KR20240006680A - Dual frequency wireless charger modules - Google Patents

Abstract

A transmitter coil module for inclusion in an accessory device may include a transmitter coil capable of operating at either of two different operating frequencies. Low frequencies may range from about 300 kHz to about 400 kHz, and high frequencies may range from about 1 MHz to about 2 MHz. To provide efficient charging at both frequencies, the transmitter coil may be formed from composite or multi-stranded wire. A control module external to the transmitter coil module may also be provided. The control module may include a printed circuit board with control circuitry for generating alternating current to the transmitter coil, for example at either a high or low frequency.

Description

Dual frequency wireless charger modules

Cross-reference to related applications

This application is related to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/202,725, filed on June 22, 2021, titled “Dual-Frequency Wireless Charger Modules,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/202,725, filed on March 17, 2022, titled “Dual-Frequency Wireless Charger Modules.” Priority is claimed on U.S. Patent Application No. 17/655,343, entitled “Frequency Wireless Charger Modules,” the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technology field

This disclosure relates generally to inductive charging systems, and in particular to dual frequency wireless charger modules that can be integrated into accessory devices.

Portable electronic devices (eg, mobile phones, media players, electronic watches, etc.) operate when there is a charge stored in their batteries. Some portable electronic devices include rechargeable batteries that can be recharged by coupling the portable electronic device to a power source through a physical connection, such as through a charging cord. However, charging the battery within a portable electronic device using a charging cord requires the portable electronic device to be physically connected to a power outlet. Additionally, use of a charging cord requires the mobile device to have a connector on the charging cord, typically a connector configured to mate with a plug connector, typically a receptacle connector. Receptacle connectors include cavities within portable electronic devices that provide an avenue through which dust and moisture can penetrate and damage the device. Additionally, users of portable electronic devices must physically connect a charging cable to the receptacle connector to charge the battery.

To circumvent such drawbacks, wireless charging technologies (also referred to as inductive charging technologies) have been developed to charge portable electronic devices using electromagnetic induction without the need for a charging cord. For example, some portable electronic devices can be recharged by simply placing the device on the charging surface of a wireless charger device. A transmitter coil disposed beneath the charging surface is driven by an alternating current that generates a time-varying magnetic flux that induces a current in a corresponding receiver coil within the portable electronic device. Induced current can be used by a portable electronic device to charge its internal battery.

According to some embodiments of the invention, a wireless charger module can be integrated into various accessories for charging portable electronic devices. The modular design facilitates assembly of accessories with various form factors and provides a consistent charging experience for portable electronic devices across different accessories. The wireless charger module may include a transmitter coil capable of operating at either of two different operating frequencies, referred to herein as “low” and “high” frequencies. The low frequencies can range from about 300 kHz to about 400 kHz (e.g., about 326 kHz in some embodiments), and the high frequencies can range from about 1 MHz to about 2 MHz (e.g., about 1.78 MHz in some embodiments). It can be. To provide efficient charging at both frequencies, the transmitter coil may be formed from composite or multi-stranded wire. For example, a composite wire within a transmitter coil may include multiple strands, where each strand is a thin (e.g., 30 μm diameter) strand of conductive (e.g., copper) wire with an electrically insulating outer layer. It can be. The strands can be twisted around each other to form a set of basic bundles; Groups of basic bundles can be twisted around each other to form a set of composite bundles; The composite bundles can be twisted around each other to form a composite wire. In some embodiments, each elementary bundle may include four strands, each composite bundle may include four elementary bundles, and each composite wire may include seven composite bundles. A control module external to the wireless charger module may also be provided. The control module may include a printed circuit board with control circuitry for generating alternating current to the transmitter coil, for example at either a high or low frequency.

The following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, will provide a better understanding of the nature and advantages of the claimed invention.

1 shows a perspective view of an electronic device and wireless charger accessory according to some embodiments.
2A and 2B show front and rear perspective views of a transmitter coil module according to some embodiments.
3 shows an exploded view of a transmitter coil module according to some embodiments.
Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a multi-stranded wire that can be used to form an inductive charging coil according to some embodiments.
5A and 5B show top and bottom views, respectively, of a control module for a transmitter coil module according to some embodiments.
6A-6C are simplified top views showing examples of connections that may be made to a logic board according to some embodiments.
7 shows an exploded view of a cable assembly according to some embodiments.

