Contactless battery charging system

A coupling link, comprising:

• a core-mounted conductor for surrounding a portion of a conductor loop coupled to a power source or a load, the core-mounted conductor for coupling to the other of the power source or the load;
• a magnetic core at least partially surrounding the core-mounted conductor;
• a cooling fluid chamber located within the core-mounted conductor and defining a passageway for circulating a cooling fluid through the link;
• and
• a shell of an insulative material encasing the core and the core-mounted conductor, the shell defining a loop receiving portion for receiving the loop therein.

A coupling link, comprising:

• a core-mounted conductor for surrounding a portion of a conductor loop coupled to a power source or a load, the core-mounted conductor for coupling to the other of the power source or the load;
• a magnetic core at least partially surrounding the core-mounted conductor;
• and
• a cooling fluid chamber defining a passageway for circulating a cooling fluid through the link in a direction substantially parallel with a direction of current flow through the core-mounted conductor, wherein the link is openable to receive the loop and closable to substantially surround the loop.

A coupling link comprising:

• a core-mounted conductor for surrounding a portion of a conductor loop coupled to a power source or a load, the core-mounted conductor for coupling to the other of the power source or the load;
• a magnetic core at least partially surrounding the core-mounted conductor;
• and
• a cooling fluid chamber defining a passageway for circulating a cooling fluid through the link in a direction substantially parallel with a direction of current flow through the core-mounted conductor, wherein the link is separable into at least two link segments pivotally connected for opening to receive and disengage the loop, and for pivotally closing to engage the loop.

A coupling link, comprising:

• a core-mounted conductor for surrounding a portion of a conductor loop coupled to a power source or a load, the core-mounted conductor for coupling to the other of the power source or the load;
• a magnetic core at least partially surrounding the core-mounted conductor;
• and
• a cooling fluid chamber defining a passageway for circulating a cooling fluid through the link in a direction substantially parallel with a direction of current flow through the core-mounted conductor, wherein the link is separable into at least two link segments which are radially openable for disengaging the loop and radially closable for engaging the loop in radial directions respectively away from and toward a longitudinal axis of the surrounded portion of the loop.

A coupling link, comprising:

• a core-mounted conductor for surrounding a portion of a conductor loop coupled to a power source or a load, the core-mounted conductor for coupling to the other of the power source or the load;
• a magnetic core at least partially surrounding the core-mounted conductor;
• and
• a cooling fluid chamber defining a passageway for circulating a cooling fluid through the link in a direction substantially parallel with a direction of current flow through the core-mounted conductor, wherein the link is separable into at least two link segments which are translationally openable for disengaging the loop and translationally closable for engaging the loop.

An electric vehicle adapted for receiving AC power from a primary converter outside the vehicle, the primary converter including a coupling link having a magnetic core and a core-mounted conductor at least partially surrounded by the magnetic core, the vehicle comprising:

• a battery on board the vehicle;
• and
• an on-board charging system comprising:
• a secondary converter for converting AC power into DC power for charging the battery;
• a normal conductor loop for coupling to the secondary converter and sized for charging the battery at a normal rate;
• an expedited charge conductor loop for coupling to the secondary converter for charging the battery at an expedited rate faster than the normal rate;
• wherein each loop is shaped for being selectively surrounded by at least a portion of the coupling link's magnetic core and core-mounted conductor for transferring AC power to the secondary converter from the primary converter when coupled thereto by the loop;
• and
• wherein the secondary converter interchangeably receives either the normal loop or the expedited charge conductor loop for receiving charging power when coupled by the loop to a primary converter which is responsive to a charging signal.

An electric vehicle adapted for receiving AC power from a primary converter responsive to a charging rate indicator indicative of a selected battery charging rate, the primary converter including a coupling link having a magnetic core and a core-mounted conductor at least partially surrounded by the magnetic core, the vehicle comprising:

• a battery on board the vehicle;
• and
• an on-board charging system comprising:
• a secondary converter for converting AC power into DC power for charging the battery;
• and
• a normal conductor loop coupled to the secondary converter, with the loop shaped for being selectively surrounded by at least a portion of the coupling link's magnetic core and core-mounted conductor, with the loop transferring AC power to the secondary converter from the primary converter when coupled thereto by the loop, with the loop being sized for charging the battery at a normal rate;
• a normal charging rate indicator for indicating to the primary converter that the battery is to be charged at the normal rate when coupled thereto by the normal loop;
• an expedited charge conductor loop coupled to the secondary converter for charging the battery at an expedited rate faster than the normal rate;
• and
• an expedited charging rate indicator carried by the expedited charge conductor loop for indicating to the primary converter that the battery is to be charged at the expedited rate when coupled thereto by the expedited charge loop.