Apparatus for generating power from passing vehicular traffic
First Claim
1. A power generation apparatus for placement on a travel surface subject to vehicles passing thereover, said apparatus comprising:
- a least one cylinder adapted to receive a piston and a fluid cavity, wherein said piston engages said fluid cavity;
a fluid supply manifold in fluid communication with said at least one cylinder and supplying fluid to said fluid cavity;
a fluid return manifold in fluid communication with said at least one cylinder;
at least one platform adapted to engage said piston;
a power conversion means connected with said fluid return manifold; and
wherein as a passing vehicle engages said at least one platform, said at least one platform and said piston are pushed downwardly, causing fluid to flow from said fluid cavity through said fluid return manifold and to said power conversion means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for generating power from over the road vehicular traffic and moving trains are disclosed. The apparatus include on or more hydraulic actuators, each of which has a piston at least partially slidably mounted in a fluid cavity contained therein. When a passing vehicle or train car engages the actuator, the weight of the vehicle pushes the piston into the fluid cavity and causes fluid to flow from the fluid cavity toward a turbine or other power conversion means. The flow causes the turbine to rotate, thereby producing useable energy.
38 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A power generation apparatus for placement on a travel surface subject to vehicles passing thereover, said apparatus comprising:
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a least one cylinder adapted to receive a piston and a fluid cavity, wherein said piston engages said fluid cavity;
a fluid supply manifold in fluid communication with said at least one cylinder and supplying fluid to said fluid cavity;
a fluid return manifold in fluid communication with said at least one cylinder;
at least one platform adapted to engage said piston;
a power conversion means connected with said fluid return manifold; and
wherein as a passing vehicle engages said at least one platform, said at least one platform and said piston are pushed downwardly, causing fluid to flow from said fluid cavity through said fluid return manifold and to said power conversion means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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12. A power capturing apparatus for placement on a travel surface subject to vehicles passing thereover, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of hydraulic actuators, each hydraulic actuator including a fluid cavity, a piston, an actuator cap and at least one fluid port, said piston being at least partially and slidably mounted in said fluid cavity and said at least one fluid port extending into said fluid cavity, and said actuator cap being disposed on top of said hydraulic actuator;
a fluid source coupled with said at least one fluid port of each of said plurality of hydraulic actuators;
a plurality of platforms adapted to engage each actuator cap of said plurality of hydraulic actuators; and
wherein as a passing vehicle engages at least one of said plurality of platforms, at least one associated piston of at least one associated hydraulic actuator slides inwardly relative to at least one associated fluid cavity and causes fluid contained in said at least one associated fluid cavity to flow through at least one associated at least one fluid port.
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19. An apparatus for capturing energy from a moving train car, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one hydraulic actuator including a fluid cavity with at least one fluid port;
at least one manifold in fluid communication with said at least one fluid port;
at least one platform connected with said at least one manifold and adapted for contact with at least a portion the train car;
wherein said at least one hydraulic actuator and said at least one manifold are adapted for placement proximate to a set of train tracks; and
wherein the moving train car contacts said at least one platform causing hydraulic fluid to flow through said at least one fluid port. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification