Apparatus system, and method for wirelessly receiving power using conductive structures
View Patent ↗This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for wireless power transfer. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes a first conductive structure configured to wirelessly receive power via a magnetic field generated by a transmitter conductive structure having a length greater than a width. The first conductive structure has a length greater than a width and includes co-planar loops enclosing first and second areas. The first conductive structure has first and second edges each intersecting a first geometric line running along the length of the first conductive structure. The apparatus includes a second conductive structure configured to wirelessly receive power via the magnetic field. The second conductive has a length greater than a width. The first geometric line runs along the length of the second conductive structure. The first geometric line is substantially perpendicular to a second geometric line running along the length of the transmitter conductive structure.
1. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power, the apparatus comprising
a first conductive structure configured to wirelessly receive power via a magnetic field generated by a transmitter conductive structure having a length greater than a width, the first conductive structure having a length greater than a width, the first conductive structure comprising a first loop and a second loop enclosing a first area and a second area, respectively, the first loop having a first lower surface and the second loop having a second lower surface that are substantially coplanar, the first conductive structure having a first edge and a second edge each intersecting a first geometric line running along the length of the first conductive structure; and
a second conductive structure configured to wirelessly receive power via the magnetic field, the second conductive structure enclosing a third area and having a length greater than a width, the first geometric line running along the length of the second conductive structure,
the first geometric line being substantially perpendicular to a second geometric line running along the length of the transmitter conductive structure.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second conductive structure is positioned such that a center of the third area enclosed by the second conductive structure is positioned substantially over a point between the first loop and the second loop.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive structure comprises one of:
a first coil wound to enclose the first area and the second area; or
a first and a second coil each enclosing the first area and the second area, respectively,
and wherein the second conductive structure comprises a third coil wound to enclose the third area.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure are positioned to maintain a substantial absence of mutual coupling between the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the substantial absence of mutual coupling occurs at least in part when a net sum of a magnetic field of the first conductive structure that intersects the second conductive structure is substantially zero.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive structures collectively have a first center point defined by a first geometric rectangle covering a surface area of the first and second conductive structures, wherein the transmitter conductive structure has a second center point defined by a second geometric rectangle covering a surface area of the transmitter conductive structure, and wherein a set of points, defined by offset distances between the first and second center points, in which an amount of coupling is above a threshold is substantially rectangular, the amount of coupling defined at least in part by a value derived from a first coupling coefficient measuring coupling between the first conductive structure and the transmitter conductive structure and a second coupling coefficient measuring coupling between the second conductive structure and the transmitter conductive structure.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive structures are configured to be affixed to an electric vehicle, the first geometric line being substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the electric vehicle.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive structures are tunable and operable at a resonant frequency.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a receive circuit coupled to the first and second conductive structures and configured to power or charge an electric vehicle based on at least a portion of a combination of the power received via the first and second conductive structures.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive structure has a substantially horizontally polarized magnetic moment, and wherein the second conductive structure has a substantially vertically polarized moment.
11. A method of wirelessly receiving power, the method comprising
wirelessly receiving power, at a first conductive structure, via a magnetic field generated by a transmitter conductive structure having a length greater than a width, the first conductive structure having a length greater than a width, the first conductive structure comprising a first loop and a second loop enclosing a first area and a second area, respectively, the first loop having a first lower surface and the second loop having a second lower surface that are substantially coplanar, the first conductive structure having a first edge and a second edge each intersecting a first geometric line running along the length of the first conductive structure; and
wirelessly receiving power, at a second conductive structure, via the magnetic field, the second conductive structure enclosing a third area and having a length greater than a width, the first geometric line running along the length of the second conductive structure,
the first geometric line being substantially perpendicular to a second geometric line running along the length of the transmitter conductive structure.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second conductive structure is positioned such that a center of the third area enclosed by the second conductive structure is positioned substantially over a point between the first loop and the second loop.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first conductive structure comprises one of:
a first coil wound to enclose the first area and the second area; or
a first and a second coil each enclosing the first area and the second area, respectively,
and wherein the second conductive structure comprises a third coil wound to enclose the third area.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure are positioned to maintain a substantial absence of mutual coupling between the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the substantial absence of mutual coupling occurs at least in part when a net sum of a magnetic field of the first conductive structure that intersects the second conductive structure is substantially zero.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second conductive structures collectively have a first center point defined by a first geometric rectangle covering a surface area of the first and second conductive structures, wherein the transmitter conductive structure has a second center point defined by a second geometric rectangle covering a surface area of the transmitter conductive structure, and wherein a set of points, defined by offset distances between the first and second center points, in which an amount of coupling is above a threshold is substantially rectangular, the amount of coupling defined at least in part by a value derived from a first coupling coefficient measuring coupling between the first conductive structure and the transmitter conductive structure and a second coupling coefficient measuring coupling between the second conductive structure and the transmitter conductive structure.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second conductive structures are configured to be affixed to an electric vehicle, the first geometric line being substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the electric vehicle.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second conductive structures are tunable and operable at a resonant frequency.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising powering or charging an electric vehicle based on at least a portion of a combination of the power received via the first and second conductive structures.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first conductive structure has a substantially horizontally polarized magnetic moment, and wherein the second conductive structure has a substantially vertically polarized moment.
21. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power, the apparatus comprising
a first means for wirelessly receiving power via a magnetic field generated by a means for generating the magnetic field, the generating means having a length greater than a width, the first receiving means having a length greater than a width, the first receiving means comprising a first loop and a second loop enclosing a first area and a second area, respectively, the first loop having a first lower surface and the second loop having a second lower surface that are substantially coplanar, the first receiving means having a first edge and a second edge each intersecting a first geometric line running along the length of the first receiving means; and
a second means for wirelessly receiving power via the magnetic field, the second receiving means enclosing a third area and having a length greater than a width, the first geometric line running along the length of the second receiving means,
the first geometric line being substantially perpendicular to a second geometric line running along the length of the generating means.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the second receiving means is positioned such that a center of the third area enclosed by the second receiving means is positioned substantially over a point between the first loop and the second loop.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first receiving means comprises one of:
a first coil wound to enclose the first area and the second area; or
a first and a second coil each enclosing the first area and the second area, respectively,
and wherein the second receiving means comprises a third coil wound to enclose the third area.
24. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first receiving means and the second receiving means are positioned to maintain a substantial absence of mutual coupling between the first receiving means and the second receiving means.
25. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first and second receiving means collectively have a first center point defined by a first geometric rectangle covering a surface area of the first and second receiving means, wherein the generating means has a second center point defined by a second geometric rectangle covering a surface area of the generating means, and wherein a set of points, defined by offset distances between the first and second center points, in which an amount of coupling is above a threshold is substantially rectangular, the amount of coupling defined at least in part by a value derived from a first coupling coefficient measuring coupling between the first receiving means and the generating means and a second coupling coefficient measuring coupling between the second receiving means and the generating means.
26. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first and second receiving means are configured to be affixed to an electric vehicle, the first geometric line being substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the electric vehicle.
27. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first and second receiving means are tunable and operable at a resonant frequency.
28. The apparatus of claim 21 , further comprising a receive circuit coupled to the first and second receiving means and configured to power or charge an electric vehicle based on at least a portion of a combination of the power received via the first and second receiving means.
29. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first receiving means has a substantially horizontally polarized magnetic moment, and wherein the second receiving means has a substantially vertically polarized moment.
30. A system for wirelessly transferring power, the system comprising:
a power supply configured to output a time-varying signal; and
a transmitter conductive structure configured to receive the time-varying signal and to generate a magnetic field for wirelessly transferring power to a receiver device, the transmitter conductive structure having a length greater than a width,
the receiver device comprising a first conductive structure configured to wirelessly receive power via the magnetic field, the first conductive structure having a length greater than a width, the first conductive structure comprising a first loop and a second loop enclosing a first area and a second area, respectively, the first loop having a first lower surface and the second loop having a second lower surface that are substantially coplanar, the first conductive structure having a first edge and a second edge each intersecting a first geometric line running along the length of the first conductive structure,
the receiver device further comprising a second conductive structure configured to wirelessly receive power via the magnetic field, the second conductive structure enclosing a third area and having a length greater than a width, the first geometric line running along the length of the second conductive structure,
the first geometric line being substantially perpendicular to a second geometric line running along the length of the transmitter conductive structure.
31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure of the receiver device are positioned to maintain a substantial absence of mutual coupling between the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure.
32. The system of claim 30 , wherein the first and second conductive structures collectively have a first center point defined by a first geometric rectangle covering a surface area of the first and second conductive structures, wherein the transmitter conductive structure has a second center point defined by a second geometric rectangle covering a surface area of the transmitter conductive structure, and wherein a set of points, defined by offset distances between the first and second center points, in which an amount of coupling is above a threshold is substantially rectangular, the amount of coupling defined at least in part by a value derived from a first coupling coefficient measuring coupling between the first conductive structure and the transmitter conductive structure and a second coupling coefficient measuring coupling between the second conductive structure and the transmitter conductive structure.