Single structure multi mode antenna having a single layer structure with coils on opposing sides for wireless power transmission using magnetic field coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9960628-B2
Application number	US-201514821122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2015
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

Various embodiments of a single structure multiple mode antenna are described. The antenna is preferably of a single layer construction having a plurality of inductor coils positioned on respective opposing substrate sides that are electrically connected. The antenna is also constructed having a plurality of electrical connections positioned along the first and second inductor coils. A plurality of terminals facilitates connection of the electrical connections thereby providing numerous electrical connection configurations and enables the antenna to be selectively tuned to various frequencies and frequency bands.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna, comprising:
a) a substrate composed of an electrically insulative material having opposing top and bottom surfaces;
b) a first conductive wire forming a first coil having N 1 number of turns, the first coil capable of exhibiting a first inductance disposed on the substrate top surface and a second conductive wire forming a second coil having N 2 number of turns, the second coil capable of exhibiting a second inductance disposed within an inner perimeter of the first coil on the substrate top surface, wherein the first and second coils are connected in electrical series;
c) a third conductive wire forming a third coil having N 3 number of turns, the third coil capable of exhibiting a third inductance disposed on the opposing bottom substrate surface;
d) at least one first via electrically connecting the third conductive wire to at least one of the first and second conductive wires;
e) a first terminal electrically connected to a first end of the first coil, a second terminal electrically connected to a second end of the second coil and a third terminal electrically connected to either of the first, second, or third coils; and
f) wherein a tunable inductance is generatable by selecting a connection between two of the first, second, and third terminals.

2. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein a first gap is disposed between the inner perimeter of the first coil and an outer perimeter of the second coil.

3. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first second and third conductive wires comprise two or more filars electrically connected in parallel.

4. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein a fourth conductive wire forming a fourth coil having N 4 number of turns, the fourth coil capable of exhibiting a fourth inductance is disposed within an inner perimeter of the third coil on the bottom substrate surface, wherein the third and fourth coils are connected in electrical series.

5. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal is electrically connected to the first end of the first coil, the first end of the first coil disposed at an end of the first wire of the first coil located at an outermost first coil perimeter, the third terminal is electrically connected to a first end of the second coil positioned at a second coil outer perimeter, and the second terminal is electrically connected to the second end of the second coil located along an interior perimeter of the second coil.

6. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein a selection circuit is electrically connected to the first, second and third terminals, wherein the selection circuit electrically connects two of the first, second and third terminals to generate a tunable inductance.

7. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein N 1 is at least one and N 2 is at least two.

8. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein N 3 is at least one.

9. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein each terminal has a terminal lead portion that extends between a coil connection point and a terminal end, the coil connection point electrically connected to either of the first, second, and third conductive wires of the first, second, and third coils, respectively, and wherein the terminal lead portion extends over at least a portion of either of the first, second, and third conductive wires of the first, second, and third coils, respectively.

10. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of second vias are positioned adjacently along a right side of a length of the terminal lead portion and a plurality of third vias are positioned along a left side of the length of the terminal lead portion and opposed from the plurality of second vias so that each of the plurality of second vias opposes one of the plurality of third vias, wherein the respective opposing vias of the plurality of second and third vias are electrically connected to the same conductive wire of either of the first, second, and third coils, thereby establishing a conductive electrical path therebetween that bypasses the terminal lead portion.

11. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein a selection circuit is electrically connected to two of the first, second, and third terminals.

12. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third conductive wires has a variable wire width.

13. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is capable of exhibiting a quality factor greater than 10 at an operating frequency.

14. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein an electrical signal selected from the group consisting of a data signal, an electrical voltage, an electrical current, and combinations thereof is receivable or transmittable by at least one of the first, second, and third coils.

15. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulative material is selected from the group consisting of a polyimide, an acrylic, fiberglass, polyester, polyether imide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyethylene napthalate, fluropolymers, copolymers, a ceramic material, a ferrite material, and combinations thereof.

16. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is capable of receiving a frequency band selected from the group consisting of about 100 kHz to about 250 kHz, about 250 kHz to about 500 kHz, 6.78 MHz, 13.56 MHz, and combinations thereof.

17. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is capable of receiving or transmit frequencies of at least 100 kHz.

18. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil has an inductance of between about 4.2 μH to about 8.2 μH when operating at about 100 kHz to about 500 kHz.

19. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil has a surface area exceeding 120 mm.

20. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil operates at a current exceeding 500 mA.

Assignees

• Nucurrent Inc

Inventors

• Peralta Alberto
• Singh Vinit
• Rajagopalan Ajit
• Luzinski Jason
• Babcock Jacob
• Frysz Christine A

Classifications

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• H01F38/14

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

• H02J50/80

  involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices · CPC title

• H01F29/02

  with tappings on coil or winding; with provision for rearrangement or interconnection of windings · CPC title