A world without electronic cables must feel liberating!
But, that reality calls for incredibly power efficient devices and a mature far field power transmission technology; something our brightest minds are hopefully working toward. Until then, in the personal electronics market, we are stuck with near field technologies such as magnetic resonance induction charging dictated by protocols set by standards like Qi. Near field technologies shouldn't be ridiculed as it keeps the vision of a true wireless experience alive. There is still room for improvement in the near field wireless charging experience being offered today and the following concept addresses that.
The two piece enclosure, rear support leg and front ledge are mass produced in Polycarbonate using "Gas Assisted Injection Molding" process. The design accommodates a minimum draft angle of 1.5 degrees across all surfaces parallel to the mold pull direction. Features requiring Mold Side Action are kept to the bare minimum to reduce setup up costs. The section thickness is uniformly maintained at around 1.5mm with the least internal radius at 0.5mm. The design intention is to have a sandstone matte finish, the exact surface roughness parameters need to be determined experimentally. All product labeling maybe Embossed/Debossed during molding process or laser engraved in subsequent manufacturing process.
The patterned charging surface is made out of injection molded elastomer with additives that improve thermal conductivity. The staggered array of cylindrical protrusions dramatically increases the surface area. Together they help remove heat from the devices being charged through convection. The concave dimples on each protrusion grips onto the smooth back of a smartphone via light suction action.
The Bottom Ledge on which the smartphone rests is designed to not block sensors, microphones, speakers etc. commonly found on the bottom of smartphones. Additionally, the side buttons of the smartphone being charged remain accessible to the user in both portrait and landscape orientation.
The geometry and proportions of Planck are purposeful. The camera bump does not rest on the charging surface; keeping the phone stable and adhered to the charging surface. The 3 array power transmission coils are compliant with Qi A28 specification and ensures optimum coil alignment for efficient power transfer in portrait and landscape orientation. The centre of gravity of the whole system remains vertically in line with the back leg pivot, further enhancing stability.
The charger transforms into a pad in one fluid step. The rear leg and the front ledge folds and magnetically snaps to the enclosure, providing a bigger charging surface. This brings a smaller 4th transmission at coil at the base into play. This coil is custom made by WURTH electronics for charging smaller devices like Wireless Bluetooth Earphones. It is also capable of charging smartphones albeit at a slower rate. The charging cable is USB C to Micro USB C. The micro USB C end is coaxially and magnetically attached to an L shaped adapter, allowing the cable to rotate rather than Bend/Flex when the charger shifts between Pad and Stand mode.
The LED indicator at the base gently glows blue when no devices are placed on the charging surface. When the charger detects one Qi compliant device, the indicator turns green. When charging multiple devices, the indicator just glows a bit brighter. When the coupling is not successful with one device, the indicator glows yellow. If both devices are not coupled to the charger the LED glows red.
