Abstract: A sachet includes a first wing made of a flexible material and having a first perimeter region circumscribing a first central region; a second wing made of the flexible material; a hinge connecting the first and second wings along a common boundary; an adhesive material applied to the perimeter region on the first wing; a first electrically conducting electrode formed on the first wing within the central region of the perimeter region; a second electrically conducting electrode formed on the second wing in a region that is opposed to and in alignment with the first contact area on the first wing; an array of contact pads formed on at least one of the first and second wings; first and second conducting traces electrically connecting first and second groups of one or more contact pads among the array of contact pads to the first and second electrodes, respectively.

Abstract: A method of detecting whether a foreign object is near a transmit coil in a wireless power transfer system (WPTS), the method involving: applying a pseudo-random signal to the transmit coil; while the pseudo-random signal is being applied to the transmit coil, recording one or more signals produced within the WPTS in response to the applied pseudo-random signal; by using the one or more recorded signals, generating a dynamic system model for some aspect of the WPTS; and using the generated dynamic system model in combination with stored training data to determine whether an object having characteristics recognizable from the stored training data as characteristic of the foreign object is near the transmit coil.

Abstract: An energy storage system for use with an external device including: an energy storage cell; a microcontroller; an internal communication bus; an interface including two power terminals and a communications port electrically connected to the internal communication bus; power conversion circuitry for performing a charging operation during which energy is transferred from the power terminals to the energy storage cell and a discharging operation during which energy is transferred from the energy storage cell to the power terminals; and one or more sensors for monitoring one or more parameters of the energy storage cell, wherein it is all packaged to form a single, integrated unit.

Abstract: Instead of being made from one continuous piece of material, a coil includes multiple flat coil segments that are stacked together and electrically coupled in series. In many embodiments, the coil segments are U-shaped segments, and the segments are arranged so that each segment is rotated (e.g., by 270 degrees) with respect the segment it follows. The stacked coils may then be fastened together using, for example, bolts through the corners of the coil segments. The combined coil segments form a continuous coil.

Abstract: An apparatus including an array of coils wherein each coil of the array of coils is wound around a core region for containing a fluid; an external magnet assembly mounted outside of the array of coils and movable over the array of coils; and an internal magnet assembly mounted inside the core region around which the coils of the array of coils are wound, wherein the internal magnet assembly is aligned with and magnetically coupled to the external magnet assembly so that the external and internal magnet assemblies move together along the array of coils in response drive signals applied to the coils within the array of coils.

Abstract: A method for determining a position of a magnet assembly relative to an array of inductive elements arranged adjacent to a magnetically permeable material, the method involving: measuring electrical characteristics of each of one or more inductive elements of the array of inductive elements; and from information derived from the measured electrical characteristics of the one or more inductive elements of the array of inductive elements, determining the position of the magnet assembly relative to the array of inductive elements.

Abstract: A battery assembly including: a plurality of prismatic battery cells; first and second fluid manifolds; and a plurality of corrugated flow plates interleaved with the plurality of battery cells, each the flow plates extending from the first manifold to the second manifold and providing an array of flow channels for carrying fluid from the first manifold to the second manifold, wherein each plate of the plurality of corrugated flow plates is an extruded plastic structure comprising first and second fluid impermeable sheets and a plurality of parallel ribs between and connecting the first and second sheets, said plurality of ribs forming the array of flow channels.

Abstract: A method of detecting whether a receiver coil is near a transmit coil in a wireless power transfer system (WPTS), the method involving: applying a pseudo-random signal to the transmit coil; while the pseudo-random signal is being applied to the transmit coil, recording one or more signals produced within the WPTS in response to the applied pseudo-random signal; by using the one or more recorded signals, generating a dynamic system model for some aspect of the WPTS; and using the generated dynamic system model in combination with stored training data to determine whether an object having characteristics distinguishing the object as a receiver coil is near the transmit coil.

Abstract: A method of detecting whether a receiver coil is near a transmit coil in a wireless power transfer system (WPTS), the method involving: applying a pseudo-random signal to the transmit coil; while the pseudo-random signal is being applied to the transmit coil, recording one or more signals produced within the WPTS in response to the applied pseudo-random signal; by using the one or more recorded signals, generating a dynamic system model for some aspect of the WPTS; and using the generated dynamic system model in combination with stored training data to determine whether an object having characteristics distinguishing the object as a receiver coil is near the transmit coil.

Abstract: A test instrument for use with a sample having a plurality of electrically conducting contact pads, the instrument including: a controllable, variable force linear actuator; a probe assembly operated by the linear actuator, the probe assembly having a probe head at one end with a surface for contacting the sample; a movable contactor assembly including a plurality of contacts for electrically contacting the plurality of contact pads on the sample; a housing on which the linear actuator and contactor assembly are mounted, the housing having an identified area for holding the sample during testing; a position sensor assembly for measuring changes in the position of the probe; and a sensor for measuring a force applied to the sample by the probe head.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator including: a core comprising a material having a high magnetic permeability relative to air; an array of coils sequentially arranged on the core, each coil of the array of coils being wound around the longitudinal axis of the core; and a magnet assembly movably mounted along the array of coils, the magnet assembly having a coil side facing the array of coils and an opposite side facing away from the array of coils and including an array of permanent magnets sequentially arranged along the array of coils in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the magnetic moments of the plurality of magnets are selected and arranged to augment the magnetic field produced on the coil side of the magnet assembly and to reduce the magnetic field produced on the opposite side of the magnet assembly.

