Reciprocal spring arrangement for power generation system
First Claim
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1. A vehicle energy harvester comprising:
- a 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 from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position;
a reciprocal spring arrangement applying a biasing force on the vehicle activated treadle to move the vehicle activated treadle away from the second position and toward the first position; and
a transient absorption device coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the generator, the transient absorption device absorbing transient forces resulting from one or more movements of the vehicle activated treadle from the first position to the second position and gradually releasing the absorbed transient forces to the generator over a period of time.
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Abstract
A vehicle energy harvester including a 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 from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position.
105 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A vehicle energy harvester comprising:
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a 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 from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position; a reciprocal spring arrangement applying a biasing force on the vehicle activated treadle to move the vehicle activated treadle away from the second position and toward the first position; and a transient absorption device coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the generator, the transient absorption device absorbing transient forces resulting from one or more movements of the vehicle activated treadle from the first position to the second position and gradually releasing the absorbed transient forces to the generator over a period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 13)
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5. A vehicle energy harvester comprising:
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a plurality of subunits each having an upper surface forming a roadway surface; a plurality of vehicle activated treadles on the plurality of subunits, each of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles 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 plurality of generators that generate power in response to movement of each of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles, wherein at least one generator of the plurality of generators generates power in response to movement of one of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position; a plurality of reciprocal springs applying a biasing force on each of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles to respectively move each of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles away from the second position and toward the first position; and a plurality of transient absorption devices, each of the plurality of transient absorption devices coupled between one of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles and one of the plurality of generators, each of the transient absorption devices absorbing transient forces resulting from movement of the one of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles from the first position to the second position and gradually releasing the absorbed transient forces to the one of the plurality of generators over a period of time. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14)
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Specification