Inductively powered apparatus

• US 7,233,222 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Houghton, Christopher, McPhilliamy, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/036,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 336/121, 336/122, 336/123, 336/124, 336/125, 336/126, 315/274, 315/275, 315/276, 315/277
• US Class Current: 336/121
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3228 Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/00 Lighting devices intended to be free-standing F21S9/00, F21S10/00, F21S13/12 take precedence lighting devices specially adapted to be transported from place to place, e.g. lighting devices carried on wheeled supports F21L; details of supports for lighting devices F21V21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2005/027 wound on formers for receiving several coils with perpendicular winding axes, e.g. for antennae or inductive power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2005/043 having multiple pin terminals, e.g. arranged in two parallel lines at both sides of the coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2005/046 Details of formers and pin terminals related to mounting on printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/02 wound on non-magnetic supports, e.g. formers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 65/048 the field being produced by using an excitation coil
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 : Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 : using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 : of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 : involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 : specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/0094 : Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/00 : Circuit arrangements or apparatus for operating incandescent light sources structurally associated with the incandescent lamps H01K1/62
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/24 : in which the lamp is fed by high frequency ac, or with separate oscillator frequencyH05B41/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 : Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 : Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection

Abstract

An inductive power supply system for providing power to one or more inductively powered devices. The system includes a mechanism for varying the physical distance or the respective orientation between the primary coil and secondary coil to control the amount of power supplied to the inductively powered device. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to an inductive power supply system having a primary coil and a receptacle disposed within the magnetic field generated by the primary coil. One or more inductively powered devices are placed randomly within the receptacle to receive power inductively from the primary coil. The power supply circuit includes circuitry for adjusting the power supplied to the primary coil to optimize operation based on the position and cumulative characteristics of the inductively powered device(s) disposed within the receptacle.

Claims

1. An inductively powered device comprising:

a power supply circuit having a primary, said power supply circuit applying power to said primary to generate a magnetic field;

a plurality of secondary devices, each secondary device including a secondary circuit having a secondary and a load, at least one of said secondary devices includes a secondary having a first coil and a second coil, said first coil and said second coil being oriented at different angular orientations; and

a receptacle disposed adjacent to said primary, said receptacle capable of receiving one or more of said plurality of said secondary devices, wherein said secondary is disposed at a substantially random location and a substantially random orientation within said magnetic field, said magnetic field inducing a current in said secondary to apply power to said load; and

wherein said load of each of said secondary devices is further defined as a light source, a first light source is connected to said first coil and a second light source is connected to said second coil, said first light source generating light of a first color and said second light source generating light of a second color, said first color being different than said second color.

2. An inductively powered device comprising:

a power supply circuit having a primary, said power supply circuit applying power to said primary to generate a magnetic field;

a plurality of secondary devices, each secondary device including a secondary circuit having a secondary and a load, said load of each of said secondary devices is further defined as a light source, at least one of said secondary devices includes a substantially spherical housing, wherein said secondary, said secondary circuit and said light source are disposed within said housing;

a receptacle disposed adjacent to said primary, said receptacle capable of receiving one or more of said plurality of said secondary devices, wherein said secondary is disposed at a substantially random location and a substantially random orientation within said magnetic field, said magnetic field inducing a current in said secondary to apply power to said load; and

a storage receptacle, said storage receptacle disposed essentially outside of said magnetic field.

3. An inductive power supply system comprising:

a power supply circuit for supplying power to a primary coil, whereby said primary coil generates a magnetic field;

one or more inductively powered devices, at least one of said inductive powered devices includes a secondary having a first coil and a second coil, said first coil and said second coil being oriented at different angular orientations; and

a receptacle disposed adjacent said primary coil, said receptacle receiving said one or more inductively powered devices randomly within said magnetic field;

wherein said power supply circuit includes a means for monitoring a characteristic of said power indicative of a cumulative load characteristic of said one or more inductively powered devices and a means for varying a characteristic of said power based on said monitored characteristic, whereby said power supply circuit varies said power applied to said primary as a function of said one or more inductively powered devices to improve efficiency of operation; and

wherein said first coil and said second coil electrically connected in parallel to said load to provide AC power to said load.

