SECONDARY COIL TOPOLOGY

Abstract

The invention relates to a coil apparatus for an inductive receiving apparatus, including a first coil with a plurality of first turns and a second coil with a plurality of second turns, wherein the first and the second coils are connected to one another in series and are wound in opposite directions relative to each other, wherein each turn includes an internally arranged conductor section and an externally arranged conductor section. With the objective of improving the interoperability of the coil apparatus, a portion of the first and second turns include respectively the internally and externally conductor section arranged such that the first and second turns respectively lie in one plane or span one plane, wherein these planes diverge with respect to one another in the direction from the first coil to the second coil or vice versa, depending on whether the conductor sections are in the portion of the first turns or of the second turns.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. An induction receiving apparatus, comprising: a first coil having a plurality of first turns; and a second coil having a plurality of second turns, wherein the first and second coils are connected in series and are wound in opposite directions relative to each other, wherein each turn has an internally arranged conductor section and an externally arranged conductor section, wherein a portion of the first turns and the second turns include, respectively, the internally and externally arranged conductor sections configured and arranged such that each lie in a plane, wherein the planes diverge with respect to each other in a direction from the first coil to the second coil or vice versa, depending on whether the conductor sections are in the portion of the first turns or of the second turns.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a ferrite configured and arranged to (1) at least partially cover the internally arranged conductor sections of the first and second coils on a first side of the receiving apparatus facing an inductive transmitter system, and (2) to at least partially not cover remaining conductor sections of the first and second coils on a second side of the receiving apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and the second coils respectively are spiral-shaped.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the internally arranged conductor sections are configured and arranged directly adjacent to one another and at least partially parallel to one another.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a distance between the directly adjacent internally arranged conductor sections of the first coil and second coil is greater than the distance between the directly adjacent externally arranged conductor sections of the first and second coils.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein directly adjacent laterally arranged conductors are arranged in pairs at least partially on top of each other.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the ferrite arrangement includes two rectangular ferrite plate assemblies arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other, and wherein two supply conductors for the two coils run between the two ferrite plate assemblies.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the ferrite plate assemblies are formed from a plurality of identically shaped ferrite plates and from molded parts with a specific magnetic permeability.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the ferrite plate assemblies respectively have a recess in which the internally arranged conductor sections of the first and second coils are arranged.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the internally arranged conductor sections are arranged on a first plane and the externally arranged conductor sections are arranged on a second plane, and wherein the first plane is configured and arranged parallel to and at a distance from the second plane.

21. An induction receiving apparatus, comprising: a first coil having a plurality of first turns; a second coil having a plurality of second turns, wherein the first and second coils are connected in series and are wound in opposite directions relative to each other, wherein each turn has an internally arranged conductor section and an externally arranged conductor section, wherein a portion of the first turns and the second turns include, respectively, the internally and externally arranged conductor sections arranged such that each of the first and second turns lie in a plane, wherein the planes diverge with respect to each other in a direction from the first coil to the second coil or vice versa, depending on whether the conductor sections are in the portion of the first turns or of the second turns; and a ferrite configured and arranged to (1) at least partially cover the internally arranged conductor sections of the first and second coils on a first side of the receiving apparatus facing an inductive transmitter system, and (2) at least partially not cover remaining conductor sections of the first and second coils on a second side of the receiving apparatus.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first and the second coils respectively are spiral-shaped.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the internally arranged conductor sections are configured and arranged directly adjacent to one another and at least partially parallel to one another.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein a distance between the directly adjacent internally arranged conductor sections of the first coil and second coils is greater than the distance between the directly adjacent externally arranged conductor sections of the first and second coils.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein directly adjacent laterally arranged conductors are arranged in pairs at least partially on top of each other.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the ferrite arrangement includes two rectangular ferrite plate assemblies arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other, and wherein two supply conductors for the two coils run between the two ferrite plate assemblies.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the ferrite plate assemblies are formed from a plurality of identically shaped ferrite plates and from molded parts with a specific magnetic permeability.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the ferrite plate assemblies respectively have a recess in which the internally arranged conductor sections of the first and second coils are arranged.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the internally arranged conductor sections are arranged on a first plane and the externally arranged conductor sections are arranged on a second plane, wherein the first plane is configured and arranged parallel to and at a distance from the second plane.

