Apparatus for inductively recharging batteries

• US 20060061325A1
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Ghabra, Riad, Tang, Qingfeng
• Granted Patent: US 7,414,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A rechargeable apparatus is provided for being recharged by an power source. The rechargeable apparatus include a rechargeable battery and a secondary inductive coil excited by the power source. The secondary inductive coil includes a first inductor having a first axis, a second inductor having a second axis, and a third inductor having a third axis. The first, second, and third axes are mutually orthogonal. The first, second, and third inductors produce a power output in response to said power source. The secondary inductive coil is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery whereby charging energy is coupled from the power source to the rechargeable battery regardless of an orientation of the secondary inductive coil to the power source.

Claims

1. A rechargeable apparatus chargeable by a power source, the apparatus comprising:

a rechargeable battery; and

a secondary inductive coil excited by said power source, said secondary inductive coil including a first inductor having a first axis, a second inductor having a second axis, a third inductor having a third axis, wherein said first, second, and third axes are mutually orthogonal to one another, wherein said first, second, and third inductors produce a power output in response to said power source;

wherein said secondary inductive coil is electrically connected to said rechargeable battery whereby charging energy is coupled from said power source to said rechargeable battery regardless of an orientation of said secondary inductive coil to said exterior power source.

2. The charging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power source includes a primary inductive coil.

3. The charging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first, second, and third inductors are interconnected.

4. The charging apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two inductors cooperatively produce said power output when said power source generates an electromagnetic field about at least two respective axes associated with said at least two inductors.

5. The charging apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a rectifying circuit for rectifying said power output.

6. The charging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first, second, and third inductors include a common core center, said first, second, and third inductive coils are each wound on said common core center.

7. The charging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first, second, and third inductors are each wound on a first, second, and third core.

8. A portable convenience device recharging system comprising:

a rechargeable battery mounted in and powering said portable convenience device;

a first inductive coil; and

a second inductive coil, said second inductive coil including a first inductor having a first axis, a second inductor having a second axis, a third inductor having a third axis, wherein said first, second, and third axes are mutually orthogonal;

wherein said first inductive coil and said second inductive coil are energized by a power source for producing a power output to said rechargeable battery for charging said rechargeable battery regardless of an orientation of said first inductive coil to said second inductive coil.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first inductive coil acts as a primary inductive coil connected to said power source and said second inductive coil acts as a secondary inductive coil electrically connected to said rechargeable battery whereby charging energy is induced from said primary inductive coil to said secondary inductive coil for charging said rechargeable battery in response to said power source energizing said primary inductive coil.

10. The charging apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least two inductors cooperatively produce said power output when said power source generates an electromagnetic field about at least two respective axes associated with said at least two inductors.

11. The charging apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a rectifying circuit for rectifying said power output.

12. The charging apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first, second, and third inductors are interconnected.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first inductive coil acts as a secondary inductive coil electrically connected to said rechargeable battery and said second inductive coil acts as a primary inductive coil, said primary inductive coil generating electromagnetic fields about multiple axes, and wherein said secondary inductive coil is energized by at least one electromagnetic field generated about said axes.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first inductive coil includes at least one inductor.

15. The charging apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first, second, and third inductors include a common core, said first, second, and third inductive coils are each wound on said common core.

16. The charging apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first, second, and third inductors are each wound on a first, second, and third core, respectively.

17. A vehicle convenience system comprising:

a vehicle including an interior compartment;

a recharging port mounted in said interior compartment of said vehicle, said recharging port includes an power source; and

a portable electronic device including a secondary inductive coil and a rechargeable battery, said secondary inductive coil includes a first inductor having a first axis, a second inductor having a second axis, a third inductor having a third axis, said first, second, and third axes are mutually orthogonal;

wherein said secondary inductive coil produces a power output in response to said power source, said secondary inductive coil is electrically connected to said rechargeable battery whereby charging energy is coupled from said power source to said rechargeable battery regardless of an orientation of said portable electronic device to said power source.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said recharging port includes a primary inductive coil, said power source energizes said primary inductive coil for inducing said charging energy to said secondary inductive coil.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said portable electronic device includes a cellular telephone.

20. The charging apparatus of claim 17 wherein at least two inductors cooperatively produce said power output when said power source generates an electromagnetic field about at least two respective axes associated with said at least two inductors.