System and Method for Harnessing and Distributing Normally Wasted Human Energy

• US 20100259043A1
• Filed: 04/12/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Joseph S. Balsamo
• Original Assignee: Joseph S. Balsamo
• Inventors: Balsamo, Joseph S.
• Application Number:
  US12/422,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259043A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/7
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed

Abstract

To harness the power generated by the fitness machines as a result of work expanded by human operators, the health equipment facility includes an On-Site Energy Generation, Storage and Distribution (GSD) module that serves as a medium between the local facility power distribution system and an external power grid. In general, the GSD module includes hardware, firmware and/or software for converting the mechanical energy generated by one or more fitness machines to electrical power, as well as computer executable instructions for allocating the electrical power between the local distribution system and an external power grid, or storing the generated power for future use.

Claims

1. A system for harnessing and distributing electrical power from a fitness machine located in a building and operated by a human or animal operator, the system comprising:

an electrical power generator coupled to the fitness machine for generating electrical power in response to an interaction of the operator with the fitness machine;

an energy storage device capable of storing at least some of the generated electrical power; and

a power controller adapted for accepting input of generated electrical power from the power generator, the power controller distributing the generated electrical power among one or more of the energy storage device, a building power distribution system, and a power grid external to the building, wherein the power grid supplies power to the building power distribution system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the electric power generator comprises a permanent magnet motor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the electric power generator is a piezoelectric generator.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the fitness machine is one of an elliptical machine, a stationary bicycle, a stair machine, and a jumping mat.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage device comprises a battery bank.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the battery bank is one of a lead acid battery bank, a lithium ion battery bank, and a lithium polymer battery bank.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the power controller is adapted to assess power consumption requirement for the building at a particular point in time.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the power controller distributes the generated electrical power based on the assessment.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the power controller distributes the generated power to the building power distribution system when the assessment indicates that the building is operating at one of an available power capacity limit supplied by the power grid external to the building and at a predetermined percentage of the available power capacity limit.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the power controller stores excess generated power in the energy storage device when the assessment indicates that the building is operating below one of an available power capacity limit supplied by the power grid external to the building and a predetermined percentage of the available power capacity limit supplied by the power grid external to the building.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the power controller returns at least some generated electrical power to the power grid external to the building when the energy storage device is substantially charged and the building is operating below one of the available power capacity and a predetermined percentage of the available power capacity limit supplied by the power grid external to the building.

12. A method for harnessing and distributing electrical power from a fitness machine located in a building and operated by a human or animal operator, the method comprising:

generating electrical power in response to an interaction of the operator with the fitness machine;

receiving an input of the generated electrical power;

assessing power consumption requirements for the building at a particular point in time; and

based on the assessment, distributing the generated electrical power among one or more of an energy storage device, a building power distribution system, and a power grid external to the building, wherein the power grid supplies power to the building power distribution system.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising generating the electrical power via a permanent magnet motor.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising generating the electrical power via a piezoelectric generator.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the fitness machine is one of an elliptical machine, a stationary bicycle, a stair machine, and a jumping mat.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the energy storage device comprises a battery bank.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the battery bank is one of a lead acid battery bank, a lithium ion battery bank, and a lithium polymer battery bank.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising distributing the generated power to the building power distribution system when the assessment indicates that the building is operating at one of an available power capacity limit supplied by the power grid external to the building and at a predetermined percentage of the available power capacity limit.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising storing excess generated power in the energy storage device when the assessment indicates that the building is operating below one of an available power capacity limit supplied by the power grid external to the building and a predetermined percentage of the available power capacity limit supplied by the power grid external to the building.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising returning at least some generated electrical power to the power grid external to the building when the energy storage device is substantially charged and the building is operating below one of the available power capacity and a predetermined percentage of the available power capacity limit supplied by the power grid external to the building.