Abstract: A method of detecting whether a receiver coil is near a transmit coil in a wireless power transfer system (WPTS), the method involving: applying a pseudo-random signal to the transmit coil; while the pseudo-random signal is being applied to the transmit coil, recording one or more signals produced within the WPTS in response to the applied pseudo-random signal; by using the one or more recorded signals, generating a dynamic system model for some aspect of the WPTS; and using the generated dynamic system model in combination with stored training data to determine whether an object having characteristics distinguishing the object as a receiver coil is near the transmit coil.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for ultra-fast charging one or more batteries, including, for example, lithium ion batteries. A charging current is determined by optimization of a model based on functions of a set of internal state variables associated with a battery, and a set of model parameters or nonparametric data characterizing the battery. Instantaneous internal state variables are determined, and an optimized charging current is applied to the battery subject to a set of battery-specific constraints. Internal state variables are updated recursively based on behavior of the battery under charge as well as the behavior, stored in a database, or acquired via a network, of cognate batteries.

Abstract: Operating a battery assembly that includes one or more rechargeable battery cells includes: monitoring one or more operational parameters of the battery cells; and dynamically controlling pressure applied to the one or more battery cells based at least in part on one or more of the monitored operational parameters.

Abstract: An electric motor including: a first and second linear actuator, each linear actuator including a first and second coil respectively, a rotational shaft, a cam assembly mounted on the rotational shaft for translating linear movement of the two linear actuators to rotational movement of the rotational shaft, a controller programmed to generate during operation a first and second drive signal for first coil and second coil respectively, wherein the first drive signal causes the first linear actuator to generate a first torque on the rotational shaft that varies periodically over a complete rotation of the shaft and the second drive signal causes the second linear actuator to generate a second torque on the rotational shaft that varies periodically over a complete rotation of the shaft, and wherein the sum of the first and second torques produces a total torque that is substantially constant throughout the complete rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: A rotary drive includes: a support structure; and a linear actuator supported by the support structure. The linear actuator includes: a first member; a second member that moves in a linear direction relative to the first member when a drive signal is applied to the linear actuator; and a bearing arrangement supporting the first and second members within the support structure and enabling independent movement of the first member and the second member relative to the support structure. The rotary drive also includes a linear-to-rotary converter to which the second member of the linear actuator is coupled. The linear-to-rotary converter includes an output member having a rotational axis. During operation, the linear-to-rotary converter converts linear reciprocating movement of the second member of the linear actuator to rotary movement of the output member about the rotational axis.

Abstract: An energy distribution system and methods for coupling a plurality of energy storage cells to at least one of an energy source and an energy load. Each energy storage cell is coupled, at an interface, via a distinct power converter, to a winding, as is an energy source or load, coupled at an energy port to a secondary winding. The plurality of windings sharing a magnetic flux field and thus constitute a transformer. While separate processors are associated with each power converter, a subset of the plurality of processors may be intercoupled for control based on conditions associated with at least one of the plurality of energy storage cells. A central processor may govern operation of a subset of the processors, moreover, a subset of the plurality of processors may also be connected to a local area network and the central processor may communicate with other processors and may also be coupled to an external network such as the internet.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator including: a core comprising a material having a high magnetic permeability relative to air; an array of coils sequentially arranged on the core, each coil of the array of coils being wound around the longitudinal axis of the core; and a magnet assembly movably mounted along the array of coils, the magnet assembly having a coil side facing the array of coils and an opposite side facing away from the array of coils and including an array of permanent magnets sequentially arranged along the array of coils in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the magnetic moments of the plurality of magnets are selected and arranged to augment the magnetic field produced on the coil side of the magnet assembly and to reduce the magnetic field produced on the opposite side of the magnet assembly.

Abstract: A method of detecting whether a receiver coil is near a transmit coil in a wireless power transfer system (WPTS), the method involving: applying a pseudo-random signal to the transmit coil; while the pseudo-random signal is being applied to the transmit coil, recording one or more signals produced within the WPTS in response to the applied pseudo-random signal; by using the one or more recorded signals, generating a dynamic system model for some aspect of the WPTS; and using the generated dynamic system model in combination with stored training data to determine whether an object having characteristics distinguishing the object as a receiver coil is near the transmit coil.

Abstract: A method of detecting whether a receiver coil is near a transmit coil in a wireless power transfer system (WPTS), the method involving: applying a pseudo-random signal to the transmit coil; while the pseudo-random signal is being applied to the transmit coil, recording one or more signals produced within the WPTS in response to the applied pseudo-random signal; by using the one or more recorded signals, generating a dynamic system model for some aspect of the WPTS; and using the generated dynamic system model in combination with stored training data to determine whether an object having characteristics distinguishing the object as a receiver coil is near the transmit coil.