Mobile electrical power source

• US 6,930,403 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: High Tide Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: High Tide Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Benjamin, Tomasic, Joe, Masles, John, Akin, William, Hartman, Albert, Leman, Brooks
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Iraj A.
• Application Number:
  US10/693,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20040130156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1, 290/1.A, 290/1.R, 290/1.E, 322/1, 310/83, 310/156, 310/51
• US Class Current: 290/1.00A
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 13/06 with mechanical drive, e.g. spring
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/44 pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/14 with magnets rotating within the armatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1861 driven by animals or vehicles H02K7/1853 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/04 Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator

Abstract

A portable power source (10) includes a housing (12), a stator component (20), a rotor component (18), a crank assembly (14), and a control system (24). The stator component (20) is secured to the housing (12), the rotor component (18) rotates relative to the stator component (20) and the crank assembly (14) is coupled to the rotor component (18). The crank assembly (14) is rotated by the user relative to the housing (12). As provided herein, rotation of the crank assembly (14) by the user results in rotation of the rotor component (18) relative to the stator component (20). In one embodiment, the control system (24) controls the amount of torque required to rotate the crank assembly (14). For example, the amount of torque required to rotate the crank assembly (14) is varied according to the rotational position of the crank assembly (14). In one embodiment, the crank assembly (14) includes a one-way drive mechanism assembly (725) that allows for unidirection rotation of the rotor component (18) and pedals (708A)(708B) that move up and down.

Claims

1. A power source for use by a user, the power source comprising:

a housing;

a stator component secured to the housing;

a rotor component that rotates relative to the stator component, the rotor component including a rotor input, wherein rotation of the rotor component relative to the stator component results in the generation of electrical energy;

a crank assembly including a first crank output that is rotated by the user and a second crank output that is rotated by the user; and

a first one-way drive mechanism that couples the the first crank output to the rotor component and a second one-way mechanism that couples the second crank output to the rotor component, the first one-way drive mechanism inhibiting rotation of the first crank output relative to the rotor input when the first crank output is rotated in a first rotational direction and allows for rotation of the first crank output relative to the rotor input when the first crank output is rotated in a second rotational direction that is opposite from the first rotational direction, the second one-way drive mechanism inhibiting rotation of the second crank output relative to the rotor input when the second crank output is rotated in one rotational direction and allows for rotation of the second crank output relative to the rotor input when the second crank output is rotated in the other rotational direction that is opposite from the first rotational direction.

2. The power source of claim 1 further comprising a control system that receives the electrical energy and electronically controls the amount of torque required to rotate the rotor input by dynamically adjusting the level of at least one of an output voltage and an output current.

3. The power source of claim 2 wherein the crank assembly includes a first pedal that is coupled to the first crank output and a second pedal that is coupled to the second crank output, wherein each pedal moves between a first position and a second position, and wherein the control system electronically controls the amount of torque required to rotate each crank output by dynamically adjusting the level of at least one of an output voltage and an output current.

4. The power source of claim 3 wherein when the first pedal is in the first position the torque required to rotate the first crank output is greater than the torque required to rotate the first crank output when the first pedal is at the second position.

5. The power source of claim 4 wherein when the first pedal is at the first position the torque is at least approximately 5 percent greater than when the first pedal is at the second position.

6. The power source of claim 4 wherein when the first pedal is at the first position the torque is at least approximately 10 percent greater than when the first pedal assembly is at the second position.

7. The power source of claim 1 further comprising a control system that receives the electrical energy and electronically controls the amount of torque required to rotate the rotor input by dynamically adjusting the level of the electrical energy delivered to a load.

8. The power source of claim 7 wherein the crank assembly includes a first pedal that is coupled to the first crank output and a second pedal that is coupled to the second crank output, wherein each pedal moves between a first position and a second position, and wherein the control system electronically controls the amount of torque required to rotate each crank output by dynamically adjusting the level of the electrical energy delivered to the load.

9. The power source of claim 1 further comprising a control system that receives the electrical energy and electronically controls a rotational velocity of the rotor component.

10. The power source of claim 9 wherein the crank assembly includes a first pedal that is coupled to the first crank output, wherein the first pedal moves between a first position and a second position, and wherein the control system electronically controls the rotational velocity of the rotor component so that the rotational velocity is approximately constant during the movement of the first pedal between the first position and the second position.

11. The power source of claim 10 wherein the first position is an upper pedal position and the second position is a lower pedal position.

12. The power source of claim 11 wherein the control system electronically controls the rotation velocity of the rotor component so that the rotational velocity is approximately constant during the movement of the first pedal between the second position and the first position.

13. The power source of claim 9 wherein the crank assembly includes a second pedal that is coupled to the second crank output, wherein the second pedal moves between an upper pedal position and a lower pedal position, and wherein the control system electronically controls the rotational velocity of the rotor component so that the rotational velocity is approximately constant during the movement of the second pedal back and forth between the positions.

14. The power source of claim 1 further comprising a control system that receives the electrical energy and dynamically adjusts the level of at least one of an output voltage and an output current.

15. The power source of claim 14 wherein the control system includes an additional electrical input for receiving electrical energy from an additional power source.

16. The power source of claim 1 further comprising a control system that receives the electrical energy and causes a first signal to be transmitted to the user through the crank assembly.

17. The power source of claim 16 wherein the control system causes the crank assembly to vibrate to transfer the first signal to the user.

18. The power source of claim 17 wherein the control system causes the crank assembly to vibrate at a first pulse to transfer the first signal to the user.

19. The power source of claim 18 wherein the control system causes the crank assembly to vibrate at a second pulse to transfer a second signal to the user, the second pulse being different than the first pulse.

20. The power source of claim 16 wherein the control system causes a torque of the crank assembly to change at a first rate to transfer a first signal to the user.

21. The power source of claim 20 wherein the control system causes the torque of the crank assembly to change at a second rate to transfer a second signal to the user.

22. The power source of claim 16 wherein the crank assembly includes a first pedal and a second pedal.

23. The power source of claim 1 further comprising a control system that receives the electrical energy, the control system including an energy dissipater that selectively dissipates energy.