Metrocard Wireless Charger

A 3D printed wireless phone charger for standard size cards

March 2019

I used to have a phone with wireless charging enabled.

Components

I went to a very exciting store near me called Tinkersphere and found they had the parts for a wireless charger. The circuit board and coil together were about the width and length of a MetroCard, so I bought the parts and went home to construct a wooden prototype.

Parts

Prototype

Using scrap wood, and exacto knige, and hot glue, I pieced together a working version of the charger.

Wood prototype

I also made sure to glue the indicator light close to the hole in the MetroCard.

Wood prototype plugged in

Print

Using OnShape I created a model of the phone charger casing.

CAD

And I sent them off to a friend who has access to a 3D printer.

Printed part

The model linked to and depicted above is version 2 of the printed model. I added:

  • A platform within the circular housing for the coil
  • A bottom (in the original the bottom is a second MetroCard)
  • No notch on a corner in order to fit standard cards

Final Build

After some glue and paint, the wireless charger came together.

Final build