WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER FOR SUPPLYING POWER AND HEAT TO A DEVICE

• US 20120153893A1
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Schatz, David A., Karalis, Aristeidis, Hall, Katherine L., Kesler, Morris P., Soljacic, Marin, Giler, Eric R., Kurs, Andre B., Kulikowski, Konrad J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,686,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 : using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 : involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 : involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 : involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 : Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Described herein are improved capabilities for a source resonator having a Q-factor Q₁>100 and a characteristic size x₁ coupled to an energy source, and a second resonator having a Q-factor Q₂>100 and a characteristic size x₂ coupled to an energy drain located a distance D from the source resonator, where the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to exchange energy wirelessly among the source resonator and the second resonator.

Claims

1. A wireless energy transfer and heating system comprising:

a source, having one or more source magnetic resonators;

at least one power and control circuit, coupled to a power source, and configured to energize at least one said source magnetic resonator to generate an oscillating magnetic field;

a device, having one or more device magnetic resonators configured to capture said oscillating magnetic field;

one or more device heating elements integrated with said device,

wherein magnetic energy transferred by the source to the device is converted into electrical energy by one or more said device resonators and converted into thermal energy by one or more said device heating elements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more said device magnetic resonators are coupled to one or more said device heating elements and said electrical energy converted by said device magnetic resonator is used to generate heat by energizing said heating element.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating element is a highly resistive element.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating element is an electrical conductor configured to generate heat due to eddy currents resulting from said oscillating magnetic fields of said source.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating element is the same structure as said device magnetic resonator.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating element is separate from said device magnetic resonator.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating element and said thermal energy are used for drying of the device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating element and said thermal energy are used for sterilization of the device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating element and said thermal energy are used for maintaining a range of temperatures of said device.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery coupled to said device, wherein electrical energy from one or more said device resonators is used to charge said battery.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said magnetic resonators have a quality factor of at least 50.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein said device is integrated into a hearing aid.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein said device is integrated into articles of heated clothing.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein said device is integrated into a blanket.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein said device is integrated into a heating device.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein said device is integrated into a vehicle.

17. A wireless energy transfer device comprising:

at least one magnetic resonator, and

at least one heating element, configured to produce a thermal energy,

wherein at least one said magnetic resonator is configured to convert oscillating magnetic energy into electrical energy.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein at least one said magnetic resonator is coupled to at least one said heating element and said electrical energy converted by said magnetic resonator is used to generate heat by energizing said heating element.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein said heating element comprises a conductor configured to generate heat as a result of eddy currents due to an external oscillating magnetic field.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein said heating element is the same structure as said device magnetic resonator.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein said heating element is separate from said device magnetic resonator.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein said heating element and said thermal energy are used for drying of the device.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein said heating element and said thermal energy are used for sterilization of the device.

24. The device of claim 19, further comprising a battery, wherein electrical energy from one or more said magnetic resonators is used to charge said battery.

25. The device of claim 17, wherein said magnetic resonators have a quality factor of at least 50.

26. The device of claim 17, wherein the device is part of a wireless power transfer system.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein said device is integrated into a hearing aid.

28. The device of claim 24, wherein said device is integrated into any of articles of heated clothing.

29. The device of claim 24, wherein said device is integrated into a pad.

30. The device of claim 18, wherein said device is integrated into a heating device.

31. The device of claim 18, wherein said device is integrated into a vehicle.