Vehicular power producing system

• US 5,767,663 A
• Filed: 06/20/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Min-Der Lu
• Original Assignee: Min-Der Lu
• Inventors: Lu, Min-Der
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US08/666,260
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 322/12, 322/16, 322/46, 180/24, 310/67 R, 320/15
• US Class Current: 322/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/08 from a ground wheel, e.g. engaging the wheel tread or rim
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A system for producing electrical power on a wheeled vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a wheeled vehicle that has a chassis carried upon a plurality of wheel units where each wheel unit is rotatably coupled to the chassis. The wheel unit includes a wheel and a hub upon which the wheel rotates relative to the chassis. At least one of the wheel units is adapted to generate electricity and has at least one length of reactive wire and a magnetic field generator positioned in the wheel unit for relative motion therebetween during rotation of the wheel. The configuration induces an electrical flow in said length of reactive wire thereby producing electricity.

Claims

1. A system for producing electrical power on a wheeled vehicle, said system comprising:

a wheeled vehicle, said vehicle comprising a chassis carried upon a plurality of wheel units wherein each wheel unit is rotatably coupled to said chassis;

said wheel unit comprising a wheel and a hub upon which said wheel rotates relative to said chassis;

at least one of said wheel units being adapted to generate electricity and comprising at least one length of reactive wire and a magnetic field generator positioned in said wheel unit for relative motion therebetween during rotation of said wheel for inducing an electrical flow in said length of reactive wire thereby producing electricity.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1;

wherein said magnetic field generator is oriented to direct a magnetic field generated therefrom toward said wheel and said length of reactive wire.

3. The invention as recited in claim 2;

wherein said at least one length of reactive wire further comprises a plurality of reactive wire lengths, each reactive wire length oriented so that said reactive wire lengths cut across said magnetic field.

4. The invention as recited in claim 3;

further comprising;

said wheel being substantially round shaped with an outside circumferential perimeter encircling said hub and about which said outside circumferential perimeter rotates;

at least a portion of said reactive wire lengths being positioned proximate to said outside circumferential perimeter and oriented transversely to radii extending from a center point of said hub to said circumferential perimeter of said wheel.

5. The invention as recited in claim 4;

wherein said reactive wire lengths are oriented substantially perpendicular to said radii.

6. The invention as recited in claim 5;

wherein a direction of said magnetic field is oriented substantially perpendicular to said reactive wire lengths.

7. The invention as recited in claim 6;

wherein said direction of said magnetic field is substantially aligned with a radius of said wheel and substantially perpendicular to said reactive wire lengths.

8. The invention as recited in claim 5;

further comprising;

a plurality of said reactive wire lengths being conductively interconnected by at least one transfer wire so that electricity is passable therebetween for cummulating electricity generated in said reactive wires in response to said reactive wires'"'"' passage through said magnetic field.

9. The invention as recited in claim 8;

wherein said reactive wires and said transfer wires are combined into a wire coil so that only a reactive wire portion of said wire coil cuts perpendicularly through said magnetic field.

10. The invention as recited in claim 9;

wherein a plurality of said wheel units are adapted to generate electricity.

11. The invention as recited in claim 9;

wherein an auxilary wheel unit adapted to generate electricity is connected to said wheeled vehicle.

12. The invention as recited in claim 8;

wherein said transfer wire is connected to an electrical power storage unit for collecting the generated electricity from said reactive wires.

13. The invention as recited in claim 12;

wherein said slip connection comprises a b rush and ring that slippingly engage one another for communicating electricity and accomodating relative movement therebetween.

14. The invention as recited in claim 12;

said transfer wire extending between said reactive wires and said hub, said hub comprising a slip connection for electrically communicating said transfer wire with said electrical power storage unit.

15. The invention as recited in claim 12;

said transfer wire extending between said reactive wires and said hub, said hub comprising a slip connection for electrically communicating said transfer wire with an electrical power consuming device.

16. The invention as recited in claim 15;

further comprising;

a surplus power feed wire electically connected between said power consuming device and said electrical power storage unit for transmitting surplus power supplied to said power consuming device to said electrical power storage unit.

17. The invention as recited in claim 16;

further comprising;

a discharge connector extending between said electrical power storage unit for electrically communicating said storage unit with an outside electrical power acceptor for accomodating the transfer of stored power from said storage unit to said acceptor for third party usage.

18. The invention as recited in claim 17;

said outside electrical power acceptor being an electric public utility system.

19. The invention as recited in claim 17;

said electrical power storage unit being a battery bank.