Traffic-actuated electrical generator apparatus

• US 20070085342A1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dimitrios Horianopoulos, Stefanos Horianopoulos
• Original Assignee: Dimitrios Horianopoulos, Stefanos Horianopoulos
• Inventors: Horianopoulos, Dimitrios, Horianopoulos, Stefanos
• Granted Patent: US 7,629,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine

Abstract

A traffic-actuated power generating apparatus includes a low pressure fluid supply reservoir, a high pressure fluid accumulator, and at least one energy collection device positioned in the path of oncoming traffic to be actuated thereby and pump fluid from the reservoir to the accumulator upon actuation. The energy collection device can be housed in a pad adapted to rest on a traffic-conveying surface, and fluid from the accumulator can be used to drive an electrical power generator.

Claims

1. A traffic-actuated power generating apparatus comprising:

a) a low pressure fluid supply reservoir;

b) a high pressure fluid accumulator;

c) an electrical power generator driven by fluid from the accumulator;

d) a plurality of at least one energy collection devices positioned in the path of a passing vehicle to be actuated thereby and pump fluid from the reservoir to the accumulator upon actuation; and

e) the plurality of energy collection devices being housed in a pad adapted to rest on a roadway.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pad comprises a generally compression-resistant body.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the body has a bottom surface adapted to bear against a roadway surface, and a top surface spaced vertically above the bottom surface and adapted to be driven over by a wheel of a passing vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of energy collection devices comprises a cylinder with a piston mounted therein, and the pad includes respective pockets in which the energy devices are installed.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the energy collection devices includes an actuator for moving the piston from a retracted to an advanced position with a respective cylinder, the actuator having an upper contact surface positioned proud of the top surface of the pad when the piston is in the retracted position.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pad further comprises a plurality of channels, the channels receiving inlet conduits and delivery conduits, the inlet conduits providing fluid communication between the reservoir and respective inlet ports of the cylinders, and the delivery conduits providing fluid communication between the accumulator and respective exhaust ports of the cylinders.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the pad further comprises a plurality of access apertures to facilitate connection of the inlet conduits and delivery conduits to the intake and exhaust ports, respectively.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the access apertures comprise slots that are open to the bottom surface of the pad, and that provide space linking together at least a portion of each respective pocket and at least one of the channels.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the pad is provided with an intake coupling in fluid communication with the inlet conduits and an outlet coupling in fluid communication with the delivery conduits to facilitate detachable connection of the pad to the reservoir and accumulator.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the top surface of the pad is generally of an inverted parabolic shape to provide a speed bump.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the top surface of the pad comprises leading and trailing ramp portions, and a generally flat central portion between the ramp portions.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the accumulator comprises a pair of air-over-oil tanks.

13. A method for harnessing energy from passing traffic comprising:

a) providing an energy collection pad with a plurality of energy collection devices housed therein, each energy collection device having a cylinder with intake and exhaust ports and a piston coupled to an actuator, the actuator extending above an upper surface of the pad;

b) deploying the pad on a roadway surface;

c) coupling the intake ports to low pressure fluid supply reservoir and the exhaust ports to high pressure fluid accumulator; and

d) directing traffic to travel over the pad, the traffic engaging the actuators so that fluid is pumped from the reservoir to the accumulator, the accumulator storing energy in the form of high pressure fluid.

14. An energy collection pad for harnessing energy from passing traffic comprising:

a) a body having a bottom surface configured to bear against a traffic conveying surface and a top surface spaced apart from the bottom surface and configured to be engaged by passing traffic; and

b) a plurality of energy collection devices housed in the body for converting kinetic energy from passing traffic to potential energy in the form of pressurized fluid.

15. The energy collection pad of claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of energy collection devices comprises a cylinder with a piston mounted therein, and the pad body includes a plurality of pockets for receiving respective ones of the cylinders.

16. The energy collection pad of claim 14 wherein the pad body is generally compression resistant.

17. The energy collection pad of claim 14 wherein the pad body comprises recycled rubber.

18. The energy collection pad of claim 15 wherein the top surface comprises leading and trailing ramp portions to guide traffic onto and off of the top surface of the pad.

19. The energy collection pad of claim 18 wherein the energy collection devices include actuators extending proud of the ramp portions of the top surface of the energy collection pad.