Integration of electronic components in inductive power transfer systems

• US 9,533,589 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Garcia Briz, Alberto, Ombach, Grzegorz, Stamenic, Milenko, Van Boheemen, Edward, Raabe, Stefan, Werner, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): AISAKA, BRYCE M
• Application Number:
  US14/252,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• 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: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

In a particular embodiment, a wireless power receiver apparatus includes a coil configured to wirelessly receive power via a magnetic field generated by a transmitter. The wireless power receiver apparatus can include a housing that includes a first volume configured to house the coil. The housing can also include a second volume configured to house electronic components. The second volume can be bound by a horizontal shielding member along a first portion of the second volume. The horizontal shielding member can define a horizontal shielding member plane substantially parallel to a plane defined by the coil. The second volume can also be bounded by a vertical shielding member along a second portion of the second volume. The vertical shielding member can define a vertical shielding member plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the coil.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiver apparatus, comprising:

a coil configured to wirelessly receive power via a magnetic field generated by a transmitter, the wirelessly received power at a level sufficient for powering or charging a load; and

a housing comprising;

a first volume configured to house the coil; and

a second volume different than the first volume and configured to house electronic components, a level of the magnetic field within the second volume being less than the level of the magnetic field within the first volume, the second volume bound by;

a horizontal shielding member along a first portion of the second volume, the horizontal shielding member defining a horizontal shielding member plane substantially parallel to a plane defined by the coil, and

a vertical shielding member along a second portion of the second volume, the vertical shielding member defining a vertical shielding member plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the coil,

wherein the horizontal and vertical shielding members are configured to reduce the level of the magnetic field between the first volume and the second volume.

2. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, comprising a third volume different than the first and second volumes, the third volume configured to house electronic components, a level of the magnetic field within the third volume being less than the level of the magnetic field within the first volume, the third volume bound by a third volume horizontal shielding member along a first portion of the third volume, the third volume horizontal shielding member defining a third volume horizontal shielding member plane substantially parallel to the plane defined by the coil, and a third volume vertical shielding member along a second portion of the third volume, the third volume vertical shielding member defining a third volume vertical shielding member plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the coil.

3. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electronic components are operably connected via a printed circuit board.

4. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 3, wherein the printed circuit board comprises at least two layers, where regions of the printed circuit board are used as tuning and DC blocking capacitors of the electronic components.

5. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 4, wherein the printed circuit board comprises a metal layer used to form the tuning and DC blocking capacitors of the electronic components.

6. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second volume is bound by a printed circuit board that interfaces with the electronic components along a third portion of the second volume.

7. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second volume is at a location disposed radially from an outer perimeter of the coil.

8. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the horizontal shielding member and the vertical shielding member comprises a material whose qualities reduce the penetration of a magnetic field through the material.

9. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second volume is bound by another vertical shielding member along a third portion of the second volume, the another vertical shielding member defining an another vertical shielding member plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the coil, the another vertical shielding member comprising a material whose qualities reduce the penetration of a magnetic field through the material.

10. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second volume is bound all along the second volume by shielding members, each shielding member comprising a material whose qualities reduce the penetration of a magnetic field through the material.

11. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coil is an electric vehicle charging induction coil.

12. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is an electric vehicle charging induction coil housing.

13. A wireless power receiver apparatus, comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving power via a magnetic field generated by a transmitter, the wirelessly received power at a level sufficient for powering or charging a load; and

means for housing a first volume and a second volume different from the first volume, the first volume comprising the means for wirelessly receiving power and the second volume configured to house electronic components, a level of the magnetic field within the second volume being less than a level of the magnetic field within the first volume;

first means for shielding the magnetic field along a first portion of the second volume in a plane substantially parallel to a plane defined by the means for wirelessly receiving power; and

second means for shielding the magnetic field along a second portion of the second volume in a plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the means for wirelessly receiving power,

wherein the first and second means for shielding are configured to reduce the level of the magnetic field between the first volume and the second volume.

14. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 13, comprising an additional means for housing electronic components, a level of the magnetic field within the additional means for housing electronic components being less than the level of the magnetic field within the means for housing the means for wirelessly receiving power.

15. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 14, wherein the electronic components are operably connected via a printed circuit board.

16. The wireless power receiver apparatus of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board comprises at least two layers, where regions of the printed circuit board are used as tuning and DC blocking capacitors of the electronic components.

17. A method for forming a housing, comprising:

locating a coil within a first volume of the housing, the coil configured to wirelessly receive power via a magnetic field generated by a transmitter, the wirelessly received power at a level sufficient for powering or charging a load; and

locating electronic components within a second volume of the housing different than the first volume of the housing, a level of the magnetic field within the second volume being less than the level of the magnetic field within the first volume, the second volume bound by;

a horizontal shielding member along a first portion of the second volume, the horizontal shielding member defining a horizontal shielding member plane substantially parallel to a plane defined by the coil, and

a vertical shielding member along a second portion of the second volume, the vertical shielding member defining a vertical shielding member plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the coil,

wherein the horizontal and vertical shielding members are configured to reduce the level of the magnetic field between the first volume and the second volume.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising locating electronic components within a third volume of the housing different than the first and second volumes of the housing, a level of the magnetic field within the third volume being less than the level of the magnetic field within the first volume, the third volume bound by a third volume horizontal shielding member along a first portion of the third volume, the third volume horizontal shielding member defining a third volume horizontal shielding member plane substantially parallel to the plane defined by the coil and a third volume vertical shielding member along a second portion of the third volume, the third volume vertical shielding member defining a third volume vertical shielding member plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the coil.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic components are operably connected via a printed circuit board.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the printed circuit board comprises at least two layers, where regions of the printed circuit board are used as tuning and DC blocking capacitors of the electronic components.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the printed circuit board comprises a metal layer used to form the tuning and DC blocking capacitors of the electronic components.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the second volume is bound by a printed circuit board that interfaces with the electronic components along a third portion of the second volume.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the second volume is at a location disposed radially from an outer perimeter of the coil.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the horizontal shielding member and the vertical shielding member comprises a material whose qualities reduce the penetration of a magnetic field through the material.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second volume is bound by another vertical shielding member along a third portion of the second volume, the another vertical shielding member defining an another vertical shielding member plane substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by the coil, the another vertical shielding member comprising a material whose qualities reduce the penetration of a magnetic field through the material.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second volume is bound all along the second volume by shielding members, each shielding member comprising a material whose qualities reduce the penetration of a magnetic field through the material.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the coil is an electric vehicle charging induction coil.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the housing is an electric vehicle charging induction coil housing.