WO2013114253A1 - Electromechanical system for electric energy generation and storage using a surface motion - Google Patents

Electromechanical system for electric energy generation and storage using a surface motion Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013114253A1
WO2013114253A1 PCT/IB2013/050616 IB2013050616W WO2013114253A1 WO 2013114253 A1 WO2013114253 A1 WO 2013114253A1 IB 2013050616 W IB2013050616 W IB 2013050616W WO 2013114253 A1 WO2013114253 A1 WO 2013114253A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
shaft
arms
energy
electric energy
generator
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2013/050616
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Francisco João ANASTÁCIO DUARTE
Filipe Emanuel Dias Azevedo Casimiro
Original Assignee
Waydip - Energia E Ambiente, Lda.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Waydip - Energia E Ambiente, Lda. filed Critical Waydip - Energia E Ambiente, Lda.
Publication of WO2013114253A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013114253A1/en

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03G7/00—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
    • F03G7/08—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
    • F03G7/081—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine recovering energy from moving road or rail vehicles, e.g. collecting vehicle vibrations in the vehicle tyres or shock absorbers
    • F03G7/083—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine recovering energy from moving road or rail vehicles, e.g. collecting vehicle vibrations in the vehicle tyres or shock absorbers using devices on streets or on rails
    • F03G7/087—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine recovering energy from moving road or rail vehicles, e.g. collecting vehicle vibrations in the vehicle tyres or shock absorbers using devices on streets or on rails magnetic or electromagnetic devices, e.g. linear electric generators
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03G7/00—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
    • F03G7/08—Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03G5/00—Devices for producing mechanical power from muscle energy
    • F03G5/06—Devices for producing mechanical power from muscle energy other than of endless-walk type
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03G5/00—Devices for producing mechanical power from muscle energy
    • F03G5/06—Devices for producing mechanical power from muscle energy other than of endless-walk type
    • F03G5/062—Devices for producing mechanical power from muscle energy other than of endless-walk type driven by humans
    • F03G5/063—Devices for producing mechanical power from muscle energy other than of endless-walk type driven by humans operated by the leg or foot

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an energy conversion system addressed to the production of electricity from the energy released from people and/or vehicles motion, to an horizontal surface that is part of the pavement where they are moving, which is slightly displaced while they are passing, and consequently actuates a mechanical system, that converts the vertical linear movement into a rotational one, which drives an electric generator.
  • This modular system allows the integration of multiple units in order to increase the generation capacity.
  • One of the aims of the present disclosure is to create an energy conversion system to be applied in the pavement, intended to harvest the energy wasted from people and/or vehicles, during its motion on the movable surface, in order to generate electricity.
  • the movement of people and/or vehicles over the surface which is part of the system, drives an electromechanical system that converts the harvested kinetic and potential energy in electrical energy. Besides the capability to generate electricity, the system also can store it for latter consumption.
  • the present disclosure is useful to allow the electric energy generation through renewable and alternative means, without any fossil fuel as energy resource, having as its main advantage the zero green house gases emissions (essentially C0 2 ) l during the process of electric energy production, that decreases the negative environment impact, which is common to electricity generation technologies.
  • Another advantage related to this technology consists on its diversity of applications, which one can be actuated by people and/or vehicles, allowing its implementation on several places: on the pavement of inner spaces as shopping malls, gyms, sports facilities, night clubs, among other places with great people affluence; in pavement of outside spaces as sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian bridges and recreation areas; in roads: on slowdown zones like pedestrian crosswalks, speed humps or speed bumps areas, toll zones, highway exits among other places high vehicle affluence where a speed reduction is required.
  • the electric energy generation is still highly dependent on thermal power plants supplied by fossil fuels (coal, natural gas or oil derivatives) and nuclear energy, having been verified in the past decades an increase on the implementation of electric energy generation systems based on renewable sources, namely hydroelectric power plants and wind farms, Onshore and Offshore. Solar energy have been gathered in photovoltaic and thermoelectric power plants, whose feasibility is doubtful due to their high costs of installation and low conversion efficiency.
  • the present invention detaches form the latter described by introducing an alternative system, whose generation density is much higher than the systems referred above, which turns the electric energy production from the pavement much more sustainable.
  • Other systems designated for the same purpose make use of hydraulic or pneumatic mechanisms operating as intermediaries in the energy conversion process. Most part of these, convert the mechanical energy into potential pressure energy, which is stored in a pressure accumulator for later use to drive an hydraulic actuator or turbine coupled to an electric generator, in order to produce electric energy.
