3D ceramic mold antenna

• US 10,734,717 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energous Corporation
• Inventors: Hosseini, Alister
• Primary Examiner(s): Isla, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Dung V
• Application Number:
  US14/882,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20170104263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/362 for broadside radiating helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/405 Radome integrated radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas

Abstract

An antenna include a resonator element configured to radiate a wireless signal and a substrate embedding the resonator. The resonator element may be a 3D resonator element. The 3D resonator element may be a helical resonator element.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells configured to radiate radio frequency (RF) power transmission signals, each of the unit cells comprising;

a feed point including an electrical conductor;

a three-dimensional resonator element configured to radiate a RF power transmission signal provided through the feed point to a wireless-power-receiving device, wherein;

the three-dimensional resonator element is helical shaped and includes a plurality of turns, and

a frequency and directivity of the RF power transmission signal are based on a number of turns in the plurality of turns;

a substrate embedding the three-dimensional resonator element, wherein the substrate is made of a dielectric material; and

a wall that surrounds at least a part of the substrate, wherein;

the wall is made of a metallic material that is distinct from the dielectric material, and

the wall is configured to (i) act as a waveguide or quasi-waveguide structure for the RF power transmission signal to guide it towards the wireless-power-receiving device and (ii) isolate transmission of the RF power transmission signal by a respective unit cell from RF power transmission by neighboring unit cells of the plurality of units cells, and

a support base surrounding a bottom portion of the three-dimensional resonator element, the support base operating as a ground plane for the three-dimensional resonator element,

wherein at least one substrate included in at least one of the plurality of unit cells has a different permittivity than a remainder of the plurality of unit cells other than the at least one of the plurality of unit cells; and

wherein the wireless-power-receiving device converts received RF power transmission signals into usable energy for powering an electronic device coupled to the wireless-power-receiving device.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is cylindrical.

3. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the RF power transmission signal has a frequency greater than 1 GHz.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is ceramic.

5. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein the ceramic is alumina.

6. The antenna according to claim 1, further comprising a core disposed radially within the three-dimensional resonator element that defines an antenna element.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the core is ceramic.

8. The antenna according to claim 7, further comprising a casting of the substrate embedding a plurality of three-dimensional resonator elements.

9. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein the casting is silicon.

10. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the substrate has a relative permittivity between approximately 9 and approximately 10 at a center frequency of the RF power transmission signal.

11. The antenna according to claim 1, further comprising a ground plane over which the three-dimensional resonator element extends.

12. The antenna according to claim 11, wherein the ground plane is less than approximately 1.5 square inches in size.

13. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional resonator element embedded within the substrate has a directivity greater than approximately 8 dB.

14. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional resonator element embedded within the substrate has a directivity between approximately 9 dB and approximately 10 dB.

15. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional resonator element causes the RF power transmission signal to be circularly polarized.

16. The antenna according to claim 1, further comprising multiple three-dimensional resonator elements embedded within the substrate.

17. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional resonator element is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB).

18. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional resonator element is printed on silicon.

19. A method of manufacturing an antenna, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of unit cells configured to radiate radio frequency (RF) power transmission signals, and for each of the unit cells;

forming a feed point including an electrical conductor;

forming a three-dimensional resonator element configured to radiate an RF power transmission signal provided through the feed point to a wireless-power-receiving device;

embedding the three-dimensional resonator element in a substrate, wherein;

the three-dimensional resonator element is helical shaped and includes a plurality of turns,

a frequency and directivity of the RF power transmission signal are based on a number of turns in the plurality of turns, and

the substrate is made of a dielectric material;

providing a wall that surrounds at least a part of the substrate, wherein;

the wall is made of a metallic material that is distinct from the dielectric material, and

the wall is configured to (i) act as a waveguide or quasi-waveguide structure for the RF power transmission signal to guide it towards the wireless-power-receiving device and (ii) isolate transmission of the RF power transmission signal by a respective unit cell from RF power transmission by neighboring unit cells of the plurality of units cells; and

providing a support base that surrounds a bottom portion of the three-dimensional resonator element, the support base operating as a ground plane for the three-dimensional resonator element,

wherein at least one substrate included in at least one of the plurality of unit cells has a different permittivity than a remainder of the plurality of unit cells other than the at least one of the plurality of unit cells; and

wherein the wireless-power-receiving device converts received RF power transmission signals into usable energy for powering an electronic device coupled to the wireless-power-receiving device.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein embedding the three-dimensional resonator element in a substrate includes embedding the three-dimensional resonator element in a ceramic substrate.

21. An apparatus for wirelessly charging a battery, said apparatus comprising:

a transmitter including;

a plurality of unit cells configured to radiate radio frequency (RF) power transmission signals, each of the unit cells comprising;

a feed point including an electrical conductor;

a three-dimensional antenna element configured to radiate a RF power transmission signal for use in charging a battery, the RF power transmission signal provided through the feed point to a wireless-power-receiving device, wherein;

the three-dimensional antenna element is helical shaped and includes a plurality of turns, and

a frequency and directivity of the RF power transmission signal are based on a number of turns in the plurality of turns;

a substrate embedding the three-dimensional antenna element, wherein the substrate is made of a dielectric material;

a base on which the substrate is positioned, wherein the base operates as a ground plane for the three-dimensional antenna element, and the base surrounds a bottom portion of the three-dimensional antenna element; and

a wall that surrounds at least a part of the substrate, wherein;

the wall is made of a metallic material that is distinct from the dielectric material, and

the wall is configured to (i) act as a waveguide or quasi-waveguide structure for the RF power transmission signal to guide it towards the wireless-power-receiving device and (ii) isolate transmission of the RF power transmission signal by a respective unit cell from RF power transmission by neighboring unit cells of the plurality of units cells,

wherein at least one substrate included in at least one of the plurality of unit cells has a different permittivity than a remainder of the plurality of unit cells other than the at least one of the plurality of unit cells; and

wherein the wireless-power-receiving device converts received RF power transmission signals into usable energy for powering an electronic device coupled to the wireless-power-receiving device.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the substrate is poured in a flowable state and activated to a solid state to encase the three-dimensional antenna element.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the substrate is ceramic.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the substrate has a permittivity between approximately 9 and approximately 10 at a center frequency of the RF power transmission signal.

25. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the RF power transmission signal has a frequency greater than 1 GHz.