Power line E-field coupler and associated systems and methods

1. An electric field (E-field) coupler device for collecting electrical power from an adjacent power line, the E-field coupler device comprising:

a flexible stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers;

a power collecting circuit connected to the flexible stack to output power therefrom based upon E-field coupling from the power line to the flexible stack; and

an adjustment mechanism to adjust at least a shape of the flexible stack.

2. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1 , wherein said flexible stack only partially surrounds the adjacent power line when positioned adjacent thereto.

3. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism further adjusts a spacing of the flexible stack from the adjacent power line.

4. The E-field coupler device according to claim 3 , wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts the radius of curvature of the flexible stack.

5. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1 , further comprising a control system to control the adjustment mechanism based upon output power from the power collecting circuit.

6. The E-field coupler device according to claim 5 , wherein the control system comprises a fuzzy logic controller.

7. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises:

a flexible base mounting the flexible stack; and

a plurality of linear actuators coupled to said flexible base.

8. The E-field coupler device according to claim 7 , wherein said flexible base comprises a series of interconnected segments.

9. The E-field coupler device according to claim 8 , wherein said flexible base further comprises a respective hinge between adjacent ones of said interconnected segments.

10. The E-field coupler device according to claim 9 , wherein said adjustment mechanism further comprises a respective ball joint between corresponding segments and linear actuators.

11. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layers comprise at least one of aluminum and copper foil sheets.

12. The E-field coupler device according to claim 1 , wherein the power collecting circuit comprises a rectifier circuit and a DC-to-DC converter associated therewith.

13. A power line access vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body; and

an electric field (E-field) coupler device carried by the vehicle body for collecting electrical power from an adjacent power line, the E-field coupler device including

a flexible stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers,

a power collecting circuit connected to the flexible stack to output power therefrom based upon E-field coupling from the power line to the flexible stack, and

an adjustment mechanism to adjust at least a shape of the flexible stack.

14. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein said flexible stack only partially surrounds the power line when the E-field coupler device is positioned adjacent thereto.

15. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13 , further comprising a battery carried by the vehicle body; wherein the power collecting circuit of the E-field coupler device comprises a rectifier circuit and an associated DC-to-DC converter connected to the battery.

16. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13 , further comprising a drive mechanism carried by the vehicle body to contact the power line and move the vehicle along the power line.

17. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13 , further comprising a flying mechanism carried by the vehicle body.

18. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the adjustment mechanism of the E-field coupler device adjusts the radius of curvature of the flexible stack, and further adjusts a spacing of the flexible stack from the adjacent power line.

19. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the E-field coupler device further comprises a control system to control the adjustment mechanism based upon output power from the power collecting circuit.

20. The power line access vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the adjustment mechanism of the E-field coupler device comprises:

a flexible base mounting the flexible stack; and

a plurality of linear actuators coupled to said flexible base.

21. A method of collecting energy from a power line comprising:

providing a flexible stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers;

using a power collecting circuit connected to the flexible stack to output power therefrom based upon E-field coupling from the power line to the flexible stack; and

adjusting at least a shape of the flexible stack.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the flexible stack only partially surrounds the power line when the E-field coupler device is positioned adjacent thereto.

23. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting a spacing of the flexible stack from the adjacent power line.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the radius of curvature of the flexible stack.

25. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the shape of the flexible stack is adjusted with an adjustment mechanism comprising a flexible base mounting the flexible stack, and a plurality of linear actuators coupled to the flexible base.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the flexible base comprises a series of interconnected segments and a respective hinge between adjacent ones of the interconnected segments; and wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a respective ball joint between corresponding segments and linear actuators.

27. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the power collecting circuit comprises a rectifier circuit and an associated DC-to-DC converter.