car with a coil arrangement having at least one
substrate and at least one first coil portion and a second coil
portion, wherein the substrate, which is manufactured from an
electrical insulating material, has a basic shape extending in a
planar manner and having an upper side and an underside opposite
the upper side, wherein at least the first coil portion and the
second coil portion form a coil winding, wherein the first coil
portion is arranged on the upper side of the substrate and the
second coil portion is arranged on the underside of the
substrate.
Inventors: |
Koker; Christian;
(Mahlwinkel, DE) ; Rathge; Christian; (Irxleben,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Stadlbauer Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH |
Salzburg |
|
AT |
|
|
Family ID: |
57583962 |
Appl. No.: |
16/349076 |
Filed: |
November 21, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
November 21, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2017/001361 |
371 Date: |
May 10, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01F 5/003 20130101;
A63H 18/12 20130101; A63H 2018/165 20130101; H01F 38/14 20130101;
A63H 18/00 20130101; A63H 18/08 20130101; A63H 18/16 20130101; A63H
18/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63H 18/16 20060101
A63H018/16; A63H 18/10 20060101 A63H018/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 22, 2016 |
DE |
20 2016 007 184.0 |
Claims
1. A model car including a coil arrangement, said coil arrangement
having at least one substrate and at least one first coil portion
and a second coil portion, wherein the substrate, which is
manufactured from an electrically insulating material, has a basic
shape extending in a planar manner with an upper side and an
underside opposite the upper side, wherein at least the first coil
portion and the second coil portion form a coil winding, wherein
the first coil portion is arranged on the upper side and the second
coil portion is arranged on the underside of the substrate.
2. The model car of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a ferrite
core.
3. The model car of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a first
circuit board portion and a second circuit board portion, wherein
an upper side of the first circuit board portion forms the upper
side of the substrate and an underside of the second circuit board
portion forms the underside of the substrate.
4. The model car of claim 3, including connecting lines extending
through the first circuit board portion and the second circuit
board portion in order to connect the first coil portion with the
second coil portion electrically.
5. The model car of claim wherein an underside of the first circuit
board portion is arranged on an upper side of the ferrite core and
an upper side of the second circuit board portion is arranged on an
underside of the ferrite core.
6. The model car of claim 1 wherein coil portions form at least
three to eight, in particular five coil windings.
7. The model car of claim 1, wherein a screw vector of the coil
arrangement lies substantially within the plane of the
substrate.
8. The model car of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a first
direction of extension which extends between the two coil portions,
a second direction of extension (I) which extends at right angles
to the first direction of extension (I) and a third direction of
extension (III) which extends at right angles to the first
direction of extension (I) and to the second direction of extension
(II), wherein a screw vector (S) of the coil arrangement extends
substantially in the direction of the second direction of extension
(II) and/or the third direction of extension (III).
9. (canceled)
10. The model car of claim 2, wherein the substrate has a first
circuit board portion and a second circuit board portion, wherein
an upper side of the first circuit board portion forms the upper
side of the substrate and an underside of the second circuit board
portion forms the underside of the substrate.
11. The model car of claim 4 wherein coil portions form at least
three to eight, in particular five coil windings.
12. The model car of claim 11, wherein the substrate has a first
direction of extension (I) which extends between the two coil
portions, a second direction of extension (II) which extends at
right angles to the first direction of extension (I) and a third
direction of extension (III) which extends at right angles to the
first direction of extension (I) and to the second direction of
extension (II), wherein a screw vector (S) of the coil arrangement
extends substantially in the direction of the second direction of
extension (II) and/or the third direction of extension (III).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention relates to a coil arrangement and a model car
having such a coil arrangement.
2. Description of Related Art
[0002] A model car racing track, also known as a slot-car track or
slot track, is a technical apparatus with which electrically-driven
model cars can be driven in a guided manner along lanes.
[0003] The model car racing track comprises a track which can for
example be assembled from a plurality of track sections which can
be plugged together. The track can have two lanes which in each
case possess a slot for guiding a model car and two bus bars for
the current supply of the electrical drive of the model vehicles
which can be moved along the respective lane. Current collectors on
the respective model cars are thereby in contact with the
respective bus bar in order to guarantee a transmission of
electrical energy. The speed and braking behavior of the respective
model car can in each case be controlled using a hand-held
controller. However, when driving around a curve for example, due
to centrifugal forces acting on the model cars it can happen that
the contact between the bus bar and the current collector of the
model car is interrupted, with the consequence that the energy
supply to the electrical drive of the model car is interrupted and
the model car loses speed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing
a coil arrangement which is simple to manufacture and which takes
up little construction space.
