Contactless connector and contactless connector system

A contactless connector system, comprising:

• a power transmitting connector having a primary inductive coupler connected to an input power source, a resonant circuit generating a magnetic field at the primary inductive coupler, a primary data transceiver, a primary data communication interface connected to the primary data transceiver and communicating with a primary external component, and a primary control unit controlling an operation of the resonant circuit, the primary data communication interface, and the primary data transceiver;
• and
• a power receiving connector having a secondary inductive coupler electromagnetically coupled with the primary inductive coupler, the secondary inductive coupler receiving electric power from the primary inductive coupler, a terminal connected to a secondary external component, outputting the electric power to the secondary external component, and receiving power from an external power source different from the power transmitting connector connected to the terminal to supply power to the power receiving connector, a switch connected to the terminal and controlling the electric power output at the terminal, a secondary data transceiver forming a data link with the primary data transceiver, and a secondary data communication interface connected to the secondary data transceiver and communicating with the secondary external component, the secondary external component and the external power source are external to a structure of the power receiving connector containing the secondary inductive coupler, the switch, the secondary data transceiver, and the secondary data communication interface.

A method of controlling a contactless connector system for inductively transmitting power between a power transmitting connector and a power receiving connector, comprising in a first operational mode:

• generating a magnetic field at a primary inductive coupler of the power transmitting connector by transforming an input power using a resonant circuit;
• receiving electric power at a secondary inductive coupler of the power receiving connector electromagnetically coupled with the primary inductive coupler and outputting the electric power to a secondary external component connected to a terminal of the power receiving connector;
• and
• establishing a data link between the power transmitting connector and the power receiving connector to provide communication with the secondary external component via a secondary data communication interface of the power receiving connector;
• the method further comprising, in a second operational mode:
• controlling a switch of the power receiving connector to disconnect a power supply line of a secondary control unit of the power receiving connector from the secondary inductive coupler and connect the power supply line to the terminal of the power receiving connector connected to an external power source, the secondary external component and the external power source are external to a structure of the power receiving connector containing the secondary inductive coupler, the switch, and the secondary data communication interface, the secondary control unit is supplied with power received by the secondary inductive coupler electromagnetically coupled to the primary inductive coupler in the first operational mode, and the secondary inductive coupler is not coupled to the primary inductive coupler in the second operational mode.