FLEXIBLE RESONATOR ATTACHMENT

• US 20120223573A1
• Filed: 01/30/2012
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Schatz, David A., Lou, Herbert T., Kesler, Morris P., Hall, Katherine L., Kulikowski, Konrad, Giler, Eric R., Fiorello, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 9,093,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• 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: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters 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 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power transfer for electronic devices. In embodiments reconfigurable or flexible attachment between a source and a device is realized using permanent magnets or electromagnets. Magnetic material may be positioned on or around one or more of the resonator to provide for locations for attaching permanent magnets. A permanent magnet attached to or near one of a source or device or repeater resonators may be used to flexibly attach to the non-lossy magnetic material of another resonator structure. In embodiments, replacing lossy permanent magnets and/or electromagnets in even one of the resonators of a wireless power system may be advantageous to system performance.

Claims

1. A wireless energy transfer resonator structure for generating an oscillating magnetic field, the resonator structure comprising:

at least one segment of an electrical conductor forming at least one loop; and

a section of magnetic material in proximity to the at least one segment of an electrical conductor,

wherein the magnetic material is oriented to allow a device to attach to the magnetic material with a permanent magnet via the magnetic attraction of the permanent magnet to a plurality of locations on the magnetic material, and

wherein the resonator provides energy for a device via the oscillating magnetic field at any of the plurality of locations.

2. The structure from claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is shaped to provide a substantially flat area for attaching with a permanent magnet.

3. The structure from claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises a plurality of smaller blocks of magnetic material wherein at least some blocks are spaced to provide a gap between the blocks.

4. The structure from claim 1, wherein the resonator structure further comprises an energy source coupled to at least one segment of an electrical conductor and wherein the energy source provides an oscillating current to drive the electrical conductor.

5. The structure from claim 4, wherein the structure is integrated into a vehicle.

6. The structure from claim 4, wherein the structure is integrated into a refrigerator.

7. The structure from claim 1, wherein the resonator structure is coupled to an energy drain.

8. The structure from claim 7, wherein the structure is attached to a mobile electronic device.

9. The structure from claim 1, wherein the structure further comprises at least one permanent magnet for attaching the structure to a magnetic material of another like structure via the magnetic attraction of the permanent magnet to the magnetic material.

10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is ferrite.

11. The structure from claim 1, wherein the structure has a quality factor Q>

100.

12. A structure for wireless energy transfer comprising:

a block of magnetic material with notches on at least one side; and

an electrical conductor wrapped around a block of magnetic material;

wherein the electrical conductor fits in the notches of the block of magnetic material thereby providing at least one substantially flat face where the conductor wire is recessed in the magnetic material thereby providing at least one flat face for attaching another resonator structure with a permanent magnet to the magnetic material via the magnetic attraction of the permanent magnet to the magnetic material of the structure.

13. The structure from claim 12, wherein the resonator structure further comprises an energy source coupled to the electrical conductor and wherein the energy source provides an oscillating current to drive the electrical conductor.

14. The structure from claim 12, wherein the resonator structure is coupled to an energy drain.

15. The structure from claim 12, wherein the structure further comprises at least one permanent magnet for attaching the structure to a magnetic material of another like structure via the magnetic attraction of the permanent magnet to the magnetic material.

16. The structure of claim 12, wherein the magnetic material is ferrite.

17. The structure from claim 12, wherein the structure has a quality factor Q>

100.