System for wireless transmission of electrical power, a garment, a system of garments and method for the transmission of signals and/or electrical energy

• US 20020154518A1
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Sauerlaender, Georg, Elferich, Reinhold, Duerbaum, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/15
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention describes a system for electrical transmission in the field of garments and a corresponding transmitter for this. Electrical circuits in garments are coupled, preferably inductively in a wireless manner with electrical devices and/or electrical circuits in other garments, wherein electrical energy is transmitted via the coupling. Energy transmission in both directions is preferably possible, wherein a distributed system results with sources and devices that can be coupled with each other. The efficiency of the inductive energy transmission is increased by regulation of the frequency, preferably using resonance. In addition, means for information transmission are proposed.

Claims

1. A system for wireless transmission of electrical energy comprising

at least a first induction element (12) that is connected to a primary circuit (P),

and at least a second induction element (14) that is connected to a secondary circuit (S),

in which the induction elements (12), (14) can move position in relation to each other and are able to be positioned so that they are magnetically coupled,

wherein in the primary circuit (P) means (32) for supplying the first induction element (12) with an AC voltage are provided for,

so that in the first induction element (12) a magnetic field is generated,

wherein a voltage is induced in the secondary circuit (S) as a result of the magnetic coupling with the second induction element (14),

characterized in that in the primary circuit (P) means for setting the frequency of the AC voltage are provided.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which

at least the primary circuit (P) is designed as a resonant circuit,

and the frequency of the AC voltage is set so that an increase in voltage occurs on the induction element (12) as a result of resonance.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which a regulation of the secondary voltage is envisaged, wherein the secondary voltage is regulated by setting the frequency of the primary-side AC voltage.

4. A system as claimed in one of the above claims, in which means (38) for rectifying the induced voltage are provided in the secondary circuit (S).

5. A system as claimed in one of the above claims, in which

controlled switching means (32, 38) are provided both in the primary circuit (P) and in the secondary circuit (S),

in which the switching means (32, 38) can be triggered in such a way that they generate an AC voltage from a supplied DC voltage,

and the switching means (32, 38), when triggered differently, work as synchronous rectifiers that rectify a supplied AC voltage.

6. A system as claimed in any one of the above claims, in which

the first induction element (12) is arranged on a first item,

and the second induction element (14) is arranged on a second item,

where the items can change their relative positions to each other,

and where additional means (104) for wireless transmission of information between the items are provided.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, in which the means for wireless transmission of information have at least a third and a fourth induction element (104), where the third and fourth induction elements are arranged and/or designed to be orthogonal to the first and second induction elements (12, 14).

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, in which

a first and a second electrically conductive surface is arranged on each of the first and second items,

in which the items can be positioned in such a way that the surfaces have a capacitive coupling.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, in which the surfaces comprise longitudinal areas (106) that are electrically insulated from one another along their length, wherein the longitudinal areas (106) are electrically connected on at least one end.

16. A garment as claimed in any one of claims 10-15, in which the induction element forms part of a transmission system as claimed in any one of claims 1-9.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, in which a system as claimed in any one of claims 1-9 and/or a garment as claimed in any one of claims 10-16 is used.

10. A garment with

an electrical circuit (46) with at least one connector (48, 50) for electrical connection of at least one electrical unit (62), characterized in that

the connector (48, 50) transmits in a wireless manner electrical energy and/or electrical signals to a corresponding further connector (64) on the electrical unit (62) and/or receives this from the electrical unit (62).

11. A garment as claimed in claim 10, in which the connector (48, 50) has means for inductive coupling (12, 58).

12. A garment as claimed in claim 11, in which

at least one receptacle (60) is provided for accommodating a wearable electrical device (62),

where the induction element (58) is arranged in the area of the receptacle (60) in such a way that it is inductively coupled with a second induction element (64) mounted on the device (62),

when the device (62) is held in the receptacle (60).

13. A garment as claimed in any of claims 10-12, in which the garment has at least one electrical lead (52) with which the connector (48, 50) is connected to other electrical devices (48, 50, 56).

14. A garment as claimed in any one of claims 10-13, in which the garment (44) has electrical devices that have a fixed connection, in particular electrical devices (56) and/or energy stores (S).

15. A garment as claimed in any one of claims 10-14, in which the induction element 76, 78, 80, 84) is a flat, mechanically flexible inductor.

17. A system of garments as claimed in any of claims 10-16, in which

at least two garments (44, 68) are provided, in which

at least one connector (50) for wireless transmission of electrical energy is provided on the first garment (44) at a minimum of one point,

and at least one second connector (70) for wireless transmission of electrical energy is provided on the second garment (68) at a minimum of one second point,

where the first and the second points are selected in such a way that when the garments (44, 68) are used the garments (44, 68) are arranged in such a way that the connectors (50, 70) have such relative position to each other that electrical energy can be transmitted between the connectors (50, 70).

18. A method for the transmission of signals and/or electrical energy from a first electrical unit to a second electrical unit, in which

the electrical units (D1, D2, D3, D4, S) are arranged on at least one garment (91, 92, 93, 94),

where at least a first electrical unit (D1, D2, D3, D4, S) has an inductive coupling with an electrical circuit of the garment,

and via the inductive coupling electrical signals and/or electrical energy are transmitted from the first electrical unit (D1, D2, D3, D4, S) to another electrical unit (D1, D2, D3,D4).