Reinforced roadway with wireless charging
A roadway section configured to wirelessly charge a vehicle driving on the roadway section. The roadway section comprises a reinforcement layer embedded within the roadway section. The roadway section additionally comprises a wireless power charger embedded within the roadway section, with the wireless power charger being configured to transmit energy wirelessly to the vehicle.
1 . A roadway section configured to wirelessly charge a vehicle driving along a length of a top surface of the roadway section, said roadway section comprising:
a reinforcement layer embedded within the roadway section, wherein the reinforcement layer comprises magnetic shielding material that extends below the top surface and along a first length in a direction of the length of the top surface; and
a wireless power charger embedded within the roadway section, wherein the wireless power charger is configured to transmit energy wirelessly to the vehicle, and wherein the wireless power charger extends along a second length in the direction of the length of the top surface, the first length being equal to or greater than the second length,
wherein the wireless power charger is positioned above the reinforcement layer.
2 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement layer comprises a ferrous material having a magnetic permeability of at least four time greater than a magnetic permeability of concrete of the roadway section.
3 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement layer is not electrically conductive.
4 . The roadway section of claim 3 , wherein the reinforcement layer comprises ferrite.
5 . The roadway section of claim 1 , further including at least one standoff element supporting the wireless power charger a predefined distance above the reinforcement layer, wherein the standoff element contacts both the wireless power charger and the reinforcement layer.
6 . The roadway section of claim 5 , wherein the standoff element comprises a non-magnetic shielding material.
7 . The roadway section of claim 6 , wherein the non-magnetic shielding material is thermally conductive.
8 . The roadway section of claim 5 , wherein the predefined distance is at least four inches.
9 . The roadway section of claim 5 , wherein the wireless power charger is encased in a housing.
10 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the roadway section is formed from concrete.
11 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the roadway section comprises a cast-in-place slab.
12 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the roadway section comprises a pre-cast slab in which the reinforcement layer and the wireless power charger are embedded, further comprising a plurality of load-transferring connectors embedded along one of a plurality of sides of the slab and attached to an adjacent structure, the plurality of load-transferring connectors being configured to transfer load on the precast slab corresponding to the passing vehicle between the precast slab and the adjacent structure.
13 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the wireless power charger comprises an inductive coil.
14 . The roadway section of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement layer is a first reinforcement layer, further comprising a second reinforcement layer embedded within the roadway section, wherein the second reinforcement layer comprises non-magnetic shielding material.
15 . The roadway section of claim 14 , wherein the second reinforcement layer is positioned above the wireless power charger.
16 . The roadway section of claim 15 , wherein the non-magnetic shielding material comprises a polymer.
17 . The roadway section of claim 16 , wherein the polymer comprises glass-fiber reinforced polymer.
18 . The roadway section of claim 15 , wherein the non-magnetic shielding material comprises a basaltic material.
19 . The roadway section of claim 1 , further comprising at least one control processor in communication with the wireless power charger, wherein the control processor is configured to control the wireless power charger.
20 . A method of wirelessly charging a vehicle traveling over a length of a top surface of a roadway section, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a reinforcement layer embedded within the roadway section, wherein the reinforcement layer comprises magnetic shielding material that extends below the top surface and along a first length in a direction of the length of the top surface;
(b) providing a wireless power charger embedded within the roadway section, wherein the wireless power charger is positioned above the reinforcement layer, wherein the wireless power charger extends along a second length in the direction of the length of the top surface, the first length being equal to or greater than the second length; and
(c) transmitting, via the wireless power charger, energy wirelessly to the vehicle as the vehicle travels over the roadway section.