CONTRIBUTION OF ENERGY TO AN INTELLIGENT ELECTRICAL NETWORK THROUGH AN EXERCISE APPARATUS

• US 20110263384A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey M. Drazan
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey M. Drazan
• Inventors: Drazan, Jeffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,485,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/2
• 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 21/225 with flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• 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: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/06 other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed

Abstract

Contribution of energy to an intelligent electrical network through an exercise apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect, an exercise apparatus includes a frame and a movable object coupled to the frame to generate an electrical energy when a mammal applies a force upon the movable object. In addition, the exercise apparatus includes an energy capture mechanism coupled with the movable object and the frame to harness the electrical energy from the movable object. The exercise apparatus also includes an energy transfer mechanism coupled with the movable object and the frame to transfer the electrical energy to an intelligent electrical network. The mammal described herein may be a human, a domesticated animal, a pack animal, and a beast of burden.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus, comprising:

a frame;

a movable object coupled to the frame to generate an electrical energy when a mammal applies a force upon the movable object;

an energy capture mechanism coupled with the movable object and the frame to harness the electrical energy from the movable object; and

an energy transfer mechanism coupled with the movable object and the frame to transfer the electrical energy to an intelligent electrical network.

2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein the intelligent electrical network is a smart-grid network having an ability to load balance the electrical energy across a plurality of nodes.

3. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a battery to temporary store the energy harnessed through the energy capture mechanism while the electrical energy is transported to the intelligent electrical network.

4. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an energy storage mechanism comprising an electric double-layer capacitor to provide an energy smoothing in a momentary-load condition of the exercise apparatus.

5. The exercise apparatus of claim 4 wherein the energy storage mechanism is a thin metal film battery utilizing a thin-film printing technology that applies a solid-state lithium polymer through a deposit mechanism directly onto an integrated circuit of the exercise apparatus.

6. The exercise apparatus of claim 5 wherein the energy storage mechanism is a flywheel comprising a mechanical device with a significant moment of inertia used as a storage device of a rotational energy.

7. The exercise apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mechanical device to resist a change in a rotational speed to steady a rotation of a shaft when a fluctuating torque is exerted on the mechanical device by the mammal serving as a power source, thereby maximizing a mammal-powered energy output efficiency.

8. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein a waste-heat of the exercise apparatus and the mammal is captured through the energy capture mechanism through a set of silicon nanowires embedded in the frame of the exercise apparatus, wherein the set of silicon nanowires to capture a heat flowing from a hot side to a cold side of the frame to create a current that is captured and used to supply the intelligent electrical network when processed by the energy transfer mechanism.

9. The exercise apparatus of claim 8 wherein the set of silicon nanowires and the frame has a thermoelectric conversion efficiency of at least 3 ZT.

10. The exercise apparatus of claim 9 wherein the waste-heat of the exercise apparatus and the mammal-operator is captured through the electricity generation mechanism through a thermal diode having an efficiency of at least 40 percent of a Carnot Limit of a maximum efficiency through a reduction of a separation between a hot surface and a conversion device of the exercise apparatus.

11. The exercise apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the exercise apparatus is at least one of a standard treadmill, a treadwheel, an omnidirectional treadmill, an elliptical trainer machine, a stepper, a cross-trainer machine, an exercise bicycle, a stationary bicycle, and a mini-exercise bicycle,

wherein the exercise apparatus captures energy from an advanced electrical network when the mammal is not operating the exercise apparatus,

wherein the intelligent electrical network to power an auxiliary electrical requirement comprising at least one of a television, a computer, a multimedia player, and a display of the exercise apparatus when the energy harnessed through a motion of the mammal interacting with the movable object is not able to sufficiently power an electrical requirement of the exercise apparatus, and

wherein the mammal is at least one of a human, a domesticated animal, a pack animal, and a beast of burden.

12. A mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system, comprising:

an input mechanism adapted to be powered by a mammal-operator to create a mechanical energy;

an electricity generation mechanism coupled with the input mechanism and adapted to convert the mechanical energy to an electrical energy through a generator;

an energy storage mechanism coupled with the electricity generation mechanism and adapted to retain the electrical energy converted by the generator;

a position sensing mechanism coupled with the input mechanism to sense a position of the input mechanism relative to the mammal-operator;

a controller coupled with the electrical generation mechanism, the position sensing mechanism, and the energy storage mechanism, and adapted to control a load on the electricity generation mechanism to maximize a mammal-powered energy output efficiency;

an output mechanism coupled with the input mechanism and the energy storage mechanism and adapted to control conversion of the electrical energy to obtain a desired type and level of voltage and current required by an intelligent electrical network; and

an energy transfer mechanism coupled with the output mechanism and the energy storage mechanism and adapted to transfer the electrical energy to the intelligent electrical network.

13. The mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system of claim 12 wherein the energy storage mechanism is an electric double-layer capacitor to provide an energy smoothing in a momentary-load condition of the mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system, and wherein the mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system is integrated in an exercise apparatus.

14. The mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system of claim 12 wherein the energy storage mechanism is a thin metal film battery utilizing a thin-film printing technology that applies a solid-state lithium polymer through a deposit mechanism directly onto an integrated circuit of the exercise apparatus.

15. The mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system of claim 14 wherein the energy storage mechanism is a flywheel comprising a mechanical device with a significant moment of inertia used as a storage device of a rotational energy.

16. The mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system of claim 15 wherein the mechanical device to resist a change in a rotational speed to steady a rotation of a shaft when a fluctuating torque is exerted on the mechanical device by the mammal serving as a power source, thereby maximizing the mammal-powered energy output efficiency.

17. The mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system of claim 15 wherein a waste-heat of the exercise apparatus and the mammal-operator is captured through the electricity generation mechanism through a set of silicon nanowires embedded in a frame of the exercise apparatus, wherein the set of silicon nanowires to capture a heat flowing from a hot side to a cold side of the frame to create a current that is captured and used to supply the intelligent electrical network through the energy transfer mechanism.

18. The mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system of claim 17 wherein the set of silicon nanowires and the frame has a thermoelectric conversion efficiency of at least 3 ZT.

19. The mammal-powered energy generation and transmission system of claim 15 wherein a waste-heat of the exercise apparatus and the mammal-operator is captured through the electricity generation mechanism through a thermal diode having an efficiency of at least 40 percent of a Carnot Limit of a maximum efficiency through a reduction of a separation between a hot surface and a conversion device of the exercise apparatus.

20. A system comprising, comprising:

an intelligent electrical network having an ability to load balance an electrical energy across a plurality of nodes;

a plurality of exercise apparatuses electrically coupled with the intelligent electrical network to generate the electrical energy through a movement of mammals mechanically operating the plurality of exercise devices;

an energy transfer mechanism associated with each of the plurality of exercise devices to transfer the electrical energy to the intelligent electrical network; and

a smart-grid electronics module to display a statistic message associated with energy generated through the movement of mammals mechanically operating the plurality of exercise devices on at least one display associated with the plurality of exercise devices.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising an energy storage mechanism comprising at least one of an electric double-layer capacitor, a lead-acid battery, a Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) battery, nickel metal hydride battery, Lithium ion (Li-ion) polymer battery, a zinc-air battery, and a molten salt battery.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the energy storage mechanism is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery collectively associated with the plurality of exercise devices.

23. A method comprising:

mechanically displacing a movable object when a mammal applies a force upon the movable object;

generating an electrical energy based on a displacement of the movable object;

capturing the electrical energy in a battery; and

electrically transferring the electrical energy stored in the battery to an intelligent electrical network.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

calculating an energy generation statistic of the mammal applying the force on the movable object; and

displaying the energy generation statistic on an exercise apparatus, wherein the energy generation statistic is a quantity of electrical power generated by the mammal operating the exercise apparatus, and wherein a mechanical displacement of the movable object is associated with a normal operation of the exercise apparatus.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising capturing a waste-heat of the exercise apparatus through at least one of a thermal diode and a silicon nanowire embedded in a frame of the exercise apparatus.