The following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention is presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The examples will best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to best make and use the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular application contemplated. These have been selected and explained.

1 shows a perspective view of an electronic device 100 and a wireless charger accessory 150 according to some embodiments. Electronic device 100 may include a housing 102 having a magnetically transparent window 104 formed on one surface (eg, a back surface). Window 104 is made of materials such as crystal, glass or polymers, or any other material that allows for the transmission of magnetic fields with frequencies in the range used for wireless power transfer (e.g., about 300 kHz to about 2 MHz). While the remainder of the housing 102 may be made of other materials that may or may not interfere with the transmission of time-varying magnetic fields, such as aluminum, steel, or other metallic or non-metallic materials. there is. Electronic device 100 may also include an electronic display 110 located on the opposite side of housing 102 from window 104 . In some embodiments, electronic display 110 may take the form of a touch screen configured to display a graphical user interface to a user of electronic device 100. In this example, electronic device 100 may include a wristband 106 to secure electronic device 100 to a user's wrist. Although electronic device 100 is shown as a wrist wearable device, it should be understood that wireless charging systems of the type described herein may be incorporated into any type of rechargeable electronic device.

Wireless charger accessory 150 may be used to provide power to electronic device 100 using inductive power transfer. For example, wireless charger accessory 150 may include a transmitter coil (not shown in Figure 1) and driver circuitry for generating alternating current in the transmitter coil. Time-varying magnetic fields generated by alternating current may exit the wireless charger accessory 150 through the charging surface 152. Electronic device 100 may have a receiver coil (not shown in FIG. 1) disposed adjacent window 104. In operation, wireless charger accessory 150 may drive a transmitter coil, thereby generating a time-varying magnetic field, such as an oscillating field with a specific frequency. The time-varying magnetic field may induce a current in a receiver coil (not shown in FIG. 1) of electronic device 100, which may charge an internal battery of electronic device 100 and/or other circuitry within electronic device 100. It can be used to supply power.

The efficiency of wireless power transfer depends on a number of factors, including alignment between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil. In some embodiments, wireless charger accessory 150 and electronic device 100 may include self-aligning components (not shown in FIG. 1) to attract and maintain the transmitter and receiver coils in a desired alignment. For example, the desired alignment may align the transmitter and receiver coils along longitudinal axis 107.

In embodiments described herein, the transmitter coil of wireless charger accessory 150 may operate at either of two different operating frequencies, referred to herein as “low” frequency and “high” frequency. The low frequencies can range from about 300 kHz to about 400 kHz (e.g., about 326 kHz in some embodiments), and the high frequencies can range from about 1 MHz to about 2 MHz (e.g., about 1.78 MHz in some embodiments). It can be.

Similarly, in embodiments described herein, the receiver coil of electronic device 100 may operate at either high or low frequencies. In some embodiments, the operating frequency for a particular pair of devices used together is dynamically determined based on the capabilities of the devices. For example, it is contemplated that a family of electronic devices with similar form factors may be provided. This family may include "upgraded" electronic devices that can charge at either high or low frequencies, as well as "legacy" electronic devices that can only charge at low frequencies. Similarly, the family of wireless charger devices can include upgraded charger devices that can transmit power at either a high or low frequency and legacy charger devices that can only transmit power at a low frequency. The upgraded charger device can be used to provide high frequency power to upgraded electronic devices and low frequency power to legacy electronic devices. Likewise, if an upgraded electronic device can receive power at either frequency, the upgraded electronic device can receive power at a higher frequency from an upgraded charging device and a lower frequency from a legacy charging device. . In this way, upgraded electronic devices and chargers may be interoperable with legacy electronic devices and chargers.

Wireless charger accessory 150 can be any accessory that can be used with electronic device 100 and can have any form factor that may be desired. For example, wireless charger accessory 150 may be a docking station for electronic devices and may also provide charging for other devices at the same time that electronic device 100 is being charged. To facilitate the construction of different accessories that provide the same wireless charging performance, some embodiments incorporate a transmitter coil and shielding and have external electrical contacts that allow alternating current to be provided to the transmitter coil (also described herein). (referred to as “wireless charger module”) is provided. The external contacts may be coupled to a control module (eg, logic board) containing control circuitry to generate AC current for the transmitter coil. The transmitter coil module and control module can be integrated into a variety of accessories. Examples of transmitter coil modules and control modules will now be described.

