Capacitive Contactless Powering System PCB Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless power transfer technologies, such as inductive and capacitive coupling, face inefficiencies and high costs when attempting to power devices over large areas, due to concentrated power transfer and increased power losses with multiple receivers and electrodes.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive powering system utilizing a pair of receiver electrodes connected to a load through a first inductor, paired with transmitter electrodes on an insulating layer, allowing for wireless power transfer by matching the frequency of the power signal to the series-resonance frequency of the inductor and capacitive impedance, enabling efficient power delivery to multiple loads without mechanical or electrical contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If inductive powering systems use expensive coils with optimal inductance-to-resistance ratio and Litze-wire process to reduce skin-effect, then power transfer efficiency is improved, but system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex inductive coils with simple printed circuit board traces that serve as transmitter and receiver electrodes. These PCB-based capacitive coupling structures are much cheaper to manufacture while achieving adequate power transfer efficiency for the application, eliminating the need for expensive Litze-wire coils and complex winding structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical/physical construction of traditional inductive coils with a planar capacitive coupling implementation using PCB traces. This replaces the need for three-dimensional coil winding, core assembly, and precise geometric positioning with a flat, printed circuit board-based solution that is easier and cheaper to manufacture.
2Loss of energy
If inductive powering systems design coils to meet complicated geometries to avoid Eddy-currents, then power transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for complex coil geometries by using simple PCB trace patterns as capacitive coupling electrodes. The transmitter and receiver are implemented as planar conductive patterns on PCBs, which can be designed using standard CAD tools and manufactured using conventional PCB fabrication processes, avoiding the need for complicated three-dimensional coil winding and assembly.
3Reliability
If capacitive power transfer circuit uses pixelated electrodes to ensure power transfer when not perfectly aligned, then power transfer reliability is improved, but number of connections and power losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a capacitive coupling system where the PCB-based transmitter and receiver electrodes provide both power transfer and alignment tolerance through their distributed capacitive structure. The planar electrode design inherently provides robustness to misalignment without requiring multiple separate connections or pixelated electrode arrays, maintaining low power loss while ensuring reliable operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves low power losses and efficient power transfer over large areas, reducing costs by eliminating the need for expensive coils and allowing for modular, easy extension of infrastructure, while supporting multiple loads with independent frequency tuning and overload protection.
Implementation Method 1
a power signal generated by the driver is wirelessly transferred from the pair of transmitter electrodes to the pair of receiver electrodes to power the load when a frequency of the power signal matches a series-resonance frequency of the first inductor and the capacitive impedance
Implementation Method 2
the pair of receiver electrodes are decoupled from the second side of the insulating layer, thereby forming a capacitive impedance between the pair of transmitter electrodes and the pair of receiver electrodes
Implementation Method 3
Capacitive coupling is another technique for transferring power wirelessly
Data Source
AI summary
A capacitive contactless powering system (100) comprises a pair of receiver electrodes (141, 142) connected to a load (150) through a first inductor (160), wherein the first inductor is coupled to the load to resonate the system; a pair of transmitter electrodes (121, 122) connected to a driver (110); an insulating layer (130) having a first side and a second side opposite each other, wherein the pair of transmitter electrodes are coupled to the first side of the insulating layer and the pair of receiver electrodes are decoupled from the second side of the insulating layer, such that a capacitive impedance is formed between the pair of transmitter electrodes and the pair of receiver electrodes, wherein a power signal generated by the driver is wirelessly transferred from the pair of transmitter electrodes to the pair of receiver electrodes to power the load when a frequency of the power signal matches a series-resonance frequency of the first inductor and the capacitive impedance.