Development of the Unique Wireless Power Transfer System
~Applicable for Industrial Power charging system~

November 21, 2013

Furukawa Electric has developed a wireless power transfer system, characterized by a very compact, thin and flexible power transfer unit, and its verification test was successfully performed.

The wireless power transfer system developed by the company is configurable with a thin and flexible conductive material in its power transfer electrode. And this system contributes to design improvement and to reduction in size and weight. In addition, by applying a higher frequency in a transmission scheme, a power transforming unit and a power receiving unit can be compacted. Then the contribution to the reduction in size and weight of the whole wireless power transfer system becomes possible.

Wireless Power Transfer System

The verification test was successfully performed for 1 kW of power transfer with an approximately 200mm squared electrode (made of Aluminum, less than 200g of weight). More than 50mm of power transfer distance and higher than 90% of transfer efficiency at 27.12 MHz of transmission frequency was achieved.

The company will continue to sponsor the validation experiments for a practical use of the wireless power transfer system, with the aim of entering the wider range of charging systems for industrial applications (electric transport vehicle: automatic guided vehicle and robots etc.) including care robots and others which are expected to expand for the home use in the future.

Back ground of the development

The company has continued to build both high-voltage technology and high-frequency technology thorough the development of the high-voltage power cable and the broad-band related products, for instance broadcast antennas (attached to the Tokyo Tower etc.).

The company's unique system was born from this technical back ground. The system can compact a power transforming unit and a power receiving unit by transferring power with voltage drive and by applying higher frequency. Furthermore, even some foreign materials including metal pieces are attached or inserted into the power transfer unit; in principle no heat is induced in the foreign materials. And the power transfer unit does not burn neither be charred by foreign material attachment or insertion. So the system is capable of providing a secure power supply system. The thin and flexible conductive material is applicable to the electrode portion for power transfer and this part is superior in lightweight and slim-design property.

In the next year term, 3kW class of power transfer up to 300mm distance will be achieved, and the verification test for practical use will be preceded. The company will aim the entry into a wider range of charging systems, including power charging system that requires larger amount of power and for home-usage system.

Block chart for test system

Block chart for test system

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