Electric vehicle pick-up position control
First Claim
1. An inductive pick-up apparatus for an electrically powered vehicle comprising:
- an inductive pick-up configurated for use with a series of aligned and spaced-apart charging pads associated with a road surface; and
a device for automatically controlling a relative position between the pick-up and the charging pads while the vehicle moves along the road surface, the device including an extension arm connected to the vehicle, the pick-up being pivotally attached to the extension arm, and wherein the shape of the pick-up enables the pick-up to maintain a consistent air gap between the pick-up and the charging pads solely due to the airflow acting on the pick-up, while said device is in a first mode of operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an electrically powered vehicle having an inductive pick-up configured to couple electrical power from a series of aligned and spaced-apart charging pads associated with a road surface, methods and apparatus are disclosed for controlling the lateral positioning of the pick-up as well as the gap between the pick-up and the charging pads as the vehicle moves along a road surface. Control of the lateral positioning and gap may be provided either separately or in combination. In the preferred embodiment, the pick-up is pivotally connected to the vehicle through an extension arm, the pivotal connection including a first position wherein vertical positioning of the pick-up is power controlled toward and away from the road surface, and a second position wherein airflow past the pick-up maintains the positioning of the pick-up relative to the road surface. In terms of lateral positioning, the apparatus further includes a camera capable of sensing the charging pads as the vehicle moves, and apparatus in operative communication with the camera for moving the pick-up side-to-side as the vehicle moves in response to the position of the charging pads as sensed by the camera.
186 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An inductive pick-up apparatus for an electrically powered vehicle comprising:
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an inductive pick-up configurated for use with a series of aligned and spaced-apart charging pads associated with a road surface; and a device for automatically controlling a relative position between the pick-up and the charging pads while the vehicle moves along the road surface, the device including an extension arm connected to the vehicle, the pick-up being pivotally attached to the extension arm, and wherein the shape of the pick-up enables the pick-up to maintain a consistent air gap between the pick-up and the charging pads solely due to the airflow acting on the pick-up, while said device is in a first mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In an electrically powered vehicle having an inductive pick-up configured for use with a series of aligned and spaced-apart charging pads associated with a road surface, the improvement comprising:
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an apparatus for controlling the lateral positioning of the pick-up relative to the vehicle as the vehicle moves along the road surface, the apparatus including; a camera mounted at a forward end of the vehicle, the camera being capable of sensing the charging pads as the vehicle moves; and means in operative communication with the camera for moving the pick-up side-to-side, relative to the vehicle, in response to the position of the charging pads as sensed by the camera. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. In an electrically powered vehicle having an inductive pick-up configured to couple electrical power from a series of aligned and spaced-apart charging pads associated with a road surface, the improvement comprising:
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lateral positioning means for automatically controlling the lateral positioning of the pick-up relative to the vehicle as the vehicle moves along the road surface; and vertical positioning means for automatically controlling a gap between the pick-up and the charging pads as the vehicle moves along the road surface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A system for charging a battery on-board a vehicle as it travels along a road surface, comprising:
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a series of aligned and spaced-apart charging pads associated with the road surface; an inductive pick-up associated with the vehicle to couple electrical power from the pads to the battery; and apparatus on-board the vehicle for controlling the physical relationship between the pick-up and the charging pads as the vehicle moves to increase coupling efficiency therebetween, including means for sensing the position of the charging pads and outputting a signal representative of the relative alignment between the charging pads and the inductive pick-up; and means for orienting the inductive pick-up with respect to the charging pads in response to the signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification