Bifurcated balanced electromagnetic resonator
A bifurcated electromagnetic resonator split into two separate coils, a first coil and a second coil. The inductance value of the first coil is substantially equal to the inductance value of the second coil. A matching network comprising passive electronic components, such as capacitors and inductors, is in series with and intermediate to the first coil and the second coil. This results in a resonator having a balanced circuit topology. The bifurcated resonator may be used as a source and/or capture resonator in a wireless power transfer system.
1. A bifurcated electromagnetic resonator, comprising:
a first coil;
a second coil, wherein the first coil is disposed within and surrounded by the second coil and wherein the first coil is connected in series and is co-planar with the second coil; and
a matching network comprising passive electronic components, wherein said matching network is connected in series with and intermediate to the first coil and the second coil and wherein a first inductance value of the first coil is substantially equal to a second inductance value of the second coil.
2. The bifurcated electromagnetic resonator according to claim 1 , wherein the matching network consists of reactive electronic components.
3. The bifurcated electromagnetic resonator according to claim 2 , wherein the matching network consists of capacitive components.
4. The bifurcated electromagnetic resonator according to claim 1 , wherein an alternating electric current received by the bifurcated electromagnetic resonator generates an alternating magnetic field.
5. The bifurcated electromagnetic resonator according to claim 1 , wherein an alternating magnetic field received by the bifurcated electromagnetic resonator generates an alternating electric current.
6. The bifurcated electromagnetic resonator according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second coils are formed by circuit traces on a printed circuit board.
7. The bifurcated electromagnetic resonator according to claim 1 , wherein the matching network is not connected directly to ground.
8. A wireless power transfer system having a bifurcated source resonator configured to receive an alternating electric current and generate an alternating magnetic field and having a capture resonator configured to receive the alternating magnetic field and generate another alternating electric current, said bifurcated source resonator comprising:
a first coil;
a second coil, wherein the first coil is disposed within and surrounded by the second coil and wherein the first coil is connected in series and is co-planar with the second coil; and
a matching network comprising passive electronic components, wherein said matching network is connected in series with and intermediate to the first coil and the second coil and wherein a first inductance value of the first coil is substantially equal to a second inductance value of the second coil.
9. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 6 , wherein the matching network consists of reactive electronic components.
10. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 6 , wherein the matching network consists of capacitive components.
11. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second coils are formed by circuit traces on a printed circuit board.
12. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 6 , wherein the matching network is not connected directly to ground.
13. A wireless power transfer system having a source resonator configured to receive an alternating electric current and generate an alternating magnetic field and having a bifurcated capture resonator configured to receive the alternating magnetic field and generate another alternating electric current, said bifurcated capture resonator comprising:
a first coil;
a second coil, wherein the first coil is disposed within and surrounded by the second coil and wherein the first coil is connected in series and is co-planar with the second coil; and
a matching network comprising passive electronic components, wherein said matching network is connected in series with and intermediate to the first coil and the second coil and wherein a first inductance value of the first coil is substantially equal to a second inductance value of the second coil.
14. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 11 , wherein the matching network consists of reactive electronic components.
15. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 12 , wherein the matching network consists of capacitive components.
16. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second coils are formed by circuit traces on a printed circuit board.
17. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 11 , wherein the matching network is not connected directly to ground.
18. The bifurcated electromagnetic resonator according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second coils are planar coils formed by the circuit traces on the printed circuit board.
19. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second coils are planar coils formed by the circuit traces on the printed circuit board.
20. The wireless power transfer system according to claim 16 , wherein the first and second coils are planar coils formed by the circuit traces on the printed circuit board.