2A and 2B show front and rear perspective views of transmitter coil module 200 according to some embodiments. Transmitter coil module 200 includes a housing base 202, which may be made of aluminum or other materials as desired. Cap 204 may be shaped to fit over the top of housing base 202 to form an enclosure. In this example, housing base 202 and cap 204 provide a puck-shaped form factor. The top surface of the cap 204, which may define the charging surface 152, may be planar or have a non-planar (e.g., concave) portion to accommodate a non-planar (e.g., convex) charging surface of the electronic device. You can have Housing base 202 and cap 204 may be made of a variety of materials, including materials that are non-corrosive, chemically resistant, and capable of withstanding thermal and mechanical stress. For example, housing base 202 may be made of metal, metal alloy, ceramic, plastic, or composite material. In various embodiments, housing base 202 may be made of stainless steel or aluminum. Cap 204 may be made of a material that allows time-varying magnetic fields generated within the enclosure formed by cap 204 and housing base 202 to pass through cap 204 with little or no loss. For example, cap 204 may be made of polycarbonate or other plastic, ceramic or composite. In some embodiments, charging surface 152 may be coated with soft-touch silicone, etc., which may provide a softer contact surface and avoid damaging the surface of the device being charged. Other materials that allow transmission of electromagnetic fields in desired frequency ranges may also be used. In some embodiments, charging surface 152 may be a low-friction surface, and wireless charger accessory 150 may rely on magnetic forces rather than friction to maintain alignment with the device to be charged. Housing base 202 and cap 204 may be sealed together using an adhesive (e.g., resin) to render transmitter coil module 200 resistant to ingress of liquids (e.g., water).

As shown in Figure 2B, the rear surface of housing base 202 may include an opening 228 through which electrical contacts 231-233 are exposed. As explained below, electrical contacts 231-233 may be contact pads formed on a printed circuit board. Contacts 231, 232 may be connected via traces to the ends of the wire forming the transmitter coil within transmitter coil module 200, while contact 233 should be electrically grounded to housing base 202 and/or It may be a ground contact that is coupled to other components. External wires or other conductors that provide AC current (and ground) may be connected to electrical contacts 231-233.

3 shows an exploded view of a transmitter coil module 200 according to some embodiments. As described above, transmitter coil module 200 includes a cap 204 and a housing base 202 that form an enclosure. Within the enclosure, charging coil assembly 315 may include a coil 310, an electromagnetic shield 314, and a ferrimagnetic sleeve 312. Coil 310 may be a coil formed of multiple turns (or windings) of multi-stranded copper wire (or other electrically conductive and soft material) with terminals 311a, 311b facing the center of the coil, It has a proximal surface oriented toward the cap 204 and an opposing distal surface. Additional description of coil 310 is provided below.

Ferrimagnetic sleeve 312 may be located on the distal side of coil 310 (i.e., the side opposite to cap 204). Ferrimagnetic sleeve 312 is made of a ferrimagnetic material (e.g., may be a ceramic material comprising iron oxide) with a magnetic permeability ( μ _i ) that provides low losses at high charging frequencies (e.g., ~2 MHz). can be manufactured. For example, the ferrimagnetic material may be MnZn with μ _i ~900. Ferrimagnetic sleeve 312 may be shaped to direct the magnetic flux generated by coil 310 toward charging surface 152 and also through surfaces of transmitter coil module 200 other than charging surface 152. May provide shielding against electromagnetic emissions. The top surface of ferrimagnetic sleeve 312 may be contoured to surround the distal and outer side surfaces of coil 310. Ferrimagnetic sleeve 312 may have a central opening 317. A peripheral penetration space 319 may be provided to accommodate the coil terminals 311a and 311b. In some embodiments, an electrically insulating material may be applied to portions of the ferrimagnetic sleeve 312 to prevent the ferrimagnetic sleeve from electrically contacting and shorting the charging coil 310.

