Flex circuit interface for wireless charging

• US 7,830,114 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Reed, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fantu; Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US11/763,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 336/206
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/006 flexible printed inductors
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A flex circuit interface for inductively charging a power source includes a flex circuit having a primary-portion and at least one folding portion. A device contact and a battery contact are disposed on a folding-portion. A secondary coil is disposed on the flex circuit for receiving inductively transferred power. A secondary receiving circuit is also disposed on the flex circuit. The secondary receiving circuit is in communication with the secondary coil to receive power from the coil. The flex circuit includes a battery contact and at least one pass-through contact. The battery contact is in communication with the secondary circuit for delivering power to the battery.

Claims

1. A flex circuit for inductively charging a power source comprising;

a primary-portion and at least one folding-portion,

a secondary coil on one of said primary-portion and said at least one folding-portion,

a secondary receiving circuit on one of said primary-portion and said at least one folding-portion,

a battery contact in communication with at least one of said secondary receiving circuit and said secondary coil, and

at least one pass-through contact having a first surface and a second surface in electrical communication with said first surface.

2. The flex circuit of claim 1 wherein said pass-through contact communicates with a ground reference.

3. The flex circuit of claim 2 wherein said battery contact delivers power from at least one of said secondary receiving circuit and said secondary coil.

4. The flex circuit of claim 3 further comprising a second pass-through contact not in communication with either of said secondary receiving circuit and said secondary coil.

5. The flex circuit of claim 4 further comprising a third pass-through contact not in electrical communication with either of said secondary coil and said secondary receiving circuit.

6. The flex circuit of claim 3 further comprising a second pass-through contact not in communication with both of said secondary receiving circuit and said secondary coil, said second pass-through contact communicating with a ground reference.

7. The flex circuit of claim 1 further including a battery and an electronic device and wherein said battery contact provides power to both the battery and the electronic device and said pass-through contact is in communication with a ground reference.

8. The flex circuit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said pass-through contacts includes a second surface in electrical communication with said first surface.

9. The flex circuit of claim 8 wherein said first and second surfaces of said pass-through contacts are in direct electrical communication with each other with minimal electrical resistance therebetween.

10. The flex circuit of claim 8 wherein said first and second surfaces of said pass-through contacts are in direct communication with each other and independent from said secondary coil and said secondary receiving circuit.

11. The flex circuit of claim 1 further comprising at least one device contact having at least one surface in electrical communication with said at least one pass-through contact.

12. The flex circuit of claim 1 further comprising at least one device contact not in electrical communication with said at least one pass-through contact and having first and second surfaces with said surfaces in electrical communication with each other.

13. The flex circuit of claim 11 wherein said device contact is located remotely from said battery contact and wherein said device contact and said battery contact are in electrical communication with each other.

14. A flex circuit for inductively charging a battery of an electronic device, said electronic device including device terminals and said battery having battery terminals, said flex circuit interface comprising;

a primary-portion and at least one folding-portion,

a secondary coil on one of said primary-portion and said at least one folding-portion,

a secondary receiving circuit on one of said primary-portion and said at least one folding-portion,

a battery contact in electrical communication with at least one of said secondary receiving circuit and said secondary coil for delivering power to at least one of the battery and the electronic device, and

at least one pass-through contact having at least one of a first surface facing the battery and in direct communication with the battery and a second surface in direct communication with the electronic device.

15. The flex circuit of claim 14 wherein said pass-through contact communicates with a ground reference.

16. The flex circuit of claim 14 wherein said battery contact provides power to at least one of the battery and the electronic device.

17. The flex circuit of claim 14 further comprising a second pass-through contact not in communication with both said secondary receiving circuit and said secondary coil.

18. The flex circuit of claim 17 further comprising a third pass-through contact for providing power to at least one of the battery and the electronic device.

19. The flex circuit of claim 14 further comprising a second pass-through contact not in communication with both said secondary receiving circuit and said secondary coil, said second pass-through contact communicating with a ground reference.

20. The flex circuit of claim 14 wherein said battery contact provides power to both the battery and the electronic device and said pass-through contact is in communication with a ground reference.

21. The flex circuit of claim 14 further including opposing sides and wherein said first surface is located on an opposing side from said second surface and wherein said first and second surfaces are in electrical communication.

22. The flex circuit of claim 14 further including opposing sides and wherein said first surface is located on the same side as said second surface and wherein said first and second surfaces are in electrical communication.

23. The flex circuit of claim 21 wherein said first and second surfaces are in direct electrical communication with each other with minimal electrical resistance therebetween.

24. The flex circuit of claim 21 wherein said first and second surfaces of said at least one pass-through contact are in direct communication with each other and independent from said secondary coil and said secondary receiving circuit.

25. The flex circuit of claim 14 further comprising at least one device contact not in communication with said at least one pass-through contact and having a first surface and second surface.

26. The flex circuit of claim 24 wherein said device contact includes a second surface being in electrical communication with said first surface said device contact.

27. The flex circuit of claim 26 wherein said second surface of said battery contact is in electrical communication with said second surface of said device contact.

28. The flex circuit of claim 23 wherein said device contact is located remotely from said battery contact.

29. The flex circuit of claim 14 further comprising a first crease and a second crease formed on said folding section for guiding said folding-portion around the battery.

30. A flex circuit interface for inductively charging a power source comprising, an electronic device having a compartment including device terminals disposed therein,

a battery sized to fit within said compartment and wherein said battery includes a plurality of battery terminals disposed against said device terminals,

said plurality of battery terminals including at least one ground terminal connected to a ground reference and at least one power terminal,

a flex circuit including a primary-portion and at least one folding-portion having creases for defining a first section and a second section for folding around at least one side of said battery,

a secondary coil disposed on one of said primary-portion and said folding-portion,

a secondary receiving circuit disposed on one of said primary portion and said folding portion and in communication with said secondary coil,

a battery contact disposed on one of said primary-portion and said folding-portion and in communication with said secondary receiving circuit for providing power to said power terminal of said battery,

at least one pass-through terminal for delivering power from said battery to said electronic device.

31. The flex circuit of claim 30 wherein said pass-through contact is not in communication with either of said secondary coil and said secondary receiving circuit.

32. The flex circuit of claim 30 wherein said plurality of device contacts includes at least one ground pass-through contact for communicating with at least one of said ground terminals.