Wireless charging autoclavable batteries inside a sterilizable tray

• US 10,250,066 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jankins, Eric, Peterson, Brian R., Decker, Gregory G., Planck, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aisaka, Bryce M
• Application Number:
  US15/592,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A system for wirelessly charging an electrical energy storage device such as secondary electrochemical cell or battery pack of at least two electrically connected secondary cells is described. The system comprises an electrical energy capture circuit and capture coil that is electrically incorporatable with an energy storage device. The system is primarily designed to be used with electrical power that is wirelessly transmitted by near field magnetic induction. The energy transmitting circuit and coil may be incorporated within a container designed to hold or enclose an energy storage device during an autoclave sterilization process. In addition, a wireless energy adapter configured with the energy capture circuit designed to facilitate wireless charging of an energy storage device is disclosed. Furthermore, a cart designed to provide a mobile wireless energy source is disclosed. The cart comprises at least one of the energy transmitting circuit, transmitting coil, energy capture circuit, and energy capture coil.

Claims

1. A wireless electrical charging system, comprising:

a) a closed container configured to house at least one electrical energy storage device, wherein the closed container comprises a connection port that is electrically connectable to an electrical energy storage device housed therein, and wherein the closed container is configured to withstand being subjected to an autoclave sterilization process without removing the electrical energy storage device from being housed therein; and

b) an adapter comprising;

i) an adapter housing having an adapter electrical plug end, the adapter electrical plug end being electrically connectable to the connection port of the closed container; and

ii) an electrical energy capture circuit supported by the adapter housing, the electrical energy capture circuit comprising an electrical energy capture coil that is configured to receive wirelessly transmitted electrical power from an electrical energy transmitting circuit by magnetic induction coupling,

iii) wherein, with the adapter electrical plug end connected to the connection port of the closed container, the electrical energy capture circuit is configured to receive wirelessly transmitted electrical power from an electrical energy transmitting circuit to charge the electrical energy storage device.

2. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy capture circuit comprises:

a) a voltage regulator that is configured to dynamically modify an amplitude of a voltage of the electrical power received by the electrical energy capture coil; and

b) a charger circuit with a linear voltage converter configured to reduce the voltage of the electrical power received by the electrical energy capture coil to a reduced voltage that is suitable for charging the electrical energy storage device.

3. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 2, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a buck voltage converter.

4. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 1, wherein the closed container comprises an LED status indicator that is electrically connected to the electrical energy storage device housed in the closed container, the LED status indicator being configured to display a status of the electrical energy storage device.

5. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy capture circuit of the adapter further comprises a protection circuit comprising at least one field effect transistor, wherein, with the adapter electrical plug end connected to the connection port of the closed container, the electrical energy capture circuit is configured to control opening and closing of the at least one field effect transistor, thereby electrically connecting or disconnecting the electrical energy capture circuit from an electrical energy storage device housed in the closed container.

6. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy capture circuit of the adapter further comprises a conditioning circuit comprising an electrical impedance matching network circuit having a plurality of electrically connected capacitors and a rectification circuit having a plurality of electrically connected diodes.

7. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 1, wherein a magnetic field shielding material selected from the group consisting of a ferrite material, a metal, and combinations thereof is supported by the adapter housing adjacent to the electrical energy capture coil and is positioned inside the closed container.

8. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 1, wherein the adapter housing has a frusto conical shape.

9. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage device is selected from the group consisting of an electrochemical cell, a battery pack, and a capacitor.

10. A wireless electrical charging system, comprising:

a) an electrical energy transmitting circuit that is configured to wirelessly transmit an electrical power;

b) a closed container configured to house at least one electrical energy storage device, wherein the closed container comprises a connection port that is electrically connectable to an electrical energy storage device housed therein, and wherein the closed container is configured to withstand being subjected to an autoclave sterilization process without removing the electrical energy storage device from being housed therein;

c) an adapter comprising;

i) an adapter housing having an adapter electrical plug end, the adapter electrical plug end being electrically connectable to the connection port of the closed container; and

ii) an electrical energy capture circuit supported by the adapter housing, the electrical energy capture circuit comprising an electrical energy capture coil that is configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted electrical power from the electrical energy transmitting circuit by magnetic induction coupling,

iii) wherein, with the adapter electrical plug end connected to the connection port of the closed container, the electrical energy capture circuit is configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted electrical power from the electrical energy transmitting circuit to charge the electrical energy storage device.

11. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the electrical energy transmitting circuit comprises:

a) a power management circuit that is configured to modify at least one of a current and a voltage of an electrical power received from an external power supply;

b) an electrical energy transmitting coil; and

c) an amplifier electrically connected to the power management circuit and the electrical energy transmitting coil, wherein the amplifier and the electrical energy transmitting coil are configured to receive the modified current or voltage from the power management circuit and then transmit electrical power having an alternating current.

12. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 11, wherein electrical energy transmitting circuit comprises a pulse width modulator circuit that is electrically connected to the amplifier, the pulse width modulator circuit comprising a clock resonator source and an AND-gate that is electrically connected in parallel to a NAND-gate, and wherein the pulse width modulator circuit is configured to provide a clock reference signal to the amplifier.

13. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 11, wherein the electrical energy transmitting circuit comprises a power supply circuit that is configured to modify the electrical power received from the external power supply to electrically power the electrical energy transmitting circuit.

14. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 11, wherein the amplifier of the electrical energy transmitting circuit comprises a first set of field effect transistors Q1 and Q2 and a second separate set of field effect transistors Q3 and Q4, and wherein alternating movement of the respective first and second sets of field effect transistors causes an electrical power having an alternating current to flow across the electrical energy transmitting coil to generate a magnetic field.

15. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the electrical energy capture circuit comprises a charger circuit with a linear voltage converter configured to reduce the voltage of the received wirelessly transmitted electrical power.

16. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the electrical energy capture circuit comprises:

a) an electrical energy capture coil configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted electrical power from the electrical energy transmitting circuit;

b) a voltage regulator that is configured to dynamically modify an amplitude of a voltage of the electrical power received by the electrical energy capture coil; and

c) a charger comprising a linear voltage converter that is configured to reduce the voltage of the electrical power received from the voltage regulator to a reduced voltage that is suitable for charging the electrical energy storage device.

17. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 16, wherein the voltage regulator of the electrical energy capture circuit comprises a charger circuit with a linear voltage converter configured to reduce the voltage of the received wirelessly transmitted electrical power.

18. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 17, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a buck voltage converter.

19. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the closed container comprises an LED status indicator that is electrically connected to the electrical energy storage device housed in the closed container, the LED status indicator being configured to display a status of the electrical energy storage device.

20. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the electrical energy capture circuit of the adapter further comprises a protection circuit comprising at least one field effect transistor, wherein, with the adapter electrical plug end connected to the connection port of the closed container, the electrical energy capture circuit is configured to control opening and closing of the at least one field effect transistor, thereby electrically connecting or disconnecting the electrical energy capture circuit from an electrical energy storage device housed in the closed container.

21. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the electrical energy capture circuit of the adapter further comprises a conditioning circuit comprising an electrical impedance matching network circuit having a plurality of electrically connected capacitors and a rectification circuit having a plurality of electrically connected diodes.

22. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the electrical energy transmitting circuit further comprises an electrical energy transmitting circuit radio frequency transceiver and the electrical energy capture circuit further comprises an electrical energy capture circuit transceiver, the respective transceivers being configured to send and receive data by radio frequency telemetry.

23. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein a magnetic field shielding material selected from the group consisting of a ferrite material, a metal, and combinations thereof is supported by the adapter housing adjacent to the electrical energy capture coil and is positioned inside the closed container.

24. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the adapter housing has a frusto conical shape.

25. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 10, wherein the electrical energy storage device is selected from the group consisting of an electrochemical cell, a battery pack, and a capacitor.