WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER VIA ELECTRODYNAMIC COUPLING

• US 20170155287A1
• Filed: 02/14/2017
• Published: 06/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Arnold, David Patrick, Challa, Vinod Reddy, Cheng, Shuo
• Granted Patent: US 10,541,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 99/10 Generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/08 with conductive charge carrier, i.e. capacitor machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Wireless power transmission (WPT) systems are provided. According to an embodiment, the WPT system uses one or more power transmitting coils and a receiver for electromagnetically coupled wireless power transfer. The electrodynamic receiver can be in the form of an electrodynamic transducer where a magnet is allowed to oscillate near a receiving coil to induce a voltage in the receiving coil, a piezoelectric transducer where the magnet causes a vibrating structure with a piezoelectric layer to move, an electrostatic transducer where movement of the magnet causes a capacitor plate to move, or a combination thereof. An alternating magnetic field from the transmitting coil(s) excites the magnet in the receiver into mechanical resonance. The vibrating magnet then functions similar to an energy harvester to induce voltage/current on an internal coil, piezoelectric material, or variable capacitor. Embodiments utilize magnetic coupling and electromechanical resonance for safe, spatially distributed, low-frequency power delivery to portable devices.

Claims

1. A wireless power transfer system, comprising:

a transmitter generating an external magnetic field; and

a receiver generating power under an influence of the external magnetic field by electromechanical conversion, wherein the receiver comprises;

a magnet that moves via electrodynamic coupling under the influence of the external magnetic field, and

an electromechanical conversion element coupled to the magnet,

wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises at least one of the following;

a piezoelectric material, wherein movement of the magnet causes mechanical stress upon the piezoelectric material; and

a variable capacitor, wherein movement of the magnet causes a capacitance change in the variable capacitor.

2. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises a mechanical flexure on which the piezoelectric material and the magnet are disposed.

3. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises the variable capacitor, and wherein the magnet is connected to a plate of the variable capacitor.

4. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises at least two of the following:

a mechanical flexure on which the piezoelectric material and the magnet are disposed;

the variable capacitor, wherein the magnet is connected to a plate of the variable capacitor; and

a receiving coil, wherein movement of the magnet induces a voltage in the receiving coil.

5. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 4, wherein the receiver is configured such that the pole direction of the magnet with respect to the external magnetic field remains substantially the same when the magnet moves.

6. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured such that the pole direction of the magnet with respect to the external magnetic field remains substantially the same when the magnet moves.

7. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the external magnetic field generated by the transmitter is time-varying.

8. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the magnet comprises a permanent magnet.

9. A method of wireless power transfer, comprising:

generating and transmitting a time-varying magnetic field at a first frequency using a first transmitter; and

generating a voltage in a receiver by allowing a magnet of the receiver to move due to an influence of a magnetic force generated by the magnetic field from the transmitter, the movement of the magnet influencing an electromechanical conversion element in the receiver,

wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises at least one of the following;

a piezoelectric material, wherein movement of the magnet causes mechanical stress upon the piezoelectric material; and

a variable capacitor, wherein movement of the magnet causes a capacitance change in the variable capacitor.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises a mechanical flexure on which the piezoelectric material and the magnet are disposed.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises the variable capacitor, and wherein the magnet is connected to the variable capacitor.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises at least two of the following:

a mechanical flexure on which the piezoelectric material and the magnet are disposed;

the variable capacitor, wherein the magnet is connected to the variable capacitor; and

a receiving coil, wherein movement of the magnet induces a voltage in the receiving coil.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pole direction of the magnet with respect to the magnetic field remains substantially the same when the magnet moves.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pole direction of the magnet with respect to the magnetic field remains substantially the same when the magnet moves.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first frequency is between 120 Hz and 10 kHz.

16. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

generating and transmitting a second time-varying magnetic field at a second frequency different than the first frequency using the first transmitter; and

generating a second voltage in a second receiver by allowing a second magnet of the second receiver to move due to an influence of a magnetic force generated by the second magnetic field from the transmitter, the movement of the second magnet influencing a second electromechanical conversion element in the second receiver,

wherein the second electromechanical conversion element comprises at least one of the following;

a second piezoelectric material, wherein movement of the second magnet causes mechanical stress upon the second piezoelectric material; and

a second variable capacitor, wherein movement of the second magnet causes a capacitance change in the variable capacitor.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second electromechanical conversion element comprises at least two of the following:

a second mechanical flexure on which the second piezoelectric material and the second magnet are disposed;

the second variable capacitor, wherein the second magnet is connected to the second variable capacitor; and

a second receiving coil, wherein movement of the second magnet induces a voltage in the second receiving coil, and

wherein the pole direction of the second magnet with respect to the second magnetic field remains substantially the same when the second magnet moves.

18. A receiver of a wireless power transfer system, the receiver generating power under an influence of an external magnetic field by electromechanical conversion, wherein the receiver comprises:

a magnet attached to an end of a mechanical flexure, the magnet moving via electrodynamic coupling under the influence of the external magnetic field, and

an electromechanical conversion element coupled to the magnet,

wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises at least one of the following;

a piezoelectric material, wherein movement of the magnet causes mechanical stress upon the piezoelectric material; and

a variable capacitor, wherein movement of the magnet causes a capacitance change in the variable capacitor.

19. The receiver according to claim 18, wherein the electromechanical conversion element comprises at least two of the following:

the piezoelectric material disposed on the mechanical flexure;

the variable capacitor, wherein the magnet is connected to a plate of the variable capacitor; and

a receiving coil, wherein movement of the magnet induces a voltage in the receiving coil.

20. The receiver according to claim 19, wherein the receiver is configured such that the pole direction of the magnet with respect to the external magnetic field remains substantially the same when the magnet moves.