WIRELESSLY RECHARGEABLE BATTERY AND POWER TRANSMITTER

• US 20140232330A1
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: PowerbyProxi Limited (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Robertson, Daniel, Bhargava, Kunal, Gomes, Thushari
• Granted Patent: US 9,318,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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
• 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: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A wirelessly rechargeable battery is provided having coils oriented off major battery axes to facilitate good coupling with power transmitter magnetic fields. A magnetic core may house charging electronics for a compact form factor. A wireless power transmitter that produces fields to maximize coupling with receiver coils.

Claims

1. A wirelessly rechargeable battery comprising:

a. an elongate battery casing having a longitudinal axis;

b. a rechargeable storage device;

c. a plurality of power receiving coils disposed at an angle of between 30 to 60 degrees to the longitudinal axis; and

d. a charging circuit for controlling the supply of power from the coils to the storage device.

2. A battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receiving coils are disposed at an angle of about 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis.

6. A battery as claimed in claim 1 having two coils.

7. A battery as claimed in claim 6 wherein the coils are substantially orthogonal.

8. A battery as claimed in claim 1 having three coils.

9. A battery as claimed in claim 8 wherein the coils are oriented at about 60 degrees to each other.

11. A battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein the charging circuit provides resonant circuit tuning

12. A battery as claimed in claim 11 wherein the charging circuit provides resonant circuit tuning by way of series tuning compensation.

13. A battery as claimed in claim 11 wherein the charging circuit provides resonant circuit tuning by way of a semiconductor operating in linear mode.

14. A battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein the coils are wound about a magnetic core.

15. A battery as claimed in claim 14 wherein the magnetic core has a cavity to at least partially house the charging circuit.

16. A battery as claimed in claim 15 wherein the charging circuit is entirely housed within the cavity in the core.

3-5. -5. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

17-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A wirelessly rechargeable battery comprising:

a. a battery casing;

b. a rechargeable storage device;

c. one or more power receiving coils mounted on a ferrite core; and

d. a charging circuit for controlling the supply of power from the coils to the storage device at least partially housed within the ferrite core.

21-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A wireless power transmitter including:

a. a plurality of power transmission coils arranged in a planar array; and

b. a driving circuit for driving the coils such that at least a first coil is driven so as to produce an alternating magnetic field of opposite polarity to that produced by a second coil.

40. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 39 wherein the first and second coils are positioned in the planar array adjacent one another.

41. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 39 wherein a plurality of first coils is driven so as to produce an alternating magnetic field of opposite polarity to that produced by the second coil.

42. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 41 wherein the first coils and second coil are positioned in the planar array adjacent to one another.

43. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 39 wherein the wireless power transmitter detects wirelessly rechargeable batteries coupled to the planar array.

44. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 43 wherein the power supplied by the driving circuit to the coils is reduced when no batteries are present.

45. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 43 wherein the power supplied by the driving circuit to the coils is reduced when disrupting metallic bodies are detected.

46. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 43 wherein the wireless power transmitter includes a communication circuit for communication with batteries.

47. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 46 wherein the communication circuit detects communications via variations in power demand of batteries.

48. A wireless power transmitter as claimed in claim 47 wherein the variations are in the form of pulses.