TRANSIENT ABSORBER FOR POWER GENERATION SYSTEM

• US 20110101701A1
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SolarWindow Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kinetic Energy Corporation (SolarWindow Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Eugene J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,461,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1.C
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/025 for power storage
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/07 using pawls and ratchet wheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1853 driven by intermittent forces

Abstract

A vehicle energy harvester including a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface; a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface; a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle; and a transient absorption device coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the generator.

Claims

1. A vehicle energy harvester comprising:

a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface;

a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface;

a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle; and

a transient absorption device coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the generator.

2. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the transient absorption device is a torsion spring.

3. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the transient absorption device is a flexible link.

4. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 1, comprising:

a treadle gear coupled to the vehicle activated treadle; and

a drive gear mounted on a rotatable shaft, the drive gear engaging and being driven by movement of the treadle gear;

wherein the rotatable shaft is coupled to the generator.

5. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 4, wherein the transient absorption device is a torsion spring coupled between the rotatable shaft and the generator.

6. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 5, comprising:

a flywheel coupled between the torsion spring and the generator.

7. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 4, comprising:

a flywheel coupled between the transient absorption device and the generator.

8. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 1, comprising:

a drive gear mounted on a rotatable shaft,

wherein the rotatable shaft is coupled to the generator,

wherein the drive gear is driven by movement of the vehicle activated treadle, and

wherein the transient absorption device couples the vehicle activated treadle to the drive gear.

9. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 8, wherein the transient absorption device is a flexible link coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the drive gear.

10. A vehicle energy harvester comprising:

a plurality of subunits each having an upper surface forming a roadway surface;

a vehicle activated treadle on at least one of the plurality of subunits, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface;

a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle; and

a transient absorption device coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the generator.

11. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 10, wherein the transient absorption device is a torsion spring.

12. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 10, wherein the transient absorption device is a flexible link.

13. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 10, comprising:

a treadle gear coupled to the vehicle activated treadle; and

a drive gear mounted on a rotatable shaft, the drive gear engaging and being driven by movement of the treadle gear;

wherein the rotatable shaft is coupled to the generator.

14. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 13, wherein the transient absorption device is a torsion spring coupled between the rotatable shaft and the generator.

15. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 14, comprising:

a flywheel coupled between the torsion spring and the generator.

16. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 13, comprising:

a flywheel coupled between the transient absorption device and the generator.

17. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 10, comprising:

a drive gear mounted on a rotatable shaft,

wherein the rotatable shaft is coupled to the generator,

wherein the drive gear is driven by movement of the vehicle activated treadle, and

wherein the transient absorption device couples the vehicle activated treadle to the drive gear.

18. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 17, wherein the transient absorption device is a flexible link coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the drive gear.

19. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 10, comprising:

an entry ramp at a first end of the harvester roadway surface; and

an exit ramp at a second end of the harvester roadway surface,

wherein the plurality of subunits form a low-profile surface mounted assembly configured to be surface mounted on a vehicle roadway.

20. A vehicle energy harvester comprising:

a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface;

a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface;

a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle; and

transient absorption means for absorbing an impact of a travelling vehicle on the vehicle activated treadle, the transient absorption means coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the generator.