Wireless Energy Transfer with Negative Index Material

• US 20110133564A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Huang, Da, Teo, Koon Hoo, Wang, Bingnan
• Granted Patent: US 9,461,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 7/00 Other common features of elevators
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0037 for power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention disclose a system configured to exchange energy wirelessly. The system includes a structure configured to exchange the energy wirelessly via a coupling of evanescent waves, wherein the structure is electromagnetic (EM) and non-radiative, and wherein the structure generates an EM near-field in response to receiving the energy; and a negative index material (NIM) arranged within the EM near-field such that the coupling is enhanced.

Claims

1. A system configured to exchange energy wirelessly, comprising:

a structure configured to exchange the energy wirelessly via a coupling of evanescent waves, wherein the structure is electromagnetic (EM) and non-radiative, and wherein the structure generates an EM near-field in response to receiving the energy; and

a negative index material (NIM) arranged within the EM near-field such that the coupling is enhanced.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure is a source configured to transfer the energy to a sink, further comprising:

a driver configured to supply the energy to the structure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure is a sink configured to receive the energy wirelessly from a source, further comprising:

a load configured to receive the energy from the structure.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy has a frequency in a diapason from MHz to GHz.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure is a resonant structure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the NIM is arranged optimally based on a desired direction of the energy transfer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the NIM is arranged such as to enclose the structure.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of NIMs arranged on a path of an evanescent wave such that the evanescent wave travels through each NIM in the plurality of NIMs during the coupling.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the NIM is arranged such that a distance between the NIM and the structure is proportional to dimensions of the NIM.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the NIM has a negative permittivity property and a negative permeability property.

11. A method for exchanging energy wirelessly via a coupling of evanescent waves, comprising steps of:

increasing amplitudes of the evanescent waves using a negative index material (NIM), such that the coupling is enhanced.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a structure configured to exchange an energy wirelessly via the coupling, wherein the structure is electromagnetic (EM) and non-radiative, and wherein the structure generates the evanescent waves in response to receiving the energy; and

arranging the NIM on a path of the evanescent waves.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the structure is a source configured to transfer the energy to a sink, further comprising:

supplying the energy to the structure.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy is supplied inductively.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the structure is a sink configured to receive the energy wirelessly, further comprising:

supplying the energy to a load.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

arranging a plurality of NIMs on a path of the evanescent waves.

17. A system configured to exchange energy wirelessly, comprising:

a structure configured to exchange the energy wirelessly via a coupling of evanescent waves, wherein the structure is an electromagnetic (EM) and a non-radiative; and

a negative index material (NIM) arranged to increase amplitudes of the evanescent waves, such that the coupling is enhanced.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the structure is a resonant structure having a resonant frequency, and the NIM has a negative permittivity property and a negative permeability property within a bandwidth of about 5-10% of the resonant frequency.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the structure is a source when transmitting the energy, and is a sink when receiving the energy.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the NIM is arranged such as to enclose the structure