  • the present invention is different from the previously referred by overcoming these limitations, since it presents a simple and compact electromechanical system which allows the generation of equivalent, or higher, energy quantities, relatively to the formerly mentioned technologies, by coupling several modular units with different configurations in order to maximize the system overall generated energy.
  • This method does not allow the use of the full load, since a part of it is distributed by the support where the extremity rotates reducing, consequently, the amount of captured energy.
  • the present invention overcomes this issues once its surface is held flat, to do not disturb the people or vehicles traffic and for achieve a better use of the forces exerted on it, since the latter are equally distributed and transferred from the surface to remain mechanical system, maximizing the harvested energy conversion.
  • the present invention partly follows the system related in the patent PT105126 (WO2011145057), where the main differences are found in the force transmission system from the surface to the generator, where the linear bearing components have been suppressed, as well as the method and elements of force transmission from the surface to the arm.
  • the method to always keep the surface in an horizontal plane, independently of the load actuation point, which effect is guaranteed by the elements that link the surface to the two rotational shafts, through the columns connected between the surface and the arms fixed to the shafts, which are equally disposed and induce a rotational movement always in the same direction as the other shaft.
  • the generator shaft can be driven in just one angular direction (preferred configuration) or in both (using the energy transferred to the surface during its downward movement, as well as the energy stored in the spring, during the surface ascension).
  • the present disclosure relates to an electromechanical system suitable to generate electric energy from mechanical energy released by people and vehicles to the pavement.
  • the system consists on a block constituted by a fixed and a movable part.
  • the fixed part comprises the lower base, that is settled on the pavement and supports all the remaining mechanical elements of the conversion system.
  • the movable part is related to the superior surface, that becomes part of the pavement, allowing the interaction between people and/or vehicles and the conversion system.
  • a load is applied on the surface, by the passage of a person or a vehicle, the latter is displaced from its initial position, describing an essentially vertical movement, with a very small horizontal movement.
  • the load is uniformly distributed by the four columns, that are fixed to the lower base of the movable superior surface where, each one, is pivotally connected to an arm, which is rigidly coupled to a shaft, very much like a crank or crankshaft (the arm is the crank; the shaft is the shaft of the crankshaft, the columns is the crankshaft connecting rod which moves in reciprocating linear motion).
  • the vertical linear movement of the surface will induce a rotational motion in the shafts, which rotates relatively to the base, where each shaft is actuated by a pair of columns/arms.
  • each shaft is rigidly connected a lever with a toothed part-circular shaped component on its extremity.
  • the toothed extremities of both levers will drive a set of gears connected to the rotor of the generator.
  • the system lever/gears allows the multiplication of the shafts rotations induced by mechanical arms as well as the concentration of the respective moments of force in generator rotor shaft, so the latter may achieve sufficient angular velocity and torque to generate electricity.
  • the gear system and the generator rotor shaft are in particular linked through a one way clutch bearing, which allows the torque transmission in just one direction, so that the shaft rotation is not inverted when the surface is ascending. If it is intended to transform the energy stored in the spring(s) (that return the movable superior surface to its initial position) into electric energy, the one way clutch bearing is removed, and the generator rotor shaft rotates in two ways, following the same angular movement of the levers, rotating in one way during the surface descending and in the opposite way when the latter is ascending.
  • a flywheel may be coupled to rotor shaft, which allows the storage of kinetic energy to be gradually converted, extending the rotation period of the electric generator and, consequently, the generated electric energy.
  • the electric generator is, preferentially, a single phase permanent magnet synchronous generator, with the possibility to use other type of generator according with the intended application.
  • Several blocks can be coupled while sharing the same rotor shaft and driving one or more electric generators in common.
  • the electric generator is preferably always connected to an electronic control, management and storage system, which receives, regulates and monitors the generated energy, that trough a control module can be directly delivered (properly regulated) to the consumption or stored for later consumption when its necessary.
  • Fig. 1 Schematic representation of system for kinetic and potential energy conversion into electric energy.
  • (1) represents the system for kinetic and potential energy conversion into electric energy (in a block configuration)
  • (4 and 6) represents the columns that establish the connection between the surface and the shaft (8), by the arms (19 and 21)
  • (5 and 7) represents the columns that establish the connection between the surface and the shaft (9), using the arms (20 and 22).
  • the lever fixed to the shaft (8) comprises the body (10), to which is coupled the toothed component (11), that describes a circular movement once it follows the rotation of the shaft (8).
  • the second lever is composed by the body (12) which is fixed to shaft (9) in one extremity and to which is couple a toothed component (13) in the opposite extremity, that describes the same circular movement as the first lever by following the rotation of the shaft (9).
  • (14) indicates the electric generator, (15) the spring that replaces the surface to its initial position in the absence of load, (16) the electronic control, management and storage system, (17 and 18) the supports of the shafts (8 and 9).
  • Fig. 2 Schematic representation of the mechanical connections between the several elements of the electromechanical system.
  • (19 and 21) represents the arms of the connection between the surface and the shaft (8)
  • (20 and 22) represent the arms of the connection between the surface and the shaft (9)
  • (23 and 24) represent the elements that allow the pivoted connection between the arms (19 and 20) and the columns (4 and 5), respectively, where the arms (21 and 22) are pivotally connected to the columns (6 and 7) through the elements (25 and 26), respectively.
  • Fig. 3 Schematic representation of the system functioning.
  • (30) indicates the direction of the vertical forces distributed by the columns (4 and 5) and by the columns referred in the figures 1 and 2 by (6 and 7), when the upper surface (pavement) is loaded.
  • (31) represents the rotational direction of the shaft (8) and the arms (19 and 21) indicated in figure 2, when the upper surface is vertically downwards displaced,
  • (32) is the rotational direction of the shaft (9) and the arms (20 and 22) referred in figure 2, for the same conditions of the surface displacement.
  • the lever composed by the body (10) and the toothed component (11) describes the angular movement (33), which is the same as (31), once the lever is fixed to the shaft (8).
  • (34) is referred to the angular movement of the lever formed by the body (12) and the toothed component (13) when the surface is actuated by a load, which is the same rotational direction as (32) and (33).
  • (35) is referred to the rotational direction of the shaft (28), which is induced by the simultaneously rotation of the levers, and is not affected when the latter reverse their angular movement, due to the presence of the one way clutch (29), which is only actuated by the gear (27) when the movement of the latter is the same directions as (35).
  • FIG. 4 Schematic representation of two blocks connected to each other. Where the block represented by the system (1) is mechanically connected to a second block (36) (with the same components as the system (1), with the exception of the electric generator (14)) through a central shaft (37), which is responsible for transmit the motion of the gear in the second module to the shaft (28), that is coupled to the electric generator (14) of the system (1).
  • Fig. 5 Schematic representation of the electronic control, management and storage of electric energy system.
  • (16) represents the system for electronic control, management and storage of the generated electric energy by system (1)
  • (38) represents an electric connection for the electric energy input, supplied by the electric generator (14), which is directly connected to an electric energy regulation module (39), and to an electric energy monitoring module (40), which is connected to an electric energy control and management module (41).
  • the latter represents the main element of the system (16) that is connected to an electric energy storage module (42), to the electric energy output (43) and to a computer interface USB port (44).
  • Fig. 6 Schematic representation of an embodiment where the arms and levers are the same part (10A, 12A).
  • Fig. 7 Schematic representation of an embodiment where the arm and lever is the same part (10A).
  • Fig. 8 Schematic representation of an embodiment where the arms and levers are the same part (10A, 12A).
  • Fig. 9 Schematic representation of an embodiment where in part the arms and levers are the same part (10A) and the arms and levers are different parts (10A, 19).
  • Fig. 10 Schematic representation of an embodiment where in part the arms and levers are the same part (10A, 12A) and the arms and levers are different parts (10A, 19, 12A, 20).
  • Fig. 11 Schematic representation of an embodiment where the arms and levers are not the same part (10, 19).
  • the present invention relates to an electromechanical system (1) suitable for generate electric energy from the mechanical energy released by people and vehicles to the pavement, where the passage of those on the surface (2) exerts a force on the latter and cause its displacement, which drives the electromechanical system pivotally supported by the supports (17) and (18), which are fixed to the base (3), referred in figure 1.
  • the base (3) is fixed to the ground of the installation zone and to it are fixed all mechanical and electric components that are part of the energy conversion system.
  • the surface (2) represents one movable element of the system, that becomes part of the pavement where the system is installed, and allows the interaction of people and/or vehicles with the conversion system, where its displacement is composed by vertical component and an horizontal component, being the first more evident and responsible for the energy transfer to the system.
  • the columns (4, 5, 6 and 7) follow the displacement of the surface and actuate the mechanical arms (19, 20, 21 and 22) referred in figure 2, which are responsible to transfer the vertical movement of the surface and the columns into a rotational movement of the shafts (8 and 9) to which they are fixed and where, respectively, the columns (4 and 6) are coupled to the arms (19 and 21) by the connection elements (23 and 25), with the arms fixed to the shaft (8).