30. An induction receiving apparatus, comprising: a first coil having a plurality of first turns; a second coil having a plurality of second turns, wherein the first and second coils are connected in series and are wound in opposite directions relative to each other, wherein each turn has an internally arranged conductor section and an externally arranged conductor section, wherein a portion of the first turns and the second turns include, respectively, the internally and externally arranged conductor sections arranged such that each of the first and second turns lie in a plane, wherein the planes diverge with respect to each other in a direction from the first coil to the second coil or vice versa, depending on whether the conductor sections are in the portion of the first turns or of the second turns, wherein the internally arranged conductor sections are configured and arranged directly adjacent to one another and at least partially parallel to one another; and a ferrite configured and arranged to (1) at least partially cover the internally arranged conductor sections of the first and second coils on a first side of the receiving apparatus facing an inductive transmitter system, and (2) at least partially not cover remaining conductor sections of the first and second coils on a second side of the receiving apparatus.

Description

[0026] The figures show

[0027] FIG. 1 a top view of a coil apparatus according to the invention according to a preferred embodiment,

[0028] FIG. 2A the two identical ferrite arrangements of FIG. 1, each comprising a plurality of identically shaped and sized ferrite plates,

[0029] FIG. 2B a longitudinal cross-section along a ferrite arrangement of FIG. 1,

[0030] FIG. 2C a selection of three different ferrite plates, which differ in weight and thickness,

[0031] FIG. 3 a longitudinal cross-section through a coil apparatus according to a further preferred embodiment, and

[0032] FIG. 4 three different cross-sectional views along the width of the coil apparatus of FIG. 3.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a coil apparatus according to a preferred embodiment according to the present invention with a first coil 1 and a second coil 2. The coils 1, 2 comprise a common electrical conductor and are thus electrically connected in series. The coils 1, 2 are spiral-shaped, arranged next to each other and can be electrically contacted or connected via the two current supply conductors or power connections 9a, 9b. Except for a few minor details, the two coils 1, 2 are arranged and shaped so as to be axially symmetrical in relation to each other. Each coil 1 and 2 comprises its own winding path A and B, respectively, which respectively forms part of the common electrical conductor and which is respectively divided into four path sections or conductor sections. The first coil 1 is divided into areas comprising a first path section A1, a second path section A2, a third path section A3 and a fourth path section A4, said path sections A1 to A4 being arranged in a sequence running counterclockwise. The second coil 2 is divided into areas consisting of a first path section B1, a second path section B2, a third path section B3 and a fourth path section B4, said path sections B1 to B4 being arranged in a sequence running clockwise. The following path sections thus lie opposite one another within a coil: path sections A2 and A4 (also designated as laterally arranged conductors/conductor sections of the first coil) and path sections A1 and A3 (also designated as internally and externally arranged conductors/conductor sections of the first coil), path sections B2 and B4 (also designated as laterally arranged conductors/conductor sections of the second coil) and path sections B1 and B3 (also designated as internally and externally arranged conductors/conductor sections of the second coil). Furthermore, the path sections A1 and B1 of the first and second coils 1, 2 are directly adjacent to each other. In the present invention, a path section defines an area of the coil in which the conductors/conductor sections arranged therein comprise specific properties with regard to their arrangement and shaping. Deviations from this definition exist at the transition boundaries between the different winding path sections at which the conductors describe a bend or curve and lead into the next winding path section.