[0005] According to the invention, this object is achieved through
a coil arrangement of the aforementioned type with the
characterizing features of the independent claims. Advantageous
embodiments of the invention are described in the further dependent
claims.
[0006] The above and other objects, which will be apparent to those
skilled in the art, are achieved in the present invention which is
directed to a model car including a coil arrangement, the coil
arrangement having at least one substrate and at least one first
coil portion and a second coil portion, wherein the substrate,
which is manufactured from an electrically insulating material, has
a basic shape extending in a planar manner with an upper side and
an underside opposite the upper side, wherein at least the first
coil portion and the second coil portion form a coil winding,
wherein the first coil portion is arranged on the upper side and
the second coil portion is arranged on the underside of the
substrate.
[0007] The substrate may have a ferrite core. The substrate may
also have a first circuit board portion and a second circuit board
portion, wherein an upper side of the first circuit board portion
forms the upper side of the substrate and an underside of the
second circuit board portion forms the underside of the
substrate.
[0008] The model car may include connecting lines extending through
the first circuit board portion and the second circuit board
portion in order to connect the first coil portion with the second
coil portion electrically. An underside of the first circuit board
portion is arranged on an upper side of the ferrite core and an
upper side of the second circuit board portion is arranged on an
underside of the ferrite core.
[0009] The coil portions form at least three to eight, in
particular five coil windings.
[0010] A screw vector (S) of the coil arrangement lies
substantially within the plane of the substrate.
[0011] The substrate has a first direction of extension (I) which
extends between the two coil portions, a second direction of
extension (II) which extends at right angles to the first direction
of extension (I) and a third direction of extension (III) which
extends at right angles to the first direction of extension (I) and
to the second direction of extension (II), wherein a screw vector
(S) of the coil arrangement extends substantially in the direction
of the second direction of extension (II) and/or the third
direction of extension (III).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The features of the invention believed to be novel and the
elements characteristic of the invention are set forth with
particularity in the appended claims. The figures are for
illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The
invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of
operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed
description which follows taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional representation of an
exemplary embodiment of a model car racing track according to the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a transformer
arrangement which is used in the model car racing track shown in
FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a view from above of the first substrate
element shown in FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a view from below of the second substrate
element shown in FIG. 2;
[0017] FIG. 5 shows an operating scenario of the model car racing
track shown in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 6 shows a first wiring variant of bus bars of a track
with two lanes;
[0019] FIG. 7 shows a second wiring variant of bus bars of a track
with two lanes; and
[0020] FIG. 8 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a model car
racing track according to the invention, with a track provided with
a bus bar for each lane of the track, which has several lanes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0021] In describing the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, reference will be made herein to FIGS. 1-8 of the
drawings in which like numerals refer to like features of the
invention.
[0022] An interruption-free energy supply can be achieved through a
contact-free energy transmission. However, this requires a coil
arrangement which is simple to manufacture and which takes up
little construction space and which, arranged in a model car, forms
a secondary element or coil of a transformer arrangement for
supplying the model car with electrical energy, wherein the primary
element of the transformer arrangement is assigned to the
track.
[0023] For this purpose, in a coil arrangement of the
aforementioned type, according to the invention the coil
arrangement has at least one substrate and at least one first coil
portion and a second coil portion, wherein the substrate, which is
manufactured from an electrically insulating material, has a basic
shape extending in a planar manner with an upper side and an
underside opposite the upper side, wherein at least the first coil
portion and the second coil portion form a coil winding, and
wherein the first coil portion is arranged on the upper side and
the second coil portion is arranged on the underside.
[0024] This has the advantage that in this way a coil arrangement
is provided which is particularly compact and takes up little
construction space. Furthermore, the manufacture of the coil
arrangement is simplified in each case through the planar formation
of the first and second coil portions on the upper or underside of
the substrate, since planar or thick film technology can be used
for this purpose.
[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the substrate element
has a ferrite core. As a result, the magnetic field is bundled and
concentrated, so that the efficiency of the contact-free energy
transmission is increased.
[0026] According to a further preferred embodiment, the substrate
element has a first circuit board portion and a second circuit
board portion, wherein an upper side of the first circuit board
portion forms the upper side of the substrate element and an
underside of the second circuit board portion forms the underside
of the substrate element. Thus, the two circuit board portions can
be formed from economical and easily workable circuit board
material, wherein the first and second coil portions can be
manufactured through etching of an electrically conductive coating,
for example a copper coating.
