IN-MOTION INDUCTIVE CHARGING SYSTEM HAVING A WHEEL-MOUNTED SECONDARY COIL

• US 20110031047A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tarr Energy Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tarr Energy Group, LLC
• Inventors: Tarr, Walter L.
• Application Number:
  US12/847,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20110031047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/10 Arrangements for energising and de-energising power line sections using magnetic actuation by the passing vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment provides electrical energy to an electric vehicle travelling along a roadway enabled with electric energy transmitting modules. The electric energy is transmitted via a magnetic field for use by the electric vehicle via electric energy receiving modules in the wheels of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for inductively transferring power to electric vehicles, comprising:

an electric energy transmitting module, wherein the electric energy transmitting module is on or below a road surface, and wherein the electric energy transmitting module is configured to establish a magnetic field above the road surface using electrical energy inductively received from an electric energy source; and

an electric vehicle comprising;

an electric motor;

a recharging storage system electrically coupled to the electric motor and configured to provide electric power to the electric motor;

a plurality of wheels, wherein at least one of the plurality of wheels is rotated by mechanical power from the electric motor; and

at least one electric energy receiving module residing in one of the wheels,

wherein the at least one electric energy receiving module is electrically coupled to at least the recharging storage system,

wherein the at least one electric energy receiving module is configured to receive a portion of the magnetic field generated by the electric energy transmitting module, and

wherein the at least one electric energy receiving module is configured to produce electrical energy from the received portion of the magnetic field.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the electric energy transmitting module comprises:

a roadway receiving and transmitting device; and

wherein the electric vehicle further comprises;

an onboard data receiving and transmitting device configured to receive first information from the roadway receiving and transmitting device, and configured to transmit second information to the roadway receiving and transmitting device,

wherein the second information comprises identifier information corresponding to an identity of the electric vehicle, and

wherein response to the electric energy transmitting module receiving the identifier information and determining that the electric vehicle is authorized, the electric energy transmitting module generates the magnetic field.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first information comprises a kilowatt rate that corresponds to a cost of electric power provided by the electric energy transmitting module, and wherein the second information further comprises an authorization by a vehicle operator corresponding to an acceptance of the electric power provided by the electric energy transmitting module that is provided at the communicated kilowatt rate.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the electric energy transmitting module further comprises:

a power bus electrically coupled to a power source;

at least one inductive cabling section configured to generate the magnetic field; and

a ground computer communicatively coupled to the roadway receiving and transmitting device;

wherein the power bus is configured to energize the inductive cabling section after the identifier information has been received by the ground computer.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a cable junction component configured to electrically couple the power bus and the inductive cabling section, and wherein the cable junction component is controlled by the ground computer.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the electric vehicle further comprises:

a dashboard component communicatively coupled to the onboard data receiving and transmitting device, and configured to communicate the authorization of the electric vehicle to the onboard data receiving and transmitting device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric energy transmitting module comprises:

a power bus coupled to the electric energy source; and

a plurality of inductive cabling sections arranged serially along a portion of a roadway traversed by the electric vehicle,

wherein each of the inductive cabling sections are configured to establish the magnetic field above a road surface using electrical energy received from the power bus.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of inductive cabling sections are sequentially turned on and turned off as the electric vehicle passes over each of the inductive cabling sections.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the magnetic field is configured to be substantially received by the electric vehicle, and wherein the magnetic field is not substantially receivable by other electric vehicles.

10. An electric vehicle configured to inductively receive electric power from an electric energy transmitting module, wherein the electric energy transmitting module is on or below a road surface, and wherein the electric energy transmitting module is configured to establish a magnetic field above the road surface using electrical energy received from an electric energy source, comprising:

an electric motor;

a recharging storage system electrically coupled to the electric motor and configured to provide electric power to the electric motor; and

an electric energy receiving module residing in a wheel of the electric vehicle.

wherein the electric energy receiving module is electrically coupled to at least the recharging storage system,

wherein the electric energy receiving module is configured to inductively receive a portion of the magnetic field generated by the electric energy transmitting module, and

wherein the electric energy receiving module is configured to produce electrical energy from the received magnetic field.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 10, further comprising:

an onboard data receiving and transmitting device configured to transmit first information to a roadway receiving and transmitting device, and configured to receive second information from the roadway receiving and transmitting device,

wherein the first information comprises identifier information associated with an identity of the electric vehicle, and

wherein response to the electric energy transmitting module receiving the identifier information and determining that the electric vehicle is authorized, the electric energy transmitting module generates the magnetic field.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the second information comprises a kilowatt rate that corresponds to a cost of electric power provided by the electric energy transmitting module, and wherein the first information further comprises an authorization by a vehicle operator corresponding to an acceptance of the electric power provided by the electric energy transmitting module at the communicated kilowatt rate.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the electric energy receiving module resides within a cavity cooperatively defined by a tire and a wheel rim.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the electric energy receiving module resides within an inner periphery portion of a tire.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the electric energy receiving module is affixed to a wheel rim of the wheel.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 10, further comprising:

a dashboard component configured to allow the electric vehicle operator to turn on and turn off the electric energy receiving module.

17. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein four wheels of the electric vehicle each include one of a plurality of electric energy receiving modules.

18. An electric energy transmitting module configured to inductively transfer power to an electric vehicle, comprising:

a power bus coupled to an electric energy source;

at least one inductive cabling section, wherein the inductive cabling section is on or below a road surface, and wherein the inductive cabling section is configured to establish a magnetic field above the road surface using electrical energy received from the power bus;

a roadway receiving and transmitting device configured to receive first information from an onboard data receiving and transmitting device of the electric vehicle, and configured to transmit second information to the onboard data receiving and transmitting device of the electric vehicle; and

a ground computer communicatively coupled to the roadway receiving and transmitting device, and configured to permit the power bus to energize the inductive cabling section,

wherein the first information includes at least a valid unique identifier associated with at least one of the electric vehicle and a vehicle operator, and

where in response to receiving the first information with the valid unique identifier, the inductive cabling section is energized by the power bus.

19. The electric energy transmitting module of claim 18, wherein the second information comprises a kilowatt rate that corresponds to a cost of electric power provided by the electric energy transmitting module, and wherein the first information further comprises an authorization by the vehicle operator corresponding to an acceptance by the vehicle operator of the electric power at the communicated kilowatt rate.

20. The electric energy transmitting module of claim 18, further comprising:

a cable junction component controlled by the ground computer, and configured to electrically couple the power bus and the inductive cabling section in response to actuation by the ground computer.