Inductive power transmission geometry

• US 9,722,450 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wagman, Daniel C., Jol, Eric S., Jones, Warren Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Application Number:
  US14/322,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20160006288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A first electronic device includes an inner inductive coil positioned at least partially around a shield core and a second electronic device includes an outer inductive coil positioned around an aperture. The first electronic device is operable to receive power from and/or transmit power to the second electronic device when a portion of the first electronic device is inserted into the aperture of the second electronic device, positioning the inner inductive coil within the aperture and within the outer inductive coil. When power is being transmitted between the first and second electronic devices, the shield core concentrates magnetic flux around the inner inductive coil and/or the outer inductive coil. In some implementations, an outer shield may be positioned at least partially around the outer inductive coil and may also concentrate magnetic flux around the inner inductive coil and/or the outer inductive coil.

Claims

1. A system for inductive power transmission, comprising:

a first electronic device including an inner inductive coil positioned at least partially around a shield core;

a second electronic device including an outer inductive coil positioned around an aperture; and

a charging circuit coupled to a battery in at least one of the first or second electronic devices and configured to receive power from the first or second electronic device when the inner inductive coil is positioned within the aperture;

wherein;

the shield core concentrates magnetic flux around the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a surface of the inner inductive coil is positioned adjacent to a surface of the shield core and the shield core includes at least one flange that covers at least one additional surface of the inner inductive coil.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner inductive coil is a receive coil, the outer inductive coil is a transmit coil that generates the magnetic flux, and the shield core collects the magnetic flux.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the shield core includes at least one cavity that comprises an acoustic port that extends through the shield core.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil are configured in complementary shapes.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil are both configured in circular shapes.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is operable to at least one of transmit power from at least one first battery of the first electronic device to at least one second battery of the second electronic device or receive power at the at least one first battery from the at least one second battery when the inner inductive coil is positioned within the aperture.

19. The system of claim 4, wherein the first electronic device includes at least one electronic component positioned within the at least one cavity.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one electronic component comprises at least one acoustic component.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a shield core;

an inner inductive coil positioned at least partially around the shield core; and

a charging circuit coupled to a battery configured to receive power from an additional electronic device when the inner inductive coil is positioned within an aperture of the additional electronic device;

wherein;

the shield core concentrates magnetic flux around the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the shield core comprises at least a ferrite material.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the inner inductive coil is embedded within the shield core.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one cavity comprises an acoustic port that extends through the shield core.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

an aperture; and

an outer inductive coil positioned around the aperture; and

a charging circuit coupled to a battery configured to transmit power to an additional electronic device when the outer inductive coil is positioned around an inner inductive coil of the additional electronic device;

wherein;

the inner inductive coil is positioned at least partially around a shield core that concentrates magnetic flux around the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an outer shield positioned at least partially around the outer inductive coil that concentrates the magnetic flux around the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a surface of the outer inductive coil is positioned adjacent to a surface of the outer shield and the outer shield includes at least one flange that covers at least one additional surface of the outer inductive coil.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the outer inductive coil is embedded within the outer shield.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the inner inductive coil is a receive coil, the outer inductive coil is a transmit coil that generates the magnetic flux, and the outer shield guides the magnetic flux toward the receive coil.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the shield core or the outer shield mitigate interference by the magnetic flux with at least one electronic component of the first electronic device or the second electronic device.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the first electronic device includes a shaft configured to be inserted into the aperture and the inner inductive coil is located within the shaft.