Wireless power transfer magnetic couplers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9240270-B2
Application number	US-201213648201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2012
Priority date	Oct 7, 2011
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A magnetic coupler is disclosed for wireless power transfer systems. A ferrimagnetic component is capable of guiding a magnetic field. A wire coil is wrapped around at least a portion of the ferrimagnetic component. A screen is capable of blocking leakage magnetic fields. The screen may be positioned to cover at least one side of the ferrimagnetic component and the coil. A distance across the screen may be at least six times an air gap distance between the ferrimagnetic component and a receiving magnetic coupler.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic coupler, comprising:
a ferrimagnetic component capable of guiding a magnetic field,
a wire coil wrapped around at least a portion of the ferrimagnetic component, and
a screen capable of blocking leakage magnetic fields, the screen positioned to cover at least one side of the ferrimagnetic component and the coil, wherein the screen comprises a metamaterial, the metamaterial comprising printed circuit board (“PCB”) coils, the PCB coils comprising at least one full turn.

2. The magnetic coupler of claim 1 , wherein the ferrimagnetic component is selected from the group consisting of ferrite, soft ferrite, manganese-zinc ferrite, and nickel-zinc ferrite.

3. The magnetic coupler of claim 1 , wherein the ferrimagnetic component is configured to generate a horizontal field.

4. The magnetic coupler of claim 1 , wherein the ferrimagnetic component is configured in an H-shape.

5. The magnetic coupler of claim 1 , wherein the coil is wrapped around a center portion of an H-shaped ferrimagnetic component.

6. The magnetic coupler of claim 1 , wherein the coil is capable of carrying alternating current.

7. The magnetic coupler of claim 1 , wherein the screen comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a superconductive material, a metamaterial, a superconductive metamaterial, an actively excited circuit, and a diamagnetic material.

8. The magnetic coupler of claim 1 , wherein the screen comprises metamaterial.

9. The magnetic coupler of claim 1 , wherein the screen comprises a diamagnetic material.

10. A wireless power transfer system, comprising:
a transmitting magnetic coupler,
a receiving magnetic coupler,
wherein the transmitting magnetic coupler and the receiving magnetic coupler each comprise:
a ferrimagnetic component capable of guiding a magnetic field,
a wire coil wrapped around at least a portion of the ferrimagnetic component, and
a screen capable of blocking leakage magnetic fields, the screen positioned to cover at least one side of the ferrimagnetic component and the coil, wherein the screen comprises a metamaterial, the metamaterial comprising printed circuit board (“PCB”) coils, the PCB coils comprising at least one full turn.

Assignees

• Univ Utah State Res Foundation
• Univ Utah State

Inventors

• Wu Hunter
• Gilchrist Aaron
• Sealy Kylee

Classifications

• H01F27/00 Primary

  Details of transformers or inductances, in general · CPC title

• H01F27/255

  made from particles (H01F27/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01F38/14

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

• H01F3/08

  made from powder (powder coatings on sheets H01F3/02; on strips or ribbons H01F3/04; on wires H01F3/06) · CPC title

• H01F27/36

  Electric or magnetic shields or screens (movable for varying inductance H01F21/10) · CPC title