Methods and apparatus for collocating electromagnetic coils and electronic circuits

• US 10,056,186 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vayyar Imaging Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Vayyar Imaging Ltd.
• Inventors: Rosenfeld, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Huy Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIOS RUSSO, RAUL J
• Application Number:
  US15/360,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20170148567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 324 67, 324323, 324326, 324376
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/025 a current being generated within the material by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/72 by investigating magnetic variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/82 for investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/10 using induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/101 by measuring the impedance of the search coil; by measuring features of a resonant circuit comprising the search coil measuring impedance or characteristics derived therefrom G01R27/00, e.g. quality factor G01R27/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/102 by measuring amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/104 using several coupled or uncoupled coils G01V3/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/105 forming directly coupled primary and secondary coils or loops
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/107 using compensating coil or loop arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• 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: H05B 6/44 having more than one coil or coil segment

Abstract

Methods and apparatus according to the invention include inductive units or apparatus such as magnetic metal detectors comprising multiple electromagnetic coils and circuit boards such as electronic printed circuit boards (PCBs) so that the circuit boards, while containing metallic surfaces and layers, are positioned in such a way as to reduce or eliminate their effect on the metal detector'"'"'s coils. The apparatus comprising: a plurality of electromagnetic coils and a plurality of circuit boards, and wherein at least one of said circuit boards is positioned so that its thickness direction is orthogonal to the magnetic field of at least one of said coils.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of electromagnetic coils and a plurality of circuit boards, said circuit boards have a planar surface and a thickness extending in a thickness direction orthogonal to said planar surface, said plurality of electromagnetic coils being positioned parallel to a referential plane,

wherein at least one of said plurality of electromagnetic coils has at least one symmetry plane perpendicular to said referential plane, and

wherein the planar surface of at least one of said plurality of circuit boards is positioned along one of said at least one symmetry plane of said at least one of said plurality of electromagnetic coils, so that the thickness direction of said at least one of said plurality of circuit boards is orthogonal to the magnetic field of said at least one of said plurality of electromagnetic coils.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of said plurality of electromagnetic coils have a common symmetry plane perpendicular to said referential plane, and wherein the planar surface of at least one of said plurality of circuit boards is positioned along said common symmetry plane of said at least two electromagnetic coils, so that the thickness direction of said at least one of said circuit board is orthogonal to the magnetic field of said at least two of said coils.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of circuit boards comprises electronic circuits configured to be connected to or are part of a metal detector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of said circuit boards comprises circuits configured to be connected to, or are part of a radar detector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the planar surface of at least two of said plurality of circuit boards are each positioned along the at least one symmetry plane of said at least one electromagnetic coil, so that the thickness direction of each of said at least two of said circuit boards is orthogonal to the magnetic field of said at least one of said electromagnetic coils.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said at least one coil comprises more than one symmetry plane, and wherein the planar surface of at least two circuit boards of said plurality of circuits boards is substantially along different symmetry planes of said coil.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a detector module said detector module is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) metal detector (b) induction heater (c) noncontact power transfer apparatus (d) noncontact flaw detector.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said circuit boards are printed circuit boards (PCBs).

9. A method for collocating a plurality of electromagnetic coils and a plurality of circuit boards in a detector, said plurality of circuit boards have a planar surface and a thickness extending in a thickness direction orthogonal to said planar surface, said plurality of electromagnetic coils being positioned parallel to a referential plane, and wherein at least one of said plurality of electromagnetic coils has at least one symmetry plane perpendicular to said referential plane, the method comprising:

placing the planar surface of at least one of said circuit boards along one of said at least one symmetry plane of said at least one of said plurality of electromagnetic coils so that the thickness direction of said at least one of said plurality of circuit boards is orthogonal to the magnetic field of said at least one of said plurality of electromagnetic coils.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least two of said plurality of electromagnetic coils have a common symmetry plane perpendicular to said referential plane, and wherein the planar surface of at least one of said plurality of circuit boards is positioned along said common symmetry plane of said at least two electromagnetic coils, so that the thickness direction of said at least one of said circuit board is orthogonal to the magnetic field of said at least two of said coils.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of said plurality of circuit boards comprises electronic circuits configured to be connected to or are part of a metal detector.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of said plurality of said circuit boards comprises circuits configured to be connected to, or are part of a radar detector.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the planar surface of at least two of said plurality of circuit boards are each positioned along the at least one symmetry plane of said at least one electromagnetic coil, so that the thickness direction of each of said at least two of said circuit boards is orthogonal to the magnetic field of said at least one of said electromagnetic coils.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said at least one coil comprises more than one symmetry plane, and wherein the planar surface of at least two circuit boards of said plurality of circuits boards is substantially along different symmetry planes of said coil.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the detector is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) metal detector (b) induction heater (c) noncontact power transfer apparatus (d) noncontact flaw detector.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said circuit boards are printed circuit boards (PCBs).