US-12627179-B1 - Roadway section having embedded wireless charge elements

Abstract

A roadway section comprises pavement material, wireless power chargers, and a magnetic shielding layer. The pavement material defines a longitudinal axis. The wireless power chargers are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and comprise first, second, and third conductive elements. The second conductive element is adjacent to and spaced apart from the first conductive element at a first distance. The third conductive element is adjacent to and spaced apart from the second conductive element at a second distance that is longer than the first distance. The magnetic shielding layer is beneath the third conductive element and is configured to cause a magnitude of magnetic flux density emitted from the third conductive element above the pavement material to be highest between the second conductive element and an imaginary axis extending from a center of gravity of the third conductive element to the top of the pavement material.

Inventors

• Tim Sylvester
• Tiziano Pedersoli

Assignees

• Integrated Roadways IP LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230314

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A roadway section for enabling dynamic wireless power transfer to a vehicle, the roadway section comprising: pavement material defining a longitudinal axis and a top surface; first, second and third wireless power chargers spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and respectively comprising first, second and third conductive elements each being configured to emit a magnetic field for dynamic wireless power transfer to the vehicle, wherein— the second conductive element is adjacent to the first conductive element and spaced apart from the first conductive element at a first distance along the longitudinal axis, the third conductive element is adjacent to the second conductive element and spaced apart from the second conductive element at a second distance along the longitudinal axis that is longer than the first distance; and a magnetic shielding layer located within the pavement material beneath the third conductive element so that at least a portion of the third conductive element is between the magnetic shielding layer and the top surface of the pavement material, wherein the magnetic shielding layer is configured to cause a magnitude of magnetic flux density emitted from the third conductive element above the top surface to be highest between the second conductive element and an imaginary axis extending from a center of gravity of the third conductive element to a nearest top surface of the pavement material.
2. 2 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic shielding layer comprises a top surface sloped toward the second conductive element.
3. 3 . The roadway section of claim 2 , wherein the third conductive element comprises: a first end proximal to the second conductive element and having a first top surface, and a second end distal to the second conductive element and having a second top surface, wherein the third conductive element is oriented so that an imaginary axis extending between the first top surface and the second top surface is angled relative to the top surface of the magnetic shielding layer.
4. 4 . The roadway section of claim 3 , wherein the imaginary axis and the top surface form an angle of at least one-half degree (0.5°).
5. 5 . The roadway section of claim 2 , wherein the magnetic shielding layer is a first magnetic shielding layer, further comprising a second magnetic shielding layer located within the pavement material beneath the first conductive element so that at least a portion of the first conductive element is between the second magnetic shielding layer and the top surface of the pavement material, the second magnetic shielding layer having a top surface that is at an angle relative to the top surface of the first magnetic shielding layer.
6. 6 . The roadway section of claim 5 , wherein— the first conductive element has a center of gravity, an imaginary axis extends through the center of gravity of the first conductive element and a point of the top surface of the pavement material closest to the center of gravity, and the imaginary axis is perpendicular to the top surface of the second magnetic shielding layer.
7. 7 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic shielding layer comprises: a substrate with a first portion proximate to the second conductive element, a second portion opposite the first portion, and a top surface defined by the first and second portions, one or more walls extending from the substrate toward a top surface of the third conductive element, wherein the one or more walls defines a gap in the substrate of the magnetic shielding layer above the first portion of the substrate.
8. 8 . The roadway section of claim 7 , wherein the third conductive element comprises: a first end proximal to the second conductive element and having a first top surface, and a second end distal to the second conductive element and having a second top surface, wherein the third conductive element is oriented so that an imaginary axis extending between the first top surface and the second top surface of the third conductive element is parallel to the top surface of the substrate.
9. 9 . The roadway section of claim 7 , wherein the magnetic shielding layer is a first magnetic shielding layer, further comprising a second magnetic shielding layer located within the pavement material beneath the first conductive element so that at least a portion of the first conductive element is between the second magnetic shielding layer and the top surface of the pavement material, wherein the second magnetic shielding layer comprises: a substrate, and a wall circumscribing the first conductive element at a uniform distance from a top surface of the first conductive element thereby centering the magnetic flux density emitted by the first conductive element along its magnetic axis.
10. 10 . The roadway section of claim 7 , wherein the magnetic shielding layer is integral with a casing of the third conductive element.
11. 11 . A roadway section for enabling dynamic wireless power transfer to a vehicle, the roadway section comprising: pavement material defining a longitudinal axis; first, second and third wireless power chargers spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and respectively comprising first, second and third conductive elements each being configured to emit a magnetic field for dynamic wireless power transfer to the vehicle, wherein— the second conductive element is adjacent to the first conductive element and spaced apart from the first conductive element at a first distance along the longitudinal axis, and the third conductive element is adjacent to the second conductive element and spaced apart from the second conductive element at a second distance along the longitudinal axis that is longer than the first distance; and first, second and third magnetic shielding layers located within the pavement material, wherein— the first magnetic shielding layer is beneath the first conductive element, the second magnetic shielding layer is beneath the second conductive element, the third magnetic shielding layer is beneath the third conductive element, and the third magnetic shielding layer is configured to shift at least a portion of magnetic flux density of the magnetic field emitted from the third conductive element toward the second conductive element.
