Receiver electrodes of a capacitive wireless powering system

Abstract

Various receiver electrodes for supplying power to a load connected in a capacitive power transfer system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the receiver electrodes include a first conductive plate connected to a first sphere-shaped hinge, wherein the first sphere-shaped hinge is coupled to a first receiver electrode; and a second conductive plate connected to a second sphere-shaped hinge, wherein the second sphere-shaped hinge is coupled to a second receiver electrode, the second receiver electrode being connected to an inductor of the capacitive power transfer system and the first receiver electrode being connected to the load, the inductor being connected to the load to resonate the capacitive power transfer system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of manufacture for supplying a power to a load connected in a capacitive power transfer system, comprising:
 a first conductive plate connected to a first sphere-shaped hinge, wherein the first sphere-shaped hinge is coupled to a first receiver electrode; and   a second conductive plate connected to a second sphere-shaped hinge, wherein the second sphere-shaped hinge is coupled to a second receiver electrode, wherein the second receiver electrode is connected in series to an inductor of the capacitive power transfer system, and the first receiver electrode is in series connected to the load, the inductor is connected in series to the load and configured to resonate at a series-resonance frequency of the capacitive power transfer system.   
     
     
         2 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein a power signal generated by a power driver is wirelessly transferred from a pair of transmitter electrodes coupled to an insulating layer to the first and second receiver electrodes to power the load when a frequency of the power signal substantially matches a series-resonance frequency of the inductor and the capacitive impedance formed between the pair of transmitter electrodes and the receiver electrodes, wherein each of the pair of transmitter electrodes and the insulating layer has a curved shape. 
     
     
         3 . The article of manufacture of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second conductive plates substantially overlaps a surface area of a transmitter electrode of the pair of transmitter electrodes, such that fluctuations in the capacitance impedance are reduced. 
     
     
         4 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second conductive plates, each of the first and second sphere-shaped hinges, and each of the first and second electrodes are made of conductive material including any one of: carbon, aluminum, indium tin oxide (ITO), Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), copper, silver, and conductive paint. 
     
     
         5 . A magnetic fixture for mechanically fixing a receiver to a transmitter of a capacitive power transfer system, comprising:
 a first group of a plurality of transmitter electrodes including a plurality of permanent magnets having a first magnetic pole orientation, each of the transmitter electrodes of the first group of the plurality of transmitter electrodes having a first electric potential;   a second group of a plurality of transmitter electrodes including a permanent magnet having a second magnetic pole orientation opposite to the first magnetic pole orientation, wherein each of the transmitter electrodes of the second group of the plurality of transmitter electrodes having electric potential opposite to the electric potential of each of the plurality of transmitter electrodes of the first group of the plurality of transmitter electrodes;   a first receiver electrode having the first electric potential and including a permanent magnet having the first magnetic pole orientation, wherein an inductor is connected I series to the first receiver electrode and a load, the inductor is configured to resonate at a series-resonance frequency of the capacitive power transfer system; and   a second receiver electrode having the second electric potential and including a permanent magnet having the second magnetic pole orientation; wherein the first receiver electrode is oriented with one of the transmitter electrodes of the first group of the plurality of transmitter electrodes and the second receiver electrode is oriented with one of the transmitter electrodes of the second group of the plurality of transmitter electrodes, the receiver being mechanically fixed to the transmitter to allow a power signal to be wirelessly transferred from the transmitter to the load connected to the first receiver electrode.   
     
     
         6 . The magnetic fixture of  claim 5 , wherein the receiver is mechanically fixed to the transmitter, the first and second receiver electrodes being electrically insulated from the first and second groups of the plurality of transmitter electrodes by an insulating layer. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetic fixture of  claim 5 , wherein the power signal is generated by a power driver included in the transmitter and the power signal is wirelessly transferred from the transmitter to the receiver when a frequency of the power signal substantially matches the series-resonance frequency of the inductor and the capacitive impedance formed between the first and second group of the plurality of transmitter electrodes and the first and second receiver electrodes. 
     
     
         8 . The magnetic fixture of  claim 5 , wherein the permanent magnets are covered with a thin electric conducting layer to form the receiver and transmitter electrodes.