PINLESS POWER COUPLING

• US 20140008997A1
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: Azancot, Yossi, Ben-Shalom, Amir, Greenwald, Oola, Rofe, Arik
• Granted Patent: US 9,666,360 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 a power surface comprising an array of said pinless power jacks, said pinless power jacks 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 wherein said power surface comprises multiple layers of overlapping power jacks.

46. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45 wherein said multiple layers comprise overlapping power jacks offset by a distance which is different from an intercoil spacing of each layer.

47. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45 wherein said power surface consists of at least one of a horizontal work surface, a kitchen work surface, a floor, a vertical wall and a ceiling.

48. The pinless power coupling system of claim 45 wherein said insulating layer is 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.

49. A pinless power coupling system comprising at least one pinless power plug comprising at least two secondary coils, each said secondary coil for inductive coupling with a primary coil associated with a pinless power jack wherein said pinless power plug comprises at least two overlapping secondary coils.

50. The pinless power coupling system of claim 49, said pinless power plug 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.

51. The pinless power coupling system of claim 50, wherein said at least two secondary coils are offset by a distance which is less than half of the intercoil spacing of said array of said primary coils.

52. The pinless power coupling system of claim 49 wherein one said secondary coil is configured to align with at least one primary coil at any angle such that said pinless power plug is rotatable through 360 degrees.

53. The pinless power coupling system of claim 49, said power plug further comprising a power cord for connecting to at least one electric load.

54. The pinless power coupling system of claim 49, said power plug further comprising a light fitting for coupling to at least one light source.

55. The pinless power coupling system of claim 49, 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.

56. The pinless power coupling system of claim 49, said power plug being hardwired to at least one light source.

57. The pinless power coupling system of claim 49, said power plug being unitary with an electric device.

58. The pinless power coupling system of claim 49, said power plug being hardwired to at least one electric load.

59. The pinless power coupling system of claim 58 wherein said electric load is selected from at least one of:

a computer, a kitchen appliance, a lamp and combinations thereof.

60. The pinless power coupling system of claim 58 wherein said electric load draws power in the range 10 watts to 200 watts.