# US 12,191,673 B2 · Marine vessel with repositionable onboard inductive charge system for recharging an onboard rechargeable energy source when servicing offshore wind turbines > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,673 B2 - Document ID: US12191673B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/540,058 - Filed: 2021-12-01 - Published: 2022-07-28 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-03 - Assignees: C-Innovation, LLC - Applicants: C-Innovation LLC - Inventors: Jan Mikalsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191673B2 ## CPC - H02J 50/005: {Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices} - B60L 53/12: Inductive energy transfer - B60L 53/305: {Communication interfaces} - B60L 53/34: Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles (positioning means for charging devices using inductive energy transfer B60L53/38) - B60L 53/36: by positioning the vehicle - B63B 27/14: of ramps, gangways or outboard ladders {; Pilot lifts} - B63B 27/30: {Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment} for transfer at sea between ships or between ships and off-shore structures - B63J 3/04: from power plant other than propulsion power plant - H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction - H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling - B60L 2200/32: Waterborne vessels - B63B 27/10: of cranes - B63B 27/143: {Ramps} - B63J 2003/043: {using shore connectors for electric power supply from shore-borne mains, or other electric energy sources external to the vessel, e.g. for docked, or moored vessels} - H02J 2105/31: {for ships or vessels} - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - B63J: AUXILIARIES ON VESSELS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A marine vessel may include a propulsion system and a rechargeable energy storage system inclusive of at least one rechargeable energy source configured to supply power to the propulsion system. The marine vessel may further include a vessel-side inductive charge component in electrical communication with the rechargeable energy storage system, and be configured to inductively couple with a platform-side inductive charge component positioned at a marine-based platform. The platform-side inductive charge component may be electrically coupled to a power generator that generates electrical power. A moveable structure (e.g., gangplank or crane) may be coupled to the marine vessel on which the vessel-side inductive charge component is positioned to enable the moveable structure to be moveably positioned to wirelessly (e.g., inductively) couple the vessel-side inductive charge component with the platform-side charge component that is positioned at the marine-based platform, thereby causing the rechargeable energy storage device to be recharged. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A marine vessel, comprising: a propulsion system; a rechargeable energy storage system inclusive of at least one rechargeable energy source configured to supply power to the propulsion system; a vessel-side inductive charge component in electrical communication with the rechargeable energy storage system, and configured to inductively couple with a platform-side inductive charge component positioned at a marine-based platform, the platform-side inductive charge component being electrically coupled to a power generator at the marine-based platform that generates electrical power to be electrically and wirelessly conducted via the platform-side inductive charge component to the vessel-side inductive charge component; and a moveable structure coupled to the marine vessel on which the vessel-side inductive charge component is positioned to enable the vessel-side inductive charge component to be movably positioned to be inductively coupled with the platform-side charge component, thereby causing a wireless transfer of electrical power to recharge the rechargeable energy storage device to be recharged. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the moveable structure is a gangplank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The marine vessel according to claim 2, wherein the vessel-side inductive charge component is mounted to an underside of the gangplank, and wherein the platform-side inductive charge component faces upwards, thereby enabling the vessel-side inductive charge component to be positioned above the platform-side inductive charge component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the moveable structure is a crane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the platform is a platform that supports a wind turbine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the rechargeable energy system is configured to notify an operator if power being received by the vessel-side inductive charge component from the platform-side charge component is below a threshold level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, further comprising an electromechanical control system for maintaining the moveable structure within a range of distances from the platform-side inductive charge component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion system is configured with a recharge setting that maintains the marine vessel in a stationary position relative to the platform during recharging operations. ### Claim 9 A method of recharging a rechargeable storage source on a marine vessel, said method comprising: positioning the marine vessel at a platform; moving a structure coupled to the marine vessel on which a vessel-side inductive charge component is positioned to enable the structure to be moveably positioned to wirelessly couple the vessel-side inductive charge component with a platform-side charge component positioned at the marine-based platform; and recharging a rechargeable energy source on the marine vessel by conducting electrical power signals via the platform-side inductive charge component and vessel-side inductive charge component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein positioning the marine vessel at a platform includes positioning the marine vessel at an offshore wind turbine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein moving a structure includes moving a gangplank to move the vessel-side inductive charge element to be wirelessly coupled to the platform-side charge component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein moving a gangplank includes moving a gangplank beneath which the vessel-side inductive charge component is positioned such that the vessel-side inductive charge component is positioned above the platform-side charge component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising automatically controlling position of the vessel-side inductive charge component within a relative distance of the platform-side inductive charge component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising maintaining position of the marine vessel relative to the platform.