[0034] All winding path sections A1 to A4 and B1 to B4 are characterized in that the conductors arranged therein are arranged so as to be essentially straight and parallel to one another. The winding path sections A1 and B1 exhibit an exception, as in these sections the conductors each have a kind of step or curvature in the middle. The function of the step is to start a new turn or circuit of the first or second coils, to increase the diameter of the turn towards the centre of the coil apparatus and thus to allow the straight and parallel formation of the remaining portions of the common conductor, in particular in the sections A1 and B1. The distance between two adjacent conductors in the path sections A1 and B1 is always the same and in particular greater than the distance between the conductors in the path sections A3 and B3. The properties of a bipolar coil topology are attenuated by the larger spacing of the conductors in sections A1 and B1. What is special about the sections A3 and B3 is the arrangement of the conductors: while, e.g., a conductor in the sections B1, B2 and B4 runs along the outer edge of the coil, the same conductor in the section B3 is arranged at the inner edge of the coil or at the coil opening. The reverse is true for the inner conductors in the sections B1, B2 and B4, which are arranged in the section B3 at the outer edge of the coil or coil apparatus. In the path sections A2, A4, B2 and B4, the conductors are arranged in pairs on top of each other in order to reduce the width of the coil apparatus. The coil apparatus further comprises a ferrite arrangement 3 consisting of two identically configured ferrite plate assemblies 3a and 3b. It is noted here that more than two and/or differently shaped and/or sized ferrite plate assemblies can be used in other embodiments. The ferrite plate assemblies 3a and 3b respectively extend through the two coils 1 and 2 and over the entire length of the coil apparatus, i.e. completely from the left edge of the first coil 1 to the right edge of the second coil 2. Depending on the height of the ferrite arrangement, it is of course also possible for more than two conductors to be arranged on top of one another in order to make the coil apparatus more compact. On the side of the coil apparatus, the current supply conductors 9a and 9b can be seen running between the ferrite plate assemblies 3a and 3b into the centre of the coil apparatus and finally forming coils 1 and 2 via a spiraling, i.e. a plurality of turns, counterclockwise in the one case and clockwise in the other, respectively.

[0035] FIG. 2A shows a top view of the two ferrite plate assemblies 3a and 3b from FIG. 1, which are respectively made of a plurality of identically configured ferrite plates 4. Each ferrite plate 4 is 90 mm long, 30 mm wide and 9 mm high. Each ferrite plate assembly 3a and 3b is respectively 380 mm long and 90 mm wide and are arranged parallel to each other in such a manner so as to cover a width of 210 mm. That means that the ferrite plate assemblies 3a and 3b are spaced apart from each other by 30 mm. The ferrite plates 4 are arranged so as to be without gaps, parallel to and flush with one another.

[0036] FIG. 2B shows a longitudinal cross-section of the ferrite plate assemblies 3a and 3b described above in FIG. 2A, wherein the conductors of the coils 1 and 2 are also shown. The conductors from the winding path sections A1, A3, B1 and B3 are depicted here, i.e. the internally and externally arranged conductor/conductor sections of the first coil and of the second coil. The ferrite arrangement comprises ferrite plates 4a in a first upper plane and ferrite plates 4b in a second lower plane. While the conductors in the path sections A3 and B3 are respectively arranged directly next to one another, the conductors in the path sections A1 and B1 are spaced evenly apart from one another. The conductors from the path sections A1 and B1 are arranged on the first upper plane and the conductors of the path sections A3 and B3 are arranged on the second lower plane. The total length of the ferrite plates 4b arranged on the lower plane is 180 mm, based on the length of two ferrite plates. The two ferrite plate arrangements of the ferrite plates 4a on the first plane each have a length of 120 mm, while the distance between the two arrangements on the first plane is 140 mm.