The electromagnetic shield 314 protects the transmitter coil module 200 and the electronics being charged by the transmitter coil module 200, including noise that may arise as a result of user interaction with the touch-sensitive display on the electronic device. It may include a main shield body 315 disposed between the cap 204 and the coil 310 to provide capacitive shielding that helps eliminate coupled noise between devices. In some embodiments, electromagnetic shield 314 may be made of thin, flexible materials. For example, electromagnetic shield 314 may be formed from a flexible printed circuit board with electrically conductive material printed or otherwise deposited thereon. A layer of adhesive (not shown) may be provided to secure the electromagnetic shield 314 in place. In other embodiments, electromagnetic shield 314 may be formed by printing a conductive material onto a pressure-sensitive adhesive film. As shown, the main shield body 315 may include a slit 223 to prevent eddy currents from being formed. Electromagnetic shield 314 may also include an L-shaped extension portion 316 that fits between ferrimagnetic sleeve 312 and housing base 202. The extension portion 316 may be electrically coupled to the main shield body 315. Extended portion 316 may be attached to housing body 202 to provide electrical grounding. The second level 316 may have a printed circuit board 318 disposed on the underside of the second level 316 . Printed circuit board 318 may include exposed electrical contacts 230 shown in FIG. 2B. The terminals 311a and 311b of the coil 310 may also be coupled to the printed circuit board 318 to allow current to flow between the terminals 311a and 311b and the coil 310.

Magnet 322 and DC shield 324 can provide a magnetically aligned structure that can attract complementary magnetically aligned structures in a portable electronic device to be charged. For example, magnet 322 may be a cylindrical permanent magnet with an axial dipole orientation. The DC shield 324 may be made of a material that directs the magnetic flux from the magnet 322 away from the bottom surface of the housing base 202 so that the distal side of the transmitter coil module 200 is not strongly magnetized. . The height of magnet 322 and DC shield 324 may be equal to the distance between the innermost surface of housing base 202 and cap 204 such that magnet 322 is positioned axially within transmitter coil module 200. does not move in any direction, so the proximal end of magnet 322 is adjacent to the inner surface of cap 204. The lateral movement of the magnet 322 may be limited by the size of the central opening 317 of the ferrimagnetic sleeve 312 and/or using adhesives or other techniques such as potting.

Power may be supplied to the transmitter coil module 200, more specifically the coil 310, through contact pads 231-233 on the distal side of the extended portion 316 of the electromagnetic shield 314. In some embodiments, AC current from an external source is delivered directly to coil 210, and transmitter coil module 200 need not include any active electronic components.

Coil 310 can operate with high efficiency at two different fundamental frequencies. In some embodiments, the low frequencies may range from about 300 kHz to about 400 kHz (e.g., a frequency of 326 kHz), and the high frequencies may range from about 1 MHz to about 2 MHz (e.g., a frequency of about 1.78 MHz). You can. As mentioned above, coil 310 may be formed from a conductive wire that is wound into multiple turns to form a coil. When alternating current flows through a conductor, the current density is highest near the surface and tends to decrease exponentially near the center of the conductor; This is referred to as the “skin effect”. The skin effect, which increases the effective resistance of the conductor, becomes more pronounced as frequency increases, resulting in less efficient operation.

To support efficient operation at high frequencies, in some embodiments, coil 310 may be manufactured from composite (multi-strand) wire. Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a multi-strand wire 400 that may be used to form a coil 310 according to some embodiments. Wire 400 is manufactured from many individual strands 402. Each strand 402 may be an extruded length of copper wire (or other electrically conductive and soft material) having a narrow diameter (eg, 30 μm, or a diameter in the 20-40 μm range). Each strand 402 may have an electrically insulating outer layer; For example, each strand can be coated with a flexible insulating coating or wrapped with an insulating sleeve or jacket. A group of strands 402 may be twisted together along their length to form a basic bundle 404. In the example shown in Figure 4, each primary bundle 404 includes four strands 402. Groups of primary bundles 404 may be twisted together along their length to form composite bundles 406. In the example shown, each composite bundle 406 includes four primary bundles 404, for a total of 16 strands per composite bundle 406. Groups of composite bundles 406 may be twisted together along their length to form multi-strand wire 400. In the example shown in FIG. 4 , multi-strand wire 400 includes seven composite bundles 406 , for a total of 112 strands of multi-strand wire 400 . Wires formed in this manner have an increased effective “skin” area, allowing for more efficient operation at higher frequencies (e.g., about 1.78 MHz) while still providing efficient operation at lower frequencies (e.g., about 326 kHz).

