Systems, methods and apparatus for reducing intra-base array network coupling

• US 9,960,607 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Budhia, Mickel Bipin, Keeling, Nicholas Athol, Huang, Chang-Yu, Beaver, Jonathan, Camasca Ramirez, Claudio Armando, Kissin, Michael Le Gallais
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yeshaw, Esayas
• Application Number:
  US14/584,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20160190814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• 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 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/39 with position-responsive activation of primary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/36 Electric or magnetic shields or screens movable for varying inductance H01F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/363 made of electrically conductive material
• 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 50/402 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 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for wirelessly transferring power is provided. The apparatus comprises a first coupler, a second coupler, and a third coupler overlapping at least the first coupler. The apparatus further comprises a ferrimagnetic structure comprising a first portion disposed under the first coupler, a second portion disposed under the second coupler, and a gap defined between the first coupler and the second coupler, the gap physically separating the first portion from the second portion. One or both of the first portion and the second portion comprises a first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips interleaved with a second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips configured to attenuate a magnetic flux passing between the first and second couplers. The first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are interleaved with the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips under at least a portion of the first coupler that is overlapped by the third coupler.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring power, the apparatus comprising:

a first coupler;

a second coupler;

a third coupler overlapping at least the first coupler; and

a ferrimagnetic structure comprising a first portion disposed under the first coupler, a second portion disposed under the second coupler, and a gap defined between the first coupler and the second coupler, the gap physically separating the first portion from the second portion in a direction parallel to a width of the gap to attenuate a magnetic flux passing between the first and second couplers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or both of the first portion and the second portion comprises a first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips interleaved with a second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each strip of the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips is alternately interleaved with a respective one of the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein two or more strips of the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are alternately interleaved with two or more respective strips of the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are interleaved with the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips under at least a portion of the first coupler that is overlapped by the third coupler.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ferrimagnetic strips of the first portion are offset from ferrimagnetic strips of the second portion in a direction perpendicular to the width of the gap to maximize a distance between the ferrimagnetic strips of the first portion and the ferrimagnetic strips of the second portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conductive plate disposed in the gap between the first coupler and the second coupler.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and third couplers are positioned to minimize a variation in drive current to the first and third couplers.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drive circuit configured to provide a drive current to at least one of the first, second and third couplers based on a position of a wireless power receiver.

10. A method for wirelessly transferring power, comprising:

transferring power wirelessly to a wireless power receiver via at least one of a first coupler, a second coupler, and a third coupler overlapping at least the first coupler in conjunction with a ferrimagnetic structure comprising a first portion disposed under the first coupler, a second portion disposed under the second coupler, and a gap defined between the first coupler and the second coupler, the gap physically separating the first portion from the second portion in a direction parallel to a width of the gap to attenuate a magnetic flux passing between the first and second couplers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are interleaved with a second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips in one or both of the first portion and the second portion of the ferrimagnetic structure.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each strip of the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips is alternately interleaved with a respective one of the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein two or more strips of the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are alternately interleaved with two or more respective strips of the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are interleaved with the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips under at least a portion of the first coupler that is overlapped by the third coupler.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the ferrimagnetic strips of the first portion are offset from the ferrimagnetic strips of the second portion in a direction perpendicular to the width of the gap to maximize a distance between the ferrimagnetic strips of the first portion and the ferrimagnetic strips of the second portion.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising a conductive plate disposed in the gap between the first coupler and the second coupler.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising minimizing a variation in drive current to the first and third couplers.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a drive current to at least one of the first, second and third couplers based on a position of a wireless power receiver.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to:

transfer power wirelessly to a wireless power receiver via at least one of a first coupler, a second coupler, and a third coupler overlapping at least the first coupler in conjunction with a ferrimagnetic structure comprising a first portion disposed under the first coupler, a second portion disposed under the second coupler, and a gap defined between the first coupler and the second coupler, the gap physically separating the first portion from the second portion in a direction parallel to a width of the gap to attenuate a magnetic flux passing between the first and second couplers.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein a first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are interleaved with a second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips in one or both of the first portion and the second portion of the ferrimagnetic structure.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein each strip of the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips is alternately interleaved with a respective one of the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips.

22. The medium of claim 20, wherein two or more strips of the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are alternately interleaved with two or more respective strips of the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips.

23. The medium of claim 20, wherein the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are interleaved with the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips under at least a portion of the first coupler that is overlapped by the third coupler.

24. The medium of claim 20, wherein the ferrimagnetic strips of the first portion are offset from the ferrimagnetic strips of the second portion in a direction perpendicular to the width of the gap to maximize a distance between the ferrimagnetic strips of the first portion and the ferrimagnetic strips of the second portion.

25. The medium of claim 19, further comprising a conductive plate disposed in the gap between the first coupler and the second coupler.

26. The medium of claim 19, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to minimize a variation in drive current to the first and third couplers.

27. The medium of claim 19, wherein the code, when executed, further causes the apparatus to provide a drive current to at least one of the first, second and third couplers based on a position of a wireless power receiver.

28. An apparatus for wirelessly transferring power, the apparatus comprising:

first means for wirelessly transferring power to a wireless power receiver;

second means for wirelessly transferring power to the wireless power receiver;

third means for wirelessly transferring power to the wireless power receiver, the third means overlapping at least the first means; and

means for channeling magnetic flux between the first and second means comprising a first portion disposed under the first means, a second portion disposed under the second means, and a gap defined between the first means and the second means, the gap physically separating the first portion from the second portion in a direction parallel to a width of the gap.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein one or both of the first portion and the second portion comprises a first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips interleaved with a second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the first plurality of ferrimagnetic strips are interleaved with the second plurality of ferrimagnetic strips under at least a portion of the first means that is overlapped by the third means.