[0027] According to a further preferred embodiment, connecting
lines extend through the first circuit board portion and the second
circuit board portion in order to connect the first coil portion
with the second coil portion electrically.
[0028] According to a further preferred embodiment, an underside of
the first circuit board portion is arranged on an upper side of the
ferrite core and an upper side of the second circuit board portion
is arranged on an underside of the ferrite core. In this way, a
coil arrangement with a particularly compact construction form can
be provided.
[0029] According to a further preferred embodiment, further coil
portions form at least three to eight, in particular five, coil
windings. In this way, a particularly efficient coil arrangement
can be provided in order to guarantee a particularly efficient
energy transmission.
[0030] According to a further preferred embodiment of the
invention, a screw vector of the coil arrangement lies
substantially within the plane of the substrate. In this way, a
particularly effective and thus efficient coupling of the coil
arrangement, as a secondary element of a transformer arrangement,
with a secondary element can be achieved if the primary element is
or comprises a bus bar extending longitudinally in the direction of
travel of the model vehicle.
[0031] According to a further preferred embodiment of the
invention, the substrate element has a first direction of extension
which extends between the two coil portions, a second direction of
extension which extends at right angles to the first direction of
extension, and a third direction of extension which extends at
right angles to the first direction of extension and to the second
direction of extension, wherein a screw vector of the coil
arrangement extends substantially in the direction of the second
direction of extension and/or the third direction of extension. In
this way, such a coil arrangement can be arranged so as to take up
little construction space in a model vehicle.
[0032] The invention further relates to a model car having such a
coil arrangement.
[0033] The invention is described in more detail in the following
with reference to the drawings.
[0034] A model car racing track 2, also known as a slot-car track
or slot track, is represented in FIG. 1.
[0035] The model car racing track 2 has a track 4 made up of a
plurality of track sections which can be plugged together with, in
the present exemplary embodiment, two lanes 6a, 6b, each for a
model car 10. Only one model car 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0036] In the present exemplary embodiment, the track 4 has a
recess (groove) 8a, 8b assigned to each lane 6a, 6b which is
arranged centrally relative to the respective lane 6a, 6b and in
which a guide element 30, for example a guide pin, of the model car
10, engages and so effects a guidance of the model car 10 along the
respective lane, in this case the lane 6a.
[0037] Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment the track 4
has in each case two bus bars 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d arranged on each
side of the respective recess 8a, 8b which are assigned to the
first lane 6a or the second lane 6b. The first and second bus bars
14a, 14b, 14c, 14d have a u-formed profile in cross section and are
pressed into further recesses in the track 4.
[0038] The bus bars 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d are in each case formed in a
single piece and of the same material. Furthermore, the bus bars
14a, 14b, 14c, 14d are manufactured of a magnetic material. In this
way, the model car 10 can be held in the lane 6a through magnetic
force by means of a permanent magnet (not shown) which interacts
with the bus bars 14a, 14b.
[0039] As will be explained later, the two bus bar pairs 14a, 14b
or 14c, 14d form a primary element 18 of a transformer arrangement
16 for contact-free energy transmission to the model car 10.
[0040] The transformer arrangement 16 for contact-free energy
transmission to the model car 10 also includes a secondary element
20 assigned to the model car 10 for coupling-in the electromagnetic
field generated by the primary element 18.
[0041] In the present exemplary embodiment, the secondary element
20 is a coil arrangement 22.
[0042] In addition to the transmission of operating energy, control
signals can also be transmitted with the transformer arrangement
16, for example in order to accelerate or brake the model car 10,
for example in that these control signals are modulated with a
higher frequency and filtered out again on the model car side.
[0043] Reference is now made, in addition, to FIG. 2, which for
reasons of simplicity only shows the first lane 6a of the two lanes
6a, 6b. However, the following explanations also apply analogously
to the second lane 6b with the recess 8b and the bus bars 14c and
14d.
[0044] FIG. 2 shows that both the recess 8a and also the two bus
bars 14a, 14b each have a main direction of extension H pointing
along the lane 6a in the direction of travel, in which direction
its dimensions are significantly greater than in the direction of
the other directions of extension.
[0045] Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows that the coil arrangement 22 has a
substrate 12. In the present exemplary embodiment, the substrate 12
has a first substrate element 24a and a second substrate element
24b as well as a ferrite core 26 arranged between the first
substrate element 24a and the second substrate element 24b.
