Wirelessly rechargeable battery and components thereof

Abstract

A receiver coil assembly for a wirelessly rechargeable battery including first and second transverse coils and a third coil encompassing the first and second coils. The receiver coil may be employed in a power receiver of a wirelessly rechargeable battery. Also disclosed is a wirelessly rechargeable battery having a power receiver demountable from an electrochemical cell.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery including: first and second receiver coils having magnetic axes oriented transverse to one another; a third receiver coil having a magnetic axis transverse to the magnetic axes of the first and second receiver coils and encompassing the first and second receiver coils; a power receiver circuit, operatively connected to the first, second, and third receiver coils, for rectifying an alternating current received by at least one of the first, second, and third receiver coils; and an electrochemical cell, operatively connected to the power receiver circuit, for receiving the rectified current.

2. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein third coil is a substantially annular coil.

3. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second coils are arranged in a cross.

4. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 including a ferrite core located within all coils.

5. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 4 wherein the ferrite core is in the form of a cross with the first and second coils wound about arms of the cross and the third coil wound about the distal ends of the arms of the cross.

6. A rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 of substantially cylindrical form.

7. A rechargeable battery comprising: first, second and third receiver coils having magnetic axes oriented transverse to one another, wherein one of the receiver coils enables greater power transfer than the other receiver coils; a power receiver circuit, operatively connected to the first, second, and third receiver coils, for rectifying an alternating current received by at least one of the first, second, and third receiver coils; and an electrochemical cell, operatively connected to the power receiver circuit, for receiving the rectified current; wherein the coil enabling greater power transfer encompasses the other coils.

8. A receiver coil assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first and second coils are in a cross arrangement.

9. A receiver coil assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the power transfer capacity of the third coil is at least 10% more than that of the first and second coils.

10. A receiver coil assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the power transfer capacity of the third coil is at least 20% more than that of the first and second coils.

11. A receiver coil assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the length of the conductor of the third coil is at least 25% greater than the length of the first and second coil conductors.

12. A receiver coil assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the length of the conductor of the third coil is at least 50% greater than the length of the first and second coil conductors.

13. A wirelessly rechargeable battery comprising two or more receiver coils having magnetic axes oriented transverse to one another, a power receiver, operatively connected to receiver coils, for rectifying an alternating current received by the receiver coils, and an electrochemical cell, operatively connected to the power receiver circuit, for receiving the rectified current, wherein the power receiver is housed within a first battery sub-casing and the electrochemical cell is housed within a second battery sub-casing wherein the first and second sub-casings are demountable.

14. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 13 wherein the power receiver is demountable from the electrochemical cell.

15. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 14 wherein the power receiver is user-demountable from the electrochemical cell.

16. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 13 wherein the power receiver and the electrochemical cell screw together.

17. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 13 wherein the power receiver and the electrochemical cell are held together magnetically.

18. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 13 wherein the power receiver and the electrochemical cell are held together via a push-fit coupling.

19. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 13 wherein the electrochemical cell is magnetically shielded.

20. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 19 wherein the electrochemical cell is magnetically shielded by a metal layer.

21. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 20 wherein the metal layer is of about one skin depth.

22. A wirelessly rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 20 wherein the metal is copper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of exemplary embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a wirelessly rechargeable battery;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the power receiver coil assembly of the battery shown in FIG. 1; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the power receiver of the battery shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a wirelessly rechargeable battery of two part construction. A power receiver is housed within a first battery sub-casing 2 and is demountable from a second battery sub-casing 3 which houses a rechargeable electrochemical cell. The first battery sub-casing 2 and second battery sub-casing 3 may be interconnected by way of screw threads, a push-fit connection, magnetic coupling or the like to enable a user to detach the sub-casing 2 from sub-casing 3 and connect the removed sub-casing 2 to a new sub-casing containing a new electrochemical cell.

(6) The electrochemical cell may be magnetically shielded to avoid overheating when the battery is located in a charging alternating magnetic field. This may be achieved by providing metal shielding about the electrochemical cell. This may take the form of a metal foil applied about the exterior of sub-casing 3. The metal foil may be of about one skin depth with copper being a desirable metal due its desirable shielding properties.

(7) Referring now to FIG. 2 a receiver coil assembly according to one embodiment is shown. A first winding 4a and 4b is wound about arms of cross-shaped ferrite core 6 and a second winding 5a and 5b is wound about the other arms of cross-shaped ferrite core 6. A third winding 7 is wound about the perimeter of cross-shaped ferrite core 6. Ideally the coils are orthogonal to one another to ensure coupling with a charging magnetic field in any orientation. However, in some applications the coils may not be orthogonal due to space constraints or preferential coupling orientations for particular applications.

(8) The third coil is preferably annular so as to best conform to a cylindrical battery casing. The third coil may be designed have greater power transfer capacity than the other coils. This may be desirable where the battery has a normal or preferred orientation so that the third coil typically supplies power at the fastest rate whereas the first and second coils still allow power transfer in other orientations. The power transfer capacity of the third coil may be at least 10%, preferably 20% more than that of the first and second coils. To achieve this, the length of the conductor of the third coil may be at least 25%, preferably 50% greater than the length of the first and second coil conductors.

(9) In an exemplary embodiment the mean diameter of the outer coil is 12 mm and has 50 turns whereas the mean diameter of the first and second windings is about 4 mm and each has 80 turns. The windings may all be 0.05 mm gauge insulated copper wire.

(10) FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the components of the battery. Current induced in coils 4 (4a and 4b), 5 (5a and 5b) and 7 is supplied to receiver circuit 8 which may rectify and condition alternating current received from the coils. Battery charging management circuit 9 controls the supply of power to rechargeable battery 10 according to charging parameters for the type of battery chemistry employed. The power receiver is made up of coils 4, 5 and 7 and receiver circuit 8 and battery charging management circuit 9 and is contained in sub-casing 2. The rechargeable battery 10 is housed within sub-casing 3.

(11) The wirelessly rechargeable battery described offers a compact design offering enhanced coupling in a preferred orientation whilst ensuring adequate coupling in all directions. The demountable two part battery construction allows easy reuse of the power receiver avoiding waste and adverse environmental impact. Shielding the electrochemical cell avoids overheating and allows rapid charging.

(12) While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.