Assembly having a support surface capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device supported on the support surface

• US 9,191,076 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Global IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Winget, Larry J., Preisler, Darius J., Heikkila, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, James P
• Application Number:
  US13/832,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 439/626
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0056 characterized by features for protecting electronic components against vibration and moisture, e.g. potting, holders for relatively large capacitors

Abstract

An assembly having a support surface capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device supported on the support surface is provided. The assembly includes first and second members each of which is formed as a unitary molded part from at least one plastic formulated with an electrically conductive filler in a molding process. The members are assembled together so that a first set of surface portions of the first member are spaced apart and electrically isolated from a second set of surface portions of the second member to at least partially define the support surface and to allow the first and second sets of surface portions to be biased at first and second different voltage levels, respectively, at the same time to allow the wireless power transfer.

Claims

1. An assembly having a support surface capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device supported on the support surface, the assembly comprising:

a first member formed as a unitary molded part from at least one plastic formulated with an electrically conductive first filler in a molding process, the first member including a first base portion and a first set of surface portions partially defining the support surface and bonded to the first base portion, each of the first set of surface portions including particles of the first filler dispersed therein in a concentration sufficient to provide a substantially continuous conductive path in the first member; and

a second member formed as a unitary molded part from at least one plastic formulated with an electrically conductive second filler in a molding process, the second member including a second base portion and a second set of surface portions partially defining the support surface and bonded with the second base portion, each of the second set of surface portions including particles of the second filler dispersed therein in a concentration sufficient to provide a substantially continuous conductive path in the second member;

wherein the members are assembled together so that the first set of surface portions are spaced apart and electrically isolated from the second set of surface portions to allow the first and second sets of surface portions to be biased at first and second different voltage levels, respectively, at the same time and wherein the first and second sets of surface portions allow wireless power transfer to a portable electronic device supported on the support surface.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a third member formed as a unitary molded part from an insulating material in a molding process, the third member being positioned between and electrically insulating the first and second sets of surface portions from each other.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insulating material is a thermoplastic.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the third member partially defines the support surface.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a power source coupling located between the first and second members and the third member, the coupling including a first conductive power member electrically coupled to each of the first set of surface portions and a second conductive power member electrically coupled to each of the second set of surface portions, the first and second conductive power members forming respective conductive pathways and being operable for biasing the first and second sets of surface portions at the first and second voltage levels, respectively.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of surface portions are sized, shaped and arranged laterally adjacent to each other in a pattern at the support surface in relation to a predetermined distribution of contacts on the device to achieve wireless conductive power transfer to the device in various positions and orientations of the device when supported on the support surface.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of surface portions include a common spine portion for electrically coupling the rest of the first set of surface portions together.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first member is comb-shaped.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second set of surface portions includes a common spine portion for electrically coupling the rest of the second set of surface portions together.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second member is comb-shaped.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the members are substantially co-planar.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of surface portions includes a first plurality of finger portions and the second set of surface portions includes a second plurality of finger portions and wherein the first and second plurality of finger portions are interdigitated.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of surface portions are anti-vibration and anti-shock surface portions which dampen vibration and shock at the support surface.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first and second sets of surface portions are anti-vibration and anti-shock surface portions and the third member includes anti-vibration and anti-shock surface portions to dampen shock and vibration at the support surface.

16. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base portions are electrically non-conductive relative to their respective sets of surface portions.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the members have substantially the same size and shape.

18. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the members are formed from substantially the same plastic and wherein each molding process is a single injection-molding process.

6. The assembly as claimed 5, wherein each of the power members comprises a planar interdigitated electrode and wherein the assembly has a sandwich structure.

19. An assembly having a support surface capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device supported on the support surface within the interior of a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a first member formed as a unitary molded part from at least one plastic formulated with an electrically conductive first filler in a molding process, the first member including a first base portion and a first set of surface portions partially defining the support surface and bonded to the first base portion, each of the first set of surface portions including particles of the first filler dispersed therein in a concentration sufficient to provide a substantially continuous conductive path in the first member; and

a second member formed as a unitary molded part from at least one plastic formulated with an electrically conductive second filler in a molding process, the second member including a second base portion and a second set of surface portions partially defining the support surface and bonded with the second base portion, each of the second set of surface portions including particles of the second filler dispersed therein in a concentration sufficient to provide a substantially continuous conductive path in the second member;

wherein the members are assembled together so that the first set of surface portions are spaced apart and electrically isolated from the second set of surface portions to allow the first and second sets of surface portions to be biased at first and second different voltage levels, respectively, at the same time and wherein the first and second sets of surface portions allow wireless power transfer to a portable electronic device supported on the support surface.

20. An assembly having a support surface capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device supported on the support surface within the interior of an automotive vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a first member formed as a unitary molded part from at least one plastic formulated with an electrically conductive first filler in a molding process, the first member including a first base portion and a first set of surface portions partially defining the support surface and bonded with the first base portion, each of the first set of surface portions including particles of the first filler dispersed therein in a concentration sufficient to provide a substantially continuous conductive path in the first member; and

a second member formed as a unitary molded part from at least one plastic formulated with an electrically conductive second filler in a molding process, the second member including a second base portion and a second set of surface portions partially defining the support surface and bonded with the second base portion, each of the second set of surface portions including particles of the second filler dispersed therein in a concentration sufficient to provide a substantially continuous conductive path in the second member;

wherein the members are assembled together so that the first set of surface portions are spaced apart and electrically isolated from the second set of surface portions to allow the first and second sets of surface portions to be biased at first and second different voltage levels, respectively, at the same time and wherein the first and second sets of surface portions allow wireless power transfer to a portable electronic device supported on the support surface.