INDUCTIVE POWER COUPLING SYSTEMS FOR ROADWAYS
First Claim
1. An inductive power transfer system for roadways, the system comprising at least one drive unit arrangement coupled to at least one drive coil arrangement disposed along a roadway for generating a magnetic field extending upwardly from the roadway, and at least one vehicle including a corresponding pickup coil arrangement coupled to a power conditioning circuit arrangement for receiving the extending magnetic field for providing power to operate the at least one vehicle,wherein the inductive power transfer system further includes an active suppression arrangement for suppressing harmonic magnetic field components generated by the system at multiples of the fundamental frequency when in operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inductive power transfer system (10) for roadways includes at least one drive unit arrangement (50) coupled to at least one drive coil arrangement (40) disposed along a roadway (20) for generating a magnetic field extending upwardly from the roadway (20), and at least one vehicle (30) including a corresponding pickup coil arrangement (60) coupled to a power conditioning circuit arrangement (80, 200) for receiving the extending magnetic field for providing power to operate the at least one vehicle (30). The at least one drive unit arrangement (50) is operable to excite, for example at resonance, the at least one drive coil arrangement (40) at a fundamental frequency (f0) of at least 30 kHz, preferably at least 50 kHz, more preferably at least 100 kHz, and most preferably at least 140 kHz. The at least one drive coil arrangement (40) is implemented to be substantially devoid of ferromagnetic components for providing a path for the extending magnetic field. Optionally, the at least one drive unit arrangement (50) is operable to employ a balanced class-E amplifier arrangement for exciting the at least one drive coil arrangement (40) at the fundamental frequency (f0). Optionally, the at least one drive unit arrangement (50) is operable to employ one or more Silicon Carbide semiconductor devices for switching the currents provided to the corresponding at least one drive coil arrangement (40). Optionally, there is further included a passive and/or active suppression arrangement (100, 110, 120, 130, 140) for suppressing harmonic magnetic field components generated by the system (10) at multiples of the fundamental frequency (f0) when in operation.
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Citations
172 Claims
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1. An inductive power transfer system for roadways, the system comprising at least one drive unit arrangement coupled to at least one drive coil arrangement disposed along a roadway for generating a magnetic field extending upwardly from the roadway, and at least one vehicle including a corresponding pickup coil arrangement coupled to a power conditioning circuit arrangement for receiving the extending magnetic field for providing power to operate the at least one vehicle,
wherein the inductive power transfer system further includes an active suppression arrangement for suppressing harmonic magnetic field components generated by the system at multiples of the fundamental frequency when in operation.
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53. A method of inductively transferring power for roadways, the methods comprising:
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(a) using at least one drive unit arrangement coupled to at least one drive coil arrangement disposed along a roadway for generating a magnetic field extending upwardly from the roadway; and (b) at at least one vehicle including a corresponding pickup coil arrangement coupled to a power conditioning circuit arrangement, receiving the extending magnetic field for providing power to operate the at least one vehicle; and (c) using an active suppression arrangement for suppressing harmonic magnetic field components generated from the at least one drive coil arrangement at multiples of the fundamental frequency when in operation. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 172)
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67. A method of installing a drive coil arrangement into a roadway for implanting an inductive power transfer system for roadways, the system having at least one drive unit arrangement coupled to at least one drive coil arrangement disposed along a roadway for generating a magnetic field extending upwardly from the roadway, and at least one vehicle including a corresponding pickup coil arrangement coupled to a power conditioning circuit arrangement for receiving the extending magnetic field for providing power to operate the at least one vehicle, wherein the inductive power transfer system further includes an active suppression arrangement for suppressing harmonic magnetic field components generated by the system at multiples of the fundamental frequency when in operation, the method for installing the drive coil arrangement comprisinq:
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(a) employing a cutting tool to cut one or more slots into asphalt and/or concrete on an upper surface of the roadway so as to define a complete loop path, including one or more slots leading to a peripheral edge of the roadway; (b) installing one or more turns of a coil of a drive coil arrangement into the one or more slots, terminating the coil along slots to the peripheral edge of the roadway; and (c) backfilling remaining regions of the one or more slots devoid of cable with a filling material such that the one or more slots are filling such that an upper surface of the filled slots are substantially flush with an upper surface of the roadway.
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68. A method of employing an inductive power transfer system for providing responsive load functionality for assisting to stabilize an electrical supply network providing power to the inductive power transfer system, the method comprising:
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(a) generating a signal in respect of the electrical supply network indicative of a degree of balance of the supply network; and (b) communicating the signal to at least one of a drive unit arrangement of a roadway and a power conditioning circuit arrangement on board a vehicle operable to receive inductively coupled power provided via the drive unit arrangement for controlling power delivered to the vehicle for assisting to balance the electrical supply network.
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69. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more computers or computer servers are operable to cause the one or more computers or computer servers to perform operations to implement inductive transfer of power for roadways, the operations to implement the transfer comprising:
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(a) a magnetic field generation operation, that includes use of at least one drive unit arrangement coupled to at least one drive coil arrangement disposed along a roadway for generating a magnetic field extending upwardly from the roadway; (b) a magnetic field receiving operation, that includes at at least one vehicle having a corresponding pickup coil arrangement coupled to a power conditioning circuit arrangement, receiving the extending magnetic field for providing power to operate the at least one vehicle; wherein the method further includes; (i) using a suppression arrangement for suppressing harmonic magnetic field components generated from the at least one drive coil arrangement at multiples of the fundamental frequency when in operation, wherein the method employs an active suppression arrangement for suppressing harmonic magnetic field components generated from the at least one drive coil arrangement at multiples of the fundamental frequency when in operation.
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Specification