[0046] In the present exemplary embodiment, the first substrate
element 24a and the second substrate element 24b are in each case
circuit boards. The circuit boards have a basic shape extending in
a planar manner, in the present exemplary embodiment a rectangular
basic shape, with in each case an upper side and an underside
opposite the upper side. They consist in each case of an
electrically insulating material and conductor paths arranged
thereon. Fiber-reinforced plastic is for example commonly used as
insulating material. The conductor paths are for example etched
from a thin coating of copper applied previously to the insulating
material.
[0047] In the present exemplary embodiment, conductor paths on the
upper side of the first substrate element 24a form a plurality of
first coil portions 28a, while in the present exemplary embodiment
further conductor paths on the underside of the second substrate
element 24b form a plurality of second coil portions 28b. In each
case one of the first coil portions 28a and one of the second coil
portions 28b together form a coil winding of the coil arrangement
20.
[0048] For this purpose, connecting lines (not shown) are provided
which extend through the first substrate element 24a and the second
substrate element 24b and connect the respective first coil
portions 28a with the respective second coil portion 28b in an
electrically conductive manner. Thus, in the present exemplary
embodiment the coil portions 28a, 28b form three coil windings.
However, five to eight coil windings could also be provided.
[0049] Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows that the ferrite core 26 is
arranged with its upper side on an underside of the first substrate
element 24a and the underside of the ferrite core 26 is arranged on
an upper side of the second substrate element 24b.
[0050] The ferrite core 26 is a component made of ferrite which, as
core of the coil arrangement 22, increases its inductance or guides
the magnetic field. Ferrites are understood to be materials
comprising poorly electrically conductive or non-conductive
ferrimagnetic ceramic materials made from the iron oxide haematite
(Fe.sub.2O.sub.3), magnetite (Fe.sub.3O.sub.4), and/or from further
metal oxides. Depending on the composition, ferrites are hard
magnetic or soft magnetic.
[0051] The coil windings formed by the respective first coil
portions 28a and second coil portions 28b have a screw vector S
which, as illustrated in FIG. 2, lies substantially within the
plane of the substrate 12 and describes the helical configuration
of the coil windings of the coil arrangement 22.
[0052] It can also be seen that the screw vector S is arranged
substantially at right angles to the main direction of extension H
of the bus bars 14a, 14b.
[0053] Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows that the substrate 12 has a first
direction of extension I, a second direction of extension II and a
third direction of extension III.
[0054] In the present exemplary embodiment, the first direction of
extension I extends in a height direction Z between the first
substrate element 24a and the second substrate element 24b. The
second direction of extension II extends at right angles to the
first direction of extension I in the direction of the screw vector
S or in a width direction Y. Furthermore, the third direction of
extension III extends at right angles to the first direction of
extension I and to the second direction of extension II in the
direction of the main direction of extension H or in a depth
direction X.
[0055] In the present exemplary embodiment, the substrate 12, the
first substrate element 24a, the second substrate element 24b and
the ferrite core 26 in each case have significantly greater
dimensions in the direction of the second direction of extension II
and the third direction of extension III than in the direction of
the first direction of extension I. In other words, they in each
case have a rectangular, in particular plate-formed basic
shape.
[0056] Reference is now made, in addition, to FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0057] FIGS. 3 and 4 show that the first coil portions 28a and the
second coil portions 28b have an elongated form, i.e., their
respective dimensions in the direction of the third direction of
extension III are greater than in the direction of the second
direction of extension II. Furthermore, the first coil portions 28a
and the second coil portions 28b extend at an angle to the second
direction of extension II which is unequal to a right angle. In the
present exemplary embodiment, the first coil portions 28a and the
second coil portions 28b extend at an angle of 75.degree. to
85.degree. or 95.degree. to 110.degree. to the second direction of
extension II.
[0058] In this way, a coil arrangement 22 is provided which is
particularly compact and takes up little construction space.
Furthermore, the manufacture of the coil arrangement 22 is
simplified in each case through the planar formation of the first
coil portions 28a and the second coil portions 28b on the upper or
underside of the substrate 12, since planar or thick film
technology can be used for this purpose.
[0059] The operation of the model car racing track 2 will be
explained with additional reference to FIG. 5, wherein, for reasons
of simplicity, of the primary element 18, only the first bus bar
14a of the two bus bars 14a, 14b of the first lane 6a is
illustrated.
[0060] In operation, an alternating current with a frequency of 400
kHz flows through the bus bar 14a. A magnetic field M is formed
around the bus bars 14a with concentric field lines extending
around the bus bar 14a. The course of the field lines can be
described by a rotation vector R standing perpendicular to the
plane which is described by the field lines.
