Wireless charging mats for portable electronic devices

• US 10,277,043 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Graham, Christopher S., Karanikos, Demetrios B., Kasar, Darshan R., Thompson, Paul J., Jol, Eric S., Haug, Grant S., Larsson, Karl Ruben F., Kowalski, Stefan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US15/699,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20180090954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/288 Shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/325 Coil bobbins formers for coils in general H01F5/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0007 Casings standardised racks H05K9/0062

Abstract

Embodiments describe a wireless charging device including a housing having a charging surface and first and second walls defining an interior cavity, and a transmitter coil arrangement disposed within the interior cavity and configured to generate a time-varying magnetic flux and an electric field during wireless power transfer, where each of the plurality of transmitter coils has a central axis positioned a lateral distance away from the central axes of all other transmitter coils of the plurality of transmitter coils. The wireless charging mat also includes an electromagnetic shield positioned between the transmitter coil arrangement and the first wall, an interconnection structure positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the second wall, and a ferromagnetic shield positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the interconnection structure, the ferromagnetic shield is configured to redirect the magnetic flux away from the interconnection structure.

Claims

1. A wireless charging device comprising:

a housing having a charging surface and first and second walls defining an interior cavity;

a transmitter coil arrangement disposed within the interior cavity and configured to generate a time-varying magnetic flux and an electric field during wireless power transfer, the transmitter coil arrangement including a plurality of transmitter coils comprising;

a first set of transmitter coils disposed in a first plane;

a second set of transmitter coils disposed in a second plane; and

a third set of transmitter coils disposed in a third plane between the first and second planes, wherein each of the plurality of transmitter coils has a central axis positioned a lateral distance away from the central axes of all other transmitter coils of the plurality of transmitter coils;

an electromagnetic shield positioned between the transmitter coil arrangement and the charging surface, the electromagnetic shield being formed of a non-magnetic and conductive material, and configured to capture electric field generated from the transmitter coil arrangement and to allow the magnetic flux to pass through;

an interconnection structure positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the second wall, the interconnection structure including a plurality of packaged electrical components mounted on the interconnection structure for driving the transmitter coil arrangement; and

a ferromagnetic shield positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the interconnection structure, the ferromagnetic shield is configured to redirect the magnetic flux away from the interconnection structure.

2. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitter coils is positioned in an overlapping arrangement.

3. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein each transmitter coil in the first, second and third sets of transmitter coils has a generally circular shape with substantially the same outer diameter as every other transmitter coil in the first, second and third sets of transmitter coils.

4. The wireless charging device of claim 3 wherein the first set of transmitter coils comprises a first plurality of planer coils arranged in a first symmetric pattern across a horizontal axis, the second set of transmitter coils comprises a second plurality of planer arranged in a second symmetric pattern across a horizontal axis, and the third set of transmitter coils comprises a third plurality of planer coils arranged in a third symmetric pattern across a horizontal axis;

and wherein only two sets out of the first, second, and third sets of transmitter coils have a same number of transmitter coils.

5. The wireless charging device of claim 3 wherein each transmitter coil in the plurality of transmitter coils includes an opening defined by an inner diameter of the transmitter coil and wherein a central portion of the opening of each transmitter coil is positioned directly over the interconnection structure without another transmitter coil disposed between the central portion of the opening and the interconnection structure.

6. The wireless charging device of claim 3 wherein each transmitter coil is formed from a single layer of stranded wire.

7. The wireless charging device of claim 1, further comprising:

a receptacle connector positioned at the opening of the housing, the receptacle connector including a plurality of contact pins and a plurality of terminals electrically coupled to the plurality of contact pins; and

an electrically conductive grounding fence coupled between the electromagnetic shield and the interconnection structure, wherein the grounding fence is disposed around a perimeter of the interconnection structure except for a location at where the receptacle connector is coupled to the interconnection structure.

8. The wireless charging device of claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic shield comprises:

a non-magnetic and conductive body configured to capture electric fields generated by the transmitter coil arrangement; and

a copper border surrounding the non-magnetic and conductive body, wherein the copper border couples with the grounding fence.

9. The wireless charging device of claim 8, wherein the copper border extends to an outer edge of the transmitter coil arrangement.

10. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of packaged electrical components is electrically coupled to corresponding transmitter coils of the plurality of transmitter coils.

11. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic shield includes a shielding body and a conductive border around a perimeter of the shielding body.

22. The wireless charging device of claim 11, wherein the conductive border extends to edges of the transmitter coil arrangement.

