Systems and Methods for Distributing Energy in a Roadway

• US 20120025629A1
• Filed: 10/04/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Wheel Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Blue Wheel Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Stoicoviciu, Laurian
• Granted Patent: US 8,561,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/30 Trolleys
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 : the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 : with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 : structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 : Dynamoelectric machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 : Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

A system and method for powering of a vehicle is disclosed. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a roadway may include an embedded conductor and a source of energy. The embedded conductor may be embedded in the roadway configured to transfer energy to a vehicle upon the roadway via magnetic induction or electric conduction. The source of energy may be applied upon or embedded in the roadway and configured to generate electric current to the embedded conductor. The source of energy may include a solar power generator, a thermoelectric power generator, a piezoelectric power generator, and/or any other suitable source of energy.

Claims

1. A roadway comprising:

an embedded conductor embedded in the roadway configured to transfer energy to a vehicle upon the roadway via magnetic induction or electric conduction; and

a source of energy applied upon or embedded in the roadway and electrically coupled to the embedded conductor, the source of energy configured to generate electric current to the embedded conductor.

2. A roadway according to claim 1, the source of energy comprising a solar power generator configured to convert photonic energy incident upon the roadway to electromagnetic energy in the form of an electric current.

3. A roadway according to claim 2, the solar power generator comprising a photovoltaic panel.

4. A roadway according to claim 2, the solar power generator comprising a photovoltaic film placed upon the surface of the roadway.

5. A roadway according to claim 2, the solar power generator comprising a photovoltaic film placed upon the surface of the roadway.

6. A roadway according to claim 2, the solar power generator configured to convert a magnetic field present in photonic energy into electrical energy.

7. A roadway according to claim 1, the source of energy comprising a thermoelectric power generator configured to convert thermal energy present in the roadway to electromagnetic energy in the form of an electric current.

8. A roadway according to claim 7, the thermoelectric power generator comprising a thermoelectric material composed of at least one of:

a combination of tellurium, antimony, germanium, and silver;

a skutterrudite; and

lead telluride having nanocrystals of rock salt placed therein.

9. A roadway according to claim 1, the source of energy comprising a piezoelectric power generator configured to convert at least one of mechanical and vibrational energy present in the roadway to electromagnetic energy in the form of an electric current.

10. A roadway according to claim 1, the source of energy further electrically coupled to a public electrical energy distribution grid and configured to deliver electrical energy to a public provider of electrical energy.

11. A method comprising:

generating electrical energy in the form of an electrical current by a source of energy applied upon or embedded in a roadway;

delivering the electrical current to an embedded conductor embedded in the roadway; and

transferring the electrical energy in the electrical current to a vehicle upon the roadway via magnetic induction or electric conduction.

12. A method according to claim 11, the source of energy comprising a solar power generator configured to convert photonic energy incident upon the roadway to electromagnetic energy in the form of an electric current.

13. A method according to claim 12, the solar power generator comprising a photovoltaic panel.

14. A method according to claim 12, the solar power generator comprising a photovoltaic film placed upon the surface of the roadway.

15. A method according to claim 12, the solar power generator comprising a photovoltaic film placed upon the surface of the roadway.

16. A method according to claim 12, the solar power generator configured to convert a magnetic field present in photonic energy into electrical energy.

17. A method according to claim 11, the source of energy comprising a thermoelectric power generator configured to convert thermal energy present in the roadway to electromagnetic energy in the form of an electric current.

18. A method according to claim 17, the thermoelectric power generator comprising a thermoelectric material composed of at least one of:

a combination of tellurium, antimony, germanium, and silver;

a skutterrudite; and

lead telluride having nanocrystals of rock salt placed therein.

19. A method according to claim 11, the source of energy comprising a piezoelectric power generator configured to convert at least one of mechanical and vibrational energy present in the roadway to electromagnetic energy in the form of an electric current.

20. A method according to claim 11, further comprising electrically coupling the source of energy to a public electrical energy distribution grid such that the source of energy delivers electrical energy to a public provider of electrical energy.