Wirelessly rechargeable battery and power transmitter

• US 9,318,780 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: PowerbyProxi Limited (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhargava, Kunal, Gomes, Thushari, Robertson, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US13/885,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A wirelessly rechargeable battery is provided having coils oriented off major battery axes to facilitate good coupling with power transmitter magnetic fields. A magnetic core may house charging electronics for a compact form factor. A wireless power transmitter that produces fields to maximize coupling with receiver coils.

Claims

1. A wirelessly rechargeable battery comprising:

a. an elongate battery casing having a longitudinal axis;

b. a rechargeable storage device;

c. a plurality of power receiving coils disposed at an angle of between 30 to 60 degrees to the longitudinal axis; and

d. a charging circuit for controlling the supply of power from the coils to the storage device.

2. A battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receiving coils are disposed at an angle of about 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis.

3. A battery as claimed in claim 1 having two coils.

4. A battery as claimed in claim 3 wherein the coils are substantially orthogonal.

5. A battery as claimed in claim 1 having three coils.

6. A battery as claimed in claim 5 wherein the coils are oriented at about 60 degrees to each other.

7. A battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein the charging circuit provides resonant circuit tuning.

8. A battery as claimed in claim 7 wherein the charging circuit provides resonant circuit tuning by way of series tuning compensation.

9. A battery as claimed in claim 7 wherein the charging circuit provides resonant circuit tuning by way of a semiconductor operating in linear mode.

10. A battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein the coils are wound about a magnetic core.

11. A battery as claimed in claim 10 wherein the magnetic core has a cavity to at least partially house the charging circuit.

12. A battery as claimed in claim 11 wherein the charging circuit is entirely housed within the cavity in the core.

13. A wirelessly rechargeable battery comprising:

a. a battery casing;

b. a rechargeable storage device;

c. one or more power receiving coils mounted on a ferrite core; and

d. a charging circuit for controlling the supply of power from the coils to the storage device, wherein at least one of the charging circuit and the storage device is at least partially housed within the ferrite core.