12. A wireless charging device comprising:

a housing having a planar charging surface and first and second shells defining an interior cavity and an opening;

a receptacle connector positioned at the opening of the housing, the receptacle connector including a plurality of contact pins and a plurality of terminals electrically coupled to the plurality of contact pins

a transmitter coil arrangement disposed within the interior cavity and configured to generate a time-varying magnetic flux and an electric field during wireless power transfer, the transmitter coil arrangement including a plurality of transmitter coils comprising;

a first set of transmitter coils disposed in a first plane;

a second set of transmitter coils disposed in a second plane; and

a third set of transmitter coils disposed in a third plane between the first and second planes, wherein each of the plurality of transmitter coils has a central axis positioned a lateral distance away from the central axes of all other transmitter coils of the plurality of transmitter coils;

an electromagnetic shield positioned between the transmitter coil arrangement and the charging surface, the electromagnetic shield being formed of a non-magnetic and conductive material, and configured to capture electric field generated from the transmitter coil arrangement and to allow the magnetic flux to pass through, wherein the electromagnetic shield comprises;

a non-magnetic and conductive body configured to capture electric fields generated by the transmitter coil arrangement; and

a copper border surrounding the non-magnetic and conductive body;

an interconnection structure positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the second shell, the interconnection structure including a plurality of packaged electrical components mounted on the interconnection structure for driving the transmitter coil arrangement; and

a ferromagnetic shield positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the interconnection structure, the ferromagnetic shield is configured to redirect the magnetic flux away from the interconnection structure.

13. The wireless charging device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of transmitter coils is positioned in an overlapping arrangement.

14. The wireless charging device of claim 12, wherein each transmitter coil in the first, second and third sets of transmitter coils has a generally circular shape with substantially the same outer diameter as every other transmitter coil in the first, second and third sets of transmitter coils.

15. The wireless charging device of claim 14 wherein the first set of transmitter coils comprises a first plurality of planer coils arranged in a first symmetric pattern across a horizontal axis, the second set of transmitter coils comprises a second plurality of planer arranged in a second symmetric pattern across a horizontal axis, and the third set of transmitter coils comprises a third plurality of planer coils arranged in a third symmetric pattern across a horizontal axis;

and wherein only two sets out of the first, second, and third sets of transmitter coils have the same number of transmitter coils.

16. A wireless charging system, comprising:

an electrical device comprising a receiver coil configured to generate a current to charge a battery when exposed to a time-varying magnetic flux; and

a wireless charging mat configured to generate the time-varying magnetic flux to wirelessly charge the electrical device, the wireless charging mat comprising;

a housing having a charging surface and first and second walls defining an interior cavity;

a transmitter coil arrangement disposed within the interior cavity and configured to generate a time-varying magnetic flux and an electric field during wireless power transfer, the transmitter coil arrangement including a plurality of transmitter coils comprising;

a first set of transmitter coils disposed in a first plane;

a second set of transmitter coils disposed in a second plane; and

a third set of transmitter coils disposed in a third plane between the first and second planes, wherein each of the plurality of transmitter coils has a central axis positioned a lateral distance away from the central axes of all other transmitter coils of the plurality of transmitter coils;

an electromagnetic shield positioned between the transmitter coil arrangement and the charging surface, the electromagnetic shield being formed of a non-magnetic and conductive material, and configured to capture electric field generated from the transmitter coil arrangement and to allow the magnetic flux to pass through;

an interconnection structure positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the second wall, the interconnection structure including a plurality of packaged electrical components mounted on the interconnection structure for driving the transmitter coil arrangement; and

a ferromagnetic shield positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the interconnection structure, the ferromagnetic shield is configured to redirect the magnetic flux away from the interconnection structure.

17. The wireless charging system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of transmitter coils is positioned in an overlapping arrangement.

18. The wireless charging system of claim 16, further comprising:

a receptacle connector positioned at an opening of the housing defined by the first and second walls, the receptacle connector including a plurality of contact pins and a plurality of terminals electrically coupled to the plurality of contact pins; and

an electrically conductive grounding fence coupled between the electromagnetic shield and the interconnection structure, wherein the grounding fence is disposed around a perimeter of the interconnection structure except for a location at where the receptacle connector is coupled to the interconnection structure.

19. The wireless charging system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of packaged electrical components is electrically coupled to corresponding transmitter coils of the plurality of transmitter coils.

20. The wireless charging system of claim 18, wherein the electromagnetic shield comprises:

a non-magnetic and conductive body configured to capture electric fields generated by the transmitter coil arrangement; and

a copper border surrounding the non-magnetic and conductive body, wherein the copper border couples with the grounding fence.

21. The wireless charging system of claim 20, wherein the copper border extends to an outer edge of the transmitter coil arrangement.