My first project on the LEGO Ideas site is an Inductive Charging System for Power Functions LiPo batteries for Trains, Technic and Mindstorms.

The project concept enables a train LiPo battery to be charged without manual intervention. The train stops over the charging coil.

The charging coil would sit between the rails, powered from the standard charger.

The receiving coil would be held between the bogies of a wagon, plugged into the charging port of the LiPo battery.

The device would be compatible with use for Technic, Mindstorms and other themes, so that a robot could return to a charging station and charge itself.

It might be possible for the charging and receiving coils to be two of the same device, minimising cost.

This would bring LEGO products up to date with the charging of mobile phones and tablets.

It may be a key technology to enable more development of Power Functions trains because it would make it easier to run them at shows.

Please add your support to the project.

We have 90 supporters so far, which is good for a technological project (as opposed to a populist project).

Let's see if we can reach over 100 supporters, perhaps 150 in April!

Even if the LEGO Ideas route is not the best route, your support adds weight to the case for pursuing another route, such as third party production or crowd funding.

Thanks,

Mark

It's a nice idea Mark, but unfortunately they've already stated that Ideas is not for new parts or elements, and that these will not be produced. Also, it only has 26 days left before it's purged from the site, so I'm afraid I don't see any hope for it getting anything like the support it would need. Sorry.

Kickstarter would be a much better place for that. Maybe talk to the SBrick people about adding it to their store, as they are already in business.. ?

How about an electromagnet decoupler? No silly mechanical system needed.