WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER SYSTEM AND POWER TRANSMITTING/RECEIVING DEVICE WITH HEAT DISSIPATION STRUCTURE

• US 20120001496A1
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: YAMAMOTO, Hiroshi, KANNO, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,917,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2876 Cooling cooling transformers and inductances in general H01F27/08
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type

Abstract

A wireless power transfer system and power transmitting/receiving device according to the present invention include an antenna (resonator) 109 and a heat dissipation structure 111 with an electrically conductive thermal conductor 11, a portion of which makes thermal contact with the inductor 13 of the antenna 109 with an electrical insulator 12 interposed between them. The thermal conductor 11 is arranged to form no electrically closed loop.

Claims

1. A power transmitting/receiving device that transmits and/or receives electric power in a wireless power transfer system that transfers the electric power wirelessly via a resonant magnetic field, the device comprising:

an antenna with an inductor; and

a heat dissipation structure with an electrically conductive thermal conductor, a portion of which makes thermal contact with the inductor with an electrical insulator interposed between the conductor and the inductor and which is arranged to form no electrically closed loop.

2. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein the resonant frequency of the antenna is set to be as high as that of another antenna, which transfers the electric power to/from the former antenna.

3. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive thermal conductor is not electrically grounded.

4. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive thermal conductor dissipates the heat that has been generated by the inductor by transferring that heat from the inductor to a distant location.

5. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 4, wherein the heat dissipation structure includes a cooling member, which is arranged out of contact with the inductor, and

wherein the electrically conductive thermal conductor dissipates the heat that has been generated by the inductor by transferring that heat to the cooling member.

6. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein the inductor is formed of conductive wires, which are at least partially covered with the electrical insulator and which are wound spirally around at least a portion of the electrically conductive thermal conductor.

7. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein when projected onto the principal plane of the inductor, said portion of the electrically conductive thermal conductor that makes thermal contact with the inductor is less wide than turns of the inductor.

8. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein said portion of the electrically conductive thermal conductor that makes thermal contact with the inductor at least partially falls within a range that is defined by the profile of the inductor.

9. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 8, wherein the electrically conductive thermal conductor is electrically disconnected inside of the range that is defined by the profile of the inductor.

10. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive thermal conductor is electrically disconnected outside of the range that is defined by the profile of the inductor.

11. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive thermal conductor has a hollow pipe structure and is electrically disconnected at least partially.

12. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 11, wherein the electrically disconnected parts of the electrically conductive thermal conductor are joined by a pipe that is made of an electrical insulator.

13. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 11, wherein a cooling medium is enclosed in the electrically conductive thermal conductor.

14. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 9, wherein the electrically disconnected parts of the electrically conductive thermal conductor are located near a bent portion of the inductor.

15. The power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1, wherein said portion of the electrically conductive thermal conductor that makes thermal contact with the inductor is arranged closer to the outer edge of turns of the inductor than to the center thereof.

16. A wireless power transfer system that transmits electric power wirelessly via a resonant magnetic field, the system comprising:

a power transmitting section with a power transmitting antenna, from which RF energy is sent out;

a power receiving section with a power receiving antenna, which receives at least a part of the RF energy; and

a heat dissipation structure with an electrically conductive thermal conductor, a portion of which makes thermal contact with the inductor of the power transmitting antenna and/or the inductor of the power receiving antenna with an electrical insulator interposed between the conductor and the inductor and which is arranged to form no electrically closed loop.

17. The wireless power transfer system of claim 16, wherein the resonant frequencies of the power transmitting and receiving antennas are set to be equal to each other.