Winding arrangements in wireless power transfer systems

• US 9,899,145 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited (Auckland University)
• Inventors: Covic, Grant Anthony, Boys, John Talbot, Keeling, Nicholas Athol, van Boheemen, Edward, Kissin, Michael Le Gallais, Beaver, Jonathan, Budhia, Mickel Bipin, Huang, Chang-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Hal
• Application Number:
  US14/386,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20150054350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• 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: H01F 27/2823 Wires H01F27/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2871 Pancake coils
• 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 50/90 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: 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: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49071 by winding or coiling

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus for wireless power transfer and particularly wireless power transfer to remote systems such as electric vehicles are disclosed. In one aspect an induction coil is provided comprising a plurality of substantially co-planar coils formed from one or more lengths of conducting material, each length of conducting material being electrically connectable at each end to a power source or battery, and wherein at least one of the lengths of conducting material is continuously wound around two or more of the coils. In another aspect, a method is provided for forming such an induction coil. In yet another aspect, a switching device is operable to alter the configuration of the coils, for example in response to a detected characteristic of another induction coil or device coupled thereto.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transmitting or receiving wireless power, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of substantially co-planar coils; and

wherein the plurality of coils comprise one or more lengths of conducting material, each length of conducting material being electrically connectable at each end to a power source or battery;

wherein the plurality of coils are wound such that electric current in the lengths of conducting material flows in the same direction in adjacent portions of adjacent coils, and

wherein two or more of the coils comprise the same at least one of the lengths of conducting material.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each coil comprises a spiral winding of each of the lengths of conducting material.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each length of conducting material is continuously wound to comprise all of the coils.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each length of conducting material comprises:

a first end forming an innermost winding of one of the coils; and

a second end forming an innermost winding of another of the coils.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each length of conducting material comprises:

a first end forming an innermost winding of one of the coils; and

a second end forming an outermost winding of another of the coils.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each length of conducting material comprises:

a first end forming an outermost winding of one of the coils; and

a second end forming an outermost winding of another of the coils.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of coils comprise two or more lengths of conducting material.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the two or more lengths of conducting material are arranged in parallel alignment.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the apparatus further comprises a switching device operable to connect any number of the two or more lengths of conducting material in parallel to the power source or battery.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the apparatus further comprises a receiver in communication with the switching device, wherein the receiver is operable to receive a signal and cause the switching device to operate based on the received signal.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the apparatus further comprises a switching device operable to connect any number of the two or more lengths of conducting material together in series.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more magnetically permeable members magnetically associated with the plurality of coils.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of the lengths of conducting material comprise litz wire.

14. A method of forming an apparatus for transmitting or receiving wireless power, the method comprising:

winding one or more lengths of conducting material in a continuous path to form a plurality of substantially co-planar coils with two or more of the coils comprising the same at least one of the lengths of conducting material.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the method comprises:

winding a first coil from the innermost winding to the outermost winding; and

winding a second coil from the outermost winding to the innermost winding.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the method comprises:

winding a first coil from the innermost winding to the outermost winding; and

winding a second coil from the innermost winding to the outermost winding.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the method comprises:

winding a first coil from the outermost winding to the innermost winding; and

winding a second coil from the innermost winding to the outermost winding.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising providing one or more magnetically permeable members in magnetic association with the coils.

19. A method of operating a first induction coil in a wireless power transfer system, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a second induction coil with which the first induction coil is to transfer power, the signal comprising characteristics of the second induction coil or a device to which the second induction coil is attached;

selecting a configuration of the first induction coil based on the characteristics of the second induction coil and a desired power transfer between the first and second induction coils; and

altering the configuration of the first induction coil based on the selected configuration.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the step of altering the configuration of the first induction coil comprises connecting two or more lengths of conducting material in the first induction coil in parallel and/or in series with each other, a power source, and/or a battery.