PEDAL GENERATOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20110234175A1
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Catalyst Design And Development
• Original Assignee: Catalyst Design And Development
• Inventors: Whitmill, Barry Martin, Tremeer, Simon Nicholas, Hajee, Sameer
• Application Number:
  US13/033,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20110234175A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/164
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0635 specially adapted for a particular use
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0652 for cycling in a recumbent position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0658 Position or arrangement of display
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0053 using alternators or dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0055 the produced electric power used as a source for other equipment, e.g. for TVs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/22 Resisting devices with rotary bodies A63B21/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4034 for operation by feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0007 by alternatively exercising arms or legs, e.g. with a single set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/06 with support elements performing a rotating cycling movement, i.e. a closed path movementsupport stands for bicycles A63B69/16; unicycles B62K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0694 without integral seat, e.g. portable mini ergometers being placed in front of a chair, on a table or on a bed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/685 for electronic devices, e.g. phone, PDA, GPS device, notebook
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/06 other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/20 : for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 : with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1861 : driven by animals or vehicles H02K7/1853 takes precedence

Abstract

A generator assembly for converting human generated mechanical energy into electrical power for charging at least one rechargeable device is provided herein. The generator assembly generally includes a housing, a primary gear supported within the housing, an input mechanism mounted to the primary gear for receiving the human generated mechanical energy, an alternator for converting the mechanical energy converting the mechanical energy into electrical power, and a charging mechanism mounted to the housing with the charging mechanism directly connected to the alternator, where the charging mechanism has at least one rechargeable interface for transferring the electrical power to the rechargeable device. A method of charging at least one rechargeable device with a generator assembly and a method of authorizing use of a generator assembly are also provided.

Claims

1. A generator assembly for converting human generated mechanical energy into electrical power for charging at least one rechargeable device, said assembly comprising:

a housing defining a base and side walls;

a primary gear supported within said housing;

an input mechanism mounted to said primary gear for receiving the human generated mechanical energy;

an alternator mounted to said housing with said alternator having an output gear directly engaged with said primary gear to define a direct drive between said input mechanism and said alternator for directly transferring the human generated mechanical energy to said alternator with said alternator converting the mechanical energy into electrical power; and

a charging mechanism mounted to said housing with said charging mechanism electrically connected to said alternator and having at least one rechargeable interface for transferring the electrical power from said alternator to said rechargeable device.

2. The generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said input mechanism includes a pedal system having two pedal shafts each connected to said primary gear such that rotation of said pedal system causes the rotation of said primary gear.

3. The generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said charging mechanism further includes a user interface.

4. The generator assembly of claim 3, wherein said user interface includes an effort indicator having a signaling device indicating whether a user should adjust or maintain a rotation speed of said input mechanism.

5. The generator assembly of claim 3, wherein said user interface comprises a keypad and a display.

6. The generator assembly of claim 5, wherein said display further includes at least one charge rate indicator configured to detect and display an amount of electrical energy being transmitted from said rechargeable interface to each of said at least one rechargeable device.

7. The generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable interface comprises at least one charging cable configured to connect to at least one rechargeable device.

8. The generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said alternator is electrically connected to said charging mechanism without an intermediate storage battery.

9. A method of charging at least one rechargeable device with a generator assembly having an input mechanism connected to a primary gear, an alternator having an output gear for engaging the primary gear to define a direct drive between the input mechanism and the alternator and a charging mechanism electrically connected to the alternator having at least one rechargeable interface and a user interface, said method comprising the steps of:

actuating the input mechanism to rotate the alternator to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy;

displaying at least one charge rate indicator on the user interface with the at least one charge rate indicator corresponding to the amount of electrical energy transmitted from the rechargeable interface to each of the at least one rechargeable device; and

signaling to a user through the user interface to adjust the rotation speed of the alternator.

10. The method of charging the at least one rechargeable device of claim 9, wherein the step of signaling the user through the user interface to adjust the rotation speed of the alternator is further defined as displaying a symbol on the user interface indicating increase, decrease, or maintaining of the rotation speed of the alternator.

11. The method of charging the at least one rechargeable device of claim 9, wherein the step of signaling the user through the user interface to adjust the rotation speed of the alternator is further defined as audibly signaling a user to increase, decrease, or maintain the rotation speed of the alternator.

12. The method of charging the at least one rechargeable device of claim 9, further including the step of displaying a remaining energy credit amount through the user interface.

13. The method of charging at least one rechargeable device with a generator assembly of claim 9, wherein charging at least one rechargeable device through the rechargeable interface comprises charging the at least one rechargeable device at rate ranging from about 150% to about 250% of the rated capacity of the at least one rechargeable device.

14. The method of charging at least one rechargeable device with a generator assembly of claim 9, further comprising stopping the charging when the at least one rechargeable device reaches from about 50% to about 70% of the rated capacity of the rechargeable device.

15. The method of charging at least one rechargeable device with a generator assembly of claim 9, cutting the alternator phases to reduce power if the charge rate exceeds about 1.7 amps for a period of time ranging from about 1 minute to about 5 minutes.

16. The method of charging at least one rechargeable device of claim 15, further including the step of reinstating the alternator phases once the charge rate is below a threshold current value.

17. A method of authorizing use of a generator assembly having an input mechanism connected to a primary gear, an alternator having an output gear for engaging the primary gear to define a direct drive between the input mechanism and the alternator and a charging mechanism electrically connected to the alternator and having at least one rechargeable interface, a user interface, and a receiver unit, said method comprising the steps of:

selling a virtual energy packet having at least one virtual energy unit with each virtual energy packet being coded to a single generator assembly through a virtual energy unit access code;

delivering the virtual energy unit access code to the receiver unit;

crediting the generator assembly with an energy credit amount associated with the virtual energy packet corresponding to the virtual energy unit access code delivered to the receiver unit;

displaying a real-time remaining energy credit amount through the user interface; and

locking the generator assembly when the remaining energy credit amount has been exhausted.

18. The method of authorizing the use of a generator assembly of claim 17, further including the step of charging a rechargeable device and decreasing the remaining energy credit amount by a predetermined amount.

19. The method of authorizing the use of a generator assembly of claim 17, further including the step of signaling to a user when the remaining energy credit amount decreases to a predetermined amount.

20. The method of authorizing the use of a generator assembly of claim 17, further including the step of displaying an amount of energy credits dispensed in a present charging cycle.