Wireless power transfer magnetic couplers

• US 9,240,270 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2012
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Utah State University
• Original Assignee: Utah State University
• Inventors: Wu, Hunter, Gilchrist, Aaron, Sealy, Kylee
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, James P
• Application Number:
  US13/648,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20130088090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 336/92, 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A magnetic coupler is disclosed for wireless power transfer systems. A ferrimagnetic component is capable of guiding a magnetic field. A wire coil is wrapped around at least a portion of the ferrimagnetic component. A screen is capable of blocking leakage magnetic fields. The screen may be positioned to cover at least one side of the ferrimagnetic component and the coil. A distance across the screen may be at least six times an air gap distance between the ferrimagnetic component and a receiving magnetic coupler.

Claims

1. A magnetic coupler, comprising:

a ferrimagnetic component capable of guiding a magnetic field,

a wire coil wrapped around at least a portion of the ferrimagnetic component, and

a screen capable of blocking leakage magnetic fields, the screen positioned to cover at least one side of the ferrimagnetic component and the coil, wherein the screen comprises a metamaterial, the metamaterial comprising printed circuit board (“

PCB”

) coils, the PCB coils comprising at least one full turn.

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 coil is wrapped around a center portion of an H-shaped ferrimagnetic component.

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

7. 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.

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

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

10. 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 capable of guiding a magnetic field,

a wire coil wrapped around at least a portion of the ferrimagnetic component, and

a screen capable of blocking leakage magnetic fields, the screen positioned to cover at least one side of the ferrimagnetic component and the coil, wherein the screen comprises a metamaterial, the metamaterial comprising printed circuit board (“

PCB”

) coils, the PCB coils comprising at least one full turn.