[0037] FIG. 2C indicates different types of ferrite plates, which essentially differ in height and weight. All ferrite plates have a length of 90 mm and a width of 30 mm. The 28 ferrite plates with a height of 9 mm used in the coil apparatus in FIG. 1 for both ferrite arrangements 3a and 3b have a total weight of 3.3 kg. It is noted that it is also possible to use differently shaped and/or sized ferrite plates for the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a coil apparatus according to a further preferred embodiment, which comprises additional features in comparison with the coil apparatus of FIG. 1 or 2B. The entire coil apparatus has a height of 23 mm. A 3 mm thick GRP cover plate 8, which is 420 mm long and 300 mm wide, is arranged on top of the coil apparatus. Underneath, FRP frame profiles 7, respectively 18 mm high and wide, are arranged on the left and on the right at the edge of the coil apparatus. Arranged between the latter are the coils and ferrite arrangements with the ferrite plates 4a, 4b, which have already been described in FIGS. 1 and 2B. On the underside of the coil apparatus is a 2 mm thick aluminium plate 6, which is exactly as wide and long as the GRP cover plate 8.

[0039] Depicted in the first plane of the coil apparatus, as described above in FIG. 2B, are the conductors from the winding path sections A1 and B1. A fibreglass fabric 10, which has a thickness of 1 to 2 mm, is arranged between these conductors and the lower ferrite plates 4b. The conductors of the winding path sections A3 and B3 are arranged in the second plane and are separated from the ferrite plates 4a and from the aluminium plate 6 by fibreglass fabric layers 10. Arranged between the conductors of the winding path sections A3 and B3 and the ferrite plates 4b are plastic layers 5 with a thickness of 9 mm, which act as spacers and structural support elements. The plastic layers 5 are 55 mm wide and 9 mm high. The width of the winding path sections A3 and B3 is respectively 45 mm.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows three different cross-sectional views along the width of the coil apparatus of FIG. 3. The upper drawing in FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through the middle of the coil apparatus, through the boundary line between the described winding path sections A1 and B1. In particular, the supply conductor 9b on the lower plane and a conductor from the winding path section A1 or B1 are shown. The middle drawing of FIG. 4 depicts a cross-section at about one quarter of the length of the coil apparatus. The two supply conductors 9a and 9b in the middle as well as the conductors arranged in pairs on top of each other in the path sections A2 and A4 are clearly visible. The plastic layers 5 are also indicated below the ferrite plates 4a. In the bottom drawing of FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view at the outermost edge of the coil apparatus is depicted, the cross-section running through the path section A3 and the conductor A from the path section A3 being illustrated. The supply conductors 9a and 9b are arranged above the latter.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0041] 1 First coil [0042] 2 Second coil [0043] 3 Ferrite arrangement [0044] 3a First ferrite plate assembly [0045] 3b Second ferrite plate assembly [0046] 4 Ferrite plate [0047] 4a Ferrite plate from the first or upper plane [0048] 4b Ferrite plate from the second or lower plane [0049] 5 Plastic layer [0050] 6 Aluminium plate [0051] 7 FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic) frame profile [0052] 8 GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) cover plate [0053] 9a Supply conductor [0054] 9b Supply conductor [0055] 10 Fibreglass fabric layer [0056] A1 1.sup.st path section of the 1.sup.st coil or internally arranged conductors/conductor sections [0057] A2 2.sup.nd path section of the 1.sup.st coil or laterally arranged conductors/conductor sections [0058] A3 3.sup.rd path section of the 1.sup.st coil or externally arranged conductors/conductor sections [0059] A4 4.sup.th path section of the 1.sup.st coil or laterally arranged conductors/conductor sections [0060] B1 1.sup.st path section of the 2.sup.nd coil or internally arranged conductors/conductor sections [0061] B2 2.sup.nd path section of the 2.sup.nd coil or laterally arranged conductors/conductor sections [0062] B3 3.sup.rd path section of the 2.sup.nd coil or externally arranged conductors/conductor sections [0063] B4 4.sup.th path section of the 2.sup.nd coil or laterally arranged conductors/conductor sections [0064] A First winding path (of the first coil) [0065] B Second winding path (of the second coil)