ILLUMINATING FLOOR MAT WITH WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER

• US 20140239710A1
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Ammar, Ali, Gardner, Cornel Lewis
• Granted Patent: US 9,347,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/044 of removable mats B60N3/046, B60N3/048 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• 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 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

An illuminable mat adapted for use in a variety of settings is provided. The illuminable mat includes an illuminable region and a light source that illuminates the illuminable region. The light source is powered by a receiver that is wirelessly supplied by a transmitter.

Claims

1. An illuminable mat, comprising:

a mat having a region that is illuminable;

a light source that illuminates the region; and

a receiver configured to wirelessly receive power that is supplied to the light source.

2. The illumination system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter that is part of a surface that supports the mat, wherein the transmitter wirelessly transfers power to the receiver.

3. The illumination system of claim 2, wherein the receiver is part of the mat and comprises a receiving coil and the transmitter comprises a transmitting coil.

4. The illumination system of claim 3, wherein the transmitting coil is configured to wirelessly transfer power to the receiving coil in one of a tightly coupled system and a loosely coupled system.

5. The illumination system of claim 3, further comprising a holding assembly that removably couples the mat to the surface and wirelessly couples the receiving coil with the transmitting coil so that inductive power transfer can occur.

6. The illumination system of claim 5, wherein the holding assembly comprises a clip and a thru-hole, wherein the clip is part of the surface and the thru-hole is part of the mat.

7. The illumination system of claim 6, wherein the transmitting coil is integrated with the clip.

8. The illumination system of claim 5, wherein the holding assembly comprises a first ferromagnetic member that is part of the mat and a second ferromagnetic member that is part of the surface, further wherein the first ferromagnetic member is attracted to the second ferromagnetic member.

9. The illumination system of claim 3, further comprising a first alignment magnet that is part of the mat and a second alignment magnet that is part of the surface, wherein the first alignment magnet is attracted to the second alignment magnet, further wherein the receiving coil is optimized for use with the first alignment magnet and the transmitting coil is optimized for use with the second alignment magnet such that the first and second alignment magnets wirelessly couple the receiving and transmitting coils in one of a tightly coupled system and loosely coupled system so that wireless power transfer can occur.

10. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the region defines an enclosed space wherein a decorative image is formed and is illuminated by the light source.

11. The illumination system of claim 3, further comprising a shielding member to protect against an electromagnetic field generated by at least one of the receiving coil and the transmitting coil.

12. The illumination system of claim 11, wherein the shielding member is one of a metal shield that is grounded and a capacitive sensing system.

13. An illumination system for a mat placed on an interior surface of a vehicle, comprising:

an illuminable region of the mat;

a light source that illuminates the region;

a receiver that supplies power to the light source; and

a transmitter that wirelessly powers the receiving coil.

14. The illumination system of claim 13, wherein the receiver comprises a receiving coil and the transmitter comprises a transmitting coil.

15. The illumination system of claim 13, further comprising a light controller in electrical communication with the light source and the receiver, wherein the light controller controls an output of the light source.

16. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the light controller, the light source, and the receiver are interconnected by at least one connection type selected from the group comprising a wire circuit, a flexible circuit, and a conductive ink circuit.

17. The illumination system of claim 13, wherein the surface is provided in a vehicle footwell space.

18. The illumination system of claim 13, further comprising a controller in electrical communication with the transmitter and a vehicle power source.

19. The illumination system of claim 18, wherein the controller detects the presence of the receiver and causes the power source to provide electrical power to the transmitter if the receiver is detected.

20. The illumination system of claim 18, wherein the controller prevents the power source from providing electrical power to the transmitter if the receiver is no longer detected.