REMOVABLE INDUCTIVE POWER TRANSFER PAD

• US 20160308391A1
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification, Inc.
• Inventors: EASTON, MARK H., EASTON, JEFF
• Granted Patent: US 10,224,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for a removable inductive power pad is disclosed. The apparatus includes a frame with an opening in a top surface of the frame, and includes a removable pad with an inductive power transfer (“IPT”) pad embedded therein. The IPT pad is shaped to transmit power to a receiver pad positioned above the removable pad. The removable pad is sized to conform to the opening, where the opening of the frame is shaped to support the removable pad and the removable pad and the opening are sized so that a top surface of the removable pad is substantially level with the top surface of the frame. When the frame is located in a roadway, the frame and removable pad mounted in the opening of the frame are rated for vehicular traffic to drive over the frame and/or the removable pad without damaging the frame or the removable pad.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a frame comprising an opening in a top surface of the frame;

a removable pad with an inductive power transfer (“

IPT”

) pad embedded therein, the IPT pad shaped to transmit power to a receiver pad positioned above the removable pad, the removable pad sized to conform to the opening, wherein the opening of the frame is shaped to support the removable pad and the removable pad and the opening are sized so that a top surface of the removable pad is substantially level with the top surface of the frame;

wherein, when the frame is located in a roadway, the frame and removable pad mounted in the opening of the frame are rated for vehicular traffic to drive over one or more of the frame and the removable pad without damaging the frame or the removable pad.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rating for vehicular traffic comprises an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (“

AASHTO”

) H-20 rating for heavy duty vehicular traffic.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removable pad comprises a removable pad material and the IPT pad is embedded in the removable pad material.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the removable pad material comprises a polymeric matrix and the IPT pad is embedded in the polymeric matrix.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the removable pad material comprises a foam.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the foam comprises a syntactic foam, the syntactic foam comprising a resin and an aggregate.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the aggregate comprises one or more of glass particles, ceramic particles, nano particles, plastic particles, and fiberglass fibers.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the resin comprises one or more of a vinylester, a polyester resin, a polyacrylamide, and an epoxy.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one exterior layer of the removable pad material comprises fiberglass.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more wire vias extending from a bottom of the removable pad positioned within the opening to an exterior edge of the frame, the bottom of the removable pad distal to the top surface of the removable pad, the one or more wire vias sized for wiring extending from the removable pad to one or more of at least the exterior edge of the frame and electrical devices within the frame; and

one or more sealing mechanisms that secure the removable pad to the frame and inhibit liquid from entering the one or more wire vias.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the removable pad comprises a removable pad material and the IPT pad is embedded in the removable pad material and wherein the removable pad comprises a bottom plate, a bottom surface of the bottom plate comprising a bottom of the removable pad wherein the IPT pad is positioned within the removable pad material and the bottom plate is between the IPT pad and the bottom of the removable pad, and wherein the bottom plate comprises one or more openings coincident with the one or more wire vias positioned in the frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the bottom plate comprises primarily aluminum and wherein the bottom of the opening comprises a metal plate, wherein the bottom plate of the removable pad is flush with the metal plate and in contact with the metal plate when the removable pad is positioned in the opening.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more sealing mechanisms comprise one or more of:

one or more o-rings mounted between the removable pad and the bottom of the opening in the frame, wherein at least one o-ring surrounds each of the one or more wire vias and inhibits liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the one or more wire vias when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

a locking ring positioned around a perimeter of the top surface of the removable pad and one or more coupling mechanisms that couple the locking ring to the frame, wherein the locking ring exerts a downward force on the removable pad to secure the removable pad in the opening when the coupling mechanisms couple the locking ring to the frame;

a seal positioned within a gap between sides of the removable pad and sides of the opening, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the bottom of the opening and the bottom of the removable pad when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

a seal positioned within a gap between sides of the removable pad and the locking ring, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from top surfaces of the apparatus from reaching the bottom of the opening and the bottom of the removable pad when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

a seal positioned within a gap between sides of the frame and the locking ring, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from top surfaces of the apparatus from reaching the bottom of the opening and the bottom of the removable pad when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

a dielectric grease that fills a space surrounding wiring within each of the one or more wire vias; and

wherein the removable pad comprises at least one coupling device connected to the bottom of the removable pad and extending into a wire via of the one or more wire vias, wherein the one or more sealing mechanisms comprise a seal positioned within a gap between the at least one coupling device and the wire via, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the wire via.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening in the frame comprises a first opening and further comprising a second opening in the top surface of the frame and a cover for the second opening, the second opening positioned adjacent to the first opening, wherein the cover is sized to conform to the second opening, wherein the second opening of the frame is shaped to support the cover and the cover and the second opening are sized so that a top surface of the cover is substantially level with the top surface of the frame, wherein the frame with the cover mounted in the second opening of the frame are rated for vehicular traffic to drive over the cover without damaging the frame or the cover.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second opening comprises one or more junction boxes positioned within one or more wire vias extending from a bottom of the removable pad positioned within the opening to an exterior edge of the frame and the one or more junction boxes are sized for one or more of:

pulling wire from the removable pad and to a location connected by conduit to the wire vias; and

connectors that connect wiring from the removable pad to wiring extending to the location connected by conduit to the wire vias.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second opening comprises one or more electrical devices and wherein the one or more electrical devices are connected to the removable pad by wire running in the one or more wire vias, wherein the one or more electrical devices support wireless charging using the removable pad.

