Road traffic actuated generator
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for recovering energy from a moving vehicle on a roadway by causing a working fluid to flow therefrom, which comprises:
- a network of collapsible, resilient bodies, an input manifold and an output manifold coupled thereto wherein each body comprises a structure allowing substantially complete working fluid expulsion therefrom, an inlet connected to the input manifold and an outlet connected to the output manifold, the network forming part of the roadway and having a surface adapted for passage of a vehicle, each body comprising an inner elastic tube and outer, upper and lower sections of semirigid hose, the tube having upper and lower portions with integral projections extending substantially horizontally from the longitudinal sides of each portion, each pair of upper and lower projections forming a continuous, unbroken protrusion or being permanently or detachably joined, the upper and lower portions of the tube being concentrically joined to the upper and lower sections of hose, the radial dimensions of each hose section being smaller than the radial dimension of the corresponding inner tube portion measured from the extreme horizontal ends of the projections;
a working fluid source coupled to the input manifold;
a means for converting a volume of pressurized working fluid into mechanical or electrical energy;
a means for accumulating a pressure head of working fluid; and
the means for converting and means for accumulating being connected in series or in parallel through a one-way valve to the output manifold.
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Abstract
An apparatus is described which pressurizes fluid and causes it to flow by capturing energy dissipated by moving vehicles. The apparatus is a network of collapsible bodies containing a working fluid which is attached to a turbine generator system. The bodies are resilient tubes, preferably three part structures made of elastic, inner tubes with projections and outer sections of semirigid hose. The network may be overlayed with a flexible sheet which distributes the weight and motion of the vehicle.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for recovering energy from a moving vehicle on a roadway by causing a working fluid to flow therefrom, which comprises:
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a network of collapsible, resilient bodies, an input manifold and an output manifold coupled thereto wherein each body comprises a structure allowing substantially complete working fluid expulsion therefrom, an inlet connected to the input manifold and an outlet connected to the output manifold, the network forming part of the roadway and having a surface adapted for passage of a vehicle, each body comprising an inner elastic tube and outer, upper and lower sections of semirigid hose, the tube having upper and lower portions with integral projections extending substantially horizontally from the longitudinal sides of each portion, each pair of upper and lower projections forming a continuous, unbroken protrusion or being permanently or detachably joined, the upper and lower portions of the tube being concentrically joined to the upper and lower sections of hose, the radial dimensions of each hose section being smaller than the radial dimension of the corresponding inner tube portion measured from the extreme horizontal ends of the projections; a working fluid source coupled to the input manifold; a means for converting a volume of pressurized working fluid into mechanical or electrical energy; a means for accumulating a pressure head of working fluid; and the means for converting and means for accumulating being connected in series or in parallel through a one-way valve to the output manifold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification