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72 E L EC TR I C AL CONNEC T I ON
S PR I NG 20 1 6
MIND THE GAP
E
ngineers, instrumentation
technicians and electricians
often have to find the best way
of transmitting electrical signals,
charging energy or motive power
between two points.
One solution is to simply run a power
cable between the points; however,
complexities arise when machinery
or appliances have moving parts that
separate or rotate while in use, when
components are exposed to harsh
environmental conditions, or when
working in tight spaces or with thick
obstructing materials.
These complexities could be the
downfall of conventional wired
systems and mechanical slip ring
solutions. The cables can wear
relatively quickly or can be easily
damaged if connected to a moving part
– likewise with mechanical slip rings
and their brush contacts.
If the surrounding environment is
wet or dirty the connections can soon
be compromised and will break down.
However, these connection
inefficiencies and areas of unreliability
are elegantly overcome through
wireless power connection systems
being developed by the New Zealand
based company PowerbyProxi.
Aussies sometimes regard New
Zealand as a younger under-achieving
sibling, but the company based
across the ditch is quickly becoming
known as a world leader in wireless
power innovation.
In 1995, professors John Boy and
Grant Covic of the University of
Auckland developed connectors that
use resonant inductive coupling to
transfer relatively large amounts of
energy across small air gaps (or across
any non-metallic/non-conductive gap
of solid, liquid or gas).
PowerbyProxi was established in 2007
in a bid to commercialise this technology.
After gaining tens of millions of
dollars from investors, the company
developed a range of industrial
wireless connector components
ranging in power transmission from
12W to 240W.
PowerbyProxi also develops
inductive slip rings to allow connection
across rotating machinery components.
Using wireless connectors provides
numerous advantages over standard
cable connections and mechanical
slip rings in a wide range of industrial
applications. These connectors
increase reliability, minimise downtime
and reduce maintenance and repairs at
connection points.
Mark Flickinger is director
of customer applications at
PowerbyProxi. He says the ability to be
hermetically sealed and the IP67 rating
(resistant to dust and water) make
these connectors ideal for obscure and
harsh environments.
“If you need to do connections
underwater or in dirty sites, or even
if you need to make a connection in
high-temperature metal environments,
IN 1894, NIKOLA TESLA USED
RESONANT INDUCTIVE COUPLING
TO WIRELESSLY LIGHT UP
PHOSPHORESCENT AND
INCANDESCENT LAMPS. NOW AN
AUCKLAND COMPANY IS TAKING
THE CONCEPT TO NEW LEVELS, AS
JOEYOUNG
REPORTS.
Using wireless connectors provides numerous advantages over standard cable
connections and mechanical slip rings in a wide range of industrial applications.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT