Patent Description:
Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of battery charging and, in particular, to inductive power transfer in deep space and remote applications.

Rechargeable batteries are used in a wide variety of devices and applications. Common exemplary devices include cellular telephones and laptops. In deep space applications, an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) is worn during extravehicular activities. The primary life support subsystem that is part of the EMU is powered by a battery. Wireless power transmission eliminates the need for interconnecting wires. Document <CIT> discloses an inductive power transfer system comprising: a receiver configured to supply the inductive power to a battery, a mobile charge platform configured to transport a transmitter configured to generate the inductive power to the receiver, and an atmospheric suit that includes the receiver.

According to the present invention, an inductive power transfer system according to claim <NUM>, an atmospheric suit according to claim <NUM>, and a mobile charge platform according to claim <NUM> are provided. According to the present invention, an inductive power transfer system includes a receiver to supply the inductive power to a battery, and a mobile charge platform to transport a transmitter to generate the inductive power.

According to the present invention, the inductive power transfer system also includes an atmospheric suit that includes the receiver.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the atmospheric suit includes at least one subsystem powered by the battery.

According to the present invention, the atmospheric suit is an extravehicular mobility unit for a deep space application.

According to the present invention, the mobile charge platform is a rover for the deep space application.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the mobile charge platform includes a power supply for the transmitter.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the receiver includes a receiver coil and the transmitter includes a transmitter coil.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the receiver includes a rectifier to provide direct current to the battery.

According to the present invention, an atmospheric suit used in a system of claim <NUM> includes a battery configured to power at least one subsystem of the atmospheric suit, and a receiver configured to receive inductive power from a transmitter to recharge the battery.

The atmospheric suit is an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) for a deep space application.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the at least one subsystem is a primary life support subsystem of the EMU.

According to the present invention, the receiver receives the inductive power from a rover in the deep space application.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the receiver includes a receiver coil that couples with a transmitter coil of the transmitter.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the receiver includes a rectifier to generate direct current from the inductive power to recharge the battery.

According to the present invention, a mobile charge platform for inductive power transfer used in a system of claim <NUM> includes a power supply, and a transmitter to transmit the inductive power to a receiver to which the mobile charge platform transports the transmitter.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the transmitter includes a transmit coil that couples with a receiver coil of the receiver.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments, the transmitter includes an oscillator.

Embodiments of the systems and methods detailed herein pertain to inductive power transfer in deep space and remote applications. As previously noted, an EMU is worn for extravehicular activity in the deep space environment. A rover may accompany the wearer of the EMU during the extravehicular activity. The rover can carry equipment and collected samples for the wearer, for example. The EMU is an atmospheric suit that maintains gases within the suit to sustain the wearer outside the space vehicle (e.g., space station, shuttle). A battery is used to power the primary life support subsystem of the EMU. Because the life support function of the EMU, which is powered by the battery, is critical, the duration of a mission outside the space vehicle can be limited based on the life of the battery.

Prior EMUs include a connector to recharge the battery. This connector is located on the inside of the EMU to protect it from the deep space environment, dust, and other particles floating within the space vehicle. This location of the connector makes recharging the battery outside the space vehicle (e.g., by the rover) infeasible since exposing the connector requires breaching the integrity of the environment within the EMU. Even inside the space vehicle, floating particles can settle on the connector, creating a potential for a short circuit. Inductive power transfer, according to one or more embodiments, addresses many issues caused by the connector. There is no connector to be protected to facilitate wireless charging.

As a result, recharging of the EMU battery may be performed even outside the space vehicle. This, in turn, facilitates longer durations for extravehicular activity. The wireless charging is enabled by the rover outside the space vehicle. The rover may carry additional batteries to power itself and to act as a power source for the transmitter in the inductive power transfer. The rover may support recharging of more than one EMU and may travel between EMUs that require recharge. Further, an unmanned aerial or other vehicle may carry a transmitter for inductive power transfer in remote applications where the receiver (e.g., battery for an atmospheric suit or other rechargeable device) cannot reach a stationary wired or wireless recharging station. Further, while a mobile charge platform is discussed herein, an atmospheric suit may be wirelessly charged by a stationary recharging station, as well. For example, the battery of the EMU may be wirelessly charged in the space vehicle prior to an extravehicular mission.

