Communication enabled EMF shield enclosures

• US 10,477,741 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bae, Mun Soo, Jiang, Bing, Jung, Haejoon, Sen, Indranil S., Narang, Mohit, Caballero, Ruben
• Primary Examiner(s): Cunningham, Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US15/019,607
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/08 with current supply sources at the substations generating ringing current H04M19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0049 being metallic containers

Abstract

An inductive power transmission system electromagnetic field shielding apparatus includes an enclosure. The enclosure is configured to surround an electronic device and an inductive power transmitter that inductively transmits power to the electronic device. A communication window or high pass filter is formed in the enclosure. The communication window may include an arrangement of one or more conductive materials defining one or more apertures. The enclosure and the communication window block passage of magnetic flux generated by the inductive power transmitter. The communication window allows passage of communication transmissions associated with the electronic device.

Claims

1. An inductive power transmission system electromagnetic field shielding apparatus, comprising:

an enclosure configured to surround an electronic device and an inductive power transmitter that inductively transmits power to the electronic device; and

a communication window formed in the enclosure;

wherein;

the enclosure and the communication window block passage of magnetic flux generated by the inductive power transmitter; and

the communication window allows passage of communication transmissions associated with the electronic device.

2. The inductive power transmission system electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication window comprises a mesh.

3. The inductive power transmission system electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication window comprises a grid of conductive materials that define apertures.

4. The inductive power transmission system electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication window blocks frequencies below approximately 700 megahertz.

5. The inductive power transmission system electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 4, wherein the communication window allows passage of frequencies equal to or above approximately 700 megahertz.

6. The inductive power transmission system electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the communication window blocks the frequencies below approximately 700 megahertz and allows passage of the frequencies equal to or above approximately 700 megahertz due to distances between conductive materials of the communication window.

7. The inductive power transmission system electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inductive power transmitter is incorporated into the enclosure.

8. An electromagnetic field shielding apparatus, comprising:

connected walls; and

a grid including conductive material formed in at least one of the connected walls that blocks passage of frequencies below a threshold and allows passage of frequencies equal to or above the threshold;

wherein;

magnetic flux produced by an inductive power transmitter has a first frequency below the threshold and is blocked;

a communication transmission transmitted or received by a communication component has a second frequency equal to or above the threshold and is allowed;

the electromagnetic field shielding apparatus is operable to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration;

the electromagnetic field shielding apparatus is operable to at least partially enclose an electronic device in the first configuration; and

the electromagnetic field shielding apparatus defines an opening in the second configuration though which the electronic device can be inserted into the electromagnetic field shielding apparatus or removed from the electromagnetic field shielding apparatus.

9. The electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the connected walls in which the grid is formed comprises a nonconductive material and the conductive material of the grid is positioned on or within the nonconductive material.

10. The electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 8, wherein a dimension of the conductive material of the grid is dynamically configurable.

11. The electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

increasing the dimension of the conductive material of the grid increases the threshold; and

decreasing the dimension of the conductive material of the grid decreases the threshold.

12. The electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 8, wherein the grid is formed in all of the connected walls.

13. The electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 8, wherein the magnetic flux is produced by the inductive power transmitter transmitting power to the electronic device.

14. The electromagnetic field shielding apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electronic device includes the communication component.

15. An enclosure, comprising:

metal walls configured to at least partially surround an electronic device; and

a high pass filter formed by apertures defined by edges in the metal walls;

wherein

the high pass filter attenuates electromagnetic frequencies below a threshold to block passage of magnetic flux produced by an inductive power component and allow communication transmissions transmitted or received by a communication component; and

the threshold corresponds to distances between the edges of the metal walls across the apertures.

16. The enclosure of claim 15, wherein a frequency utilized to inductively transmit power to the electronic device is below the threshold.

17. The enclosure of claim 15, wherein a frequency utilized by the electronic device in a communication transmission is above the threshold.

18. The enclosure of claim 17, wherein the communication transmission comprises at least one of:

a cellular communication transmission;

a WiFi communication transmission;

or

a Bluetooth communication transmission.

19. The enclosure of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the metal walls corresponding to the high pass filter comprises a mesh.

20. The enclosure of claim 15, wherein the metal walls comprise a nonferrous metal.