Energy efficient vehicle with integrated power beaming

• Main Authors: Olsson, Claes, Nugent, Jr., Thomas J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.08.2019
• Subjects: CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTINGELECTRIC POWER; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT OR PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLEDVEHICLES; ELECTRICITY; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES, IN GENERAL; GENERATION; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

A commercially available vehicle is modified by coupling a beamed-power transmission system to the vehicle's frame. The beamed-power transmission system is arranged to deliver beamed power to a remote device such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (i.e., UAV or drone). The cooling system of the vehicle is used to cool portions of the beamed-power transmission system. An aiming system aims a power beam produced by the beamed-power transmitter toward the remote device, and a stability system coupled to both the vehicle frame and the beamed-power transmission system maintains three-dimensional constancy of the power beam even when the vehicle frame is in motion. The commercially available vehicle may be an electric vehicle, a gas-electric hybrid vehicle, or the like having a power source that includes batteries, a fuel-cells, or a generator.