Counter wound inductive power supply

• US 9,520,226 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Norconk, Matthew J., Schwannecke, Joshua K., Baarman, David W., Kuyvenhoven, Neil W., Moes, Benjamin C., Moore, Colin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Borroto, Alfonso Perez
• Application Number:
  US13/441,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20130093253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/20 Vehicles specially adapted for children, e.g. toy vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A contactless power supply is provided. The contactless power supply includes two or more primary coils for generating a region of cooperative magnetic flux generally therebetween. A portable device having a secondary coil can be positioned proximate this region of magnetic flux to receive wireless power from the contactless power supply. The spaced-apart primary coils can be wound in alternating directions about a common axis and driven in phase, or can be wound in a single direction about a common axis and driven approximately 180 degrees out of phase. The contactless power supply can include a plurality of primary coils in an adjustable array to accommodate multiple portable devices each with different secondary configurations and power consumption needs.

Claims

1. A contactless power supply comprising:

a power transfer surface to receive at least one remote device thereon, wherein the remote device includes an inductive secondary defining a centerline axis generally perpendicular to the power transfer surface;

a first primary coil array subjacent the power transfer surface and including a plurality of spaced-apart inductive primaries each being wound about an axis generally parallel to the power transfer surface such that the plurality of spaced-apart inductive primaries are co-axial; and

a power supply electrically connected to each of the plurality of inductive primaries, wherein the power supply is operable to selectively drive a first two of the plurality of inductive primaries to define a first region of cooperative electromagnetic flux between the first two of the plurality of inductive primaries and operable to selectively drive a second two of the plurality of inductive primaries to define a second region of cooperative electromagnetic flux between the second two of the plurality of inductive primaries.

2. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein:

the first two of the inductive primaries are wound in a common direction;

the power supply is operable to drive the first two of the plurality of inductive primaries substantially out of phase;

the second two of the inductive primaries are wound in a common direction; and

the power supply is operable to drive the second two of the plurality of inductive primaries substantially out of phase.

3. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein:

the first two of the plurality of inductive primaries are separated by a first distance; and

the second two of the plurality of inductive primaries are separated by a second distance different from the first distance.

4. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the power supply is operable to monitor a characteristic of power in the plurality of inductive primaries to detect the presence of a remote device in proximity to the first primary coil array.

5. The contactless power supply of claim 1 further including a second primary coil array subjacent the power transfer surface including a plurality of spaced-apart inductive primaries each being wound about an axis generally orthogonal to the first primary coil array.

6. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the power supply includes a driver and a switching circuit for simultaneously driving at least two of the plurality of inductive primaries substantially out of phase.

7. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the power supply includes first and second drivers for simultaneously driving at least two of the plurality of inductive primaries substantially out of phase.

8. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the first primary coil array includes a ferromagnetic core element.

9. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein the first primary coil array includes a substantially planar bobbin.

10. The contactless power supply of claim 1 wherein:

the first two of the inductive primaries are wound in opposite directions;

the power supply is operable to drive the first two of the plurality of inductive primaries substantially in phase;

the second two of the inductive primaries are wound in opposite directions; and

the power supply is operable to drive the second two of the plurality of inductive primaries substantially in phase.