System for wireless transmission of electrical power, a garment, a system of garments and method for the transmission of signals and/or electrical energy

• US 7,076,206 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Sauerlaender, Georg, Elferich, Reinhold, Duerbaum, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/125,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20020154518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/282, 455/292, 363/20, 363/17, 363/16, 363/95, 363/131, 290/55, 290/44, 219/629
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• 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 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention describes a system for electrical transmission in the field of garments and a corresponding transmitter for this. Electrical circuits in garments are coupled, preferably inductively in a wireless manner with electrical devices and/or electrical circuits in other garments, wherein electrical energy is transmitted via the coupling. Energy transmission in both directions is preferably possible, wherein a distributed system results with sources and devices that can be coupled with each other. The efficiency of the inductive energy transmission is increased by regulation of the frequency, preferably using resonance. In addition, means for information transmission are proposed.

Claims

1. A system for wireless transmission of electrical energy comprising

at least a first induction element (12) that is connected to a primary circuit (P),

and at least a second induction element (14) that is connected to a secondary circuit (S),

in which the induction elements (12), (14) can move position in relation to each other and are able to be positioned so that they are magnetically coupled,

wherein in the primary circuit (P) means (32) for supplying the first induction element (12) with an AC voltage are provided for,

so that in the first induction element (12) a magnetic field is generated, wherein a voltage is induced in the secondary circuit (S) as a result of the magnetic coupling with the second induction element (14),

characterized in that in the primary circuit (P) means for setting the frequency of the AC voltage are provided, wherein responsive to an information signal representative of a change in degree of magnetic coupling between the first and second induction elements and thus a corresponding change in resonance in the primary circuit (P), the AC voltage frequency setting means changes an excitation frequency of the AC voltage supplied to the first induction element to make specific use of the change in resonance resulting from positional or locational changes of the induction elements in relation to each other.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which

at least the primary circuit (P) is designed as a resonant circuit,

and the frequency of the AC voltage is set so that an increase in voltage occurs on the induction element (12) as a result of an increase in resonance.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the secondary voltage is regulated by changes in the frequency of the primary-side AC voltage.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which means (38) for rectifying the induced voltage are provided in the secondary circuit (S).

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which

controlled switching means (32, 38) are provided both in the primary circuit (P) and in the secondary circuit (S),

in which the switching means (32, 38) can be triggered in such a way that they generate an AC voltage from a supplied DC voltage,

and the switching means (32, 38), when triggered differently, work as synchronous rectifiers that rectify a supplied AC voltage.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which

the first induction element (12) is arranged on a first item,

and the second induction element (14) is arranged on a second item,

where the items can change their relative positions to each other,

and where additional means (104) for wireless transmission of information between the items are provided.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, in which the means for wireless transmission of information have at least a third and a fourth induction element (104), where the third and fourth induction elements are arranged and/or designed to be orthogonal to the first and second induction elements (12, 14).

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, in which

a first and a second electrically conductive surface is arranged on each of the first and second items,

in which the items can be positioned in such a way that the surfaces have a capacitive coupling.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, in which the surfaces comprise longitudinal areas (106) that are electrically insulated from one another along their length, wherein the longitudinal areas (106) are electrically connected on at least one end.

10. A garment comprising:

an electrical circuit (46) with at least one connector (48, 50) for electrical connection of at least one electrical unit (62), characterized in that

the connector (48, 50) transmits in a wireless manner electrical energy and/or electrical signals to a corresponding further connector (64) on the electrical unit (62) and/or receives this from the electrical unit (62), in which the connector (48, 50) has means for inductive coupling (12, 58),

at least one receptacle (60) is provided for accommodating a wearable electrical device (62),

where the inductive coupling means includes an induction element (58) arranged in the area of the receptacle (60) in such a way that it is inductively coupled with a second induction element (64) mounted on the device (62),

responsive to the device (62) being held in the receptacle (60).

11. A garment as claimed in claim 10, in which the garment has at least one electrical lead (52) with which the connector (48, 50) is connected to other electrical devices (48, 50, 56).

12. A garment as claimed in claim 10, in which the garment (44) has electrical devices that have a fixed connection, in particular electrical devices (56) and/or energy stores (S).

13. A garment as claimed in claim 10, in which the induction element (76, 78, 80, 84) is a flat, mechanically flexible inductor.

14. A garment as claimed in claim 10, in which the induction element forms part of a transmission system.

15. A system of garments comprising:

at least two garments (44, 68), in which

at least one connector (50) for wireless transmission of electrical energy is provided on the first garment (44) at a minimum of one point,

and at least one second connector (70) for wireless transmission of electrical energy is provided on the second garment (68) at a minimum of one second point,

where the first and the second points are selected in such a way that when the garments (44, 68) are used the garments (44, 68) are arranged in such a way that the connectors (50, 70) have such relative position to each other that electrical energy can be transmitted between the connectors (50, 70), wherein each garment includes an electrical circuit (46) with at least one connector (48, 50) for electrical connection of at least one electrical unit (62), characterized in that the connector (48, 50) transmits in a wireless manner electrical energy and/or electrical signals to a corresponding further connector (64) on the electrical unit (62) and/or receives this from the electrical unit (62).