Contactless battery charging apparel

• US 7,863,859 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cynetic Designs Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cynetic Designs Ltd.
• Inventors: Soar, Roger J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman; Jared J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallis; Michael Rutland
• Application Number:
  US11/922,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20090218884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 307/90, 307/104, 307/108, 320/108
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 1/02 Armoured or projectile- or missile-resistant garments; Composite protection fabrics F41H5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A sequential power transmission between a portable user-carried battery and first and second independent accessories. At least one primary inductive coupling coil is mounted on an article of apparel worn by the user, so as to place a primary coil adjacent a first intermediary inductive coupling coil on the first independent accessory. The energizing of the first intermediary coil energizes a second intermediary coil on the first independent accessory. The second intermediary coil, when energized, energizes a secondary coil on the second independent accessory for powering the use, including the charging of the batteries of that accessory.

Claims

1. An inductively coupled sequential power transmission system comprising:

a primary power source adapted for portable wearing by a user,

a garment having an electrically conductive first electrical network mounted therein wherein said first electrical network has an infeed end mountable to, in electrical communication with, said primary power source, and outfeed nodes,

a first set of electrically conductive primary coils electrically connected to said outfeed nodes,

a first independent accessory having an inductively coupled sequential power transmission sub-system mounted thereon, wherein said sub-system includes a second electrical network having at least one electrically conductive conduit extending from an infeed end to an outfeed end,

wherein at least one electrically conductive first intermediary coil is mounted at said infeed end of said second electrical network in electrical communication therewith and wherein at least one electrically conductive second intermediary coil is mounted at said outfeed end of said second electrical network,

and wherein when said first independent accessory is in use by the user said at least one electrically conductive first intermediary coil is adjacent at least one primary coil of said first set of electrically conductive primary coils so as to inductively couple said at least one primary coil to said at least one first intermediary coil when the former is energized to thereby energize said at least one electrically conductive second intermediary coil,

a second independent accessory having an electrically conductive secondary coil which is adjacent said at least one electrically conductive second intermediary coil when the first and second independent accessories are in use by the user so as to energize said secondary coil when said at least one electrically conductive second intermediary coil is energized, whereby an end use of said second independent accessory is energized by said energizing of said secondary coil,

wherein said garment is for wearing on at least a torso of the user and wherein said first accessory is a weapon sub-system and wherein said at least one primary coil includes at least one primary coil mounted on a shoulder portion of said garment so as to abut against a stock of said weapon sub-system when shoulder-mounted by the user, and wherein said at least one electrically conductive first intermediary coil is mounted on said stock so as to be then adjacent said at least one primary coil on said shoulder portion.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said garment is for wearing on a torso of the user and wherein said first accessory includes a helmet, and wherein said at least one electrically conductive first intermediary coil is mounted at an upper-most end of said garment and adjacent said helmet when worn by the user.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said second accessory includes a helmet mountable accessory.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said helmet mountable accessories are chosen from the group comprising:

logic processors, data processors, night vision goggles, communication devices, display devices, audio devices including headphones or microphone, three-dimensional sound location systems, video devices.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein said at least one first intermediary coil is mounted at a lower edge of said helmet.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said at least one second intermediary coil is mounted at a forward facing surface of said helmet.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said first accessory includes a first rechargeable battery electrically connected to said second electrical network for recharging of said first rechargeable battery from said energizing of said at least one electrically conductive first intermediary coil.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said second accessory includes a second rechargeable battery electrically connected to said secondary coil for recharging of said second rechargeable battery from said energizing of said secondary coil.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said garment covers a hip portion of the user and wherein said at least one primary coil is mounted on said hip portion so as to be adjacent said stock when said weapon sub-system is in a hip-carrying mode by the user.