PINLESS POWER COUPLING

• US 20100181841A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Ltd.
• Inventors: Greenwald, Oola, Ben-Shalom, Amir, Azancot, Yossi, Rofe, Arik
• Granted Patent: US 8,629,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2809 on stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2885 with shields or electrodes shields or electrodes for pancake coils H01F27/2871; construction of electric or magnetic shields or screens H01F27/36
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A pin-less power coupling arrangement comprising at least one pin-less power jack; the power jack comprising a primary coil shielded behind an insulating layer for inductive coupling to a pin-less power plug; said power plug comprising a secondary coil wherein said insulating layer is substantially flat and said power plug and said power jack may be aligned by an alignment means. Various such alignment means are discussed as are enabled surfaces for supporting inductive power jacks and inductive plugs coupled to various appliances.

Claims

1-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A pinless power coupling system comprising at least one unit selected from:

at least one pinless power jack, comprising at least one primary coil shielded behind an insulating layer said primary coil for inductively coupling with a secondary coil associated with a pinless power plug in front of said insulating layer, and

at least one pinless power plug comprising at least one secondary coil for inductive coupling with a primary coil shielded behind an insulating layer associated with a pinless power jack;

said pinless coupling system being characterized by an alignment mechanism for aligning said pinless power plug to said pinless power jack.

46. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45, wherein said alignment mechanism maintains alignment between said power plug and said power jack through 360 degrees of rotation about a central axis.

47. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45, said alignment mechanism comprising an indicator being configured to provide a graduated indication of proximity to full alignment.

48. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45, said alignment mechanism comprising at least one indication selected from the group consisting of:

a translucent insulating layer through which said primary coil is visible;

a visible marking on outer surface of said insulating layer to indicate the location of a power jack there within to allow direct visual alignment;

an illuminated indicator configured to indicate when a plug is aligned to said power jack;

an illuminated indicator being selected from the group comprising LEDs, LED scales, LCD screens and combinations thereof;

an audio indicator configured to emit a sound when said plug is aligned to said power jack;

an audio indicator selected from at least one member of a group consisting of buzzers, bells, speakers, clappers and combinations thereof; and

a tactile indicator selected from at least one member of a group consisting of a sucker, a hook-and-loop arrangement, a ridge-and-groove arrangement, a magnetic element and combinations thereof.

49. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45, said alignment mechanism comprising at least one magnetic snag incorporated into said power jack configured to magnetically engage with at least one magnetic anchor carried by said power plug, wherein at least one of said magnetic snag and said magnetic anchor comprises a magnetic element characterized by at least one limitation selected from a group consisting of:

said magnetic element having rotational symmetry such that said magnetic anchor engages said magnetic snag at a plurality of angles;

said magnetic element having an annular configuration such that said magnetic anchor maintains engagements with said magnetic snag through at least 360 degrees of rotation; and

said magnetic element being selected from at least one of a group consisting of permanent magnets, electromagnets and ferromagnetic elements.

50. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45, further comprising a power surface comprising an array of said pinless power jacks, wherein said power surface is characterized by at least one limitation selected from a group consisting of:

said surface consisting of at least one of a horizontal work surface, a floor, a vertical wall and a ceiling;

said insulating layer being constructed from a material selected from at least one member of the group consisting of;

glass, plastic mica, formica, wood, wood veneer, canvas, cardboard, stone, linoleum, paper and combinations thereof;

said insulating layer comprises a generally opaque panel punctuated by at least one optical path for guiding said optical signals from an optical transmitter in front of said insulating layer to an optical receiver behind said insulating layer;

said power surface comprising multiple layers of overlapping power jacks; and

said power surface comprising multiple layers of overlapping power jacks, said multiple layers being offset by a distance which is different from an intercoil spacing of each layer.

51. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45, wherein said pinless power plug is characterized by at least one limitation selected from a group consisting of:

said power plug further comprising a power cord for connecting to at least one electric load;

said power plug further comprising a light fitting for coupling to at least one light source;

said power plug further comprising at least one conducting socket for receiving conducting pins of a pinned plug, said secondary coil providing a voltage across said conducting socket;

said power plug being hardwired to at least one light source;

said power plug being hardwired to at least one electric load;

said power plug being unitary with an electric device; and

said pinless power plug comprising at least two overlapping secondary coils, for inductively coupling with an array of said primary coils, wherein said at least two secondary coils are offset by a distance which is different from an intercoil spacing of said array of said primary coils.

52. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45, further comprising a signal transfer system comprising at least one optical transmitter in front of a surface layer for transmitting electromagnetic radiation of a type and intensity capable of penetrating said surface layer and being received by at least one optical receiver behind the surface layer.

53. The pinless power coupling system of claim 52, wherein said optical receiver is coaxial with said primary coil and said optical receiver is coaxial with said secondary coil such that when said primary coil is aligned to said secondary coil, said optical receiver is aligned to said optical transmitter.

54. The pinless power coupling system of claim 52, wherein said optical transmitter comprises a light emitting diode.

55. The pinless power coupling system of claim 52, wherein said optical transmitter transmits an infra red signal.

56. The pinless power coupling system of claim 52, wherein said optical receiver is selected from the group comprising:

phototransistors, photodiodes and light dependent resistors.

57. The signal transfer system of claim 52, wherein said surface layer comprises a generally opaque panel punctuated by at least one optical path for guiding said optical signals from said optical transmitter in front of said insulating layer to an optical receiver behind said insulating layer.

58. The signal transfer system of claim 57, wherein said optical path is selected from the group comprising:

waveguides, optical fibers and windows.

59. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45, wherein at least one of said primary coil and said secondary coil have a generally annular shape.

60. The pinless power coupling system of claim 59, wherein said annular shape encircles a central axis occupied by at least one of:

an optical transmitter, an optical receiver, a magnetic alignment element, an electromagnetic element and a ferromagnetic core.

61. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45 for providing power in the range of between 1 watt to 200 watts.

62. A method for controlling power transfer across an inductive coupling, said inductive coupling comprising a primary coil behind a surface layer and a secondary coil in front of said surface layer, said method characterized by the following steps:

step (a)—

providing at least one optical transmitter in front of said surface layer;

step (b)—

providing at least one optical receiver behind the outer face of said surface layer;

step (c)—

communicating a control signal to said optical transmitter;

step (d)—

transmitting said control signal from said optical transmitter as electromagnetic radiation of a type and intensity capable of penetrating said surface layer;

step (e)—

receiving said electromagnetic radiation by said optical receiver; and

step (f)—

adjusting said power transfer according to said control signal.

63. The method of claim 62 for regulating power transfer across an inductive coupling comprising the preliminary step of detecting the presence of an electric load.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein said control signal comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a signal encoding details regarding the required operating power requirements of said load;

a signal encoding monitored operating parameters of said electric load;

a signal encoding data pertaining to at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of operating voltage, operating current and operating temperature of said electric load;

a signal encoding data pertaining to the identity of said electric load; and

a signal encoding data pertaining to the presence of said electric load.