Wind-driven recharger for vehicle battery
First Claim
1. A wind-driven charging system, comprising:
- a wind-driven rotation device having a rotor;
a rotatable shaft having a length extending along a rotation axis that extends away from the wind-driven rotation device;
a coupling for operatively coupling the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device to the rotatable shaft such that, in response to rotation of the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device, the rotatable shaft rotates at a different rotation rate than the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device; and
at least three electric generators each disposed at a different longitudinal location along the length of the rotatable shaft, and each of the at least three electric generators are rotationally driven simultaneously by the rotatable shaft, and wherein each electric generator includes a wheel having an outer circumference, wherein the outer circumference of the wheel rides along an outer circumferential surface of the rotatable shaft as the rotatable shaft rotates.
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Abstract
In one illustrative embodiment, a wind-driven charging system includes a wind-driven rotation device coupled to a rotatable shaft, and a plurality of electric generators disposed at different longitudinal locations along the rotatable shaft and each of the plurality of electric generators are rotationally driven simultaneously by the rotatable shaft. By having the electric generators disposed at different longitudinal locations, more electric generators may be simultaneously driven by a common shaft. In some instances, a controller may be configured to enable more of the electric generators to provide electrical current to recharge a battery when the speed of rotation of the rotatable shaft increases, and may disable more of the plurality of electric generators to not provide electrical current when the speed of rotation of the rotatable shaft decreases.
49 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wind-driven charging system, comprising:
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a wind-driven rotation device having a rotor; a rotatable shaft having a length extending along a rotation axis that extends away from the wind-driven rotation device; a coupling for operatively coupling the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device to the rotatable shaft such that, in response to rotation of the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device, the rotatable shaft rotates at a different rotation rate than the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device; and at least three electric generators each disposed at a different longitudinal location along the length of the rotatable shaft, and each of the at least three electric generators are rotationally driven simultaneously by the rotatable shaft, and wherein each electric generator includes a wheel having an outer circumference, wherein the outer circumference of the wheel rides along an outer circumferential surface of the rotatable shaft as the rotatable shaft rotates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A drive system having a wind-driven charging system, comprising:
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an electric motor; a battery providing at least some current to the electric motor; and a controller that receives current from an electric generator subassembly and provides recharging current to the battery; the electric generator subassembly comprising; a wind-driven rotation device having a rotor; a rotatable shaft having a length extending along a rotation axis that extends away from the wind-driven rotation device; a coupling for operatively coupling the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device to the rotatable shaft such that, in response to rotation of the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device, the rotatable shaft rotates at a different rotation rate than the rotor of the wind-driven rotation device; and a first plurality of electric generators operatively coupled to the rotatable shaft and disposed at different longitudinal locations along the length of the rotatable shaft, and wherein each of the plurality of electric generators includes a wheel having an outer circumference, wherein the outer circumference of the wheel rides along an outer circumferential surface of the rotatable shaft as the rotatable shaft rotates. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for recharging a battery, comprising:
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exposing a wind driven rotation device to wind; rotating the wind driven rotation device in response to the wind; rotating a rotatable shaft that is coupled to the rotation device, wherein the rotatable shaft has a length that extends away from a first side of the wind-driven rotation device, wherein the rotatable shaft rotates at a different rotation rate than the wind-driven rotation device; rotating a plurality of electric generators disposed along the length of the rotatable shaft that extends away from the first side of the wind-driven rotation device, each of the plurality of electric generators includes a wheel having an outer circumference, wherein the outer circumference of the wheel rides along an outer circumferential surface of the rotatable shaft as the rotatable shaft rotates; and providing an electrical current generated by the plurality of electric generators; to the battery. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification