Low profile, surface-mounted power generation system

• US 8,466,570 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SolarWindow Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kinetic Energy Corporation (SolarWindow Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Eugene J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US12/695,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.R, 290/1.C, 404/71
• US Class Current: 290/1.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/025 for power storage
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/07 using pawls and ratchet wheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1853 driven by intermittent forces

Abstract

A low-profile, surface mount vehicle energy harvester including a low-profile, surface mount subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface; a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface; a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle; and an entry ramp at a first end of the harvester roadway surface; and an exit ramp at a second end of the harvester roadway surface.

Claims

1. A low-profile, surface mount vehicle energy harvester comprising:

a low-profile, surface mount subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface;

a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface;

a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle;

a drive gear mounted on a rotatable shaft, the drive gear being driven by movement of the vehicle activated treadle, and wherein the rotatable shaft is coupled to the generator;

an absorption device coupled between the drive gear and the generator;

an entry ramp at a first end of the harvester roadway surface; and

an exit ramp at a second end of the harvester roadway surface.

2. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 1, wherein a height of the low-profile, surface mount subunit is one of equal to and less than three inches.

3. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 1, comprising:

a treadle gear coupled to the vehicle activated treadle the drive gear engaging and being driven by movement of the treadle gear.

4. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 1, wherein the absorption device is a torsion spring.

5. The vehicle energy harvester of claim 1, comprising:

a flywheel coupled between the absorption device and the generator.

6. A vehicle energy harvester comprising:

a plurality of subunits each having an upper surface forming a roadway surface;

a vehicle activated treadle on at least one of the plurality of subunits, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface;

a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle;

a drive gear mounted on a rotatable shaft, the drive gear being driven by movement of the vehicle activated treadle, and wherein the rotatable shaft is coupled to the generator;

an absorption device coupled between the drive gear and the generator;

an entry ramp at a first end of the harvester roadway surface; and

an exit ramp at a second end of the harvester roadway surface.