Adaptive inductive power supply

摘要

A contactless power supply has a dynamically configurable tank circuit powered by an inverter. The contactless power supply is inductively coupled to one or more loads. The inverter is connected to a DC power source. When loads are added or removed from the system, the contactless power supply is capable of modifying the resonant frequency of the tank circuit, the inverter frequency, the inverter duty cycle or the rail voltage of the DC power source.

主权项

1. A contactless power supply for supplying power wirelessly to a remote device having a secondary inductor in electrical communication with a load, said contactless power supply comprising:
a tank circuit having a primary inductor for transferring power to said remote device having said secondary inductor in electrical communication with said load, by an inductive coupling, wherein a resonant frequency of said tank circuit is based at least in part on the load; circuitry for applying power at a rail voltage to said tank circuit, said circuitry applying said power at an operating frequency and a duty cycle; and a controller coupled to said circuitry, said controller configured to monitor at least one operational characteristic of the contactless power supply, said controller configured to actively vary, based on said at least one operational characteristic, said operating frequency of said power from a first operating frequency to a second operating frequency; wherein said controller is configured to actively vary said resonant frequency during operation such that said resonant frequency changes from a first resonant frequency to a second resonant frequency, wherein said first operating frequency is at or near said first resonant frequency, and wherein said second operating frequency is at or near said second resonant frequency.