Charging probe circuit

• US 8,050,059 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George Sotiriou
• Original Assignee: George Sotiriou
• Inventors: Sotiriou, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Laxton; Gary L
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUDDUS, NUSRAT
• Application Number:
  US12/633,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 363/16, 363/17, 363/20, 363/21.01, 363/21.06, 363/21.14, 363/125, 307/139, 307/141
• US Class Current: 363/16
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, a charging probe may include an alternating current (AC) input configured to receive current from an AC source, a rectifier circuit configured to rectify the current received from the AC source, a primary coil, and a control circuit configured to convert the rectified current into a regulated voltage across a primary coil. The primary coil may be configured to induce a magnetic field from the regulated voltage.

Claims

1. A charging probe circuit comprising:

an alternating current (AC) input configured to receive current from an AC source;

a rectifier circuit configured to rectify the current received from the AC source;

a primary coil;

a control circuit configured to convert the rectified current into a regulated voltage across the primary coil,

wherein the primary coil is configured to induce a magnetic field from the regulated voltage,

wherein the control circuit includes;

an inductor;

a first capacitor having a first end coupled to a first end of the rectifier circuit and to a first end of the inductor, and a second end coupled to a second end of the rectifier circuit and to a first end of the primary coil;

a second capacitor; and

an off-line regulator including a source coupled to a first end of the primary coil and a drain coupled to a first end of a third capacitor; and

the third capacitor including the first end coupled to the drain of the off-line regulator and a second end coupled to a second end of the primary coil;

wherein the first end of the inductor is coupled to the first end of the first capacitor and to the first end of the rectifier circuit, and wherein the inductor includes a second end coupled to a first end of the second capacitor; and

wherein the second capacitor includes the first end coupled to the second end of the inductor, and wherein the second capacitor further includes a second end coupled to the second end of the rectifier circuit and the first end of the primary coil.

2. The charging probe circuit of claim 1, wherein the rectifier circuit includes a bridge rectifier circuit.

3. The charging probe circuit of claim 1, wherein the off-line regulator is configured to regulate the voltage across the primary coil by controlling a voltage across the third capacitor, the off-line regulator controlling the voltage across the third capacitor by controlling a current flowing into or out of the off-line regulator based on the voltage across the third capacitor.

4. The charging probe circuit of claim 1, wherein the inductor is coupled to the off-line regulator at the second end of the inductor.

5. The charging probe circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit further includes a Pi filter configured to reduce ripple voltage across the rectifier circuit.

6. The charging probe circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the drain of the off-line regulator is coupled to the second end of the inductor and to the first end of the second capacitor;

the off-line regulator further includes a control coupled to the first end of the third capacitor;

the source of the off-line regulator is coupled to the second end of the third capacitor and to the second end of the primary coil; and

the first end of the third capacitor is coupled to the control pin and the second end of the third capacitor is coupled to the source pin.

7. The charging probe circuit of claim 6, wherein the control circuit further comprises:

first resistor;

a second resistor;

a diode;

a fourth capacitor including a first end coupled to the source of the off-line regulator, the second end of the third capacitor, and the second end of the primary coil, the fourth capacitor further including a second end coupled to a first end of the first resistor and a cathode end of the diode;

wherein the first resistor includes a first end coupled to the second end of the fourth capacitor and the cathode end of the diode, the first resistor further including a second end coupled to the first end of the third capacitor and to the control;

wherein the diode includes the cathode end coupled to the first end of the first resistor and to the second end of the fourth capacitor, the diode further including an anode end coupled to a first end of the second resistor; and

wherein the second resistor includes the first end coupled to the anode end of the diode, the second resistor further including a second end coupled to the second end of the second capacitor, the second end of the first capacitor, the second end of the bridge circuit, and the first end of the primary coil.

8. The charging probe circuit of claim 1, wherein the first end of the primary coil is coupled to the control circuit, and wherein the second end of the primary coil is coupled to the rectifier circuit.

9. The charging probe circuit of claim 1, wherein the primary coil is configured to induce the magnetic field, the magnetic field having a frequency between about ten Hertz and about one hundred Hertz.

10. The charging probe circuit of claim 1, wherein the primary coil extends away from the AC input, the rectifier circuit, and the control circuit.

11. A charging probe circuit comprising:

an alternating current (AC) input configured to receive current from an AC source;

a rectifier circuit configured to rectify the current received from the AC source;

a primary coil;

a control circuit configured to convert the rectified current into a regulated voltage across the primary coil,

wherein the primary coil is configured to induce a magnetic field from the regulated voltage,

wherein the control circuit includes;

an inductor having a first end coupled to a first end of the rectifier circuit and to a first end of a first capacitor, and a second end coupled to a first end of a second capacitor;

the first capacitor having the first end coupled to the first end of the rectifier circuit and to the first end of the inductor, and a second end coupled to a second end of the rectifier circuit and to a first end of the primary coil;

the second capacitor having the first end coupled to the second end of the inductor, and a second end coupled to the second end of the rectifier circuit and the first end of the primary coil; and

the third capacitor having a first end coupled to a drain of an off-line regulator and a second end coupled to a second end of the primary coil; and

the off-line regulator including a source coupled to the first end of the primary coil and the drain coupled to the first end of the third capacitor.