[0061] The field lines pass through the secondary element 20 or the
coil arrangement 22 and generate, through induction, an electrical
voltage in the secondary element 20. The electrical voltage induced
in the secondary element 20 can then be used to supply an
electrical drive of the model car 10, so that the model car 10 can
move in the direction of travel F predetermined by the main
direction of extension H of the recess 8 or the bus bar 14a. Thus,
the direction of travel F and the rotation vector R are oriented
substantially at right angles to one another. Substantially is
thereby understood to mean within usual manufacturing
tolerances.
[0062] A regulation of the speed of the model car 10 can thereby be
achieved through a change in the current strength of the electrical
current which flows through the bus bars 14a, 14b.
[0063] Due to the contact-free transmission of electrical energy,
contact interruptions, such as occur in the prior art, can no
longer lead to an interruption of the supply with electrical
energy.
[0064] In addition to the first lane 6a shown in FIG. 1, in the
present exemplary embodiment the second lane 6b for a second model
car (not shown) is provided which has the same structure as the
first lane 6a. However, in order to avoid, as far as possible,
interferences between two model cars 10 and thus disturbances in
the energy transmission, the bus bars 14c, 14d of the second lane
6b are flowed through by an electrical current with a frequency
which is at least one and a half times as high as the first
frequency. In the present exemplary embodiment, the second
frequency is 600 kHz.
[0065] Reference is now made, in addition, to FIGS. 6 and 7, which
show by way of example wiring variants of the two bus bars 14a,
14b, 14c, 14d with reference to the first lane 6a of the two lanes
6a, 6b of the track 4.
[0066] FIG. 6 shows a first wiring variant in which the two bus
bars 14a, 14b of the first lane 6a are wired electrically in
parallel. This allows use to be made of the doubled conductor cross
section of the two bus bars 14a, 14b, so that a doubling of the
current strength applied to the bus bars 14a, 14b becomes
possible.
[0067] FIG. 7 shows a second wiring variant in which the two bus
bars 14a, 14b of the first lane 6a are wired electrically in
series. Thus, the two bus bars 14a, 14b form a double conductor
loop, so that the efficiency of the energy transmission is
improved.
[0068] Reference is now made to FIG. 8.
[0069] This shows a second exemplary embodiment of a track 4'
which, in contrast to the track 4 illustrated in FIG. 1, only has
two recesses 8a, 8b, in each of which a further exemplary
embodiment of a bus bar 14a', 14b' is fitted.
[0070] The structure of the bus bars 14a', 14b' according to this
exemplary embodiment will be explained with reference to the bus
bar 14b' assigned to the second lane 6b.
[0071] The bus bar 14b' has a u-formed profile with a groove base
32 and two flanges 34 extending from the groove base 32 which in
the present exemplary embodiment extend parallel. Extending from
each of the flanges 34 is a tongue 36 which extends within the
plane of the surface of the track 4'.
[0072] The bus bars 14a', 14b' according to this exemplary
embodiment are in each case formed in a single piece and of the
same material. Furthermore, according to this exemplary embodiment
the bus bars 14a', 14b' are manufactured of a magnetic material. In
this way, here too the model car 10 can be held in the lane 6a
through magnetic force by means of a permanent magnet (not shown)
which interacts with the bus bar 14a'. In particular, the two
tongues 36 provide an enlarged surface on which the magnetic force
can act, so that a magnet of reduced size can be used in the model
car 10 which takes up less construction space.
[0073] Furthermore, the two bus bars 14a' 14b' are fitted into the
respective recesses/grooves 8a, 8b such that the u-formed bus bars
14a', 14b' are open in an upwards direction, so that the guide
element 30, for example a pin of the model car 10, can engage in
the u-formed bus bar 14a' in order in this way to guide the model
car 10 along the lane 6a defined by the recess 8a. Thus, this track
4' has a particularly simple structure with only one bus bar 14a',
14b', in the present exemplary embodiment arranged centrally, for
each of the lanes 6a, 6b, wherein the bus bars 14a', 14b' in each
case have a double function, namely to serve as bus bar and as
guide groove for the model car.
[0074] While the present invention has been particularly described,
in conjunction with a specific preferred embodiment, it is evident
that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be
apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing
description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims
will embrace any such alternatives, modifications and variations as
falling within the true scope and spirit of the present
invention.
[0075] Thus, having described the invention, what is claimed
is:
* * * * *