Adaptive, low-impact vehicle energy harvester

a vehicle energy harvester, low-impact technology, applied in the direction of couplings, rotary clutches, fluid couplings, etc., can solve the problems of limited practicality of vehicle energy harvesting devices, few devices that capture energy from passing vehicles,

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-09-18
SOLARWINDOW TECH
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The system improves energy capture efficiency and reliability by continuously interacting with vehicles, reducing the risk of repeated impacts and enhancing energy conversion into useful power, while being practical and adaptable to various vehicle conditions.

Problems solved by technology

Very few devices that capture energy from passing vehicles have been implemented, despite numerous designs put forth by various parties over the years.
Issues of efficiency, reliability, and manufacturability, among others, have limited the practicality of vehicle energy harvesting devices.

Method used

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  • Adaptive, low-impact vehicle energy harvester
  • Adaptive, low-impact vehicle energy harvester
  • Adaptive, low-impact vehicle energy harvester

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0022]The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0023]Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate exemplary embodiments of a vehicle energy harvester.

[0024]With reference to FIGS. 1-3, an exemplary embodiment of the vehicle energy harvester 100 includes two channels 102 disposed longitudinally in a roadway that contain a number of resilient hydraulic lines 104. The channels 102 can be deep enough that a resilient, durable cover may be placed over each set of lines 104 and have a top surface just below the surface of the greater roadway. Dividing the hydraul...

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Abstract

An adaptive, low-impact vehicle energy harvester system, and a method of harvesting vehicle energy, is provided. The system includes a plurality of channels disposed longitudinally in a trafficway, wherein each of the plurality of channels includes one or more compressible, elongated hollow bodies such that a movement of a vehicle along the trafficway causes contents in the elongated hollow bodies to be expelled from one end, a motor in communication with the hollow bodies such that the contents expelled from one end of the hollow bodies actuate the motor, and a control unit that varies a resistance to the movement of the contents in the elongated hollow bodies based on at least one of a mass of the vehicle, a velocity of the vehicle, and a rate of change of velocity of the vehicle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a Continuation Application, for which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120, of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 626,858, filed on Nov. 27, 2009, and entitled “ADAPTIVE, LOW-IMPACT VEHICLE ENERGY HARVESTER,” which is a non-provisional application, for which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119, of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 118,339, filed Nov. 26, 2008, and entitled “ADAPTIVE, LOW-IMPACT VEHICLE ENERGY HARVESTER”, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 118,334, filed Nov. 26, 2008, and entitled “ADAPTIVE VEHICLE ENERGY HARVESTER”, the entire contents of all of the above identified patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety and for which priority of each of the above-identified applications is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120 and 35 U.S.C. §119, respectively.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention is directed toward devices and methods of ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): F15B13/04
CPCF15B13/04F03G7/08
InventorHENDRICKSON, BRIAN S.
OwnerSOLARWINDOW TECH