4. An inductive power supply system comprising:

a power supply circuit for supplying power to a primary coil, whereby said primary coil generates a magnetic field;

one or more inductively powered devices; and

a receptacle disposed adjacent said primary coil, said receptacle receiving said one or more inductively powered devices randomly within said magnetic field;

wherein said power supply circuit includes a means for monitoring a characteristic of said power indicative of a cumulative load characteristic of said one or more inductively powered devices and a means for varying a characteristic of said power based on said monitored characteristic, whereby said power supply circuit varies said power applied to said primary as a function of said one or more inductively powered devices to improve efficiency of operation; and

wherein at least one of said inductive powered devices includes a secondary having a first coil, a second coil and a third coil; and

wherein said first coil, said second coil and said third coil are each oriented at about ninety degrees from one another.

5. The inductive power supply system of claim 4 wherein said first coil, said second coil and said third coil are electrically connected in a full-bridge arrangement to provide DC power to said load.

6. The inductive power supply system of claim 4 wherein said first coil, said second coil and said third coil are electrically connected in a half-bridge arrangement to provide DC power to said load.

7. The inductive power supply system of claim 6 wherein said first coil, said second coil and said third coil are electrically connected in parallel to said load to provide AC power to said load.

8. The inductive power supply system of claim 6 wherein said means for monitoring includes means for monitoring at least one of a current and a voltage of said power applied to said primary;

and

wherein said means for varying includes means for varying a frequency of said power applied to said primary based on at least one of said current and said voltage.

9. An inductively powered device comprising:

a load; and

a secondary electrically connected to said load, said secondary including a first coil electrically connected with said load and a second coil electrically connected with said load, said first coil arranged at a first angular orientation, said second coil arranged at a second angular orientation different from said first angular orientation, said secondary further including a third coil arranged at a third angular orientation, said third angular orientation being different from said first orientation and said second orientation, wherein said first coil, said second coil and said third coil are electrically connected in a half-bridge arrangement with a diode connected in series between said load and each of said first coil, said second coil and said third coil.

10. An inductively powered device comprising:

a load; and

a secondary electrically connected to said load, said secondary including a first coil electrically connected with said load and a second coil electrically connected with said load, said first coil arranged at a first angular orientation, said second coil arranged at a second angular orientation different from said first angular orientation, said secondary further including a third coil arranged at a third angular orientation, said third angular orientation being different from said first orientation and said second orientation, wherein said first coil, said second coil and said third coil are electrically connected in a full bridge arrangement with a pair of diodes connected in series between said load and opposite sides of each of said first coil, said second coil and said third coil.

11. An inductively powered device comprising:

a load; and

a secondary electrically connected to said load, said secondary including a first coil electrically connected with said load and a second coil electrically connected with said load, said first coil arranged at a first angular orientation, said second coil arranged at a second angular orientation different from said first angular orientation, said secondary further including a third coil arranged at a third angular orientation, said third angular orientation being different from said first orientation and said second orientation, said first coil wrapped about a first bobbin, said second coil wrapped about a second bobbin and said third coil wrapped about a third bobbin; and

wherein said first bobbin has a first diameter, said second bobbin has a second diameter and said third bobbin has a third diameter, said first diameter being smaller than said second diameter, said second diameter being smaller than said third diameter; and

wherein said first coil includes a greater number of turns than said second coil and said second coil includes a greater number of turns than said third coil.

12. An inductively powered device comprising:

a first load;

a first secondary electrically connected to said first load to provide power to said first load at a first magnitude;

a second load; and

a second secondary electrically connected to said second load to provide power to said second load at a second magnitude; and

wherein said first secondary and said second secondary are disposed at different orientations with respect to the device, whereby said first magnitude and said second magnitude vary in inverse relationship as the device varies in orientation within a magnetic field.

13. An inductively powered device comprising:

a first load;

a first secondary electrically connected to said first load to provide power to said first load at a first magnitude;

a second load;

a second secondary electrically connected to said second load to provide power to said second load at a second magnitude;

a third load; and

a third secondary electrically connected to said third load to provide power to said third load at a third magnitude; and

wherein said first secondary, said secondary and said third secondary are disposed at different orientations with respect to the device, whereby said first magnitude, said second magnitude and said third magnitude vary as the device varies in orientation within a magnetic field.

14. The inductively powered device of claim 13 wherein said first secondary, said second secondary and said third secondary are each oriented about ninety degrees apart from one another.