RESONATOR FINE TUNING

• US 20140035704A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Efe, Volkan, Hall, Katherine L., McCauley, Alexander Patrick, Kesler, Morris P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,287,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/219.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 29/10 having movable part of magnetic circuit high leakage transformers H01F38/08; dynamo-electric machines with movable part of magnetic circuit H02K23/44, H02K23/48
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 7/00 Resonators of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance

Abstract

A tunable resonator assembly includes a resonator coil having an inductance, and a tile residing at a position relative to the resonator coil the position selected to produce a desired change in the inductance of the resonator coil.

Claims

1. A tunable resonator assembly comprising:

a resonator coil having an inductance, and

a tile residing at a position relative to the resonator coil the position selected to produce a desired change in the inductance of the resonator coil.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tile comprises a magnetic material.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tile comprises an electrical conductor.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tile comprises a magnetic material and an electrical conductor.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tile is sized to tune the inductance of the resonator coil by at least 0.1 μ

H.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tile comprises an adhesive.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tile is shaped such that when the tile is moved in a linear direction, an area of the resonator coil covered by the tile changes.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the tile is triangular shaped.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tile is shaped such that when the tile is rotated an area of the resonator coil covered by the tile changes.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a separation between the tile and the resonator coil is adjustable.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a relative angle between the tile and the resonator coil is adjustable.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the position and an orientation of the tile is changed by mechanical means.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the position and an orientation of the tile is changed by electromechanical means.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the position and an orientation is controlled by a micro controller.

15. A method for tuning a magnetic resonator comprising:

measuring a parameter of a resonator comprising a resonator coil;

positioning at least one tile to cover an area of the resonator coil; and

changing the area covered by the at least one tile to change the parameter of the resonator to a desired value.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the tile comprises a material selected from a group consisting of magnetic material, conducting material, and conducting and magnetic material.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the parameter is the inductance of the resonator coil.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the parameter is a resonant frequency of the resonator coil.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the parameter is an impedance of the resonator coil.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the positioning is controlled by a microcontroller.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the positioning is controlled by a user.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the tile is fixed in the desired position.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the tile is held in place by magnetic attraction.