Surface mountable wireless power transmitter for transmission at extended range

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021343470-A1
Application number	US-202016863691-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 30, 2020
Priority date	Apr 30, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A surface mountable housing for a power transmitter for wireless power transfer includes a connector system configured for use to mount, at least, a transmitter antenna to an underside of a structural surface, such that the transmitter antenna is configured to couple with a receiver antenna of a power receiver when the receiver antenna is proximate to a top side of the structural surface. The surface mountable housing further includes a heat sink, the heat sink configured to rest, at least in part, below the transmitter antenna, when the power transmitter is connected to the structural surface, and configured to direct heat generated by the power transmitter away from the structural surface, and an antenna housing, the antenna housing substantially surrounding a side wall of the transmitter antenna, the antenna housing connected to the heat sink and positioned between the heat sink and the structural surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power transmitter for wireless power transfer at an operating frequency selected from a range of about 87 kilohertz (kHz) to about 205 kHz, the power transmitter comprising:
a control and communications unit; an inverter circuit configured to receive input power and convert the input power to a power signal; a transmitter antenna, the transmitter antenna including:
a coil configured to transmit the power signal to a power receiver, the coil formed of wound Litz wire and including at least one layer, the coil defining, at least, a top face; and
a shielding comprising a ferrite core and defining a cavity, the cavity configured such that the ferrite core substantially surrounds all but the top face of the coil; and
a surface mountable housing, the surface mountable housing substantially connected to, at least, the transmitter antenna and the surface mountable housing including a connector system configured for use to mount, at least, the transmitter antenna to an underside of a structural surface such that the transmitter antenna is configured to couple with a receiver antenna of the power receiver when the receiver antenna is proximate to a top side of the structural surface.

2 . The power transmitter of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the surface mountable housing further includes a heat sink, the heat sink configured to rest, at least in part, below the transmitter antenna, when the power transmitter is connected to the structural surface, and configured to direct heat generated by the power transmitter away from the structural surface.

3 . The power transmitter of claim 2 , further comprising a transmitter electronics circuit board, the transmitter electronics circuit board including components of one or more of the control and communications circuit, the inverter circuit, or combinations thereof, and
wherein the heat sink is configured to dissipate heat, generated by one or more of the electronics circuit board or components located on the electronics circuit board, away from the structural surface.

4 . The power transmitter of claim 3 , further comprising a thermal interface material, the thermal interface material disposed between the electronics circuit board and the heat sink and configured to direct heat from the electronics circuit board to the heat sink.

5 . The power transmitter of claim 4 , wherein the thermal interface material includes one or more of a thermal paste, a thermal adhesive, a thermal gap filter, a thermally conductive pad, a thermal tape, a phase-change material, a metal thermal interface, or combinations thereof.

6 . The power transmitter of claim 2 , wherein the surface mountable housing further includes an antenna housing, the antenna housing substantially surrounding a side wall of the transmitter antenna, and
the antenna housing connected to the heat sink and positioned between the heat sink and the structural surface.

7 . The power transmitter of claim 2 , wherein the heat sink defines one or more cut outs, each of the one or more cut outs configured to increase external surface area of the heat sink.

8 . The power transmitter of claim 2 , wherein the heat sink is formed, at least in part, from aluminum.

9 . The power transmitter of claim 1 , wherein a thickness between the underside of the structural surface and the top side of the structural surface is in a range of about 5 millimeters (mm) to about 15 mm, and
wherein the surface mountable housing is configured to mount directly to the underside of the structural surface via the connection system.

10 . The power transmitter of claim 1 , wherein a surface thickness is defined as a thickness between the underside of the structural surface and the top side of the structural surface, and
wherein the structural member defines a hole, the hole defining a hole ceiling and a hole opening, wherein a hole thickness is defined as a thickness between the hole ceiling and the hole opening, wherein the hole thickness is less than the surface thickness, and wherein the surface mountable housing is configured to mount to the hole ceiling of the hole of the structural surface.

11 . The power transmitter of claim 10 , wherein the surface thickness is in a range of about 20 mm to about 60 mm, and
wherein the hole thickness is in a range of about 5 mm to about 50 mm.

12 . A surface mountable power transmitter for wireless power transfer at an operating frequency selected from a range of about 87 kilohertz (kHz) to about 205 kHz, the surface mountable power transmitter configured to be mounted on an underside of a structural surface, the power transmitter comprising:
a control and communications unit; an inverter circuit configured to receive input power and convert the input power to a power signal; a transmitter antenna, the transmitter antenna including
a coil configured to transmit the power signal to a power receiver, the coil formed of wound Litz wire and including at least one layer, the coil defining, at least, a top face; and
a shielding comprising a ferrite core and defining a cavity, the cavity configured such that the ferrite core substantially surrounds all but the top face of the coil; and
a surface mountable housing, the surface mountable housing substantially connected to, at least, the transmitter antenna and the surface mountable housing including a connector system configured for use to mount, at least, the transmitter antenna to the underside of the structural surface such that the transmitter antenna is configured to couple with a receiver antenna of the power receiver when the receiver antenna is proximate to a top side of the structural surface.

13 . The surface mountable power transmitter of claim 12 , wherein the shielding is an E-Core type shielding and the cavity is configured in an E-shape configuration.

14 . The surface mountable power transmitter of claim 12 , wherein the at least one layer comprises a first layer and a second layer.

15 . The surface mountable power transmitter of claim 14 , wherein the Litz wire is a bifilar Litz wire.

16 . The surface mountable power transmitter of claim 15 , wherein the first layer includes a first number of turns in a range of about 4 turns to about 5 turns, and wherein the second layer includes a second number of turns in a range of about 4 turns to about 5 turns.

17 . The surface mountable power transmitter of claim 12 , wherein a shielding outer edge of the shielding extends about 4.5 millimeters (mm) to about 6.5 mm outward from a coil outer edge of the coil.

18 . The surface mountable power transmitter of claim 12 , wherein the coil has an outer diameter length in a range of about 40 mm to about 50 mm.

19 . The surface mountable power transmitter of claim 12 , wherein the coil has an inner diameter length in a range of about 15 mm to about 25 mm.

20 . A surface mountable housing for a power transmitter for wireless power transfer at an operating frequency selected from a range of a about 87 kilohertz (kHz) to about 205 kHz, the power transmitter including, at least, a transmitter antenna, the surface mountable housing comprising:
a connector system configured for use to mount, at least, the transmitter antenna to an underside of a structural surface, such that the transmitter antenna is configured to couple with a receiver antenna of a power receiver when the receiver antenna is proximate to a top side of the structural surface; a heat sink, the heat sink configured to rest, at le

Assignees

• Nucurrent Inc

Inventors

• Los Oleg
• Alam Md Nazmul

Classifications

• 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

• H02J50/70 Primary

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

• H02J50/12

  of the resonant type · CPC title

• H01F27/2823

  Wires (H01F27/2866 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01F38/14 Primary

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