CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. CN201520093258.0 filed on February 9, 2015 in the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the whole disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a wireless power transmission device to wirelessly transmit electricity through electromagnetic coupling and an apparatus including the same. Background Art

A wireless power transmission device to wirelessly transmit electricity through electromagnetic coupling comprises a power transmitter and a power receiver. The power transmitter is adapted to convert an input DC current into an electromagnetic energy, and the power receiver is adapted to receive the electromagnetic energy output from the power transmitter and convert the electromagnetic energy into a predetermined voltage to be output.

In the prior art, the wireless power transmission device is generally designed in accordance with a Qi Standard which is an interconnection standard, adapted for a wireless inductive power transmission with short-distance and low-power, established by Wireless Power Consortium and is mainly intended to provide convenient and universal wireless charging for mobile phones and other portable electronic devices.

However, in the wireless power transmission device having the aforementioned Qi standard, circuit functions thereof are complex, and specialized custom chips are required to achieve circuit control. Further, control circuit modules are large in size and circuit designs are highly cost. Therefore, the Qi standard is currently only applied to expensive electronic devices such as wireless charging applications for mobile phones.

In addition, in the prior art, for a wireless power supply device based coil inductive and having a H-bridge chip design, integration level of the circuit design is low, resulting in corresponding external logic control chips. Further, the circuit control is complex, and it is necessary to consider dead-zone control of an H-bridge switch. Moreover, the control circuit modules are large in size and the circuit designs are high in cost, which renders that the wireless power supply device cannot be widely used in household appliances and industrial applications. Disclosure of Invention

It would be advantageous to provide a wireless power supply device to reduce the size of the control modules with lower cost, so that the wireless power supply device may be applied to a conventional closed-loop system to achieve an internal power supply and signal transmission from one component to another component of an apparatus by mean of a non-contact.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a wireless power transmission device comprising a power transmitter adapted to convert an input DC power into an electromagnetic energy and a power receiver electromagnetically coupled with the power transmitter and adapted to receive an electromagnetic energy output from the power transmitter. The power transmitter includes a wave generating circuit adapted to generate a square wave control signal having a predetermined frequency and duty cycle according to the input DC power input, a switching control drive circuit electrically connected with the wave generating circuit for converting the input DC power into an alternating electrical signal according to the received square wave control signal, and a first coil coupling circuit electrically connected with the switching control drive circuit for converting the alternating electrical signal output from the switching control drive circuit into the electromagnetic energy and output the electromagnetic energy.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the switching control drive circuit includes a logic control circuit electrically connected with the wave generating circuit and a MOSFET switching circuit electrically connected with the logic control circuit.

According to anther exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the logic control circuit and the MOSFET switching circuit are integrated on one chip.

According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the wave generating circuit is adapted to generate a PWM signal having a predetermined frequency and a predetermined duty cycle, for example, to generate a PWM signal having the predetermined frequency of 50KHz-200KHz and the predetermined duty cycle of 30%-80%.

According to further another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the first coil coupling circuit includes a first compensation circuit electrically connected with the switching control drive circuit and a first coil electrically connected with the first compensation circuit.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the power receiver includes a second coil coupling circuit electromagnetically coupled with the first coil coupling circuit and adapted to receive the electromagnetic energy output from the first coil coupling circuit and convert the received electromagnetic energy into the alternating electrical signal, rectifying and filtering circuits electrically connected with the second coil coupling circuit and adapted to convert the alternating electrical signal output from the second coil coupling circuit into a DC electrical signal, and a DC-DC converting circuit electrically connected with the rectifying and filtering circuits and adapted to convert the DC electrical signal output from the rectifying and filtering circuits into a predetermined voltage output (Vout) or a predetermined current output.

According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the rectifying and filtering circuits half-wave rectify the alternating electrical signal output from the second coil coupling circuit through a single diode.

According to further another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the second coil coupling circuit includes a second compensation circuit electrically connected with the rectifying circuits and a second coil electrically connected with the second compensation circuit.

In the wireless power transmission device according to various embodiment of the disclosure, a universal switching control drive chip is employed. Thus, it is possible to greatly reduce the cost and size of the control module. In addition, in some embodiments of the disclosure, the switching control drive circuit is realized by one integrated control drive chip. Through integrating the logic control circuit and the MOSFET switching circuit on one chip, it is possible to solve the problem of the dead zone of the MOSFET switching circuit, which improves the integration level of the circuit and reduces the over size of the modules.

Other objects and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent by the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings and will be helpful for a comprehensive understanding to the disclosure.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a wireless power transmission device according to an example of the disclosure;

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a power transmitter of the wireless power transmission device of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a power receiver of the wireless power transmission device of Figure 1. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar components. The description to the embodiments of the disclosure hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings is intended to explain the inventive idea of the disclosure and should not be construed as being limited to the disclosure.

In addition, in the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

According to a general concept of the disclosure, there is provided a wireless power transmission device comprising a power transmitter adapted to convert an input DC power input into an electromagnetic energy and a power receiver electromagnetically coupled with the power transmitter and adapted to receive an electromagnetic energy output from the power transmitter. The power transmitter includes a wave generating circuit adapted to generate a square wave control signal having a predetermined frequency and duty cycle according to the input DC power, a switching control drive circuit electrically connected with the wave generating circuit and configured to convert the input DC power into an alternating electrical signal according to the received square wave control signal, and a first coil coupling circuit electrically connected with the switching control drive circuit and configured to convert the alternating electrical signal output from the switching control drive circuit into the electromagnetic energy and output this electromagnetic energy.

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a wireless power transmission device according to an example of the disclosure.

