US 12,218,521 B2
Wireless power transfer systems for kitchen appliances
Mark Melone, Frankfort, IL (US); Alberto Peralta, Chicago, IL (US); and Michael Katz, Glen Ellyn, IL (US)
Assigned to NuCurrent, Inc., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by NuCurrent, Inc., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 22, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/418,815.
Application 18/418,815 is a continuation of application No. 17/942,669, filed on Sep. 12, 2022, granted, now 11,881,723.
Application 17/942,669 is a continuation of application No. 17/172,909, filed on Feb. 10, 2021, granted, now 11,444,492, issued on Sep. 13, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0405611 A1, Dec. 5, 2024
Int. Cl. H02J 50/40 (2016.01); A47J 27/00 (2006.01); A47J 47/01 (2006.01); H02J 50/20 (2016.01); H05B 6/12 (2006.01); H02J 50/60 (2016.01)
CPC H02J 50/40 (2016.02) [A47J 27/004 (2013.01); A47J 47/01 (2013.01); H02J 50/20 (2016.02); H05B 6/1236 (2013.01); H02J 50/60 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wireless power transfer system for providing wireless power to a kitchen appliance, the wireless power transfer system comprising:
a wireless power transmission system comprising:
a first transmission antenna configured to transmit virtual alternating current (AC) power signals;
a second transmission antenna configured to transmit virtual direct current (DC) power signals;
a controller comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the at least one processor is configured to:
determine a variable slot length (tSlot) and a variable slot timing based on the first transmission antenna transmitting virtual AC power signals, the second transmission antenna transmitting virtual DC power signals, or combinations thereof, within one or more slots of time;
determine a first driving signal based on a first operating frequency, a virtual AC power frequency, tSlot, and the variable slot timing;
provide the first driving signal to a first transmission power conditioning system;
determine a second driving signal based on a second operating frequency, tSlot, and the variable slot timing;
provide the second driving signal to a second transmission power conditioning system; and
based on the variable slot timing drive the first transmission antenna based on the first driving signal, the second transmission antenna based on the second driving signal, or combinations thereof;
the first transmission power conditioning system configured to receive the first driving signal and a first input power signal to generate the virtual AC power signals at the first operating frequency and having peak voltages rising and falling based on the virtual AC power frequency;
the second transmission power conditioning system configured to receive the second driving signal and to receive a second input power signal to generate the virtual DC power signals at the second operating frequency; and
a wireless power receiver system operatively associated with the kitchen appliance, the wireless power receiver system comprising:
a first receiver antenna configured to receive the virtual AC power signals from the first transmission antenna, the first receiver antenna operating based on the first operating frequency;
a second receiver antenna configured to receive the virtual DC power signals from the second transmission antenna, the second receiver antenna operating based on the second operating frequency;
a first receiver power conditioning system configured to (i) receive the virtual AC power signals, (ii) convert the virtual AC power signals to AC received power signals, and (iii) provide the AC received power signals to a first load of the kitchen appliance; and
a second receiver power conditioning system configured to (i) receive the virtual DC power signals, (ii) convert the virtual DC power signals to DC received power signals, and (iii) provide the DC received power signals to a second load of the kitchen appliance.