US 12,136,825 B2
In-flight contact charging system
James Mitchell Coker, III, Purcellville, VA (US); Matthew Gene Clark, Arlington, VA (US); and Jackson Karl Harwell, Denton, TX (US)
Filed by James Mitchell Coker, III, Purcellville, VA (US); Matthew Gene Clark, Arlington, VA (US); and Jackson Karl Harwell, Denton, TX (US)
Filed on Jan. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/648,744.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/260,715, filed on Aug. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0066667 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B64U 50/34 (2023.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.01)
CPC H02J 50/10 (2016.02) [B64U 50/34 (2023.01); H02J 2310/48 (2020.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An in-flight contact charging assembly, comprising:
at least one charging contact mounted on a support;
at least one power receiver mounted on an aerial vehicle containing an electrical load, wherein the power receiver electrically communicates with the electrical load; and
a recharging controller electrically coupled to the at least one charging contact, said recharging controller being operative: to detect contact between the at least one charging contact and the at least one power receiver; in response to detecting the contact, to transmit electricity to the at least one charging contact; to detect a spike in battery impedance; and in response to detecting the spike, to discontinue transmission of electricity to the at least one charging contact.