SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING POWER INDUCTIVELY OVER AN EXTENDED REGION

• US 20130049484A1
• Filed: 10/30/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: Rofe, Arik, Ben-Shalom, Amir, Greenwald, Oola, Weissentern, Eran, Raveh, Guy, Mach, Elieser
• Granted Patent: US 9,478,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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

Abstract

An inductive power transfer system operable in a plurality of modes comprising an inductive power transmitter capable of providing power to the inductive power receiver over an extended region. The system may be switchable between the various modes by means of a mode selector operable to activate various features as required, such as: an alignment mechanism a resonance tuner, an auxiliary coil arrangement or a resonance seeking arrangement. Associated methods are taught.

Claims

1. An inductive power transfer system operable in a plurality of modes comprising at least one of:

an inductive power transmitter, and an inductive power receiver,

said inductive power transmitter comprising at least one primary inductor configured to couple inductively with at least one secondary inductor and at least one driver configured to provide an oscillating electric potential at a driving frequency across said primary inductor; and

said inductive power receiver comprising at least one secondary inductor connectable to a receiving circuit and an electric load, said secondary inductor configured to couple inductively with said at least one primary inductor such that power is transferred to said electric load;

wherein said inductive power transfer system further comprises a plurality of features selected from;

an alignment mechanism configured to align said at least one secondary inductor to said at least one primary inductor when said inductive power transfer system is operating in a first mode;

a resonance tuner operable to match said driving frequency to a resonant frequency of said reception circuit when said inductive power transfer system is operating in a second mode;

an auxiliary coil arrangement comprising a plurality of auxiliary coils operable in at least one of;

conductor mode, repeater mode and transmission mode; and

a resonance seeking arrangement operable to determine the natural frequencies of the inductive power transfer system.

2. The inductive power transfer system of claim 1 further comprising a mode selector configured to switch said inductive power transfer system between at least a first mode and a second mode.

3. The inductive power transfer system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of:

a proximity sensor for monitoring the distance from said secondary inductor to said primary inductor; and

a position sensor for monitoring the position of said primary inductor.

4. The inductive power transfer system of any of claim 1 wherein said resonance tuner comprises at least one of a capacitor and an inductor selectively connectable to said receiving circuit.

5. The inductive power transfer system of claim 1 wherein said resonance tuner comprises a feedback mechanism configured to send control signals to said inductive power transmitter such that said inductive power transmitter selects a driving frequency resonant with said receiving circuit.

6. The inductive power transfer system of claim 1 wherein said alignment mechanism comprises at least one actuator configured to move at least one of said secondary inductor and said primary inductor.

7. An inductive power transfer system operable in a plurality of modes comprising an inductive power transmitter operable in at least two modes, said transmitter comprising:

at least one primary inductor configured to couple inductively with a secondary inductor connected to an electric load such that power is transferred to said electric load;

at least one driver configured to provide an oscillating electric potential across said primary inductor;

at least one alignment mechanism configured to align said secondary inductor to said primary inductor when said inductive power transmitter is operating in a first mode; and

at least one resonance tuner configured to select a driving frequency for said oscillating electrical potential selected to match a resonant frequency of a reception circuit associated with said secondary inductor when said inductive power transmitter is operating in a second mode.

8. The inductive power transfer system of claim 7 further comprising a mode selector configured to switch said inductive power transmitter between said first mode and said second mode.

9. The inductive power transfer system of claim 7 wherein said driver is configured to drive said primary inductor at a non-resonant frequency when operating in said first mode.

10. The inductive power transfer system inductive power transmitter of claim 7 further comprising a resonance seeking arrangement operable to determine the natural frequencies of the inductive power transfer system.

11. The inductive power transfer system of claim 7 further comprising an auxiliary coil arrangement comprising a plurality of auxiliary coils operable in at least one of:

conductor mode, repeater mode and transmission mode.

12. The inductive power transfer system of claim 11 wherein said auxiliary coil arrangement comprises:

at least one auxiliary coil;

at least one controller configured to select an operational mode for the auxiliary coil; and

at least one switching unit operable to selectively connect said auxiliary coil to at least one of a conductive mode block, a repeater mode block and a transmission mode block.

13. An inductive power transfer system operable in a plurality of modes comprising an inductive power receiver operable in at least two modes, said receiver comprising:

at least one secondary inductor connectable to an electric load and configured to couple inductively with at least one primary inductor of at least one inductive power transmitter such that power is transferred to said electric load;

at least one alignment mechanism configured to align said secondary inductor to a primary inductor when said inductive power receiver is operating in a first mode; and

at least one resonance tuner configured to tune a receiving circuit to a resonant frequency selected to match a transmission frequency of a remote primary inductor when said inductive power receiver is operating in a second mode.

14. The inductive power transfer system of claim 13 further comprising a mode selector configured to switch said inductive power receiver between said first mode and said second mode.

15. The inductive power transfer system of claim 13 wherein said mode selector is configured to select an operating mode according to data pertaining to the location of said primary inductor.

16. The inductive power transfer system of claim 13 further comprising at least one of:

a proximity sensor for monitoring the distance from said secondary inductor to said primary inductor; and

a position sensor for monitoring the position of said primary inductor.

17. The inductive power transfer system of claim 13 wherein said resonance tuner comprises at least one of a capacitor and an inductor selectively connectable to said receiving circuit.

18. The inductive power transfer system of claim 13 wherein said resonance tuner comprises a feedback mechanism configured to send control signals to said inductive power transmitter such that said inductive power transmitter selects a driving frequency resonant with said receiving circuit.

19. The inductive power transfer system of claim 13 wherein said alignment mechanism comprises at least one actuator configured to move at least one of said secondary inductor and said primary inductor.

20. An electrical device comprising said inductive power transfer system of claim 13.