Patent ID: 8405346

Claim:
An apparatus for transferring power, said apparatus comprising: a transmitter including a power cable configured to electrically connect to an external power source, a power supply electrically connected to said power cable, a power switch operatively connected to said power supply, a transmitting inductor electrically connected to said power supply, and a plug portion having at least one first magnetic latch portion; a receiver including a receptacle configured to receive said plug portion of said transmitter with a specified alignment, at least one second magnetic latch portion positioned to engage a corresponding one of said at least one first magnetic latch portion when said plug portion is received in said receptacle, said transmitter releasably secured to said receiver by a magnetic attraction between said at least one first and second magnetic latch portions, a magnet positioned to actuate said power switch when said plug portion is received in said receptacle thereby energizing said power supply when said power plug is electrically connected to a power source, a receiving inductor positioned to be magnetically coupled to said transmitting inductor when said plug portion is received in said receptacle, a power converter electrically connected to said receiving inductor, said receiving inductor providing power to said power converter when said power supply excites said transmitting inductor, and an isolation switch electrically connected between an output of said power converter and an output of said receiver, said isolation switch actuated by said power converter being energized by said receiving inductor thereby allowing said power converter to be electrically connected to said output of said receiver, and an alignment mechanism that maintains said specified alignment between said plug portion and said receptacle when said plug portion is received by said receptacle.