# US 2018/0323649 A1 · Method and device for obtaining power intended to supply a consuming appliance from a conductor traversed by an alternating electrical current

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2018/0323649 A1
- Document ID: US20180323649A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/773,446
- Filed: 2015-11-05
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-11-05
- Assignees: TIXON ENERGY S.r.l.
- Applicants: TIXON ENERGY S.r.l.
- Inventors: Alessandro DONDOLINI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323649A1

## CPC

- H02J 50/12: of the resonant type
- H01F 38/14: Inductive couplings
- H02J 50/001: {Energy harvesting or scavenging}
- H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES

## Abstract

A method and a device are described for obtaining power intended to supply a consuming appliance from a conductor traversed by a primary electrical current, in which a core of magnetic material and a conductive solenoid wound about the core are positioned in a position remote from the conductor to obtain a secondary current in the solenoid from a magnetic field flux generated in the solenoid by the conductor, core and solenoid. The conductive solenoid is connected to the consuming appliance by a circuit adapted to convert the secondary current into a power intended to supply the consuming appliance through a related voltage and output current.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Method for obtaining power intended to supply a consuming appliance from a conductor traversed by a primary electrical current (IP), said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
placing, in a position remote from said conductor, a core of magnetic material and a conductive solenoid wound about said core to obtain a secondary current (IS) in the solenoid from a magnetic field flux generated in said solenoid by said conductor, core and solenoid,
said conductive solenoid being connected to the consuming appliance (26) by conversion means adapted to convert said secondary current (IS) into a power (Pg) intended to supply the consuming appliance through a related voltage (Vdc, Vac) and output current (Idc1, Iac);
when the power (Pg) supplied to the consuming appliance increases following the uncontrollable increase in the primary current (IP) stopping the output current (Idc1, Iac) at a threshold value associated with an imposed current value (ISS1) that is lower, by a predetermined quantity, than a secondary saturation current value (ISS) of the magnetic material of the core; and
when the power (Pg) applied to the consuming appliance increases following a further uncontrollable increase in the primary current (IP), detecting the value of the voltage (Vdc, Vac) applied to the consuming appliance (26) and when said value reaches a predetermined limit value (VMAX) letting an output current (Idc1, Iac) greater than said threshold value flow, causing saturation of the core and consequently a reduction in the power (Pg) applied to the consuming appliance.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein a power (Pg) is produced to supply the consuming appliance through a related voltage (Vdc, Vac) and output current (Idc1, Iac) using the following steps:
transforming the secondary current (IS) into a direct current (Idc);
converting the direct current (Idc) into a comparison voltage (VIdc);
comparing the comparison voltage (VIdc) with a reference voltage (Vref) obtaining the output current (Idc1, Iac) supplied to the consuming appliance.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein a power (Pg) is produced to supply the consuming appliance (26) through a related voltage (Vdc, Vac) and output current (Idc1, Iac) using the following steps:
transforming the secondary current (IS) into a comparison voltage (VIdc) using a transducer;
comparing the comparison voltage (VIdc) with a reference voltage (Vref) obtaining the output current (Idc1, Iac) supplied to the consuming appliance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of checking when the output current (Idc1, Iac) reaches the first threshold value includes the step of determining when the voltage (Vdc, Vac) applied to the consuming appliance reaches a value close to a predetermined value (Vswitch).

### Claim 5

A device for obtaining a power intended to supply a consuming appliance from a conductor traversed by a primary electrical current (IP),
said device being characterized in that it includes:
a core of magnetic material and a conductive solenoid wound about said core and connected to the consuming appliance, said core and solenoid being positioned in a position remote from said conductor;
a conversion unit connected to the solenoid and intended to be connected to the consuming appliance;
said conversion unit being adapted to transform at least a portion of the magnetic field flux generated in said solenoid by said conductor, magnetic core and solenoid into power (Pg) intended to supply the consuming appliance without there being any electrical contact with said conductor;
said conversion unit including a converter adapted to receive a secondary current (IS) associated with the power (Pg) generated from said magnetic field flux and to transform same into an output current (Idc1, Iac) supplied to the consuming appliance,
and in that said conversion unit is arranged for:
when the power (Pg) supplied to the consuming appliance increases following the uncontrollable increase in the primary current (IP), stopping the output current (Idc1, ac) at a threshold value associated with an imposed current value (ISS1) that is lower, by a predetermined quantity, than a secondary saturation current value (ISS) of the magnetic material of the core; and
when the power (Pg) applied to the consuming appliance increases following a further uncontrollable increase in the primary current (IP), detecting the value of the voltage (Vdc, Vac) applied to the consuming appliance and when said value reaches a predetermined limit value (VMAX) letting an output current (Idc1, Iac) greater than said threshold value flow, causing saturation of the core and consequently a reduction in the power (Pg) applied to the consuming appliance.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

Device according to claim 5, wherein the conversion unit further includes a rectifier adapted to receive the secondary current (IS) and to transform same into an intermediate current (Idc),
and in that the converter includes:
a current transducer arranged for receiving the intermediate current (Idc) and converting same into a comparison voltage (VIdc);
an error amplifier connected to the current transducer that is adapted to compare said comparison voltage (VIdc) with a reference voltage (Vref) and to produce a comparison current (Iref);
a PWM module in a feedback loop with the error amplifier that is adapted to receive the comparison current (Iref) and to produce the output current (Idc1, Iac).

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

Device according to claim 6, wherein the converter further includes:
a first division resistance (R1) arranged in series with a second division resistance (R2), said first and second division resistances (R1, R2) being positioned on the non-inverting leg of the amplifier;
a first Zener diode arranged in parallel with the second division resistance (R2),
said first and second division resistances (R1, R2) and said first Zener diode being adapted to control the output current (Idc1, Iac).

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

Device according to claim 7, wherein the converter further includes:
a third division resistance (R3) positioned on the non-inverting leg of the amplifier;
a fourth division resistance (R4) and a second Zener diode arranged in series with said fourth resistance (R4), said fourth division resistance (R4) and second Zener diode being linked between a connection point placed on the non-inverting leg of the amplifier between the first division resistance (R1) and the current transducer and the non-inverting terminal of the amplifier;
said third and fourth division resistances (R3, R4) and said second Zener diode being adapted to cause the output current (Idc1, Iac) to exceed a first threshold value associated with a secondary saturation current (ISS) such as to saturate the magnetic material of the core.