BATTERY WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM

• US 20160254694A1
• Filed: 02/26/2016
• Published: 09/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electrochem Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Peterson, Brian R., Jankins, Eric, Robnett, Ronald H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,277,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for wirelessly charging an electrical energy storage device such as an electrochemical cell or battery pack is described. The system comprises a transmitting base unit having a charging tray that is capable of wirelessly transmitting electrical power received from an external electrical energy source. In addition, the system comprises an electrical energy capture assembly that is electrically incorporatable with an energy storage device. The energy capture assembly comprises a receiving coil that is electrically connected to various sub-circuits that condition and modify the wirelessly received electrical energy so that it re-charges the energy storage device. The system is primarily designed to be used with electrical power that is wirelessly transmitted by near field magnetic induction. The circuitry of the system is designed to accommodate for fluctuations in magnitude of wirelessly transmitted electrical power. In addition, system is designed to optimally utilize wireless near field magnetic induction electrical power.

Claims

1. A base unit for wirelessly transmitting electrical power, the base unit comprising:

a) a housing that extends along a longitudinal axis from a proximal housing end to a distal housing end, the housing comprising a first housing portion having a first housing sidewall with a first sidewall surface opposed from a second housing portion having a second housing sidewall with a second sidewall surface;

b) a main circuit board electrically connected to an antenna circuit board positioned within the housing, wherein the antenna circuit board supports an antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting electrical energy, the main circuit board supports an electrical energy transmitting circuit that is electrically connectable to an external electrical energy supply;

c) an electrical energy supply unit connectable to an external electrical power supply housed within the base housing, the electrical energy supply unit configured to provide electrical power to the main circuit board; and

d) wherein a tray portion having a tray platform extending from an angled perimeter tray sidewall is formed within the housing, the tray platform positioned proximate the antenna circuit board that resides within the housing.

2. The base unit of claim 1 wherein the electrical energy transmitting circuit comprises a power management sub-circuit having a first integrated circuit electrically connected to a clock signal circuit comprising an and-gate, a nand-gate, a first field emission transistor, and a second field emission transistor.

3. The base unit of claim 2 wherein the electrical energy transmitting circuit comprises an inverter sub-circuit in which the antenna, comprising an inductor coil, is electrically connected to a first set of field emission transistors Q₁ and Q₂ and a second separate set of field emission transistors Q₃ and Q₄, wherein alternating movement of the respective first and second sets of field emission transistors causes an electrical power having an alternating current to flow across the inductor coil.

4. The base unit of claim 3 wherein the electrical energy transmitting circuit comprises a pulse width modulator sub-circuit electrically connected to the inverter sub-circuit, the pulse width modulator sub-circuit comprising a clock resonator source and an and-gate electrically connected in parallel to an nand-gate, wherein the pulse width modulator sub-circuit is configured to provide a clock reference signal to the inverter sub-circuit.

5. The base unit of claim 1 wherein the angled perimeter tray sidewall and tray platform are formed by the first housing portion sidewall.

6. The base unit of claim 1 wherein a gap that ranges from about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm extends between a tray platform exterior surface and an antenna circuit board exterior surface.

7. The base unit of claim 1 wherein a foot having an exterior foot surface is formed by the housing at the housing distal end, the foot oriented about perpendicular to the longitudinal axis such that the exterior foot surface extends outwardly away from the antenna circuit board.

8. The base unit of claim 7 wherein a second gap that ranges from about 2.5 cm to about 10 cm extends between an exterior antenna circuit board surface and the exterior foot surface.

9. The base unit of claim 8 wherein an angle ranging from about 10°

to about 90°

extends between the longitudinal axis and an imagine line that extends along a surface of the tray sidewall.

10. An energy capture assembly connectable to an energy storage device, the energy capture assembly comprising:

a) an antenna capable of receiving wirelessly transmitted electrical power;

b) a circuit board supporting an energy capture circuit electrically connected to the antenna, the energy capture circuit comprising;

i) a voltage regulator sub-circuit having a first integrated circuit with a buck voltage converter configured to dynamically modify an amplitude of a voltage of the received wireless electrical power; and

ii) a charger sub-circuit having a second integrated circuit with a linear voltage converter configured to reduce the voltage of the received wireless electrical power; and

c) an electrical connector connected to the circuit board, and wherein the electrical connector is electrically connectable to an energy storage device.

11. The energy capture assembly of claim 10 wherein the energy capture circuit further comprises a conditioning sub-circuit comprising an electrical impedance matching network circuit having a plurality of electrically connected capacitors and a rectification circuit having a plurality of electrically connected diodes.

12. The energy capture assembly of claim 10 wherein the energy capture circuit further comprises a protection sub-circuit, the protection sub-circuit comprising a third integrated circuit and at least one field emission transistor, wherein the third integrated circuit is configured to control the opening and closing of the at least one field emission transistor, thereby electrically connecting or disconnecting the energy capture circuit from a connected energy storage device.

