Contactless energy transfer apparatus

• US 6,657,351 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Purdue Pharmaceutical Products LP (Purdue Pharma L.P.)
• Original Assignee: Light Sciences Corporation
• Inventors: Wilkerson, Brian D., Chen, James C., Huston, Darrin
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLINS, BURTON S
• Application Number:
  US09/910,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20010045785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 310/166, 310/96, 310/103-104, 310/112, 310/171, 310/40.R, 310/46, 310/50, 310/75.R, 310/92, 290/1.R, 336/110, 336/130
• US Class Current: 310/171
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/02 Selection of specific materials, e.g. heavy bottoms with copper inlay or with insulating inlay
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/26 Devices for warming vessels containing drinks or food, especially by means of burners Warming devices with a burner, e.g. using gasoline; Travelling cookers, e.g. using petroleum or gasoline with one burner
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/12 Ignition, e.g. for IC engines
• 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 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/12 with stationary armatures and rotating magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/24 with magnets axially facing the armatures, e.g. hub-type cycle dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1282 the partition wall in the air-gap being non cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1807 Rotary generators H02K7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1876 with reciprocating, linearly oscillating or vibrating parts
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1236 adapted to induce current in a coil to supply power to a device and electrical heating devices powered in this way
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A flux generator base unit electromagnetically coupled with a receiving unit to transfer energy into the receiving unit. The base unit includes one or more permanent magnets that produce a magnetic flux, which passes through a receiver coil in the receiving unit. The receiver coil is either disposed in a separate housing that is electrically connected with a portable device, or integrated into the housing of the portable device. Either the permanent magnets or a flux shunt is moved in the base unit to produce the varying magnetic flux that is coupled to the receiver coil. As a result of the varying magnetic field experienced by the receiver coil, an electric current is induced in the receiver coil, which is conditioned (e.g., rectified, filtered, and regulated) by a conditioning circuit to charge a battery or energize electronics contained in the portable device. Various embodiments of both the base unit and receiving unit are disclosed, including “universal” base units suitable for operation with different size receiving units.

Claims

1. A contactless energy transfer apparatus comprising:

(a) portable receiving unit including;

(i) a receiver coil; and

(ii) a housing in which the receiver coil is disposed, said housing supporting the receiver coil; and

a flux generator including;

(i) a housing adapted to be disposed proximate to the housing of the receiving unit;

(ii) a magnetic field generator comprising at least one permanent magnet disposed within the housing of the flux generator; and

(iii) a prime mover drivingly coupled with the at least one permanent magnet, causing said at least one permanent magnet to move relative to the receiver coil, movement of said at least one permanent magnet producing a varying magnetic field that is coupled to the receiver coil, inducing an electrical current to flow in the receiver coil, wherein the prime mover is disposed outside the housing of the flux generator and is drivingly coupled with said at least one permanent magnet through a driven shaft.

2. A contactless energy transfer apparatus comprising:

(a) portable receiving unit including;

(i) a receiver coil; and

(ii) a housing in which the receiver coil is disposed, said housing supporting the receiver coil; and

(b) a flux generator including;

(i) a housing adapted to be disposed proximate to the housing of the receiving unit;

(ii) a magnetic field generator comprising a plurality of permanent magnets and a movable support on which the plurality of permanent magnets are mounted disposed within the housing of the flux generator; and

(iii) a prime mover drivingly coupled to the movable support, causing said movable support to move relative to the receiver coil, movement of said movable support producing a varying magnetic field that is coupled to the receiver coil, inducing an electrical current to flow in the receiver coil, wherein the support is caused to move reciprocally back and forth in a reciprocating motion.

3. A contactless energy transfer apparatus comprising:

(a) portable receiving unit including;

(i) a receiver coil; and

(ii) a housing in which the receiver coil is disposed, said housing supporting the receiver coil; and

(b) a flux generator including;

(i) a housing adapted to be disposed proximate to the housing of the receiving unit;

(ii) a magnetic field generator comprising at least one permanent magnet disposed and a magnetic flux shunt disposed within the housing of the flux generator, the magnetic flux shunt being configured to be moveable between a shunt position, in which a magnetic field produced by said at least one permanent magnet of the magnetic field generator is shunted along a path that includes the receiver coil, and an unshunted position, in which a magnetic field produced by said at least one permanent magnet of the magnetic field generator is not shunted; and

(iii) a prime mover drivingly coupled with the magnetic flux shunt, to cause the magnetic flux shunt to move between the shunt position and the unshunt position, thereby periodically shunting a magnetic field produced by said at least one permanent magnet of the magnetic field generator, causing the magnetic field to vary along a path that includes the receiver coil.

4. A contactless energy transfer apparatus comprising:

(a) portable receiving unit including;

(i) a receiver coil; and

(ii) a housing in which the receiver coil is disposed, said housing supporting the receiver coil; and

(b) a flux generator including;

(i) a housing adapted to be disposed proximate to the housing of the receiving unit;

(ii) a magnetic field generator comprising at least one permanent magnet disposed within the housing of the flux generator;

(iii) a prime mover drivingly coupled with the at least one permanent magnet, causing said at least one permanent magnet to move relative to the receiver coil, movement of said at least one permanent magnet producing a varying magnetic field that is coupled to a core of the receiver coil, inducing an electrical current to flow in the receiver coil; and

(iv) an adjustment member that is selectively actuatable to change a maximum magnetic flux that is coupled to the core of the receiver coil.

5. The energy transfer apparatus of claim 4, wherein the adjustment member controls a speed with which the element of the magnetic field generator is moved.