ENCAPSULATED INDUCTIVE CHARGING COIL

• US 20150311740A1
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Keeler, Kevin M., Hilario, Alvin J., Kasar, Darshan R., Huey, Jason J.
• Application Number:
  US14/263,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20150311740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/327 Encapsulating or impregnating encapsulating coil and core H01F27/022
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/127 Encapsulating or impregnating encapsulating coil and core H01F41/005
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

At least one inductive charging coil is encapsulated within one or more walls of the enclosure of an electronic device. The inductive charging coil or coils may be insert molded into the enclosure of the electronic device. The electronic device can be a transmitter device or a receiver device in an inductive charging system.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising one or more inductive charging coils encapsulated within one or more walls of an enclosure of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the one or more inductive charging coils are insert molded into the one or more walls of an enclosure of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a charging device.

4. The electronic device as in claim 3, wherein the charging device comprises a charging device adapted to be inserted into a charging port in an electronic device.

5. The electronic device as in claim 3, wherein the charging device comprises a charging dock.

6. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a wearable electronic device and a portable electronic device.

7. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein at least one inductive charging coil comprises a planar inductive charging coil.

8. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein at least one inductive charging coil comprises a toroidal-shaped inductive charging coil.

9. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein at least one inductive charging coil comprises a conical-shaped inductive charging coil.

10. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein a shape of an outer surface of at least one wall corresponds to a shape of at least one inductive charging coil.

11. An inductive charging system, comprising:

a transmitter device comprising a transmitter coil; and

a receiver device comprising a receiver coil, wherein at least one of the transmitter coil and the receiver coil is encapsulated in an enclosure of a respective device.

12. The inductive charging system as in claim 11, wherein the transmitter coil is insert molded into the enclosure of the transmitter device.

13. The inductive charging system as in claim 11, wherein the receiver coil is insert molded into the enclosure of the receiver device.

14. The inductive charging system as in claim 11, wherein the transmitter device comprises a charging device.

15. The inductive charging system as in claim 14, wherein the charging device comprises a charging device adapted to be inserted into a charging port in an electronic device.

16. The inductive charging system as in claim 11, wherein the receiver device comprises one of a wearable electronic device and a portable electronic device.

17. A method for positioning an inductive charging coil in an enclosure of an electronic device, the method comprising:

positioning the inductive charging coil in a mold that defines a shape of at least a portion of the enclosure; and

injecting a material into the mold to form at least the portion of the enclosure, wherein the material encapsulates the inductive charging coil into the enclosure.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein the electronic device comprises a charging device.

19. The method as in claim 17, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a wearable electronic device and a portable electronic device.

20. The method as in claim 17, wherein the inductive charging coil comprises one of a flat inductive charging coil, a toroidal-shaped inductive charging coil, and a conical-shaped inductive charging coil.