Hybrid energy harvesting device and fixed threshold power production

• US 8,847,425 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnie E. Jordan Sr
• Original Assignee: Donnie E. Jordan Sr
• Inventors: Jordan, Donnie E. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US13/856,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20130264829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 290/44, 290/55
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/005 the axis being vertical
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/255 connected to electrical distribution networks; Arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/186 Vibration harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/00 PV power plants; Combinations of PV energy systems with other systems for the generation of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/12 Hybrid wind-PV energy systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 Wind power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/74 Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects

Abstract

Systems and methods for harvesting energy including a turbine having a base, at least two protruding blades, and a center portion. The turbine base is configured to be rotatable and connected to an electric motor. The electric motor is configured for power generation. The at least two protruding blades are configured to include solar energy collection devices. The center portion is configured to include a kinetic energy harvesting device. And the electric motor, the solar collection devices and the kinetic energy harvesting device are connected to a home circuit.

Claims

1. A system for harvesting energy, comprising:

a turbine having a base, at least two protruding blades, and a center portion;

wherein the turbine base is configured to be rotatable and connected to an electric motor configured to generate power;

wherein the at least two protruding blades are configured to attach to the base and include solar energy collection devices;

wherein the center portion is configured to attach to the base and include a kinetic energy harvesting device; and

wherein the electric motor, the solar collection devices and the kinetic energy harvesting device are connected to a home circuit.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a grid-tie inverter provided between the home circuit and an electric grid.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the grid-tie inverter includes from one to three stages.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the grid-tie inverter includes a boost converter stage.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the grid-tie inverter includes a pulse-modulated DC-to-DC converter stage.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the grid-tie inverter includes a DC-to-AC conversion stage.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least two protruding blades extend upwardly from the base each have two portions, one angled out from the base, and the other angled back into the base.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least two protruding blades extend from the rotatable base to a commonly shared portion, the commonly shared portion connecting the at least two protruding blades with the kinetic energy harvesting device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the system includes at least two energy harvesting devices, connected by a network.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the network is at least one of a wireless and a wired network.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the network is connected to an energy storage system, configured to receive the harvested energy from the networked system.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the home circuit is configured to produce consistent voltage output.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a threshold voltage level determining circuit connected to the home circuit.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the kinetic energy harvesting device is at least one of a piezoelectric device and a microphone device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric motor, the solar collection devices and the kinetic energy harvesting devices are connected in parallel to the home circuit.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric motor, the solar collections devices, the kinetic energy harvesting devices, a power grid and an electrical device are connected in parallel.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the home circuit includes a charge control circuit regulating and discharging harvested energy to at least one of a battery, a power grid and electrical device.

18. A system for harvesting energy, comprising:

a hybrid energy harvesting device having a base, a turbine with at least one vertically arranged and angled protruding blade, and a center portion;

wherein the base is configured to be rotatable and in connection to an electric generator;

wherein the at least one protruding blade is configured to include solar energy collection portions;

wherein the center portion is configured to include a kinetic energy harvesting device.

19. A method of harvesting energy, comprising:

via a hybrid energy harvesting device,

generating energy from a spinning a turbine;

collecting solar energy from a solar collection device; and

collecting kinetic energy from a kinetic energy harvesting device,

wherein the turbine having at least two vertically arranged blades mounted on a rotatable base;

wherein the at least two turbine blades configured to include solar collection portions.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising, via the hybrid energy harvesting device,

transferring the energy via a home circuit in communication with a grid-tie inverter to an electric grid.