Alignment independent and self aligning inductive power transfer system
First Claim
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1. An inductive power transfer device for an appliance, comprising(a) a housing;
- (b) at least one primary inductor arranged in an array within said housing;
(c) means for connecting said primary inductor with a power supply; and
(d) at least one switch connected between said primary inductor, respectively, and said connecting means, said switch being operable to selectively activate a respective primary inductor, whereby when an appliance having a secondary inductor is placed on said housing, power is transferred to the appliance via a transformer defined by said primary inductor and the secondary inductor
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Abstract
An inductive power transfer device is provided for recharging cordless appliances. The device includes a plurality of inductors arranged in an array and connected with a power supply via switches which are selectively operable to activate the respective inductors. The inductors serve as the primary coil of a transformer. The secondary coil of the transformer is arranged in the appliance. When the appliance is arranged proximate to the power transfer device with the respective coils in alignment, power is inductively transferred from the device to the appliance via the transformer.
863 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An inductive power transfer device for an appliance, comprising
(a) a housing; -
(b) at least one primary inductor arranged in an array within said housing;
(c) means for connecting said primary inductor with a power supply; and
(d) at least one switch connected between said primary inductor, respectively, and said connecting means, said switch being operable to selectively activate a respective primary inductor, whereby when an appliance having a secondary inductor is placed on said housing, power is transferred to the appliance via a transformer defined by said primary inductor and the secondary inductor
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2. An inductive power transfer device for an appliance, comprising:
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(a) a housing;
(b) at least on primary inductor arranged in an array within said housing;
(c) means for connecting said primary inductor with a power supply; and
(d) at least on switch connected between said primary inductor and said connecting means, respectively, said switch being operable to selectively activate a respective primary indictor, whereby when a appliance having a secondary inductor is placed on said housing, power is transferred to the appliance via a transformer defined by said primary inductor and the secondary inductor;
wherein at least one of said primary inductors has a longitudinal axis arranged normal to the longitudinal axis of other primary inductors. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electrical appliance comprising:
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(a) a housing;
(b) means arranged in said housing to provide power to the appliance;
(c) a plurality of secondary inductors connected with said power means; and
(d) switching means connected with each of said secondary inductors for controlling the transfer of energy from said secondary inductors to said power means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An inductive power transfer device for an appliance, comprising:
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(a) a source housing;
(b) at least one primary inductor within said housing;
(c) means for connecting said primary inductor with a power supply;
(d) at least one secondary inductor within said appliance; and
(e) non-mechanical coil mobility means to move at least one of;
at least of said primary inductors within said housing or at least one of said secondary inductors such as to increase electromagnetic alignment between said at least one of said primary inductors and said at least one of said secondary inductors.- View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An inductive power transfer device for an appliance, comprising:
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(a) a source housing;
(b) at least one primary inductor within said housing, each said inductor comprising a plurality of physically separated coil means;
(c) means for connecting said at least one primary inductor with a power supply;
(d) at least one secondary inductor within said appliance;
(e) sensing means to detect those coil means which are in effective presence of a magnetic field emanating from said at least one secondary inductor; and
(f) switching means to provide sufficient power to said detected coil means to cause current to flow from said at least one secondary inductor.
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27. An inductive power transfer device for an appliance, comprising:
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(a) a source housing;
(b) an array of primary inductors, said array comprising either (i) at least one plane of primary inductors, each said plane comprising either at least one first inductor positioned at a certain angle and at least one secondary inductor positioned at a different angle;
or (ii) a plurality of planes of primary inductor, each said plane comprising a plurality of inductors positioned at a certain angle different from the angle of the other respective planes;
(c) means for connecting said at least one plane of primary inductor with a power supply;
(d) at least one secondary inductor within said appliance, and wherein said at least one secondary inductor receives energy from at least a portion of said array of primary inductors. - View Dependent Claims (28)
(A) sensing means to detect those inductors of said primary inductors which are in effective presence of a magnetic field emanating from said at least one secondary inductor; and
(B) switching means to provide sufficient power to said detected inductors of said primary inductors to cause current t flow from said at least one secondary inductor.
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Specification