Inductive power transmission geometry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016006288-A1
Application number	US-201414322253-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 2, 2014
Priority date	Jul 2, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

We claim:

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; and a second electronic device including an outer inductive coil positioned around an aperture; wherein: the first electronic device is operable to at least one of transmit power to the second electronic device or receive power from the second electronic device when the inner inductive coil is positioned within the aperture; and 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 shield core comprises at least a ferrite material.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner inductive coil is embedded within the shield core.

5 . 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.

6 . The system of claim 1 , 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

7 . The system of claim 6 , 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.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the outer inductive coil is embedded within the outer shield.

9 . The system of claim 6 , 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.

10 . The system of claim 6 , 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.

11 . The system of claim 1 , 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.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the shield core includes at least one cavity.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one cavity comprises an acoustic port that extends through the shield core.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first electronic device includes at least one electronic component positioned within the at least one cavity.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one electronic component comprises at least one acoustic component.

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

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

18 . 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 . An electronic device, comprising:
a shield core; and an inner inductive coil positioned at least partially around the shield core; wherein: the electronic device is operable to at least one of transmit power to an additional electronic device or receive power from the additional electronic device when the inner inductive coil is positioned within an aperture of the additional electronic device around which an outer inductive coil is positioned; and the shield core concentrates magnetic flux around the inner inductive coil and the outer inductive coil.

20 . An electronic device, comprising:
an aperture; and an outer inductive coil positioned around the aperture; wherein: the electronic device is operable to at least one of transmit power to an additional electronic device or receive power from the additional electronic device when an inner inductive coil of the additional electronic device is positioned within the aperture; and 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.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Wagman Daniel C
• Jol Eric S
• Jones Warren Z

Classifications

• H02J4/25 Primary

  for transfer of electric power between AC and DC networks, e.g. for supplying the DC section within a load from an AC mains system · CPC title

• H02J7/025 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01F38/14

  Inductive couplings {(for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10)} · CPC title

• H02J50/70 Primary

  involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields · CPC title

• H02J50/005

  Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices · CPC title