WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER MAGNETIC COUPLERS

• US 20130088090A1
• Filed: 10/09/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Utah State University
• Original Assignee: Utah State University Research Foundation (Utah State University)
• Inventors: Wu, Hunter, Gilchrist, Aaron, Sealy, Kylee
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/00 Details of transformers or inductances, in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/255 made from particles H01F27/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/363 made of electrically conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 3/08 made from powder powder coatings on sheets H01F3/02; on strips or ribbons H01F3/04; on wires H01F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10

Abstract

The magnetic coupler for wireless power transfer systems, which includes a ferrimagnetic component, a coil, and a screen configured to reduce leakage flux.

Claims

1. A magnetic coupler, comprising:

a ferrimagnetic component,

a coil, and

a screen.

2. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the ferrimagnetic component is selected from the group consisting of ferrite, soft ferrite, manganese-zinc ferrite, and nickel-zinc ferrite.

3. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the ferrimagnetic component is configured to generate a horizontal field.

4. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the ferrimagnetic component is configured in an H-shape.

5. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the ferrimagnetic component is capable of guiding a magnetic field.

6. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the coil comprises litz wire.

7. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the coil is wrapped around a center portion of an H-shaped ferrimagnetic component.

8. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the coil is capable of carrying alternating current.

9. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the screen comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a superconductive material, a metamaterial, a superconductive metamaterial, an actively excited circuit, and a diamagnetic material.

10. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the screen comprises metamaterial.

11. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the screen comprises a diamagnetic material.

12. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the screen is capable of blocking unwanted leakage fields.

13. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the screen comprises metamaterials that comprise PCB coils, Litz wire, and low-loss PCB dielectrics.

14. The magnetic coupler of claim 1, wherein the screen is configured to cover one side of the ferrimagnetic component and coil.

15. A wireless power transfer system, comprising:

a transmitting magnetic coupler,

a receiving magnetic coupler,

wherein the transmitting magnetic coupler and the receiving magnetic coupler each comprise;

a ferrimagnetic component,

a coil, and

a screen.