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US 12,749,920 B2Granted
Segmented wireless power transfer
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsAl-Thaddeus Avestruz, Xin Zan, Akshay Sarin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for wireless power transfer includes a segmented coil comprising a plurality of coil segments, each adjacent pair of coil segments of the plurality of coil segments being separated from one another by a respective passive element, and a plurality of constituent converters coupled to the segmented coil, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being coupled to a respective coil segment of the plurality of coil segments to drive the respective coil segment.
Claims28
A device for wireless power transfer, the device comprising:
- a segmented coil comprising a plurality of resonant coil segments, each adjacent pair of resonant coil segments of the plurality of resonant coil segments being separated from, and coupled to, one another by a respective passive element;
- and
- a plurality of constituent converters coupled to the segmented coil, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being coupled to a respective resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being configured to drive the respective resonant coil segment to transmit or receive power for the wireless power transfer such that power conversion by the plurality of constituent converters is segmented;
- wherein the plurality of coil segments are arranged in a loop;
- wherein each resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments has a respective constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters coupled thereto;
- and
- wherein each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters is configured to drive the respective resonant coil segment to which the constituent converter is coupled such that a same loop current flows through each respective resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments.
4 more elements
A system for wireless power transfer, the system comprising:
- a transmitter device;
- and
- a receiver device;
- wherein the transmitter device, the receiver device, or both the transmitter device and the receiver device comprises:
- a segmented coil comprising a plurality of resonant coil segments, each adjacent pair of resonant coil segments of the plurality of resonant coil segments being separated from, and coupled to, one another by a respective capacitance;
- and
- a plurality of constituent converters coupled to the segmented coil, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being coupled to a respective resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being configured to drive the respective resonant coil segment to transmit or receive power for the wireless power transfer such that power conversion by the plurality of constituent converters is segmented;
- wherein the plurality of coil segments are arranged in a loop;
- wherein each resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments has a respective constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters coupled thereto;
- and
- wherein each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters is configured to drive the respective resonant coil segment to which the constituent converter is coupled such that a same loop current flows through each respective resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments.
8 more elements
A transmitter for wireless power transfer, the transmitter comprising:
- a segmented coil comprising a plurality of resonant coil segments, each adjacent pair of resonant coil segments of the plurality of resonant coil segments being separated from, and coupled to, one another by a respective capacitance;
- and
- a plurality of constituent converters coupled to the segmented coil, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being coupled to a respective resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being configured to drive the respective resonant coil segment to transmit power for the wireless power transfer such that power conversion by the plurality of constituent converters is segmented;
- wherein:
- each constituent converter of the plurality of converters comprises a pair of switches and a plurality of passive components coupling the pair of switches to the resonant coil segment;
- the plurality of coil segments are arranged in a loop;
- wherein each resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments has a respective constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters coupled thereto;
- and
- wherein each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters is configured to drive the respective resonant coil segment to which the constituent converter is coupled such that a same loop current flows through each respective resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments.
6 more elements
A receiver for wireless power transfer, the receiver comprising:
- a segmented coil comprising a plurality of resonant coil segments, each adjacent pair of resonant coil segments of the plurality of resonant coil segments being separated from, and coupled to, one another by a respective capacitance;
- and
- a plurality of constituent converters coupled to the segmented coil, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being coupled to a respective resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments, each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters being configured to drive the respective resonant coil segment to receive power for the wireless power transfer such that power conversion by the plurality of constituent converters is segmented;
- wherein:
- each constituent converter of the plurality of converters comprises a pair of switches and a plurality of passive components coupling the pair of switches to the resonant coil segment;
- the plurality of resonant coil segments are arranged in a loop;
- wherein each resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments has a respective constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters coupled thereto;
- and
- wherein each constituent converter of the plurality of constituent converters is configured to drive the respective resonant coil segment to which the constituent converter is coupled such that a same loop current flows through each respective resonant coil segment of the plurality of resonant coil segments.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.