Rechargeable inductive charger

• US 7,906,936 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powermat Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powermat Ltd.
• Inventors: Greenwald, Oola, Ben-Shalom, Amir, Azancot, Yossi, Rofe, Arik
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/757,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/108, 320/112, 320/114, 320/115, 320/141
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

An inductive charger comprising an inductive coil and a chargeable power pack. The inductive charger includes a driving circuit connectable to the power pack for providing a varying electrical potential to the inductive coil such that the inductive coil is inductively couplable to a secondary coil wired to an electrical load. The inductive charger may further include a charging circuit for connecting the inductive coil to the power pack when the inductive coil is inductively coupled to a primary coil.

Claims

1. A rechargeable inductive charger comprising:

at least one chargeable power pack;

at least one charging circuit configured to regulate charging of said power pack;

at least one inductive coil concealed behind a platform; and

at least one driving circuit connectable to said power pack and operable to provide a varying electrical potential across said inductive coil such that said inductive coil is inductively coupleable to a secondary coil placed over said platform and wired to an electrical load.

2. The inductive charger of claim 1 additionally comprising a ferromagnetic core for guiding magnetic flux through said inductive coil when inductively coupled.

3. The inductive charger of claim 1 additionally comprising a jack for conductively connecting said power pack to an external electrical load for powering said electrical load.

5. The inductive charger of claim 1 wherein said charging circuit comprises at least one rectifier.

6. The inductive charger of claim 1 wherein said power pack is selected from a group consisting of:

nickel-cadmium cells, nickel metal hydride cells, alkaline cells, flow batteries, rechargeable electrochemical cells and capacitors.

7. The inductive charger of claim 1 wherein said driver comprises at least one switching unit for intermittently connecting said power pack to said inductive coil at high frequency.

8. The inductive charger of claim 1 additionally comprising a jack for conductively connecting said power pack to an external power source for recharging.

9. The inductive charger of claim 1 further configured to connect said inductive coil to said power pack when said inductive coil is inductively coupled to a primary coil wired to a power supply for charging said power pack.

10. A computer comprising the inductive charger of claim 1.

11. The computer of claim 10, wherein the power pack powers said computer.

12. The computer of claim 10, wherein said inductive coil is a secondary coil used to power said computer when said secondary coil is coupled to a primary inductive coil that is itself coupled to a power source.

14. The inductive charger of claim 1 further comprising a mode selector configured to selectively connect the inductive coil to the power pack via either the driving circuit or the charging circuit.

4. The inductive charger of laim 1 wherein said at least one charging circuit is connectable to said inductive coil such that when said inductive coil is placed in the vicinity of an external primary coil, power is transferred from said external primary coil to said inductive coil to charge said power pack.

13. A rechargeable inductive charger comprising at least one inductive coil concealed behind a platform;

and at least one chargeable power pack, said charger additionally comprising;

a. at least one charging circuit for connecting said inductive coil to said power pack when said inductive coil is inductively coupled to a primary coil wired to a power supply for charging said power pack; and

b. at least one driving circuit connectable to said power pack for providing a varying electrical potential to said inductive coil such that said inductive coil is inductively coupleable to a secondary coil placed over said platform and wired to an electrical load.