Wireless connector attaching and detaching method, robot device, wireless connector, and wireless connector unit

A robot device including:

• a first object and a second object which are connected to each other to be rotatable around a rotation axis;
• and
• a wireless connector for wirelessly transmitting electric power between the first object and the second object;
• wherein the first object includes a first mating connector portion exposed to the outside;
• wherein the second object includes a second mating connector portion exposed to the outside;
• wherein the wireless connector comprises:
• a first unit including:
• a first transmission/reception unit provided with a first coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power and composed of a plurality of first coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a first main connector portion connected to the first mating connector portion in order to transmit the electric power to/from the first object;
• a second unit including:
• a second transmission/reception unit provided with a second coil configured to transmit the electric power to/from the first coil and composed of a plurality of second coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a second main connector portion connected to the second mating connector portion in order to transmit the electric power to/from the second object;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the first transmission/reception unit is closed so that the first coil is formed by connecting the plurality of first coil parts via one or a plurality of first coil connectors;
• wherein the second transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the second transmission/reception unit is closed so that the second coil is formed by connecting the plurality of second coil parts via one or a plurality of second coil connectors;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit and the second transmission/reception unit are arranged, when the first unit and the second unit are attached to the first object and the second object, respectively, each in a closed annular state and in a state of being faced to each other in a non-contact manner so as to transmit the electric power outside the first object and the second object.

A wireless connector for wirelessly transmitting electric power between a first object and a second object, the wireless connector including:

• a first unit detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• and
• a second unit detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first unit includes:
• a first transmission/reception unit provided with a first coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power and composed of a plurality of first coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a first main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the first object by being detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• wherein the second unit includes:
• a second transmission/reception unit provided with a second coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power to/from the first coil of the first transmission/reception unit and composed of a plurality of second coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a second main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the second object by being detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the first transmission/reception unit is closed so that the first coil is formed by connecting the plurality of first coil parts via one or a plurality of first coil connectors;
• wherein the second transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the second transmission/reception unit is closed so that the second coil is formed by connecting the plurality of second coil parts via one or a plurality of second coil connectors;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit and the second transmission/reception unit are arranged, when the first unit and the second unit are attached to the first object and the second object, respectively, each in a closed annular state and in a state of being faced to each other in a non-contact manner so as to wirelessly transmit the electric power.

A wireless connector for wirelessly transmitting electric power between a first object and a second object;

• the wireless connector including:
• a first unit detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• and
• a second unit detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first unit includes:
• a first transmission/reception unit provided with a first coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power and composed of a plurality of first coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a first main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the first object by being detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• wherein the second unit includes:
• a second transmission/reception unit provided with a second coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power to/from the first coil of the first transmission/reception unit and composed of a plurality of second coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a second main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the second object by being detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the first transmission/reception unit is closed so that the first coil is formed by connecting the plurality of first coil parts via one or a plurality of first coil connectors;
• wherein the second transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the second transmission/reception unit is closed so that the second coil is formed by connecting the plurality of second coil parts via one or a plurality of second coil connectors;
• wherein the first coil and the second coil are arranged, when the first unit and the second unit are attached to the first object and the second object, respectively, each in a closed annular state and in parallel to each other in a state of being faced to each other in a non-contact manner so as to wirelessly transmit the electric power.

A wireless connector for wirelessly transmitting electric power between a first object and a second object, the wireless connector including:

• a first unit detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• and
• a second unit detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first unit includes:
• a first transmission/reception unit provided with a first coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power and composed of a plurality of first coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a first main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the first object by being detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• wherein the second unit includes:
• a second transmission/reception unit provided with a second coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power to/from the first coil of the first transmission/reception unit and composed of a plurality of second coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a second main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the second object by being detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the first transmission/reception unit is closed so that the first coil is formed by connecting the plurality of first coil parts via one or a plurality of first coil connectors;
• wherein the second transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the second transmission/reception unit is closed so that the second coil is formed by connecting the plurality of second coil parts via one or a plurality of second coil connectors;
• wherein the first coil and the second coil are arranged, when the first unit and the second unit are attached to the first object and the second object, respectively, each in a closed annular state and in parallel to each other in a state of being faced to each other in a non-contact manner so as to be magnetically coupled to each other.

A wireless connector for wirelessly transmitting electric power between a first object and a second object which are connected to each other to be rotatable around a rotation axis, the wireless connector including:

• a first unit detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• and
• a second unit detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first unit includes:
• a first transmission/reception unit provided with a first coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power and composed of a plurality of first coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a first main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the first object by being detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• wherein the second unit includes:
• a second transmission/reception unit provided with a second coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power to/from the first coil of the first transmission/reception unit and composed of a plurality of second coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a second main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the second object by being detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the first transmission/reception unit is closed so that the first coil is formed by connecting the plurality of first coil parts via one or a plurality of first coil connectors;
• wherein the second transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the second transmission/reception unit is closed so that the second coil is formed by connecting the plurality of second coil parts via one or a plurality of second coil connectors;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit and the second transmission/reception unit are spaced from each other along the rotation axis in a closed state so as to be disposed in a state of being faced to each other in a non-contact manner.

A wireless connector for wirelessly transmitting electric power between a first object and a second object which are connected to each other to be rotatable around a rotation axis, the wireless connector including:

• a first unit detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• and
• a second unit detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first unit includes:
• a first transmission/reception unit provided with a first coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power and composed of a plurality of first coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a first main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the first object by being detachably attached to the first object from the outside of the first object;
• wherein the second unit includes:
• a second transmission/reception unit provided with a second coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power to/from the first coil of the first transmission/reception unit and composed of a plurality of second coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a second main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the second object by being detachably attached to the second object from the outside of the second object;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the first transmission/reception unit is closed so that the first coil is formed by connecting the plurality of first coil parts via one or a plurality of first coil connectors;
• wherein the second transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the second transmission/reception unit is closed so that the second coil is formed by connecting the plurality of second coil parts via one or a plurality of second coil connectors;
• wherein the first transmission/reception unit and the second transmission/reception unit are spaced from each other along a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis in a closed state so as to be disposed in a state of being faced to each other in a non-contact manner.

A wireless connector unit which constitutes a wireless connector for wirelessly transmitting electric power between two objects and which is attached to each of the objects;

• the wireless connector unit including:
• a transmission/reception unit provided with a coil configured to wirelessly transmit the electric power and composed of a plurality of coil parts which are separable from each other or which are separable at one position and bendable with respect to each other;
• and
• a main connector portion for transmitting the electric power to/from the objects by being detachably attached to the objects from the outside of the objects;
• wherein the transmission/reception unit is configured to be openable and closable and configured to be annular when the transmission/reception unit is closed so that the coil is formed by connecting the plurality of coil parts via at least one coil connector;
• wherein the transmission/reception unit is disposed, when attached to one of the two objects in a closed state, in a state of being faced to a different transmission/reception unit in a non-contact manner so as to wirelessly transmit the electric power, the different transmission/reception unit being attached to the other of the two objects in the closed state.