System, an inductive power device, an energizable load and a method for enabling a wireless power transfer

• US 7,932,798 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Tolle, Tobias Georg, Waffenschmidt, Eberhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai; Anh T
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAISA, JOSELITO SASIS
• Application Number:
  US11/908,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 336/115, 336/118, 336/119
• US Class Current: 336/115
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/06 Mounting, supporting or suspending transformers, reactors or choke coils not being of the signal type
• 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 7/0263 Closures, bags, bands, engagement devices with male and female parts

Abstract

The system 1 according to the invention comprises an energizable load 2 and an inductive powering device 9 and a permanent magnet 8 arranged on the conductor 4 for interacting with the further conductor 9a for aligning the inductor winding 6 with respect to the further inductor winding 9b. The energizable load 2 for enabling the inductive power receipt comprises a wiring 6 which cooperates with the conductor 4 for forming a secondary wiring of the transformer. In order to form the system for inductive energy transfer, the energizable load 2 is to be placed on the inductive powering device 9, whereby the surface 2a will contact the surface 7. The inductive powering device 9 comprises a further magnetizable conductor 9a provided with a further winding 9b thus forming a primary wiring of the split-core electric transformer. When the winding 6 is brought in the vicinity of the further winding 9b, the magnetic force acting on the further magnetizable conductor 9a serves for an instant proper mutual alignment of the winding 6 and further winding 9b. The invention further relates to a inductive powering device, an inductive load and a method for enabling an inductive energy transfer to en energizable load.

Claims

1. A system for enabling an inductive power transfer from an inductive powering device to an energizable load, wherein the energizable load comprises an inductor winding cooperating with a magnetizable conductor and connected to a rechargeable battery, and wherein the inductive powering device comprises a further inductive winding cooperating with a further magnetizable conductor, said further inductive winding interacting with the inductor winding for forming a split-core electric transformer, wherein the split-core electric transformer is arranged with a permanent magnet such that it exerts a magnetic force on the magnetizable conductor or on the further magnetizable conductor for aligning the inductor winding with respect to the further inductive winding, wherein when the inductor winding is aligned with the further inductive winding, electrical power charges the rechargeable battery, wherein the energizable load is integrated in a wearable article, and wherein the inductor winding is woven or stitched into fabric of the wearable article.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet is arranged in a further magnetizable materials.

3. An energizable load comprising an inductor winding cooperating with a magnetizable material, said energizable load being conceived to form a part of the system as claimed in claim 1.

4. An energizable load according to claim 3, wherein said load further comprises a system for measuring data.

5. An energizable load according to claim 4, wherein said system is arranged for monitoring a vital sign.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a system for monitoring a health parameter.

7. An inductive powering device for a wireless power transfer to an energizable load comprising an inductor winding cooperating with a magnetizable conductor, said powering device comprising:

a further magnetizable conductor;

a further inductive winding cooperating with the further magnetizable conductor and interacting with the inductor winding for forming an electric transformer; and

a rechargeable battery,

wherein the further magnetizable conductor comprises a permanent magnet for cooperating with the magnetizable conductor, thereby aligning the inductor winding with respect to the further inductive winding,

wherein when the inductor winding is aligned with the further inductive winding, electrical power charges the rechargeable battery,

wherein the energizable load is integrated in a wearable article, and

wherein the inductor winding is woven or stitched into fabric of the wearable article.

8. The inductive powering device according to claim 7, wherein the permanent magnet is arranged substantially in a central portion of the further magnetizable conductor.

9. A method of enabling an inductive power transfer from an inductive powering device to an energizable load, wherein the energizable load comprises an inductor winding cooperating with a magnetizable conductor and connected to a rechargeable battery, and wherein the inductive powering device comprises a further inductive winding cooperating with a further magnetizable conductor, said further inductive winding interacting with the inductor winding for forming a split-core electric transformer, wherein the split-core electric transformer is arranged with a permanent magnet such as to exert a magnetic force on the magnetizable conductor or on the further magnetizable conductor for mutually aligning the inductive winding and the further inductive winding, wherein the energizable load is integrated in a wearable article, and wherein the inductor winding is woven or stitched into fabric of the wearable article, said method comprising the steps of:

bringing the inductor winding in the vicinity of the further inductive winding for forming the split-core electric transformer, thus allowing said mutual alignment;

allowing a power transfer from the inductive powering device to the energizable load when the inductor winding is aligned with the further inductive winding to charge the rechargeable battery.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein for the energizable load a system for measuring data is selected, said method further comprising the steps of:

detaching the energizable load from the inductive powering device;

carrying out data measurement with the energizable load.