Development of dynamic wireless power transfer system for vehicle logistics robot

Laborsaving is a major issue in production. In an automotive production line, a yard that is used as a temporary storage for vehicles before shipping. The vehicle‐loading robot that operates autonomously has been proposed to automate the alignment of vehicles in the yard instead of human driving. In this study, the dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) system that includes the structure of the roadside for the vehicle‐loaded robot is proposed. It is proven that the transmitter coil has enough durability for the load of the robot weight using simulation and actual measurement. It is also shown that the reinforcement bars of the road structure cause considerable eddy current loss even with stainless steel. This is similar to loss by coil resistance. This system achieves a 1.8 kW DWPT with an automated coil detection system and a frequency control system, under factory conditions.