US 12,244,151 B2
Wireless power transfer in modular systems
Al-Thaddeus Avestruz, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Akshay Sarin, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Shai Revzen, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Duncan Abbot, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed by The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/198,978.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/988,283, filed on Mar. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0359544 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. H02J 50/05 (2016.01); H02J 50/50 (2016.01)
CPC H02J 50/05 (2016.02) [H02J 50/50 (2016.02)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a structural body;
first and second modules disposed along, and movable relative to, the structural body, each of the first and second modules comprising an energy storage device, a plurality of terminals, and a power converter coupling the energy storage device and the plurality of terminals; and
a plurality of conductors on the structural body, the plurality of conductors establishing a conduction path between the first and second modules;
wherein the plurality of terminals of each of the first and second modules are disposed along the plurality of conductors on the structural body to establish a capacitive coupling between the plurality of terminals and the plurality of conductors for capacitive, bidirectional wireless power transfer between the first and second modules; and
wherein each power converter of the first and second modules comprises a switched parallel resonant tank to support the capacitive, bidirectional power transfer between the first and second modules via the conduction path, the switched parallel resonant tank being configured to drive a series resonance, the series resonance comprising the capacitive coupling between the plurality of terminals and the plurality of conductors, an inductance of the plurality of conductors, and a compensation inductor.