SELECTIVE SHIELDING FOR PORTABLE HEATING APPLICATIONS

• US 20140292101A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Moes, Benjamin C., Taylor, Roy M. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US14/355,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/08 Hand irons internally heated by electricity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/243 using other than ohmic-resistance heating means, e.g. electrolytic or induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 81/08 incorporating heating, steaming, or forced ventilation means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2213/06 Cook-top or cookware capable of communicating with each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/06 Control, e.g. of temperature, of power
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/10 Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/00 Screening of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic fields devices for absorbing radiation from an antenna H01Q17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/002 with localised screening
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0088 comprising a plurality of shielding layers; combining different shielding material structure

Abstract

A wireless power supply and a portable heating device are provided. The wireless power supply includes an electromagnetic shield and the portable heating device includes a magnetic field source. Placement of the magnetic field source proximate the electromagnetic shield can create a local flux window in the electromagnetic shield. The transfer of electromagnetic flux through the local flux window energizes the portable heating device at various locations along the wireless power supply. The effectiveness of the electromagnetic shield is generally maintained away from the flux window, and the electromagnetic shield reduces stray flux that might otherwise damage nearby objects and/or reduce the efficiency of the wireless power supply.

Claims

1. A wireless power supply system comprising:

a portable heating device including a heating element;

a primary coil adapted to generate an electromagnetic flux; and

an electromagnetic shield interposed between the portable heating device and the primary coil, wherein positioning the portable heating device proximate the electromagnetic shield creates a localized flux window through the electromagnetic shield to increase an electromagnetic coupling between the primary coil and the portable heating device.

2. The wireless power supply system of claim 1 wherein the portable heating device includes a magnetic field source adapted to generate a persistent magnetic field.

3. The wireless power supply system of claim 2 wherein the magnetic field source is operable to reduce a magnetic permeability of the electromagnetic shield to approach the magnetic permeability of ambient space.

4. The wireless power supply system of claim 2 wherein the magnetic field source includes at least one of an electromagnet and a permanent magnet.

5. The wireless power supply system of claim 2 wherein the magnetic field source includes a plurality of magnets disposed radially outward of each other.

6. The wireless power supply system of claim 2 wherein the magnetic field source includes a variable magnetic field strength, wherein the portable heating device is adapted to vary the magnetic field strength to control the electromagnetic coupling through the electromagnetic shield.

7. The wireless power supply system of claim 1 wherein the heating element is adapted to generate heat when subject to the electromagnetic flux.

8. The wireless power supply system of claim 1 wherein the portable heating device further includes a secondary coil electrically coupled to the heating element.

9. The wireless power supply system of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic shield encompasses a substantial portion of the primary coil to reduce stray electromagnetic flux from the primary coil.

10. The wireless power supply system of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic shield is adapted to concentrate the electromagnetic flux therein.

11. The wireless power supply system of claim 1 the primary coil and the electromagnetic shield are supported within an ironing board and wherein the portable heating device includes a clothes iron.

12. The wireless power supply system of claim 11 further including a charging cradle adapted to pre-heat the clothes iron.

13. The wireless power supply system of claim 1 further including a power transfer surface for receipt of the portable heating device thereon.

14. The wireless power supply system of claim 14 wherein the portable heating device is slidably positionable along the power transfer surface, and wherein the electromagnetic shield and the primary coil are positioned subjacent the power transfer surface opposite of the portable heating device.

15. A portable heating device comprising:

a heating element; and

a magnetic field source adapted to generate a persistent magnetic field, wherein placement of the magnetic field source proximate an electromagnetic shield increases an electromagnetic coupling through the electromagnetic shield.

16. The portable heating device of claim 15 wherein the heating element includes a ferromagnetic material.

17. The portable heating device of claim 15 further including a secondary coil electrically coupled to the heating element.

18. The portable heating device of claim 15 further including a battery electrically coupled between the secondary coil and the heating element.

19. The portable heating device of claim 15 wherein the magnetic field source includes an electromagnet.

20. The portable heating device of claim 15 wherein the magnetic field source includes a permanent magnet.

21. The portable heating device of claim 15 wherein the magnetic field source includes a plurality of magnets disposed radially outward of each other.

22. The portable heating device of claim 15 wherein the magnetic field source includes a plurality of magnets disposed radially outward of the heating element.

23. The portable heating device of claim 15 wherein the magnetic field source includes a variable magnetic field strength.

24. The portable heating device of claim 23 wherein the portable heating device is adapted to vary the magnetic field strength among a plurality of levels to control the electromagnetic flux through the electromagnetic shield.

25. The portable heating device of claim 15 wherein the portable heating devices comprises one of a clothes iron, a curling iron, a hair straightener, a heating pad, a heated beverage container and an article of cookware.

26. A wireless power supply for use with a portable heating device, the wireless power supply comprising:

a power transfer surface to receive the portable heating device thereon;

a primary coil subjacent the power transfer surface and adapted to generate an electromagnetic flux; and

an electromagnetic shield interposed between the power transfer surface and the primary coil, wherein positioning the portable heating device on the power transfer surface creates a localized flux window through the electromagnetic shield to increase an electromagnetic coupling between the primary coil and the portable heating device.

27. The wireless power supply of claim 26 wherein the electromagnetic shield encompasses a substantial portion of the primary coil.

28. The wireless power supply of claim 26 wherein the electromagnetic shield is adapted to concentrate the electromagnetic flux therein.

29. The wireless power supply of claim 26 the wireless power supply comprises an ironing board.

30. The wireless power supply of claim 26 wherein the wireless power supply includes a charging cradle adapted to pre-heat the portable heating device.

31. The wireless power supply of claim 26 wherein the portable heating device is slidably positionable along the power transfer surface.

32. A method for providing a source of wireless power comprising:

providing a primary coil and an electromagnetic shield;

generating an electromagnetic flux using the primary coil;

positioning a portable heating device proximate a portion of the electromagnetic shield opposite of the primary coil; and

creating a localized flux window in the electromagnetic shield to increase an electromagnetic coupling between the primary coil and the portable heating device through the electromagnetic shield.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein creating a localized flux window includes decreasing the electromagnetic permeability of the electromagnetic shield at the localized flux window.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the portable heating device includes a magnetic field source.

35. The method according to claim 34 wherein the magnetic field source includes a magnetic field strength, the method further including varying the magnetic field strength to control the electromagnetic coupling through the electromagnetic shield.

36. The method according to claim 34 wherein the magnetic field source includes a magnetic field strength, the method further including decreasing the magnetic field strength to decrease the electromagnetic coupling through the electromagnetic shield.

37. The method according to claim 34 wherein the magnetic field source includes a magnetic field strength, the method further including increasing the magnetic field strength to increase the electromagnetic coupling through the electromagnetic shield.

38. The method according to claim 34 further including heating the magnetic field source to decrease the electromagnetic coupling through the electromagnetic shield.

39. The method according to claim 34 further including cooling the magnetic field source to increase the electromagnetic coupling through the electromagnetic shield.

40. The method according to claim 32 further including heating the electromagnetic shield to increase the electromagnetic coupling through the flux window.

41. The method according to claim 32 further including cooling the electromagnetic shield to decrease the electromagnetic coupling through the flux window.