13. The energy capture assembly of claim 10 wherein the energy storage device is selected from the group of an electrochemical cell, a battery pack, and a capacitor.

14. The energy capture assembly of claim 10 wherein the antenna is an inductor coil.

15. The energy capture assembly of claim 10 wherein the antenna is incorporated within the circuit board.

16. The energy capture assembly of claim 10 wherein the circuit board is composed of a material selected from the group of a polymeric material, a polyimide, and a polyether ether ketone.

17. A wirelessly configured energy storage device, comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an energy storage device;

c) an energy capture assembly connected to the energy storage device residing within the housing, the energy capture assembly comprising;

i) an antenna capable of receiving wirelessly transmitted electrical power;

ii) a circuit board supporting an energy capture circuit electrically connected to the antenna, the energy capture circuit comprising;

A) a voltage regulator sub-circuit having a first integrated circuit with a buck voltage converter configured to dynamically modify an amplitude of a voltage of the received wireless electrical power; and

B) a charger sub-circuit having a second integrated circuit with a linear voltage converter configured to reduce the voltage of the received wireless electrical power; and

iii) an electrical connector electrically connected to the circuit board and the energy storage device.

18. The wirelessly configured energy storage device of claim 17 wherein the energy capture circuit further comprises a conditioning sub-circuit comprising an electrical impedance matching network circuit having a plurality of electrically connected capacitors and a rectification circuit having a plurality of electrically connected diodes.

19. The wirelessly configured energy storage device of claim 17 wherein the energy capture circuit further comprises a protection sub-circuit, the protection sub-circuit comprising a third integrated circuit and at least one field emission transistor, wherein the third integrated circuit is configured to control the opening and closing of the at least one field emission transistor, thereby electrically connecting or disconnecting the energy capture circuit from the connected energy storage device.

20. The wirelessly configured energy storage device of claim 17 wherein the energy storage device is selected from the group of an electrochemical cell, a battery pack and a capacitor.

21. The wirelessly configured energy storage device of claim 17 wherein the antenna is incorporated within the circuit board.

22. A wireless electrical charging system, comprising:

a) a base unit connectable to an external electrical power supply and having a housing wherein a transmitting energy circuit is electrically connected to a first antenna residing therewithin, wherein the transmitting energy circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit an electrical power having an alternating current, the transmitting energy circuit comprising;

i) a power management sub-circuit having a first integrated circuit, the first integrated circuit configured to modify a current and/or a voltage of the electrical power;

ii) an amplifier electrically connected to the first antenna, the amplifier and first antenna configured to transmit electrical power having an alternating current; and

b) an energy capture assembly electrically connected to an energy storage device, wherein the energy capture assembly is configured to receive electrical power wirelessly transmitted by the transmitting energy circuit within the base unit, the energy capture assembly comprising;

i) a second antenna configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted electrical power;

ii) a voltage regulator sub-circuit having a second integrated circuit with a buck voltage converter configured to dynamically modify an amplitude of a voltage of the received wireless electrical power; and

iii) a charger sub-circuit having a third integrated circuit with a linear voltage converter configured to reduce the voltage of the received wireless electrical power.

23. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 22 wherein the base unit comprises a power supply sub-circuit having a third integrated circuit configured to modify an electrical power received from an external power supply to electrically power the transmitting energy circuit.

24. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 22 wherein the amplifier comprises a first set of field emission transistors Q₁ and Q₂ and a second separate set of field emission transistors Q₃ and Q₄, wherein alternating movement of the respective first and second sets of field emission transistors causes an electrical power having an alternating current to flow across an inductor coil of the first antenna to generate a magnetic field.

25. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 24 wherein a pulse width modulator sub-circuit is electrically connected to the amplifier, the pulse width modulator sub-circuit comprising a clock resonator source and an and-gate that is electrically connected in parallel to a nand-gate, wherein the pulse width modulator sub-circuit is configured to provide a clock reference signal to the amplifier.

26. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 22 wherein the energy capture circuit further comprises a protection sub-circuit, the protection sub-circuit comprising a third integrated circuit and at least one field emission transistor, wherein the third integrated circuit is configured to control the opening and closing of the at least one field emission transistor, thereby electrically connecting or disconnecting the energy capture circuit from a connected energy storage device.

27. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 22 wherein the first and second antennas comprise inductor coils.

28. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 22 wherein a tray portion having a tray platform extending from an angled tray sidewall is formed within the base unit housing, the tray platform positioned proximate to the first antenna that resides within the base unit housing.

29. The wireless electrical charging system of claim 22 wherein a foot having an exterior foot surface is formed by the base unit housing, the foot oriented about perpendicular to a longitudinal axis that extends lengthwise across the base unit housing, wherein the exterior foot surface extends outwardly away from the first antenna that resides within the base unit housing.