Electronic Contact Lens Charging Coil Layout for Placement Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for charging electronic contact lenses are sensitive to the placement and orientation of the lens in the charging container, leading to inefficient charging and higher power consumption due to suboptimal inductive coupling between the charging coil and the contact lens coil.
Innovation Solution
The electronic contact lens charging case features a charging coil with a larger diameter than the contact lens coil, configured to reduce sensitivity to location and orientation, and is designed to extend partially around the container, ensuring efficient inductive coupling regardless of the lens's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a charging coil with the same diameter as the contact lens coil is used, then the inductive coupling can be maximized when perfectly aligned, but the charging process becomes highly sensitive to placement and orientation variations
Solution Approach 1:
The charging coil is segmented into multiple independent coil segments arranged in an array. Each segment can independently couple with the contact lens coil, providing redundant charging paths. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliable charging even when the contact lens is placed at various positions or orientations within the container, as at least one coil segment will maintain adequate coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple coil segments are combined into a unified charging system where their magnetic fields overlap and interact. The controller manages the combined output from multiple segments to charge the contact lens battery. This merging provides both the redundancy needed for placement insensitivity and the combined magnetic field strength for efficient charging.
2Ease of operation
If the charging coil diameter is increased to reduce sensitivity, then the inductive coupling becomes less sensitive to placement variations, but the coil size and container dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using one large charging coil, the system segments the coil into multiple smaller segments arranged in an array. This segmentation allows the charging case to maintain a compact size while achieving the coverage area needed for placement insensitivity. The segmented approach distributes the magnetic field generation across multiple points rather than requiring a single large coil.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil segments are arranged in a two-dimensional array pattern rather than a single linear or circular configuration. This dimensional arrangement allows the charging case to achieve broad magnetic field coverage across the container area without increasing the overall footprint significantly. The array layout optimizes space utilization while maintaining placement tolerance.
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
This design enhances charging efficiency by minimizing the impact of placement and orientation variations, resulting in more effective power transfer and reduced power usage during the charging process.
Implementation Method 1
a charging coil capable of being inductively coupled to a coil of the eCL
Implementation Method 2
the coupling between the inductive antenna coil of the eCL and the charging circuitry
Data Source
AI summary
A contact lens charging case comprises a container sized and shaped to receive an electronic contact lens (“eCL”) and charging coil to couple to a coil of the eCL. In some embodiments, the charging coil comprises a diameter larger than a diameter of the coil of the eCL, so as to decrease sensitivity of the location and orientation of the eCL in the container and improve coupling between the coils. In some embodiments, the charging coil is dimensioned so as to extend at least partially around the container that receives the eCL.