Configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field

• US 6,791,447 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Scheible, Guntram, Garrels, Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuyen T.
• Application Number:
  US10/237,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20030062980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 336/170, 336/180-184, 336/212, 336/214, 336/215, 336/221-222, 336/225, 336/230, 323/229, 323/370, 323/355, 323/361, 363/15-17, 363/20, 363/21.02
• US Class Current: 336/221
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2003/005 Magnetic cores for receiving several windings with perpendicular axes, e.g. for antennae or inductive power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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

Abstract

A configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field includes a three-dimensional winding configuration formed from a central core of a magnetic material on which at least three windings are fitted. The windings have winding axes each disposed at right angles to one another and intersecting at a common point. Each of the windings is connected to a rectifier. Each of the windings is, preferably, connected to a resonant capacitor to form a resonant circuit.

Claims

1. A configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field, comprising:

a three-dimensional winding configuration having;

a central core of a magnetic material;

at least three windings fitted on said central core, said at least three windings having three winding axes disposed at right angles to one another and intersecting at a common point;

at least three rectifiers each respectively connected to one of said at least three windings; and

at least three resonant capacitors each respectively connected to one of said at least three windings to form a resonant circuit, forming at least three resonant circuits, said at least three resonant circuits being connected in series with a load.

2. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein said at least three resonant capacitors are each respectively connected to one of said at least three windings to form a series resonant circuit.

3. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein said at least three resonant capacitors are each respectively connected to one of said at least three windings to form a parallel resonant circuit.

4. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein:

said rectifiers each have DC connections; and

said DC connections of said rectifiers are connected in series.

5. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein:

said rectifiers each have DC connections; and

said DC connections of said rectifiers are connected in parallel.

6. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein said windings are transformer windings.

7. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein said central core is a cubic core.

8. The configuration according to claim 7, wherein said cubic core has slots holding said windings.

9. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein said central core is a spherical core.

10. The configuration according to claim 9, wherein said spherical core has slots holding said windings.

11. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein:

said central core has three limbs each disposed at right angles with respect to one another; and

at least one of said windings is fitted on each of said three limbs.

12. The configuration according to claim 11, wherein:

said three limbs have longitudinal axes;

said longitudinal axes intersect at a central point in said central core; and

two of said windings are fitted symmetrically with respect to said central point on each of said three limbs.

14. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein every one of said at least three resonant circuits is connected in series with the load.

13. A configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field, comprising:

a three-dimensional winding configuration having;

a central core of a magnetic material;

three windings fitted on said central core, said three windings having three winding axes disposed at right angles to one another and intersecting at a common point;

three rectifiers each respectively connected to one of said three windings; and

three resonant capacitors each respectively connected to one of said three windings to form a resonant circuit, forming at least three resonant circuits, said at least three resonant circuits being connected in series with a load.

15. The configuration according to claim 13, wherein every one of said at least three resonant circuits is connected in series with the load.