Ion Cooling Engine for Wireless Charging Coil Thermal Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cooling methods for wireless power systems, such as mechanical fans, consume significant power, are noisy, and prone to mechanical failure, making them inefficient and disruptive.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an ion cooling engine (ICE) with a low-voltage circuit controlled by a transmitter chip, which includes a high-voltage ion cooling engine circuit to generate an ion beam that creates airflow for cooling the transmitter and receiver coils, and a low-voltage circuit to interface with the transmitter, allowing for efficient and controlled cooling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If conventional mechanical fans are used for cooling, then cooling function is provided, but power consumption increases and noise is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat buildupVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical fan cooling system with an ion-based cooling system. Instead of using mechanical rotating blades to move air, the invention uses ion generation and ion wind to create cooling airflow, thereby eliminating the need for mechanical moving parts and significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining effective cooling capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes ion wind, which is a pneumatic phenomenon where ions move through air and drag neutral air molecules along, creating a cooling airflow. This approach uses gas dynamics rather than mechanical propulsion to achieve the cooling effect, reducing both power consumption and mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Temperature

If conventional mechanical fans are used for cooling, then cooling function is provided, but noise is generated disrupting the environment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat buildupVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By replacing the mechanical fan with an ion-based cooling system, the invention eliminates the mechanical noise generated by rotating blades and motor operation. The ion wind cooling process occurs silently as ions and air molecules move through the charging environment without mechanical disturbance, thereby removing the harmful noise factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Temperature

If conventional mechanical fans are used for cooling, then cooling function is provided, but mechanical failure occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat buildupVSAvoidmechanical failure

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the mechanical fan system with an ion-based cooling system that has no moving parts. Without mechanical components such as rotating blades, bearings, and motors, the system eliminates the sources of mechanical wear, friction, and potential failure, thereby significantly improving reliability and reducing maintenance requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Use of energy by moving object

If ion cooling engine is used, then power consumption is reduced and noise is minimized, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcircuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ion cooling system is divided into separate functional modules: a low-voltage control circuit that interfaces with the existing transmitter control chip, and a high-voltage ion generation circuit that produces the cooling effect. This segmentation allows the complex ion generation function to be isolated from the control logic, making the system more manageable and maintainable despite the added complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a low-voltage control circuit as an intermediary between the existing transmitter control chip and the high-voltage ion cooling circuit. This intermediary layer simplifies the interface requirements, allowing the control chip to communicate with the ion cooling system using standard low-voltage signals while the high-voltage circuit handles the complex ion generation processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 ion cooling engine effectively reduces heat buildup in wireless power systems while minimizing power consumption and noise, providing a more reliable and efficient cooling solution compared to traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

a high-voltage ion cooling engine circuit to generate an ion beam that creates airflow for cooling the transmitter and receiver coils

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIon beam: Ion Beam

Implementation Method 2

generate an ion beam that creates airflow

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIon wind: Ion Wind

Data Source

PatentUS11240942B2Control of ionic cooling in wireless charging systems

Publication Date: 2022.02.01 INTEGRATED DEVICE TECH INC

AI summary

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, an ion cooling engine (ICE) controlled by a transmitting or receiving device cools a transmit or receive coil and possibly other parts of a wireless power transmitter or receiver system. In some embodiments, the ICE includes a low-voltage circuit controlled by the transmitting device and coupled to a high voltage circuit that generates the airflow. Other features are also provided.