A system for the wireless transfer of electrical power

Abstract

Described herein is a system ( 100 ) for the wireless transfer of electrical power to an electrical load ( 115 ) comprising: a power supply device ( 105 ) and a device to be powered ( 110 ) physically separate and independent from the power supply device; in which the device to be powered ( 110 ) comprises: the electrical load ( 115 ) to be powered, and a receiving apparatus ( 120 ) connected to the electrical load ( 115 ) and comprising at least one inductive receiving element ( 435 ); wherein the power supply device ( 105 ) comprises a plurality of electrical power transmission sets ( 135 ), each of which includes: a transmitting apparatus ( 145 ) comprising at least one inductive transmitting element ( 420 ) able to realize an inductive coupling with the inductive receiving element ( 435 ), and a power circuit ( 155 ) able to apply to the transmitting apparatus ( 145 ) a voltage wave that is periodically variable over time; and wherein the inductive transmitting elements ( 420 ) of the transmission groups ( 135 ) individually have a planar conformation and they are globally positioned flanking each other on an operating surface ( 160 ) of the power supply device ( 105 ) in such a way as to form a grid.

1 . A system ( 100 ) for the wireless transfer of electrical power to an electrical load ( 115 ) comprising:
 a power supply device ( 105 ) and   a device to be powered ( 110 ), physically separate and independent from the power supply device,   
       wherein the device to be powered ( 110 ) comprises:
 the electrical load ( 115 ) to be powered, and 
 a receiving apparatus ( 120 ) connected to the electrical load ( 115 ) and comprising at least one receiving inductive element ( 435 ), 
 
       wherein the power supply device ( 105 ) comprises a plurality of electrical power transmission sets ( 135 ), each of which includes:
 a transmitting apparatus ( 145 ) comprising at least one transmitting inductive element ( 420 ) able to achieve an inductive coupling with the receiving inductive element ( 435 ), and 
 a power circuit ( 155 ) adapted to apply to the transmitting apparatus ( 145 ) a voltage wave that is periodically variable over time, and 
 
       wherein the transmitting inductive elements ( 420 ) of the transmission sets ( 135 ) individually have planar conformation and are globally positioned side by side on an operating surface ( 160 ) of the power supply device ( 105 ) in such a way as to form a grid. 
     
     
         2 . A system ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting inductive elements ( 420 ) individually have elongated shape. 
     
     
         3 . A system ( 100 ) according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the transmitting inductive elements ( 420 ) have rectilinear development and are globally aligned by longitudinal rows and by transverse rows, where the transverse rows cross the longitudinal rows to define the grid. 
     
     
         4 . A system ( 100 ) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein each transmitting inductive element ( 420 ) consists of a wire segment or of a strip of electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         5 . A system ( 100 ) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the operating surface of the power supply device ( 105 ) is a flat or curved surface. 
     
     
         6 . A system ( 100 ) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the transmitting apparatus ( 145 ) of each transmission set ( 135 ) of the power supply device ( 105 ) further comprises:
 at least one transmitting armature ( 165 ) connected to the corresponding power circuit ( 155 ) and positioned on the operating surface ( 160 ) of the power supply device ( 105 ) within a mesh ( 222 ) of the grid of transmitting inductive elements ( 420 ),   
       and wherein the receiving apparatus ( 120 ) of the device to be powered ( 110 ) further comprises:
 a first receiving armature ( 175 ) connected to the electrical load ( 105 ) and adapted to face the transmitting armature ( 165 ) of a first transmission set ( 135 ) to achieve a first electrical capacity of a capacitive connection, 
 a second receiving armature ( 180 ) connected to the electrical load ( 105 ) and adapted to face the transmitting armature ( 165 ) of a second transmission set ( 135 ) to obtain a second electrical capacity of the capacitive connection. 
 
     
     
         7 . A system ( 100 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the transmitting apparatus ( 145 ) of each transmission set ( 135 ) of the power supply device ( 105 ) comprises a plurality of transmitting armatures ( 165 A) connected to the corresponding power circuit ( 155 ) and positioned within the same mesh ( 222 ) of the grid of transmitting inductive elements ( 420 ). 
     
     
         8 . A system ( 100 ) according to any one of claims from  6  to  7 , wherein the receiving apparatus ( 120 ) of the device to be powered ( 110 ) comprises two receiving inductive elements ( 435 A) able to achieve an inductive coupling with one or more transmitting inductive elements ( 420 ) of the power supply device ( 105 ), of which a first receiving inductive element connected in series between the first receiving armature ( 175 ) and the electrical load ( 115 ) and a second transmitting inductive element connected in series between the second receiving armature ( 180 ) and the electrical load ( 115 ). 
     
     
         9 . A system ( 100 ) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the power circuit ( 155 ) of each transmission set ( 135 ) comprises at least one switching circuit ( 250 ,  425 ) adapted to receive a driving signal and to connect the transmitting apparatus ( 145 ) to a voltage generator ( 140 ) in an intermittent and periodic manner, with a frequency equal to the frequency of the driving signal. 
     
     
         10 . A system ( 100 ) according to  claim 9 , wherein the switching circuit ( 250 ,  425 ) comprises a pair of electrical switches ( 255 ,  260 ) connected in series between the voltage generator ( 140 ) and a reference potential, between said switches being comprised a central node ( 265 ) connected to the transmitting apparatus ( 145 ). 
     
     
         11 . A system ( 100 ) according to  claim 9 , wherein the switching circuit ( 250 ,  425 ) comprises an inductor ( 275 ) and a switch ( 280 ) connected in series between the voltage generator ( 140 ) and a reference potential, between said inductor and said switch being comprised a central node ( 285 ) connected to the transmitting apparatus ( 145 ). 
     
     
         12 . A system ( 100 ) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein each transmission set ( 135 ) further comprises:
 a monitoring system adapted to detect a relative position between each transmission set ( 135 ) and the device to be powered ( 110 ),   a selection system adapted to select, based on the detection made by the monitoring system, an array of transmission sets ( 135 ) whose transmitting apparatus ( 145 ) is in suitable position to achieve the inductive coupling with the receiving apparatus ( 120 ) of the power supply device ( 105 ), and   a control system adapted to activate the power circuit ( 155 ) of the transmission sets ( 135 ) belonging to the selected array.