Centrally controlled inductive power transmission platform

• US 8,049,370 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Ltd.
• Inventors: Leibovitz, Alfred, Greenwald, Oola, Ben-Shalom, Amir, Azancot, Yossi, Rofe, Arik
• Primary Examiner(s): RUTLAND WALLIS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/731,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 320/108
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

An inductive power transmission platform includes a plurality of inductive power outlets connected to a common driver via individual power switches. The inductive power outlets are configured to couple with inductive power receivers to provide power to electrical loads wired thereto. The switches may be configured to remain closed while current passes therethrough. The common driver may be used to manage the power drawn by the transmission platform to each of the inductive power outlets.

Claims

1. An inductive power transmission platform comprising:

at least one cluster of primary inductors configured to couple with at least one secondary inductor wired to an electrical load; and

a common driver connected to each primary inductor of said cluster via an individual power switch, said driver for providing an oscillating voltage to at least one of said cluster of primary inductors;

wherein said power switch is operable to disconnect said primary inductor from said common driver only after said driver is deactivated, such that no current passes through said switch prior to said switch being opened.

2. The platform of claim 1 wherein each said power switch comprises a magnetic switch.

3. The platform of claim 2 further comprising a solenoid for providing a magnetic field in the vicinity of said magnetic switch when said magnetic switch is closed.

4. The platform of claim 2 additionally comprising a secondary sensing unit, in communication with said driver, for detecting said secondary inductor coupled to said primary inductor.

5. The platform of claim 4 said driver providing said oscillating voltage only on reception of an activation signal from the sensing unit.

6. The platform of claim 4 wherein said sensing unit comprises an optical receiver for receiving an optical signal from an optical emitter associated with said secondary inductor.

7. The platform of claim 1 further comprising an energy management system for managing the power drawn from a power source, said energy management system comprising:

at least one power monitor for monitoring the power drawn by said platform and for producing a power signal;

at least one load detector for detecting the presence of said electric load coupled to said primary inductor and for producing a detection signal; and

at least one controller configured to receive said power signal and said detection signal, to select at least one primary inductor to be activated and to control power delivered to said at least one primary inductor.

8. The platform of claim 7 additionally comprising at least one energy reservoir.

9. The platform of claim 8 wherein said energy reservoir is selectively couplable to at least one of a group consisting of:

the power source, the electric load or the primary inductor.

10. The platform of claim 8 additionally comprising a reservoir monitor for monitoring the level of energy stored in said energy reservoir producing a reservoir signal wherein said controller receives said reservoir signal and selectively connects said energy reservoir to said power source.

11. The platform of claim 8 wherein said energy reservoir is selected from at least one of the group consisting of a voltaic cell, a capacitor, a fuel cell, a supercapacitor, a flow battery, a chargeable cell, a superconducting magnetic energy store, power cells connected to said electric load and combinations thereof.

12. The platform of claim 8, said at least one electric load being a computer having onboard rechargeable power cells and said energy reservoir being said power cells.

13. The platform of claim 7 wherein said load detector is selected from a group consisting of a volume sensor, an infra-red sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a hall probe, a spring switch, a magnetic switch, a transmitter-receiver arrangement and inductive elements.

14. The platform of claim 7, said controller being configured to sequentially connect a plurality of said primary inductors to said power source.

15. A method for providing inductive power transmission comprising:

obtaining an inductive power receiver comprising

a secondary inductor wired to an electric load, said secondary inductor operable to inductively couple with a primary inductor; and

at least one trigger configured to close at least one power switch associated with said primary inductor when said secondary inductor is aligned therewith, and

obtaining at least one inductive power transmission platform comprising;

at least one cluster of said primary inductors;

a common driver operable to receive an activation signal and to provide an oscillating voltage to at least one of said primary inductors;

at least one power switch operable to disconnect said primary inductor from said common driver only after said driver is deactivated such that no current passes through said switch prior to said switch being opened; and

at least one secondary detector configured to send said activation signal to said driver when it detects said secondary inductor coupled to said primary inductor.