Device for transporting energy by partial influence through a dielectric medium

• US 8,242,638 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Camurati, Patrick, Bondar, Henri
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/293,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20090206675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,338 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 307/109
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling

Abstract

The invention proposes a means for transporting electrical energy and/or information from a distance by using, at a slowly varying regime, the Coulomb field which surrounds any set of charged conductors. The device according to the invention is composed of energy production and consumption devices situated a short distance apart, it uses neither the propagation of electromagnetic waves nor induction and cannot be reduced to a simple arrangement of electrical capacitors. The device is modeled in the form of an interaction between oscillating asymmetric electric dipoles, consisting of a high-frequency high-voltage generator (1) or of a high-frequency high-voltage load (5) placed between two electrodes. The dipoles exert a mutual influence on one another. The devices according to the invention are suitable for powering industrial and domestic electrical apparatus, they are especially suitable for powering low-power devices moving in a limit [sic] environment and for short-distance non-radiating transmission of information.

Claims

1. An electricity-transport system comprising:

an energy-producer device having a first active electrode, a first passive electrode, and a generator connected on a first side thereof to the first active electrode and on a second side thereof to the first passive electrode such that said first active electrode and said first passive electrode are subjected to a varying potential difference; and

an energy-consumer device having a second active electrode, a second passive electrode, and a load connected on a first side thereof to said second active electrode and on a second side thereof to said second passive electrode wherein

the energy-producer device and the energy-consumer device being disposed relative to one another such that the first active electrode of the energy-producer device and the second active electrode of the energy-consumer device face each other across a space, and there is a direct capacitive coupling between the first and second active electrodes across said space,

the first and second active electrodes are substantially parallel to each other,

the first and second passive electrodes are substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart farther than the active electrodes are spaced apart; and

the generator is configured to subject the first active electrode to a first potential, subject the second active electrode to said first potential by said direct capacitive coupling, and subject the first and second passive electrodes to a second potential lower than the first potential such that electricity is transported between the first active electrode and the second active electrode using electrical influence that does not contain electromagnetic waves.

2. The electricity-transport system according to claim 1, wherein the generator of the energy-producer device is a high-voltage high-frequency generator having a first end connected to the first active electrode so as to subject the first active electrode to variations in potential, and a second end of the generator being coupled to the first passive electrode, and wherein the first passive electrode is (a) at least one electrode which acts as a charge reservoir in the energy-producing device and which is larger in size and disposed distant from the first active electrode, or (b) a ground.

3. The electricity-transport system according to claim 2, wherein the second active electrode disposed in an area where the variations in potential are high and the second passive electrode disposed in an area where variations in potential are lower.

4. The electricity-transport system according to claim 3, wherein the energy-producer device and the energy-consumer device each comprise a modulator adapted to cause modulation of the varying potentials in said area, making use of the frequency or frequencies used for energy transport or of superposed frequencies which do not produce significant losses by radiation, whereby to allow simultaneous bidirectional transfer of signals that transport information independently of the direction in which the energy is transported.

5. The electricity-transport system according to claim 4, wherein the energy-producer device and the energy-consumer device each comprise an amplifier for amplifying information transported therebetween.

6. The electricity-transport system according to claim 1, wherein the respective roles of the energy-producer and energy-consumer devices are reversible.

7. The electricity-transport system according to claim 1, wherein the active electrodes are covered with a high breakdown voltage and low surface conductivity material.

8. The electricity-transport system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second active electrodes are in electrical contact with at least one removable mechanical electric outlet connection.

9. The electricity-transport system according to claim 1, wherein:

the generator of the energy-producer device comprises a second generator and a plurality of transformers remote from said second generator and connected thereto by coaxial cables; and

the energy-producer device comprises a plurality of first active electrodes, connected to respective ones of said plurality of transformers,

whereby electricity can be transported to the energy-consumer device, remote from said second generator relative to any of said plurality of first active electrodes.

10. The electricity-transport system according to claim 1, wherein the energy-producer device is a dipolar, asymmetrical oscillating energy-producer device and the energy-consumer device is a dipolar, asymmetrical oscillating energy-consumer device.

11. An energy-producer device comprising:

a first active electrode;

a first passive electrode; and

a generator connected on a first side thereof to the first active electrode and on a second side thereof to the first passive electrode such that said first active electrode and said first passive electrode are subjected to a varying potential difference,

wherein, when the first active electrode of the energy-producer device and a second active electrode of an energy-consumer device face each other across a space such that the first and second active electrodes are substantially parallel to each other, and such that the first passive electrode and a second passive electrode of the energy-consumer device are substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart farther than the active electrodes are spaced apart, and there is a direct capacitive coupling between the first and second active electrodes across said space, the generator is configured to subject the first active electrode to a first potential, subject the first passive electrode to a second potential lower than the first potential, and subject the energy consumer device to the first potential and the second potential such that electricity is transported between the first active electrode and the energy consumer device using electrical influence that does not contain electromagnetic waves.

12. The energy-producer device according to claim 11, wherein the generator is a high-voltage high-frequency generator having a first end connected to the first active electrode so as to subject the first active electrode to variations in potential, and a second end of the generator being coupled to the first passive electrode, and wherein said first passive electrode is either (a) at least one electrode which acts as a charge reservoir, which is of larger size and distant from the first active electrode, or (b) a ground.

13. The energy-producer device according to claim 12, wherein the high-voltage, high-frequency generator is disposed between the first active electrode and first passive electrode, and comprises a source of low voltages at high frequencies, and a transformer for converting the low voltages at high frequencies generated by said source to high voltages at high frequencies.

14. The energy-producer device according to claim 12, comprising a set of internal electrodes disposed in different angular orientations and a source for applying a phase difference to said set of internal electrodes whereby to generate a rotating electric field in said space whereby to be able to supply electricity to an energy-consumer device irrespective of the rotational position of the energy-consumer device.

15. The energy-consumer device according to claim 11, wherein the energy-consumer device is a dipolar, asymmetrical oscillating energy-consumer device.

16. An energy-consumer device comprising:

a first active electrode; and

a first passive electrode,

the energy-consumer device being configured, when a second active electrode of an energy-producer device and the first active electrode of the energy-consumer face each other across a space such that the first and second active electrodes are substantially parallel to each other, and such that the first passive electrode and a second passive electrode of the energy-producer device are substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart farther than the active electrodes are spaced apart, and there is a direct capacitive coupling between the first and second active electrodes across said space, to receive a first potential at the first active electrode from the energy-producer device, and to receive a second potential lower than the first potential at the first passive electrode, such that electricity is transported between the energy-producer device and the first active electrode of the energy-consumer device using electrical influence that does not contain electromagnetic waves.

17. The energy-consumer device according to claim 16, comprising a high-voltage high-frequency load connected on a first side to said first active electrode and on a second side to said first passive electrode.

18. The energy-consumer device according to claim 17, wherein the load comprises a low-voltage load functioning at high frequency connected to a transformer configured to convert high voltages at high frequencies from said first active electrode to low voltages at high frequencies.

19. The energy-consumer device according to claim 17, further comprising a set of internally-switched electrodes disposed in different angular orientations, wherein said load is connected to one of said set of internally-switched electrodes so as to receive electricity from an electric field of specific orientation.

20. The energy-consumer device according to claim 16, wherein the energy-consumer device is a dipolar, asymmetrical oscillating energy-consumer device.