In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a wireless power transmission device is disclosed. As shown in Figure 1, the wireless power transmission device mainly comprises a power transmitter 100 and a power receiver 200. The power transmitter 100 is adapted to convert an input DC power Vin into an electromagnetic energy. The power receiver 200 is electromagnetically coupled with the power transmitter 100 and adapted to receive the electromagnetic energy output from the power transmitter 100.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the power transmitter 100 of the wireless power transmission device of Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in the illustrated embodiment, the power transmitter 100 mainly includes a first processing circuit 1 10 and a first coil coupling circuit 120. The first processing circuit 1 10 includes a wave generating circuit 1 1 1 and a switching control drive circuit 1 10a.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the wave generating circuit 1 1 1 is adapted to generate a square wave control signal having a predetermined frequency according to the DC power input Vin. For example, the wave generating circuit can generate a PWM signal having a predetermined frequency and a predetermined duty cycle, for example, may generate the PWM signal having the frequency of 50KHz-200KHz and the duty cycle of 30% to 80%). A universal control chip may be used in the wave generating circuit to cooperate with external devices such as a resistor and a capacitor so as to obtain the control signal having the predetermined frequency and duty cycle.

Continuing to refer to Figures 1 and 2, the switching control drive circuit 1 10a is electrically connected with the wave generating circuit 1 1 1 for converting the input DC power Vin into an alternating electrical signal according to the received square wave control signal. The first coil coupling circuit 120 is electrically connected with the switching control drive circuit 1 10a for converting the alternating electrical signal output from the switching control drive circuit 110a into the electromagnetic energy and output the electromagnetic energy.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the switching control drive circuit 1 10a includes a logic control circuit 1 12 and a MOSFET switching circuit 1 13. The logic control circuit 1 12 is electrically connected with the wave generating circuit 1 1 1, and the MOSFET switching circuit 1 13 is electrically connected with the logic control circuit 1 12.

In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the logic control circuit 1 12 and the MOSFET switching circuit 1 13 are integrated on one single control drive chip, which not only can reduce size and cost of the control module and can also solve the problem of a dead zone of the MOSFET switching circuit.

Please referring to Figure 2, in the illustrated embodiment, the first coil coupling circuit 120 includes a first compensation circuit 121 and a first coil 122. The first compensation circuit 121 is electrically connected with the switching control drive circuit 1 10a, and the first coil 122 is electrically connected with the first compensation circuit 121.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of the power receiver 200 of the wireless power transmission device of Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, in an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the power receiver 200 mainly includes a second coil coupling circuit 220, rectifying and filtering circuits 21 1, 212 and a DC-DC converting circuit 213.

Please referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, in the illustrated embodiment, the second coil coupling circuit 220 is electromagnetically coupled with the first coil coupling circuit 120 and is adapted to receive the electromagnetic energy output from the first coil coupling circuit 120 and convert the received electromagnetic energy into the alternating electrical signal. The rectifying and filtering circuits 21 1, 212 are electrically connected with the second coil coupling circuit 220 and adapted to convert the alternating electrical signal output from the second coil coupling circuit 220 into a DC electrical signal. The DC-DC converting circuit 213 is electrically connected with the rectifying and filtering circuits 21 1, 212 and adapted to convert the DC electrical signal output from the rectifying and filtering circuits 21 1, 212 into a predetermined voltage output Vout (constant voltage control) or a predetermined current output (constant current control).

In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the rectifying and filtering circuits 21 1 , 212 is configured to half- wave rectify the alternating electrical signal output from the second coil coupling circuit 220 through a single diode to obtain the DC electrical signal to be output. It is possible to reduce power consumption of the power receiver by means of the half-wave rectification, thereby improving the efficiency of the overall system.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, in the illustrated embodiment, the second coil coupling circuit 220 includes a second compensation circuit 221 and a second coil 222. The second coil 222 is electromagnetically coupled with the first coil 1 12 and electrically connected with the second compensation circuit 221. The second compensation circuit 221 is electrically connected with the rectifying circuits 21 1, 212.

In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the DC-DC converting circuit 213 includes a DC-DC converting chip and a corresponding peripheral circuit. The rectified DC electrical signal may be converted into the predetermined voltage output Vout or the set current output by adjusting ratios of resistors of the peripheral circuit.

The wireless transmission device according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure may be applied to conventional closed-loop system to achieve the internal power supply and signal transmission from one component to another component of an apparatus in the manner of non-contact. For example, in an application of a refrigerator structure, this wireless power supply device is installed between a body and door of the refrigerator. Through installing the power transmitter on the body of the refrigerator and installing the power receiver on the door of the refrigerator, it is possible to realize a non-contact connection of the power and signals between a main control board of the body and a control panel on the door of the refrigerator. In another embodiment, through installing the power transmitter of this wireless power transmission on the body of the refrigerator and installing the power receiver of this wireless power transmission on shelves or drawers of the refrigerator, it is possible to realize the non-contact power supply and signal transmission between the body and the shelves or drawers of the refrigerator. The same usage may also apply to other products, such as washing machines, rice cookers and other equipments.

It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art embodiments as described and shown above are exemplary and various changes or modifications may be made thereto. Structures described in various embodiments may be combined in any forms without conflicting with each other in structure or concept.

Although embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments disclosed in the accompanying drawings is intended to be illustrative, rather than being construed as a limitation to the disclosure.

Although some embodiments of the general concept of the disclosure have been illustrated and described, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that modification can be made in these embodiments without departing from the principle and spirit of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure is defined by claims and their equivalents.

It should be noted that phase "comprise" or "include" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the phrase "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple. In addition, any reference numerals in claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure.