TRANSCUTANEOUS POWER TRANSMISSION UTILIZING NON-PLANAR RESONATORS

• US 20130127253A1
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thoratec LLC
• Inventors: Stark, Joseph, Burke, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,079,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3515 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/216 including a rotating member acting on the blood, e.g. impeller
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/873 specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2823 Wires H01F27/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A system for omni-orientational wireless energy transfer is described. A transmitter unit has a transmitter resonator with a coil that is configured to be coupled to a power supply to wirelessly transmit power to a receiver unit. A receiver unit has a receiver resonator with a coil coupled to a device load. At least one of the resonators is a non-planar resonator that spans a non-degenerate two-dimensional surface having at least one concave portion.

Claims

1. A system for wireless energy transfer comprising:

a transmitter unit comprising a first resonator with a first coil configured to be coupled to a power supply to wirelessly transmit power to a receiver unit; and

a receiver unit comprising a second resonator with a second coil coupled to a device load, wherein at least one of the first and second resonators is a non-planar resonator that spans a non-degenerate two-dimensional surface with at least one concave portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface has at least two concave portions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface is one of a hyperbolic paraboloid surface or an elliptical paraboloid surface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface is defined by an equation in three-dimensional Euclidean space, the equation being one of Ax²+By²+Cz²=D or Ax²+By²+Cz=0, wherein A, B, C, and D are non-zero numbers.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a power transfer between the transmitter unit and the receiver unit at a given separation distance is at least 25% of a maximum power transfer at that given separation distance, regardless of the first resonator'"'"'s orientation relative to the second resonator.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the transmitter unit delivers power in a range of 5 Watts to 20 Watts at the given separation distance being in a range of 2.5 cm to 35 cm.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system has a resonant frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 10 MHz.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coils is a Litz wire coil that spans the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the resonators includes a magnetic core having the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface, and the corresponding coil is a Litz wire that is wrapped around the magnetic core for directing magnetic flux.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the resonators further comprises a capacitor coupled to the corresponding coil.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the resonators is coupled to a tunable resistor or a network of resistive elements to tune a quality factor “

Q”

of the system to maximize a voltage gain at the receiver unit.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the second resonator is configured for subcutaneous placement within a human.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the device load is a rechargeable power storage device in an implantable medical device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the implantable medical device is a ventricular assist device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first resonator is part of a piece of wearable clothing or wearable accessory.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the first resonator is embedded in a stationary object.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the resonators is coupled to a tunable capacitor or a network of capacitive elements to tune the resonant frequency of the system to maximize a voltage gain at the receiver unit.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver and transmitter units further comprises respective communications circuitry to establish a communications channel between the receiver unit and the transmitter unit to communicate system information used to modulate a power output of the transmitter unit.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter unit further comprises a flux concentrator to direct an output magnetic flux from the transmitter unit towards the receiver unit.

20. A method for omni-orientational wireless energy transfer, the method comprising:

providing a first resonator including a first coil coupled to a power supply; and

placing a second resonator at a separation distance from the first resonator, the second resonator including a second coil coupled to an electrical load, wherein at least one of the first and second resonators spans a non-degenerate two-dimensional surface with at least one concave portion to enable wireless energy transfer between the first coil and the second coil regardless of their respective orientation.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface has at least two concave portions.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface is one of a hyperbolic paraboloid surface or an elliptical paraboloid surface.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface is defined by an equation in three-dimensional Euclidean space, the equation being one of Ax²+By²+Cz²=D or Ax²+By²+Cz=0, wherein A, B, C, and D are non-zero numbers.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein an achievable power transfer between the first coil and the second coil at the separation distance is at least 25% of a maximum power transfer at that separation distance, regardless of the first coil'"'"'s orientation relative to the second coil.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein a power transfer in a range of 5 W to 20 W is achievable with the separation distance being in a range of 2.5 cm to 35 cm.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first and second resonators further comprises a tunable capacitor or a network of capacitive elements coupled to the corresponding coil, and the method further comprises:

tuning the tunable capacitor or the network of capacitive elements to adjust a first resonant frequency of one of the resonators to substantially match a second resonant frequency of the other resonator.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the first resonator and the second resonator each has a resonant frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 10 MHz.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the second coil is configured for subcutaneous placement within a human.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the second coil is coupled to an implantable medical device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the implantable medical device is a ventricular assist device.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the resonators is coupled to a tunable resistor or a network of resistive elements, and the method further comprises configuring the tunable resistor or the network of resistive elements to change a quality factor “

Q”

of that resonator to maximize a voltage gain at the second resonator.

32. The method of claim 20, further comprising establishing a communications channel between the first and second resonators to communicate information used to modulate a power output of the first resonator.

33. The method of claim 20, further comprising directing an output magnetic flux from the first resonator towards the second resonator with a flux concentrator.

34. A transmitter unit for use in an omni-orientational wireless energy transfer system to wirelessly transfer energy to a receiver unit, the transmitter unit comprising:

a non-planar resonator with a coil that spans a non-degenerate two-dimensional surface with at least one concave portion; and

a power circuitry coupled to the coil, wherein the power circuitry is configured to be electrically connected to a power supply source to deliver an electrical current to the coil.

35. The transmitter unit of claim 34, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface has at least two concave portions.

36. The transmitter unit of claim 34, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface is one of a hyperbolic paraboloid surface or an elliptical paraboloid surface.

37. The transmitter unit of claim 34, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface is defined by an equation in three-dimensional Euclidean space, the equation being one of Ax²+By²+Cz²=D or Ax²+By²+Cz=0, wherein A, B, C, and D are non-zero numbers.

38. The transmitter unit of claim 34, wherein the non-planar resonator has a resonant frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 10 MHz.

39. The transmitter unit of claim 34, wherein the coil is a Litz wire coil that spans the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface.

40. The transmitter unit of claim 34, wherein the non-planar resonator includes a magnetic core having the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface, and the coil is a Litz wire that is wrapped around the magnetic core for directing magnetic flux.

41. The transmitter unit of claim 34, further comprising a tunable capacitor or a network of capacitive elements to tune the resonant frequency of the non-planar resonator.

42. The transmitter unit of claim 34, wherein the transmitter unit is part of a piece of wearable clothing or wearable accessory.

43. The transmitter unit of claim 34, wherein the transmitter unit is embedded in a stationary object.

44. The transmitter unit of claim 34, further comprising a tunable resistor or a network of resistive elements coupled to the non-planar resonator to tune a quality factor “

Q”

of the non-planar resonator to maximize a voltage gain at the receiver unit.

45. The transmitter unit of claim 34, further comprising a communications circuitry coupled to the power circuitry to communicate system information with the receiver unit to modulate a power output of the transmitter unit.

46. The transmitter unit of claim 34, further comprising a flux concentrator to direct an output magnetic flux from the non-planar resonator towards the receiver unit.

47. A receiver unit for use in an omni-orientational wireless energy transfer system to receive wirelessly transfer energy from a transmitter unit, the receiver unit comprising:

a non-planar resonator with a coil that spans a non-degenerate two-dimensional surface with at least one concave portion; and

an electrical load coupled to the coil.

48. The receiver unit of claim 47, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface has at least two concave portions.

49. The receiver unit of claim 47, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface is one of a hyperbolic paraboloid surface or an elliptical paraboloid surface.

50. The receiver unit of claim 47, wherein the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface is defined by an equation in three-dimensional Euclidean space, the equation being one of Ax²+By²+Cz²=D or Ax²+By²+Cz=0, wherein A, B, C, and D are non-zero numbers.

51. The receiver unit of claim 47, wherein the non-planar resonator has a resonant frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 10 MHz.

52. The receiver unit of claim 47, wherein the coil is a Litz wire coil that spans the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface.

53. The receiver unit of claim 47, wherein the non-planar resonator includes a magnetic core having the non-degenerate two-dimensional surface, and the coil is a Litz wire that is wrapped around the magnetic core for directing magnetic flux.

54. The receiver unit of claim 47, further comprising a tunable capacitor or a network of capacitive elements to tune the resonant frequency of the non-planar resonator.

55. The receiver unit of claim 47, wherein the electrical load is a rechargeable power storage device in an implantable medical device.

56. The receiver unit of claim 47, wherein the implantable medical device is a ventricular assist device.

57. The receiver unit of claim 47, further comprising a tunable resistor or a network of resistive elements coupled to the non-planar resonator to tune a quality factor “

Q”

of the non-planar resonator to maximize a voltage gain of the receiver unit.

58. The receiver unit of claim 47, further comprising a communications circuitry coupled to the electrical load to communicate system information with the transmitter unit to modulate a power output of the transmitter unit.