Safety systems for wireless energy transfer in vehicle applications

A power source for wirelessly providing power to a power receiver coupled to a vehicle, the power source comprising:

• a power supply;
• and
• an electromagnetic resonator coupled to the power supply and enclosed in a housing, wherein the electromagnetic resonator is configured to provide resonant, non-radiative wireless power transfer to the wireless power receiver;
• and
• a safety system configured to detect metal objects positioned in proximity to at least one of the electromagnetic resonator and the power receiver, the safety system comprising:
• a detection subsystem comprising one or more inductive loops formed of conductive material;
• and
• a notification subsystem coupled to the detection subsystem and configured to generate a notification signal when a metal object is detected by the detection subsystem.

A vehicle wireless power system, comprising:

• a power supply;
• a first electromagnetic resonator coupled to the power supply;
• a load coupled to a drive system of the vehicle;
• and
• a second electromagnetic resonator coupled to the load and configured for attachment to the vehicle, wherein the second electromagnetic resonator is configured to wirelessly receive resonant, non-radiative power from the first electromagnetic resonator and to deliver power to the load;
• and
• a safety system configured to detect metal objects positioned in proximity to at least one of the first and second electromagnetic resonators, the safety system comprising:
• a detection subsystem comprising one or more inductive loops formed of conductive material;
• and
• a notification subsystem coupled to the detection subsystem and configured to generate a notification signal when a metal object is detected by the detection subsystem.