Shield for a wireless power transmitter

• US 10,530,174 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2016
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Jaejin, Chen, Chung-Hao J., Yao, Zhen, Yang, Songnan, Rosenfeld, Jonathan, Kasturi, Sreenivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Sun J
• Application Number:
  US15/088,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20170288445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• 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 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Techniques for focusing an energy radiated by a wireless power transmitting unit are described. An example power transmitting unit includes a transmit coil configured to generate a magnetic field to wirelessly power a device within an active wireless charging area. The power transmitting unit also includes a power generating circuitry to deliver a current to the transmit coil to generate the magnetic field. The power transmitting unit also includes a patch array disposed in parallel with the transmit coil to reduce a strength of the magnetic field at frequencies outside of the operating frequency during operation of the power transmitting unit.

Claims

1. A power transmitting unit, comprising:

a transmit coil configured to generate a magnetic field to wirelessly power a device within an active wireless charging area;

a power generating circuitry to deliver a current to the transmit coil to generate the magnetic field at an operating frequency; and

a patch array disposed in parallel with the transmit coil to reduce a strength of the magnetic field at frequencies outside of the operating frequency during operation of the power transmitting unit;

wherein the patch array comprises an array of conductive patches coupled to a ground plane disposed in parallel with the array of conductive patches;

wherein the array of conductive patches are separated from the ground plane by an insulating material and conductively coupled to the ground plane by a via through the insulating material; and

wherein the array of conductive patches comprise an outer patch separated from the via by a gap, wherein the outer patch is conductively coupled to the via through an LC circuit.

2. The power transmitting unit of claim 1, wherein the array of conductive patches is disposed below the transmit coil.

3. The power transmitting unit of claim 1, wherein each conductive patch of the array of conductive patches is coupled to an adjacent conductive patch of the patch array through a resonant circuit.

4. The power transmitting unit of claim 1, wherein the LC circuit comprising a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel.

5. The power transmitting unit of claim 1, wherein the power transmitting unit is built into a table top.

6. A method of manufacturing a power transmitting unit, the method comprising:

forming a transmit coil configured to generate a magnetic field to wirelessly power a device within an active wireless charging area;

conductively coupling a power generating circuitry to the transmit coil, the power generating circuitry to deliver a current to the transmit coil to generate the magnetic field at an operating frequency; and

disposing a patch array in parallel with the transmit coil to reduce a strength of the magnetic field at frequencies outside of the operating frequency during operation of the power transmitting unit;

wherein the patch array comprises an array of conductive patches coupled to a ground plane disposed in parallel with the array of conductive patches;

wherein the patch array comprises an array of conductive patches coupled to a ground plane disposed in parallel with the array of conductive patches; and

wherein the array of conductive patches are separated from the ground plane by an insulating material and conductively coupled to the ground plane by a via through the insulating material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the array of conductive patches is disposed below the transmit coil.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each conductive patch of the array of conductive patches is coupled to an adjacent conductive patch of the patch array through a resonant circuit.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the LC circuit comprising a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel.

10. The method of claim 6, comprising disposing the power transmitting unit into a table top.

11. A wireless charger, comprising:

a transmit coil configured to generate a magnetic field to wirelessly power a device within an active wireless charging area;

a power generating circuitry to deliver a current to the transmit coil to generate the magnetic field at an operating frequency; and

a patch array disposed in parallel with the transmit coil to reduce a strength of the magnetic field at frequencies outside of the operating frequency during operation of the wireless charger;

wherein the patch array comprises an array of conductive patches coupled to a ground plane disposed in parallel with the array of conductive patches;

wherein the array of conductive patches are separated from the ground plane by an insulating material and conductively coupled to the ground plane by a via through the insulating material; and

wherein the array of conductive patches comprise an outer patch separated from the via by a gap, wherein the outer patch is conductively coupled to the via through an LC circuit.

12. The wireless charger of claim 11, wherein the array of conductive patches is disposed below the transmit coil.

13. The wireless charger of claim 11, wherein each conductive patch of the array of conductive patches is coupled to an adjacent conductive patch of the patch array through a resonant circuit.

14. The wireless charger of claim 11, wherein the LC circuit comprising a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel.

15. The wireless charger of claim 11, wherein the wireless charger is disposed within a table top.