Mobile energy generator

• US 9,847,695 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Wells, Keith, McClain, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): REID JR, CHARLES H
• Application Number:
  US14/826,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20170047815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 290 1 C, 29428
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/022 Transferring or handling sub-units or components, e.g. in work stations or between workstations and transportation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/18 Transportation, conveyor or haulage systems specially adapted for motor vehicle or trailer assembly lines conveyors and haulage in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 35/06 comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/04 the power supply being a generator
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/402 for working places
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12

Abstract

A system for recycling energy within an assembly line includes a mobile power generator attached to a conveyer platform (a.k.a. a “skillet”) or other conveyance within the assembly line. The mobile power generator has a drive wheel that contacts an adjacent surface, such as a floor, and is rotated by movement of the conveyance along or past the surface. Rotation of the drive wheel is transmitted to a low RPM electrical generator to produce electrical energy at the conveyance.

Claims

1. A mobile power generation system for an automotive assembly line, the system comprising:

a plurality of conveyor platforms, each conveyor platform configured to move along the assembly line while supporting an automobile assembly, and each conveyor platform including a mobile power generation device having;

a drive wheel rotatable about a first axis, the drive wheel configured to be placed in an interference position with a stationary surface, such that movement of the platform past the stationary surface when the drive wheel is in the interference position causes rotation of the drive wheel; and

a generator having a rotatable element rotatable about a second axis, different from the first axis, the rotatable element being in mechanical contact with the drive wheel, such that movement of the platform past the stationary surface causes rotation of the rotatable element, resulting in production of electrical power; and

a transmission configured to transmit rotation of the drive wheel to the rotatable element at a gear ratio less than 0.1, such that a rotation rate of the rotatable element, in rotations-per-minute (RPM), is more than ten times greater than a rotation rate of the drive wheel, in RPM.

2. The mobile power generation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission is configured to transmit rotation of the drive wheel to the rotatable element at a gear ratio less than 0.01, such that the rotation rate of the rotatable element is more than one hundred times greater than the rotation rate of the drive wheel.

3. The mobile power generation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a suspension in mechanical communication with the drive wheel and configured to modify a contact force applied by the drive wheel on the stationary surface.

4. The mobile power generation system as recited in claim 1, comprising a battery in electrical communication with the generator.

5. The mobile power generation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the generator is in electrical communication with one or more lights configured to illuminate a portion of the automobile assembly supported by the conveyor platform.

12. The mobile power generation system as recited in claim 5, wherein the one or more lights are positioned to illuminate an undercarriage of the automobile assembly.

6. A mobile power generation device comprising:

a drive wheel, rotatable about a first axis, and configured to be placed in an interference position with a stationary surface, such that movement of the device past the stationary surface when the drive wheel is in the interference position causes rotation of the drive wheel;

a generator, separate from the drive wheel, having a rotatable element rotatable about a second axis, such that rotation of the rotatable element causes the generator to produce electrical power;

a transmission configured to transmit rotation of the drive wheel to the rotatable element at a gear ratio less than 0.1, such that a rotation rate of the rotatable element, in rotations-per-minute (RPM), is more than ten times greater than a rotation rate of the drive wheel, in RPM; and

a suspension member in mechanical communication with the drive wheel and configured to modify a contact force applied by the drive wheel on the stationary surface, the contact force effective to prevent the drive wheel from slipping.

7. The mobile power generation device of claim 6, wherein the transmission has a gear ratio less than 0.01, such that rotation rate of the rotatable element is more than one hundred times greater than the rotation rate of the drive wheel.

8. The mobile power generation device of claim 6, wherein the generator is configured to produce at least 20 W of electrical power when operated at less than 600 RPM.

9. The mobile power generation device of claim 6, wherein the generator is configured to produce at least 20 W of electrical power when operated at less than 300 RPM.

10. A method of providing lighting to a conveyor platform traveling along an automotive assembly line, the method comprising:

coupling a friction-driven, mobile power generation device to the conveyor platform, the conveyer platform configured to support an automobile assembly, the device comprising;

a drive wheel rotatable about a first axis and configured to be placed in an interference position with a stationary surface, such that movement of the platform past the stationary surface when the drive wheel is in the interference position causes rotation of the drive wheel; and

a generator having a rotatable element, rotatable about a second axis, different from the first axis, the rotatable element being in mechanical contact with the drive wheel, such that movement of the platform past the stationary surface causes rotation of the rotatable element, resulting in production of electrical power;

moving the conveyor platform relative to the stationary surface resulting in rotation of the drive wheel;

generating power by transmitting rotation of the drive wheel to rotation of the rotatable element; and

illuminating the automobile assembly with one or more lights that are in electrical communication with the mobile power generation device.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising illuminating an undercarriage of the automobile assembly.