Coil 310 may be formed by winding multi-strand wire 400 into multiple turns to form the desired coil shape. In some embodiments, coil 310 includes one layer of windings in a helical pattern; If desired, multiple layers of windings may be provided. All windings may lie in the same plane, or the coil 310 may have a non-planar shape, for example, conforming to the concave or other non-planar filling surface 152 of the cap 204. In some embodiments, the outer end of wire 400 may cross into the interior of coil 310 such that both terminals 311a and 311b are connected to coil 310 (as shown in FIG. 3). on the inner side; For example, the outer end of wire 400 can be routed across the distal face of coil 310.

In the above-described embodiments, transmitter coil module 200 includes a charging coil 310 and external contact pads 231-233 that provide electrical connections directly to the coil but drive or control current through the coil. It does not contain current sources or active electronic components for In some embodiments, the control module may be provided separately from the transmitter coil module 200, such as as part of a wireless charging kit. The control module may be, for example, a printed circuit board mounted thereon with electronic circuitry configured to drive the coil at desired frequencies. The wireless charging kit can be supplied to the manufacturer of the accessories, who can integrate the transmitter coil module 200 and control module into the accessory. Examples of control modules for the transmitter coil module 200 will now be described.

5A and 5B show a top and bottom view, respectively, of a control module 500 for a transmitter coil module 200 according to some embodiments. In this example, control module 500 is implemented as a logic board 502 , which may be a printed circuit board equipped with electronic components 510 . A printed circuit board may be patterned with conductive traces that interconnect electronic components 510. The form factor of logic board 502 may be selected as desired. In some embodiments, logic board 502 may be manufactured small to facilitate installation within a housing of accessories having a wide range of form factors. For example, logic board 502 may be sized and shaped to fit within a cable boot of a cable, but it should be understood that logic board 502 is not limited to any particular installation location within the accessory device. Electronic components 510 may include a DC-AC converter (e.g., an inverter) that converts the received DC current to AC current, which is transmitted through a cable 236 on a pair of wires to a coil ( 210). Electronic components 510 may also include control circuitry (e.g., a microcontroller or other logic circuits) to manage the operation of the DC-AC converter, including determining whether to operate at high or low frequencies. there is. In some embodiments, electronic components 510 may include monitoring circuitry that monitors the delivery of power to the receiving device (e.g., through modulation by the receiving device of the electromagnetic field that delivers power to the receiving device). (which may include receiving signals from a receiving device), selection of the operating frequency may be based on monitoring. Other techniques for selecting the operating frequency may also be used.

The “proximal” end 520 of logic board 502 may include contact pads 521 - 523 for delivering output current to transmitter coil module 200 . For example, contact pads 521-523 may include AC hot, neutral, and ground pads. A three-wire cable is connected between contact pads 521-523 and contact pads 231-233 of transmitter coil module 200 to provide AC current to coil 310 as well as to housing base 202. ) and grounding of the electromagnetic shield 314.

The “distal” end 530 (opposite the proximal end 520) of logic board 502 may include contact pads 531-540. In some embodiments, contact pads 531-540 may include contacts that support standard USB connections. For example, contact pads 531-534 may correspond to USB bus voltage, D+ and D- data signals, and ground, and contact pads 535 and 538 may correspond to USB CC pins (USB Type-C connection (used in fields). Contact pads 531-540 may be castellated to facilitate connections to a USB plug-type connector.

The distal end 530 of logic board 502 may be connected to various devices through which power (e.g., DC power following USB standards) and optionally data may be provided to logic board 502. 6A-6C are simplified top views showing examples of connections that may be made to the distal end 530 of logic board 502 according to some embodiments. FIG. 6A shows a bottom view of logic board 502 connected to USB Type-A plug connector 602 according to some embodiments. Distal end 530 is inserted into the outer metal shell of connector 602, and contacts 531-534 may be electrically connected to corresponding USB Type A connector pins (not shown in Figure 6A) in the connector shell. . Figure 6B shows a bottom view of logic board 502 connected to USB Type-C plug connector 622 according to some embodiments. Interposer board 624 is connected to contacts 531 - 540 of distal end 530 of logic board 502 and to connector pins 626 extending from the rear of USB Type-C plug connector 622. . Interposer board 624 may be a printed circuit board (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board) patterned with traces that provide appropriate electrical paths between contacts 531-540 and connector pins 626. Figure 6C shows a bottom view of logic board 502 connected to a set of contact pins 641-644 according to some embodiments. Contact pins 641-644 may be connected to any circuitry capable of providing power, ground, and data. Thus, for example, logic board 502 and transmitter coil module 200 may be mounted within an accessory housing with charging surface 152 exposed and other components concealed. Standard wall-to-power cables and plugs can extend from the accessory housing. Within the accessory housing, a power converter circuit can convert wall power to USB power, and the USB power output of the power converter circuit can be connected to contact pin 641, which is connected to USB power contact 531.

