Contactless transmission line for wireless power transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12184085-B2
Application number	US-202117143758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2021
Priority date	Jan 7, 2021
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A system for wireless power transfer (WPT) is described. The WPT system may be used for charging of electric vehicles or other mobile platforms. The WPT system includes a gap waveguide base including a conductive waveguiding structure and a bandgap structure along at least the lateral sides of the waveguiding structure. The WPT system also includes a charging plate separate from the gap waveguide base. The charging plate includes a conductive plate having a receiving structure for receiving the electromagnetic field from the gap waveguide base through an air gap. The disclosed WPT system enables propagation of an electromagnetic field through the air gap, including electromagnetic fields in the very high frequency (VHF) band.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wireless power transfer system for wireless transfer of electric power to a mobile platform, the wireless power transfer system comprising:
a gap waveguide base comprising:
a first adaptor coupling the gap waveguide base to an external power source providing an electromagnetic field having a frequency in very high frequency (VHF) range;
a coil-less conductive waveguiding structure coupled to the first adaptor to receive the electromagnetic field from the external power source, the coil-less conductive waveguiding structure being a waveguiding ridge extending along a longitudinal axis of the gap waveguide base that is configured to facilitate propagation of the electromagnetic field along the longitudinal axis of the gap waveguide base; and
a bandgap structure next to the coil-less conductive waveguiding structure along at least two opposing lateral sides of the coil-less conductive waveguiding structure, the bandgap structure having a periodicity, based on the frequency of the electromagnetic field, prohibiting propagation of the electromagnetic field from the lateral sides of the coil-less conductive waveguiding structure; and

a charging plate comprising:
a conductive plate having a receiving structure for receiving the electromagnetic field from the gap waveguide base through an air gap, the receiving structure being a conductive planar surface of the conductive plate that is free of any aperture; and
a second adaptor coupling the conductive plate to a load to be charged in the mobile platform;

wherein the gap waveguide base cooperates with the charging plate, when the charging plate is superimposed over and spaced apart from the gap waveguide base, to propagate the electromagnetic field from the coil-less conductive waveguiding structure to the charging plate over the air gap.

2. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the gap waveguide base cooperates with the charging plate to propagate the electromagnetic field over the air gap when the charging plate is superimposed over the gap waveguide base, and when the charging plate is spaced apart from the gap waveguide base by a separation distance in the range of about 5 cm to about 50 cm, and wherein the electromagnetic field has a frequency in the range of about 30 MHz to about 300 MHz.

3. The wireless power transfer system of claim 2 , wherein the separation distance is in the range of about 10 cm to about 40 cm.

4. The wireless power transfer system of claim 2 , wherein the separation distance is in the range of about 15 cm to about 35 cm.

5. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the charging plate is mountable to or integral with a bottom of a body of the mobile platform, and the gap waveguide base is underneath a surface supporting the mobile platform.

6. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the bandgap structure of the gap waveguide base comprises a plurality of conductive posts, wherein the conductive posts are positioned at a fixed periodicity.

7. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the bandgap structure of the gap waveguide base has a height in the range of about 50 cm to about 75 cm.

8. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the first adaptor is a first coaxial connector and the second adaptor is a second coaxial connector.

9. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the bandgap structure of the gap waveguide base comprises a material with periodic holes, wherein the holes provide the periodicity of the bandgap structure of the gap waveguide base.

10. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic field has a frequency in the range of about 30 MHz to about 300 MHz.

11. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the bandgap structure is next to the coil-less conductive waveguiding structure along also at least one longitudinal end of the coil-less conductive waveguiding structure.

Assignees

• Dyab Walid
• Sakr Ahmed
• Ibrahim Mourad
• Hussain Intikhab
• Wu Ke
• Huawei Tech Canada Co Ltd

Inventors

• Dyab Walid
• Sakr Ahmed
• Ibrahim Mourad
• Hussain Intikhab
• Wu Ke

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• B60L50/10

  using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines · CPC title

• B60L53/10

  characterised by the energy transfer between the charging station and the vehicle · CPC title