Power line E-field coupler and associated systems and methods

• US 7,872,371 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Varley, Robert Fred, Maier, Roger Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman; Jared J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amrany; Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/404,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/145, 307/154, 702/57, 702/64
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/02 for overhead lines or cables

Abstract

The power line electric field (E-field) coupler device is for collecting energy from a power line and includes a flexible stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers. A power collecting circuit is connected to the flexible stack to output power therefrom based upon E-field coupling from the power line to the flexible stack, and an adjustment mechanism adjusts at least a shape of the flexible stack.

Claims

1. An electric field (E-field) coupler device for collecting electrical power from an adjacent power line, the E-field coupler device comprising:

a flexible stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers;

a power collecting circuit connected to the flexible stack to output power therefrom based upon E-field coupling from the power line to the flexible stack; and

an adjustment mechanism to adjust at least a shape of the flexible stack.

2. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible stack only partially surrounds the adjacent power line when positioned adjacent thereto.

3. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism further adjusts a spacing of the flexible stack from the adjacent power line.

4. The E-field coupler device according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts the radius of curvature of the flexible stack.

5. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1, further comprising a control system to control the adjustment mechanism based upon output power from the power collecting circuit.

6. The E-field coupler device according to claim 5, wherein the control system comprises a fuzzy logic controller.

7. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises:

a flexible base mounting the flexible stack; and

a plurality of linear actuators coupled to said flexible base.

8. The E-field coupler device according to claim 7, wherein said flexible base comprises a series of interconnected segments.

9. The E-field coupler device according to claim 8, wherein said flexible base further comprises a respective hinge between adjacent ones of said interconnected segments.

10. The E-field coupler device according to claim 9, wherein said adjustment mechanism further comprises a respective ball joint between corresponding segments and linear actuators.

11. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layers comprise at least one of aluminum and copper foil sheets.

12. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1, wherein the power collecting circuit comprises a rectifier circuit and a DC-to-DC converter associated therewith.

13. A power line access vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body; and

an electric field (E-field) coupler device carried by the vehicle body for collecting electrical power from an adjacent power line, the E-field coupler device including

a flexible stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers,

a power collecting circuit connected to the flexible stack to output power therefrom based upon E-field coupling from the power line to the flexible stack, and

an adjustment mechanism to adjust at least a shape of the flexible stack.

14. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13, wherein said flexible stack only partially surrounds the power line when the E-field coupler device is positioned adjacent thereto.

15. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising a battery carried by the vehicle body;

wherein the power collecting circuit of the E-field coupler device comprises a rectifier circuit and an associated DC-to-DC converter connected to the battery.

16. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising a drive mechanism carried by the vehicle body to contact the power line and move the vehicle along the power line.

17. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising a flying mechanism carried by the vehicle body.

18. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the adjustment mechanism of the E-field coupler device adjusts the radius of curvature of the flexible stack, and further adjusts a spacing of the flexible stack from the adjacent power line.

19. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the E-field coupler device further comprises a control system to control the adjustment mechanism based upon output power from the power collecting circuit.

20. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the adjustment mechanism of the E-field coupler device comprises:

a flexible base mounting the flexible stack; and

a plurality of linear actuators coupled to said flexible base.

21. A method of collecting energy from a power line comprising:

providing a flexible stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers;

using a power collecting circuit connected to the flexible stack to output power therefrom based upon E-field coupling from the power line to the flexible stack; and

adjusting at least a shape of the flexible stack.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the flexible stack only partially surrounds the power line when the E-field coupler device is positioned adjacent thereto.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting a spacing of the flexible stack from the adjacent power line.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the radius of curvature of the flexible stack.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the shape of the flexible stack is adjusted with an adjustment mechanism comprising a flexible base mounting the flexible stack, and a plurality of linear actuators coupled to the flexible base.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the flexible base comprises a series of interconnected segments and a respective hinge between adjacent ones of the interconnected segments;

and wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a respective ball joint between corresponding segments and linear actuators.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the power collecting circuit comprises a rectifier circuit and an associated DC-to-DC converter.