Further illustrating how a control module may be integrated into a wireless charger accessory, FIG. 7 shows a cable assembly 700 incorporating a USB Type-A connector 602 and a logic board 502, according to some embodiments. An exploded view is shown. Cable assembly 700 includes an AC cable 736, one end of which may be secured to transmitter coil module 200. For example, wires 741 - 743 in cable 736 (which can act as hot, neutral, and ground wires) may be connected to contact pads 231 - 743 on the back of housing base 202 (shown in FIG. 2). 233) at one end. If desired, a strain relief component 738 may be provided at or near the connection point. The other end of cable 736 may terminate at cable boot 702. Cable 736 can be as long as desired (eg, 1 meter, 2 meters, or any other length). Cable boot 702 may be manufactured from an electrically non-conductive material (eg, plastic, ceramic, polymer, resin) and may have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Cable boot 702 can accommodate logic board 502. Other ends of wires 741-743 may be connected to AC contacts 521-523 of logic board 502. Logic board 502 may be coupled to USB Type-A connector 602 at its distal end. As shown in FIG. 7 , the connector 602 includes a front shell 704 (which may be made of metal), an insulating projection 706 on which electrical contacts 708 are disposed, and a faceplate 705. may include. Electrical contacts 708 may be connected to distal-end contacts 531 - 534 of logic board 502 . An EMI shield 726, which may be configured as a two-piece clamshell as shown, may be placed within cable boot 702 surrounding logic board 502. EMI shield 726 may reduce or prevent electromagnetic interference between circuitry of logic board 502 (including the DC-AC converter) and other electronic equipment. EMI shield 726 may be made of a variety of materials, including conductive and/or magnetic materials. In some embodiments, EMI shield 726 may be configured as a Faraday cage. The ground pin of EMI shield 726 and protrusion 706 may be connected to a ground wire of cable 736 to provide a common ground. A boot crimp 724 may hold the distal end of the cable 736 in place as the cable 736 exits the boot 702. If desired, strain relief may be provided using strain relief element 732 (which may be an external strain relief sleeve) or using other techniques.

In the above-described embodiments, the wireless charger accessory incorporating the transmitter coil module 200 can operate at either low frequencies (e.g., a frequency of about 326 kHz or other frequencies in the range of about 300 kHz to about 400 kHz) or high frequencies (e.g., about 1.78 MHz). The coil 310 may be operated to provide power at either a frequency of 0.5 MHz or other frequencies ranging from about 1.5 MHz to about 2 MHz. In some embodiments, the efficiency of power transfer to a particular electronic device may be approximately 70% at low frequencies and approximately 85% at high frequencies. The coil configurations described above provide more efficient magnetic coupling at high frequencies than at low frequencies, but the associated electronics may operate slightly less efficiently at higher frequencies. In some embodiments, the increased magnetic coupling efficiency at high frequencies results in significant reductions (e.g., 25% to 50%) in the time required to charge a battery of a portable electronic device at high frequencies compared to charging at low frequencies. ) may result. In some embodiments, transmitter coil module 200 operates at high frequencies when providing power to devices that can receive power at high frequencies and provides power to other devices (e.g., legacy devices as described above). Switches to low frequency when providing .