12. 12 . The roadway section of claim 11 , wherein the third magnetic shielding layer is oriented so that a top surface of the third magnetic shield layer is sloped toward the second magnetic shielding layer.
13. 13 . The roadway section of claim 11 , wherein the third magnetic shielding layer comprises a substrate with one or more walls extending from the substrate.
14. 14 . The roadway section of claim 11 , wherein the second distance is at least twenty percent (20%) longer than the first distance.
15. 15 . The roadway section of claim 11 , wherein the pavement material is interposed between the first, second and third conductive elements and respective corresponding ones of the first, second and third magnetic shielding layers.
16. 16 . The roadway section of claim 11 , wherein the pavement material is interposed between and separates the first, second and third magnetic shielding layers along the longitudinal axis.
17. 17 . A roadway section for enabling dynamic wireless power transfer to a vehicle, the roadway section comprising: pavement material defining a longitudinal axis and a top surface; first, second and third wireless power chargers spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and respectively comprising first, second and third conductive elements each being configured to emit a magnetic field for dynamic wireless power transfer to the vehicle, wherein— the second conductive element is adjacent to the first conductive element and spaced apart from the first conductive element at a first distance along the longitudinal axis, the third conductive element is adjacent to the second conductive element and spaced apart from the second conductive element at a second distance along the longitudinal axis that is longer than the first distance; and first, second and third magnetic shielding planar substrates located within the pavement material, wherein— the first magnetic shielding planar substrate is beneath the first conductive element and has a first upper surface, the second magnetic shielding planar substrate is beneath the second conductive element and has a second upper surface, and the third magnetic shielding planar substrate is beneath the third conductive element and has a third upper surface that is sloped toward the second magnetic shielding planar substrate.
18. 18 . The roadway section of claim 17 , wherein the second upper surface is sloped toward the third magnetic shielding planar substrate.
19. 19 . The roadway section of claim 18 , wherein the first upper surface is parallel with the top surface of the pavement material.
20. 20 . The roadway section of claim 17 , wherein the first, second and third magnetic shielding planar substrates each comprise magnetically permeable material having a relative magnetic permeability of at least ten (10) and an electrical resistivity of at least one thousand (1,000) ohm-meter.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is filed contemporaneously with identically-titled U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/183,286, filed Mar. 14, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND Battery-powered electric vehicles are becoming increasingly common in many applications, including for both individual and commercial transportation. However, such vehicles often do not have the same range capabilities as their similarly priced combustion engine counterparts. Specifically, to obtain more range, more battery materials must be used to form a larger battery, which often renders a vehicle prohibitively expensive for too many individuals. Additionally, the weight of such a longer-range battery incurs additional engineering costs in the design and manufacture of the vehicle and additional costs due to the use of additional and/or enhanced non-battery components. Further, charging stations are often scarce, and charging a battery at a charging station can be time consuming compared to filling a fuel tank. The background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention addresses one or more of the above-described problems and other problems by providing a roadway section that enables dynamic wireless power transfer to a vehicle. A roadway section constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises pavement material and first, second, and third power chargers. The pavement material extends along a longitudinal axis. The first, second, and third wireless power chargers are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and respectively comprise first, second, and third conductive elements each being configured to emit a magnetic field for dynamic wireless power transfer to the vehicle. The second conductive element is adjacent to the first conductive element and spaced apart from the first conductive element at a first distance along the longitudinal axis. The third conductive element is adjacent to the second conductive element and spaced apart from the second conductive element at a second distance along the longitudinal axis that is longer than the first distance. The third conductive element has a center of gravity, and a first imaginary axis extends between the center of gravity of the third conductive element and a point of the top surface closest to the center of gravity. An imaginary plane intersects the center of gravity of the third conductive element, the closest point of the top surface, and a point on the second conductive element that is closest to the third conductive element. The third conductive element includes a first segment proximal to the second conductive element and having a first uppermost point in the imaginary plane and a second segment distal from the second conductive element and having a second uppermost point in the imaginary plane. A theoretical line drawn between the first and second uppermost points defines an angle of slope of the third conductive element relative to the imaginary axis within the imaginary plane and on the side of the imaginary axis proximal to the second conductive element. The angle is at least ninety and one-half degrees (90.5°). By orienting the third conductive element toward the larger gap between the third conductive element and the second conductive element, magnetic flux density is increased above the pavement material over the longer gap. A roadway section constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present invention broadly comprises pavement material and first, second, and third wireless power chargers. The pavement material extends along a longitudinal axis and has a top surface. The first, second, and third wireless power chargers are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and respectively comprise first, second, and third conductive elements each being configured to emit a magnetic field for dynamic wireless power transfer to the vehicle. The second conductive element is adjacent to the first conductive element and spaced apart from the first conductive element at a first distance along the longitudinal axis. The third conductive element is adjacent to the second conductive element and spaced apart from the second conductive element at a second distance along the longitudinal axis that is longer than the first distance. The third conductive element is oriented so that the third conductive element is operable to emit a magnetic field with a magnetic axis extending in a direction toward the top surface and the second conductive element. A roadway section constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present invention broadly comprises pavement material and first, second, and third wireless power chargers. The pavement material extends along a longitudinal axis and has a top surface. The first, second, and third wireless powe