TRANSFERRING ELECTRIC ENERGY TO A VEHICLE BY INDUCTION

• US 20130248311A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENRX IPT GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Czainski, Robert, Meins, Juergen, Whaley, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,997,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 191/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/34 in slotted conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/02 for manufacturing cores, coils, or magnets H01F41/14 takes precedence; for dynamo-electric machines H02K15/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49075 including permanent magnet or core

Abstract

A system for transferring electric energy to a vehicle, wherein the system comprises an electric conductor arrangement for producing a magnetic field and for thereby transferring the energy to the vehicle, wherein the electric conductor arrangement comprises at least one current line, wherein each current line is adapted to carry the electric current which produces the magnetic field or is adapted to carry one of parallel electric currents which produce the magnetic field and wherein:

• • the at least one current line extends at a first height level,
  • the system comprises an electrically conductive shield for shielding the magnetic field, wherein the shield extends under the track and extends below the first height level, and
  • a magnetic core extends along the track at a second height level and extends above the shield.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A system for transferring electric energy to a vehicle travelling on a track in a direction of travel, wherein the system comprises an electric conductor arrangement for producing a magnetic field and for thereby transferring the energy to the vehicle, wherein the electric conductor arrangement comprises at least one current line, wherein each current line is adapted to carry the electric current which produces the magnetic field or is adapted to carry one of parallel electric currents which produce the magnetic field and wherein:

the at least one current line extends at a first height level,

the system comprises an electrically conductive shield for shielding the area below the conductor arrangement against the magnetic field, wherein the shield extends under the track and extends below the first height level, and

a magnetic core extends along the track in the direction of travel at a second height level and extends above the shield.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second height level at which the magnetic core extends is below the first height level and wherein the magnetic core extends between the shield and the at least one current line.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the material of the magnetic core is placed in grooves, or recesses, or grooves and recesses of pre-fabricated modules adapted to carry the material and to fix the at least one current line.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the shield extends in a layer substantially parallel to the track.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the shield comprises a plurality of sheets of electrically conductive material or the shield is a mesh of metal.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the width of the magnetic core in a direction transverse to the direction of travel and transverse to the direction of height is less than 30% of the width of the electric conductor arrangement.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the material of the electrically conductive shield is not ferromagnetic, wherein ferrites are understood to be ferromagnetic materials.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one current line comprises a plurality of line sections extending transversely to the direction of travel at the first height level.

19. A method of building a system for transferring electric energy to a vehicle travelling on a track in a direction of travel, wherein an electric conductor arrangement for producing a magnetic field and for thereby transferring the energy to the vehicle is provided, wherein at least one current line is provided for the electric conductor arrangement, the at least one current line being adapted to carry the electric current which produces the magnetic field or is adapted to carry one of parallel electric currents which produce the magnetic field and wherein:

the at least one current line is arranged to extend at a first height level,

an electrically conductive shield is provided for shielding the area below the conductor arrangement against the magnetic field, wherein the shield is arranged so that it extends under the track and so that it extends below the first height level, and

a magnetic core is provided so that it extends along the track in the direction of travel at a second height level and so that it extends above the shield.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second height level at which the magnetic core extends is below the first height level and wherein the magnetic core is provided so that it extends between the shield and the at least one current line.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the material of the magnetic core is placed in grooves, or recesses, or grooves and recesses of pre-fabricated modules so that the modules carry the material and wherein the at least one current line is fixed by the modules.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the shield is provided so as to extend in a layer substantially parallel to the track.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein a plurality of sheets of electrically conductive material or a mesh of metal is provided for the shield.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the width of the magnetic core in a direction transverse to the direction of travel and transverse to the direction of height is less than 30% of the width of the electric conductor arrangement.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein a material is used for the electrically conductive shield which is not ferromagnetic, wherein ferrites are understood to be ferromagnetic materials.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one current line is arranged so that it comprises a plurality of line sections extending transversely to the direction of travel at the first height level.