Flexible resonator attachment

• US 9,806,541 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Schatz, David A., Lou, Herbert T., Kesler, Morris P., Hall, Katherine L., Kulikowski, Konrad, Giler, Eric R., Fiorello, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Hal
• Application Number:
  US14/808,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20160028243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power transfer for electronic devices. In embodiments reconfigurable or flexible attachment between a source and a device is realized using permanent magnets or electromagnets. Magnetic material may be positioned on or around one or more of the resonator to provide for locations for attaching permanent magnets. A permanent magnet attached to or near one of a source or device or repeater resonators may be used to flexibly attach to the non-lossy magnetic material of another resonator structure. In embodiments, replacing lossy permanent magnets and/or electromagnets in even one of the resonators of a wireless power system may be advantageous to system performance.

Claims

1. A wireless energy transfer system, comprising:

at least one loop formed by an electrical conductor; and

a magnetic material in proximity to at least a portion of the at least one loop,

wherein the magnetic material is configured so that during operation of the system;

a device comprising a magnet can be connected in each of a plurality of orientations to the magnetic material; and

the at least one loop is configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field to transfer energy to the device in an orientation among the plurality of orientations in which the device can be connected.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises at least one substantially planar surface that attaches to each of the plurality of locations.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one loop extends in a plane defined by the at least one substantially planar surface of the magnetic material.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one loop is disposed on the at least one substantially planar surface of the magnetic material.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is formed as a plurality of blocks of magnetic material, and wherein gaps are positioned between at least some of the blocks.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source coupled to the at least one loop, wherein during operation of the system, the power source provides an oscillating electrical current to the at least one loop.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is integrated into a vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is disposed in or on a dashboard of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is integrated into a refrigerator.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is coupled to an energy drain.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is integrated into a mobile electronic device.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a magnet positioned so that the system can be connected to a like system comprising a magnetic material by positioning the system so that the magnet is in proximity to the magnetic material of the like system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises a ferrite material.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one loop is a component of a magnetic resonator having a quality factor Q>

100.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one loop is formed as part of a magnetic resonator.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is positioned so that during operation, the magnetic material shields losses that would otherwise occur due to the magnet of the device.