17. A method comprising:

creating a removable pad by

mating a removable pad material with an inductive power transfer (“

IPT”

) pad, the IPT pad shaped to transmit power to a receiver pad positioned above the removable pad, the IPT pad comprising a ferrite and wiring;

connecting a bottom plate to the removable pad material of the removable pad, the bottom plate comprising one or more openings for the wiring extending from the IPT pad, the wiring extending through the one or more openings;

placing the removable pad in an opening in a top surface of a frame, the frame mounted in a roadway for vehicular traffic, wherein the opening of the frame is shaped to support the removable pad;

routing wiring of the IPT pad in one or more wire vias extending from a bottom of the removable pad positioned within the opening to an exterior edge of the frame, the bottom of the removable pad distal to the top surface of the removable pad; and

sealing the removable pad to the frame with sealing mechanisms that secure the removable pad to the frame and inhibit liquid from entering the one or more wire vias, wherein the frame and removable pad mounted in the opening of the frame are rated for motor vehicular traffic to drive over one or more of the frame and the removable pad without damaging the frame or the removable pad.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein mating the removable pad material with the IPT pad comprises:

creating the removable pad material;

removing material from the removable pad material to accommodate the ferrite, the wiring and a substrate for the IPT pad;

placing wiring of the IPT pad within grooves in the removable pad material of the removable pad, the wiring comprising wire extending beyond the removable pad; and

placing ferrite within a void created by removing the material from the removable pad material.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein sealing the removable pad to the frame comprises one or more of:

coupling a locking ring to the frame, the locking ring engaging the removable pad, the locking ring positioned around a perimeter of the top surface of the removable pad wherein the locking ring exerts a downward force on the removable pad to secure the removable pad in the opening when coupling mechanisms couple the locking ring to the frame;

compressing one or more o-rings mounted between the removable pad and the bottom of the opening in the frame, wherein at least one o-ring surrounds each of the one or more wire vias and inhibits liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the one or more wire vias when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

placing a seal within a gap between sides of the removable pad and the locking ring, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the bottom of the opening and the bottom of the removable pad when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

placing a seal within a gap between sides of the removable pad and sides of the opening, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the bottom of the opening and the bottom of the removable pad when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

placing a seal positioned within a gap between at least one coupling device and the wire via, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the wire via, wherein the removable pad comprises the at least one coupling device connected to the bottom of the removable pad and extending into a wire via of the one or more wire vias; and

inserting a dielectric grease that fills a space surrounding wiring within each of the one or more wire vias.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a frame comprising an opening in a top surface of the frame;

a removable pad with an inductive power transfer (“

IPT”

) pad embedded therein, the IPT pad shaped to transmit power to a receiver pad positioned above the removable pad, the removable pad sized to conform to the opening, wherein the opening of the frame is shaped to support the removable pad and the removable pad and the opening are sized so that a top surface of the removable pad is substantially level with the top surface of the frame, wherein the removable pad comprises a polymeric matrix and the IPT pad is embedded in the polymeric matrix, wherein the removable pad comprises a bottom plate, a bottom surface of the bottom plate comprising a bottom of the removable pad wherein the IPT pad is positioned within the polymeric matrix and the bottom plate is between the IPT pad and the bottom of the removable pad;

one or more wire vias extending from a bottom of the removable pad positioned within the opening to an exterior edge of the frame, the bottom of the removable pad distal to the top surface of the removable pad, the one or more wire vias sized for wiring extending from the removable pad to one or more of at least the exterior edge of the frame and electrical devices within the frame, wherein the bottom plate comprises one or more openings coincident with the one or more wire vias positioned in the frame,

wherein, when the frame is located in a roadway, the frame and removable pad mounted in the opening of the frame are rated for motor vehicular traffic to drive over one or more of the frame and the removable pad without damaging the frame or the removable pad;

one or more o-rings mounted between the removable pad and the bottom of the opening in the frame, wherein at least one o-ring surrounds each of the one or more wire vias and inhibits liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the one or more wire vias when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

a locking ring positioned around a perimeter of the top surface of the removable pad and one or more coupling mechanisms that couple the locking ring to the frame, wherein the locking ring exerts a downward force on the removable pad to secure the removable pad in the opening when the one or more coupling mechanisms couple the locking ring to the frame; and

a dielectric grease that fills a space surrounding wiring within each of the one or more wire vias.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising one or more of:

a seal positioned within a gap between sides of the removable pad and the locking ring, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the bottom of the opening and the bottom of the removable pad when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame;

a seal positioned within a gap between sides of the removable pad and sides of the opening, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the bottom of the opening and the bottom of the removable pad when the removable pad is mounted in the opening of the frame; and

a seal positioned within a gap between at least one coupler and the wire via, the seal filling the gap to inhibit liquid from the top surfaces of the frame and removable pad from reaching the wire via, wherein the removable pad comprises the at least one coupler connected to the bottom plate of the removable pad and extending into a wire via of the one or more wire vias.