Wireless charging system for vehicles

• US 8,030,888 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ashish A. Pandya, Ravi A. Pandya
• Original Assignee: Ashish A. Pandya, Ravi A. Pandya
• Inventors: Pandya, Ravi A., Pandya, Ashish A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/190,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• 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 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• 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

A system of energy storage and charging usable in vehicles and other applications that eliminate the battery capacity and automotive range issues is described. In our invention, vehicles are equipped with charging mechanisms to charge and recharge onboard batteries using wireless electricity and power transmission using magnetic resonant coupling between tuned electromagnetic circuits. The batteries may be charged using wireless charging systems installed along the roads while the vehicle is in use on the road. Charging system may optionally utilize infrared laser beam radiation to transmit power for charging the batteries on board a vehicle while it is in use as well. The onboard vehicle batteries may also be charged when the vehicle is not being driven either by plugging in the vehicle into wall electricity using wired power connection or may be wirelessly charged using the magnetic resonant coupling. By locating the charging circuits on roads, a continuous operation of electric-only mode of hybrid vehicles or pure electric-only vehicles can be accomplished and fully eliminate the need for gasoline usage.

Claims

1. A road way system comprising a wireless charging system for vehicles, said wireless charging system comprising a transmitter system and further comprising a receiver system, said transmitter system to wirelessly transmit power to said receiver system, said transmitter system wirelessly coupled to the said receiver system using magnetic resonant coupling, said transmitter and receiver systems comprising tuned electromagnetic circuits to perform wireless power transfer from said transmitter system to said receiver system, said transmitter system embedded under, or over, or by the side of the said road way system, and the said receiver system installed in said vehicles used on said road way system, said receiver system comprising a rechargeable battery system wirelessly coupled to said transmitter system to charge a rechargeable battery, and said receiver system further comprising electric motor powered by said rechargeable battery to drive said vehicle operated by said rechargeable battery system, when said rechargeable battery is charged.

2. The road way system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of transmitter systems where a first group of said transmitter systems get turned on to transmit the power to said receiver system to charge said rechargeable battery when one of said vehicles is within a pre-selected distance from said group of transmitter systems, and a second group of transmitter systems that are turned off when said vehicle is at least said pre-selected distance away from said second group of transmitter systems.

3. A wireless charging system for vehicles, said wireless charging system comprising a transmitter system and further comprising a receiver system, said transmitter system to wirelessly transmit power to said receiver system, said transmitter system comprising a light or laser or infrared laser transmitting device coupled to said receiver system using visible or invisible light spectrum coupling, said receiver system comprising a visible or invisible light detector panel to receive the energy transmitted by said transmitter, said receiver system further comprising a rechargeable battery system wirelessly coupled to said transmitter system to charge z rechargeable battery, and said receiver system further comprising a load operated by said rechargeable battery system, when said rechargeable battery is charged, said wireless charging system for vehicles for use in a road way system, said road way system comprising said transmitter system embedded under, or over, or by the side of said road way system, and said receiver system installed in said vehicles used on said road way system, said receiver system comprising said rechargeable battery system wirelessly coupled to said transmitter system to charge said rechargeable battery, and said receiver system further comprising electric motor powered by said rechargeable battery to drive said vehicle operated by said rechargeable battery system, when said rechargeable battery is charged.

4. The road way system of claim 3, comprising a plurality of transmitter systems where a first group of said transmitter systems get turned on to transmit the power to the said receiver system to charge said rechargeable battery when one of said vehicles is within a pre-selected distance from said group of transmitter systems, and a second group of transmitter systems that are turned off when said vehicle is said pre-selected distance away from said second group of transmitter systems.

5. The light or laser or infrared laser transmitting device of claim 3, comprising a focusing or directional power transmitting apparatus to focus the transmitted power in a preset direction to maximize said transmit power to said receiver system.