In some embodiments, a manufacturer may provide a kit that includes a transmitter coil module (e.g., transmitter coil module 200) and a control module (e.g., logic board 502) as separate, separate components. A third party may connect the logic board 502 to the transmitter coil module 200 (e.g., using wires as described above) and load the transmitter coil module 200 such that the charging surface 152 of the transmitter coil module 200 is exposed. ) and logic board 502 can be assembled by surrounding the accessory housing. The accessory housing can have any form factor desired. For example, the housing may follow the puck shape of the transmitter coil module 200, and the cables extending therefrom may have a boot housing the logic board 502 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 7). As another example, the housing may have a rectangular parallelepiped (eg, rectangular parallelepiped) or cylindrical shape, and the logic board 502 may be disposed within the housing. A cable may extend from the housing to allow connection to wall power, a USB adapter, or some other power source as desired by the user. In some embodiments, the accessory may include a battery to provide power, and no connection to an external power source is required.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the transmitter coil module and control module described herein are compactly designed to fit within accessories with small form factors. The control module may be provided as a printed circuit board with components (e.g. integrated circuits and/or circuit components) mounted thereon, or the circuit board may provide, for example, physical protection and electromagnetic shielding for the components. It may be surrounded within a metal structure such as a Faraday cage. Wireless power modules and control modules of the type described herein can be integrated into a variety of accessory devices to provide wireless charging capabilities, regardless of the accessory device's form factor or other functionality. All dimensions and materials mentioned herein are for illustrative purposes and may be modified. The number of strands within a bundle and the number of bundles within a wire may also vary. Using twisted strands to form composite wires can simplify manufacturing.

Accordingly, although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (16)

A transmitter coil module, comprising:
A housing including a housing base and a cap forming an enclosure;
a coil formed of a composite wire wound into a plurality of turns, the coil being disposed within the enclosure,
The composite wire includes a plurality of strands, wherein subsets of the strands are twisted around each other to form a set of basic bundles, and groups of basic bundles are twisted around each other to form a plurality of composite bundles. twisted, and the plurality of composite bundles are twisted around each other to form the composite wire; and
a plurality of contact pads exposed through an opening in the housing base, the plurality of contact pads including two contact pads electrically connected to a first end and a second end of the composite wire;
wherein the coil is operable to generate alternating current in the composite wire at a low frequency in the range of 300 kHz to 400 kHz and a high frequency in the range of 1 MHz to 2 MHz. The transmitter coil module of claim 1, wherein each basic bundle includes four strands. 3. The transmitter coil module of claim 2, wherein each composite bundle includes four elementary bundles. 4. The transmitter coil module of claim 3, wherein the composite wire comprises seven composite bundles. The transmitter coil module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of windings of the composite wire are arranged in a single layer. According to paragraph 1,
a ferrimagnetic sleeve disposed around the distal surface of the coil; and
The transmitter coil module further comprising an electromagnetic shield disposed between the proximal surface of the coil and the cap. The transmitter coil module of claim 1, wherein the low frequency is 326 kHz and the high frequency is 1.78 MHz. As a wireless charging kit,
Transmitter coil module; and
Includes a control module,
The transmitter coil module,
A housing including a housing base and a cap forming a sealed enclosure;
comprising a coil formed of a composite wire wound into a plurality of windings,
The composite wire includes a plurality of strands, subsets of the strands are twisted around each other to form a set of basic bundles, groups of basic bundles are twisted around each other to form a plurality of composite bundles, and the plurality of composite wires are twisted around each other to form a set of basic bundles. The bundles are twisted around each other to form the composite wire;
The control module includes a printed circuit board mounted with electronic components, the electronic components configured to generate alternating current in the composite wire at a low frequency in the range of 300 kHz to 400 kHz and a high frequency in the range of 1 MHz to 2 MHz. A wireless charging kit, including a control circuit that is capable of being used. 9. The wireless charging kit of claim 8, wherein each basic bundle includes four strands. 10. The wireless charging kit of claim 9, wherein each composite bundle includes four basic bundles. 11. The wireless charging kit of claim 10, wherein the composite wire includes seven composite bundles. The wireless charging kit of claim 8, wherein the plurality of windings of the composite wire are arranged in a single layer. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitter coil module:
a ferrimagnetic sleeve disposed around the distal surface of the coil; and
A wireless charging kit, further comprising an electromagnetic shield disposed between the proximal surface of the coil and the cap. The wireless charging kit of claim 8, wherein the low frequency is 326 kHz and the high frequency is 1.78 MHz. 9. The wireless charging kit of claim 8, wherein the printed circuit board has a first plurality of contact pads for outputting AC current at a first end. 16. The wireless charging kit of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board has a second plurality of contact pads for USB power and data at a second end opposite the first end.

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