Device for transporting energy by partial influence through a dielectric medium

• US 8,729,738 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• 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): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US13/536,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20120267963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 455/41.1
• 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 limited environment and for short-distance non-radiating transmission of information.

Claims

1. An electricity-transport system for transporting electrical energy from an energy-producer device to an energy-consumer device, the system comprising:

the 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 so as to subject said first active electrode to variations in potential; and

the 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 second active electrode interacts with the first active electrode by a Coulomb interaction, forming a direct capacitive coupling between the first active electrode and the second active electrode;

the first passive electrode is coupled to the second passive electrode by capacitive coupling;

at least one of the passive electrodes is not connected to a ground potential; and

the first active electrode and first passive electrode are asymmetrical, the first passive electrode being either larger in size than the first active electrode or a ground, and the first passive electrode has potential variations of lower amplitude than the potential variations of the first active electrode.

2. The electricity-transport system according to claim 1, wherein the generator of the energy-producer device is a high-voltage high-frequency.

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

7. The electricity-transport system according to claim 1, wherein the active electrodes are covered with one or more solid insulating materials.

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 electrical outlet connection.

9. 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.

10. An electricity-transport system for transporting electrical energy from an energy-producer device to an energy-consumer device, the system comprising:

the 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 so as to subject said first active electrode to variations in potential; and

the 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 second active electrode interacts with the first active electrode by a Coulomb interaction, forming a direct capacitive coupling between the first active electrode and the second active electrode;

the first passive electrode is coupled to the second passive electrode by capacitive coupling; and

the first active electrode and first passive electrode are asymmetrical, the first passive electrode being either larger in size than the first active electrode or a ground, and the first passive electrode has potential variations of lower amplitude than the potential variations of the first active electrode, 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.

11. An energy-producer device for an electricity-transport system which transports electrical energy from the energy-producer device to an energy-consumer device, the energy-producer device comprising:

a first active electrode which interacts with a second active electrode of the energy-consumer device by a Coulomb interaction, forming a direct capacitive coupling between said first active electrode and said second active electrode;

a first passive electrode which is coupled to a second passive electrode of the energy-consumer device by capacitive coupling; 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 so as to subject said first active electrode to variations in potential;

wherein the first active electrode and first passive electrode are asymmetrical, the first passive electrode being either larger in size than the first active electrode or a ground, the first passive electrode has potential variations of lower amplitude than the potential variations of the first active electrode, and at least one of the passive electrodes is not connected to a ground potential.

12. The energy-producer device according to claim 11, wherein the generator is a high-voltage high-frequency generator.

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 whereby to be able to supply electricity to said energy-consumer device respective of the rotational position of the energy-consumer device.

15. The energy-producer device according to claim 12, wherein the generator is configured to generate potentials that vary at frequencies whose wavelengths are large relative to the size of the energy-producer and energy-consumer devices, whereby electromagnetic radiation energy is low compared to that transported from the energy-producer device to the energy-consumer device.

16. The energy-producer device according to claim 11, configured as a dipolar, asymmetrical oscillating energy-producer device.