Wireless power antenna winding including heat pipe and method therefor

• US 9,905,359 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2015
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Sultenfuss, Andrew T., North, Travis C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zweizig, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/842,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20170063101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0472 the conduits being helically or spirally coiled
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/16 Water cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/18 by evaporating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

An inductor at a wireless power antenna includes a conductive winding. A portion of the conductive winding consists of a heat pipe. The heat pipe employs thermal conductivity and phase transition to transfer heat from the inductor. A heat sink is coupled to the heat pipe.

Claims

1. A wireless power antenna device comprising:

an inductor including a conductive winding, wherein at least a portion of the conductive winding consists of a heat pipe, the heat pipe employing thermal conductivity and phase transition to transfer heat from the inductor; and

a heat sink coupled to the heat pipe.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is arranged in a continuous loop.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe includes two ends.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe includes an electrically non-conductive portion that separates one conductive portion from another conductive portion.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion comprises more than one winding turn.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion comprises less than one complete winding turn.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a source antenna to transmit power to a target antenna.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a target antenna at a data processing device, the target antenna to receive power from a source antenna.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat sink comprises a fluid to fluid heat exchanger.

10. A method comprising:

providing an inductor at a wireless power antenna, wherein at least a portion of a conductive winding of the inductor consists of a heat pipe, the heat pipe employing thermal conductivity and phase transition to transfer heat from the inductor;

providing a heat sink for dissipating heat conducted by the heat pipe; and

incorporating the antenna at a wireless power charging system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat pipe is arranged in a continuous loop.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat pipe includes two ends.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat pipe includes an electrically non-conductive portion that separates one conductive portion from another conductive portion.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the portion comprises more than one winding turn.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the portion comprises less than one complete winding turn.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the antenna is a source antenna to transmit power to a target antenna.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the antenna is a target antenna at a data processing device, the target antenna to receive power from a source antenna.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat sink comprises a fluid to fluid heat exchanger.

19. A wireless power system comprising:

an antenna, the antenna including;

an inductor comprising a conductive winding, wherein at least a portion of the conductive winding consists of a heat pipe, the heat pipe employing thermal conductivity and phase transition to transfer heat from the inductor; and

a heat sink coupled to the heat pipe; and

a wireless power controller to supply radio frequency power to the antenna.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat pipe includes an electrically non-conductive portion that separates one conductive portion from another conductive portion.