Pick-up apparatus for inductive power transfer systems

摘要

An inductive Power Transfer (IPT) pick-up apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a magnetically permeable core (1); a first coil (2), being wound about the core so as to be inductively coupled therewith such that the current induced in the first coil is most sensitive to a first directional component of magnetic flux; and a second coil (3), being wound about the coil so as to be inductively coupled therewith such that the current induced in the second coil is most sensitive to a second directional component of magnetic flux; wherein the first directional component is substantially orthogonal to the second directional component. In some embodiments the magnetically permeable core is E-shaped and has at least three substantially parallel legs and connection regions connecting the adjacent legs to each other, the connection regions having an axis which is orthogonal to the axes of the legs. In this embodiment the first and second coils may be replaced by a first and second set of part-coils, the first set of part-coils being arranged so that the current induced therein is most sensitive to a directional component of magnetic flux substantially parallel to the axes of the legs, and the second set arranged to be sensitive to a directional component of magnetic flux substantially parallel to the axis of the connection portions.