<FIG> shows an exemplary inductive power transfer system <NUM> in a deep space application according to one or more embodiments. An EMU <NUM> is shown as an exemplary atmospheric suit <NUM> and includes a backpack <NUM>. The backpack <NUM> may include the primary life support subsystem, which supplies oxygen to the wearer, for example. The backpack <NUM> may also include the battery <NUM> that powers the primary life support subsystem. According to the exemplary embodiment shown in <FIG>, the EMU <NUM> includes the battery <NUM> and a receiver (Rx) <NUM> for wireless charging of the battery <NUM>. While one battery <NUM> is discussed for explanatory purposes, any number of batteries <NUM> may be recharged according to alternate embodiments. The receiver <NUM> is further discussed with reference to <FIG>. A rover <NUM> serves as a mobile charge platform <NUM>. The mobile charge platform <NUM> is mobile, as the name implies, such that it can transport a transmitter <NUM> to the battery <NUM> that requires recharge. As shown, the rover <NUM> includes the transmitter (Tx) <NUM> for wireless charging of the battery <NUM> of the EMU <NUM>. The transmitter <NUM> is further discussed with reference to <FIG>. The rover <NUM> may also carry one or more batteries <NUM> that act as a power source for the wireless charging.

The deep space environment is shown for explanatory purposes. As previously noted, other remote applications may require other atmospheric suits <NUM> (e.g., containment suit, hazmat suit) or devices <NUM> as discussed with reference to <FIG>. Other remote applications may also include other mobile charge platform <NUM> (e.g., drone or other unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), remote land-based vehicle) as discussed with reference to <FIG>. An atmospheric suit <NUM> facilitates untethered movement of the wearer in inhospitable environments. For example, the EMU <NUM> facilitates deep space extravehicular activity by the wearer. According to one or more embodiments, the atmospheric suit <NUM> includes a receiver <NUM> to facilitate wireless charging of its battery <NUM> which, in turn, facilitates extending the duration of the remote activity. The mobile charge platform <NUM> allows wireless recharging of the battery <NUM> of the atmospheric suit <NUM> anywhere, without the wearer having to reach a designated recharging station. For example, the rover <NUM> may wirelessly charge the battery <NUM> of the EMU <NUM> anywhere in the extravehicular environment. According to one or more embodiments, the rover <NUM> includes a transmitter <NUM> to facilitate the wireless charging.

<FIG> is a block diagram of aspects of the inductive power transfer system <NUM> according to one or more embodiments. Inductive power transfer is known and is only generally described here. One or more batteries <NUM> carried by the mobile charge platform <NUM>, such as the rover <NUM> in the deep space application, act as the supply to the transmitter <NUM>. The transmitter <NUM> may include an oscillator <NUM> and a coil <NUM>, for example. The receiver <NUM> may include another coil <NUM> and a rectifier <NUM>, for example, to supply the load, which is the battery <NUM> of the atmospheric suit <NUM>, such as the EMU <NUM>.

Power is transferred between the coils <NUM>, <NUM> by a magnetic field B. Specifically, an alternating current (AC) through the coil <NUM> of the transmitter <NUM>, which is generated by the source (i.e., battery <NUM>) and oscillator <NUM>, generates an oscillating magnetic field that passes through the coil <NUM> of the receiver <NUM>. The magnetic field generates an alternating electromotive force, a voltage, which creates an alternating current in the receiver <NUM>. This induced AC in the receiver <NUM> is rectified, by the rectifier <NUM>, to direct current (DC) that can supply the load (i.e., recharge the battery <NUM>). Efficiency of the inductive power transfer is affected by the coupling between the coils <NUM>, <NUM> which is affected by the distance between the coils <NUM>, <NUM> and the ratio of the diameters of the coils <NUM>, <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an exemplary inductive power transfer system <NUM> in a remote application according to one or more embodiments not forming part of the present invention. The remote application may involve an outdoor environment without a charging station, for example. The scenario shown in <FIG> illustrates that a mobile charge platform <NUM> can facilitate recharge of a battery <NUM> in any environment, whether the battery <NUM> supports an atmospheric suit <NUM> as in the case shown in <FIG> or not. The exemplary mobile charge platform <NUM> in <FIG> is a drone that includes a supply (i.e., battery <NUM>) and a transmitter <NUM>. The receiver <NUM> and the load (i.e., battery <NUM>) may be in a device <NUM> such as a handheld device (e.g., smart phone, tablet), for example. The device <NUM> may be another drone or a remote charging station as another example. The recharging may not require the other drone to land. That is mid-air recharging may be performed by the mobile charge platform <NUM>. In addition, recharging of a remote charging station may facilitate charging stations at locations without wired or regular power supply. The mobile charge platform <NUM> is not limited in the load that it may supply. The mobile charge platform <NUM> facilitates recharging of the device anywhere. The mobile charge platform <NUM> may be deployed as a service to a number of devices <NUM> in a remote location, for example.

Claim 1:
An inductive power transfer system comprising:
a receiver (<NUM>) configured to supply the inductive power to a battery (<NUM>);
a mobile charge platform (<NUM>) configured to transport a transmitter configured to generate the inductive power to the receiver (<NUM>);
an atmospheric suit (<NUM>) that includes the receiver; and characterized in that
the atmospheric suit (<NUM>) is an extravehicular mobility unit for a deep space application, and wherein the mobile charge platform (<NUM>) is a rover configured for the deep space application.