Cooling system for a wireless power transmitter and receiver and method of using same
Systems, methods, and devices for wireless charging are described. A wireless transmitter includes a source coil and an array of alignment magnets around the source coil. The wireless transmitter further includes a heat sink that is arranged in thermal contact with the array of alignment magnets to create a thermal path from the array of alignment magnets to the heat sink. In some examples, the heat sink includes a thermal interface arranged in thermal contact with opposed surface(s) of the array of alignment magnets that are opposite the active surface(s) of the alignment magnets used for magnetic alignment of a wireless power receiver.
1 . A wireless power transmitter, comprising:
an array of alignment magnets arranged around a source coil in the wireless power transmitter, the array of alignment magnets including an active surface that interacts with a corresponding array of alignment magnets in a wireless power receiver and an opposed surface that is oppose the active surface; and
a heat sink in thermal contact with at least a portion of the array of alignment magnets to create a thermal path from the array of alignment magnets to the heat sink, the heat sink arranged in thermal contact with the opposed surface of the array of alignment magnets, the thermal contact between the heat sink and the opposed surface of the array of alignment magnets includes at least one i.) a thermal surface of the heat sink directly contacting the opposed surface of the array of alignment magnets and ii.) the thermal surface of the heat sink directly contacting magnetic shielding that directly contacts the opposed surface of the array of alignment magnets.
2 . The wireless power transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is arranged in thermal contact with the array of alignment magnets via magnetic shielding between the heat sink and the array of alignment magnets.
3 . The wireless power transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink includes a thermal surface arranged in thermal contact with the opposed surface of the array of alignment magnets.
4 . The wireless power transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the thermal surface of the heat sink directly contacts magnetic shielding that directly contacts the opposed surface of the array of alignment magnets.
5 . The wireless power transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the thermal surface of the heat sink directly contacts the opposed surface of the array of alignment magnets.
6 . The wireless power transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the array of alignment magnets is a first array of alignment magnets, and wherein the thermal path extends from a second, corresponding array of alignment magnets of a wireless power receiver to the heat sink.
7 . The wireless power transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is formed of a nonmagnetic material.
8 . The wireless power transmitter according to claim 7 , wherein the array of alignment magnets are embedded within the heat sink.
9 . The wireless power transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is formed of one or more of aluminum, cast aluminum, and steel.
10 . The wireless power transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein the array of alignment magnets are retained by the heat sink.
11 . A wireless power transmitter comprising:
an array of alignment magnets arranged around a source coil in the wireless power transmitter; and
a heat sink in thermal contact with at least a portion of the array of alignment magnets to create a thermal path from the array of alignment magnets to the heat sink, wherein the thermal path extends from the source coil and/or a ferrite sheet upon which the source coil is mounted to the heat sink through the array of alignment magnets.
12 . The wireless power transmitter of claim 11 , wherein the source coil is arranged on the ferrite sheet, and wherein the array of alignment magnets are arranged around a periphery of the ferrite sheet.
13 . The wireless power transmitter of claim 12 , wherein the ferrite sheet is not between the array of alignment magnets and the heat sink.
14 . A method of forming a wireless power transmitter, comprising:
arranging an array of alignment magnets around a source coil;
arranging a heat sink in thermal contact with at least a portion of the array of alignment magnets to create a thermal path from the array of alignment magnets to the heat sink; and
arranging the heat sink to create the thermal path that extends from the source coil and/or a ferrite sheet upon which the source coil is mounted to the heat sink through the array of alignment magnets.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the array of alignment magnets include an active surface that interacts with a corresponding array of alignment magnets in a wireless power receiver, and an opposed surface that is opposite the active surface; and further comprising:
arranging the heat sink in thermal contact with the opposed surface of the array of alignment magnets.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the array of alignment magnets is a first array of alignment magnets, and further comprising:
arranging the heat sink to create the thermal path that extends from a second, corresponding array of alignment magnets of a wireless power receiver to the heat sink.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein arranging the array of alignment magnets around a source coil comprises arranging the array of alignment magnets around the ferrite sheet upon which the source coil is mounted.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the heat sink is formed of one or more of aluminum, cast aluminum, and steel.