  • the columns (5 and 7) are connected, respectively, by connection elements (24 and 26), to the arms (20 and 22), which are fixed to the shaft (9).
  • the shafts are simultaneously actuated and, consequently, describe the same angular displacement and have the same velocity. Every time a torque is applied to the shafts, this is transmitted to the respective levers, and the shaft (8) is connected with the body (10) of the respective lever, which presents a determined initial position relatively to the base (3) horizontal plan, as presented on figure 3, and to which is coupled a toothed component (11) on the opposite extremity to the shaft (8), that actuates the gear (27) when following the motion of the body (10).
  • the toothed components of the two levers which are positioned in opposite hemispheres relatively to the plane formed by the rotation axes of shafts (8), (9) and (28), actuates the gear in two opposite sides promoting a better torque transmission, which due to the same slope in both levers, when one ascends, the other descends and helps its return.
  • the toothed components have circular extremities, which are in contact with the gear (27), with a superior curvature radius in respect to the latter, that allows a high transmission ratio, which promotes the electric generator shaft with sufficient angular velocity to generate electric energy.
  • a flywheel is coupled to the referred shaft, and multiple gear transmission stages can be implemented between the gear and the one way clutch, to multiply even more the shaft coupled to the electric generator (14).
  • the electric generator (14) can be of direct current or alternating current, preferentially of permanent magnets to avoid the need for supplying the exciting magnetic field with an external electric source.
  • a toothed element lever (10, 12) and the arm (19, 20, 21, 22) driving said lever are the same part (10A, 12A) - in this case, the shaft (8, 9) does not require any further lever to drive the generator.
  • the shaft (8, 9) traversing several arms and levers is dispensable. In this case the synchronization of the vertical movement is fully carried out by the generator shaft, which simplifies construction but places a further burden upon the generator shaft.
  • the electric generator (14) is connected to a system (16) for electronic control, management and storage of electric energy, which receives the electric energy generated and directs it to a regulation module (39), where the electric signal is convert to direct current, to allow a better management and monitoring. After the regulation (or when a DC electric generator is used), the energy is conducted to a monitoring module (40), where measures are performed by suitable instrumentation, in order to monitor the values of generated electric energy produced at each instant, and to allow the access to this data.
  • the monitored data as well as the generated energy are conducted to the management and control energy control module (41), which comprises a microcontroller and appropriate power electronics, promoting the management of the energy according to the users intended conditions: the energy can be all stored, and on this case it will be conducted to the storage module (42), which can have different technologies inside to store electric energy, as Li or Ni-Mg batteries, supercapacitors, or the combination of different storage devices; the generated energy can be directly delivered to the output (43), where in this case, the energy is properly regulated with a stabilized signal; or it can also send the stored energy directly to the exit (43), when necessary, regardless of the presence of energy flow in (38).
  • the management and control energy control module (41) comprises a microcontroller and appropriate power electronics, promoting the management of the energy according to the users intended conditions: the energy can be all stored, and on this case it will be conducted to the storage module (42), which can have different technologies inside to store electric energy, as Li or Ni-Mg batteries, supercapacitors, or the combination of different storage devices
  • All this control is performed by a microcontroller, which can be programmed through a USB connection (44), that also allows to export the monitored energy data to an external computer, by a communication port.
  • a microcontroller which can be programmed through a USB connection (44), that also allows to export the monitored energy data to an external computer, by a communication port.
  • the system (1) which comprises a mechanical system composed by the components (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), (15), (19), (20), (21), (22), (23), (24), (25), (26), (27), (28) and (29), an electric system composed by the electric generator (14) and one system (16) for control, management and storage of the harvested electric energy.
  • the force exerted in the columns (5) and (7) are, respectively, transmitted to the arms (20) and (22) through the connection elements (24) and (26), which induce a torque in the shaft (9), that rotates in the direction (32), which is the same direction as (31).
  • the rotation of shaft (8) is transferred to the body (10) of the respective lever, which is coupled to toothed component (11), that actuates the gear (27) together with toothed component (13), where the latter is fixed to the extremity of the body (12), which is actuated in the opposite extremity by the shaft (9), to which it is fixed.
  • the toothed component (11) describes a rotational movement in the direction (33) and the toothed component (13) a motion according to the direction (34), where both movements happen at the same time, promoting the rotation of the gear (27), by the induced torque of the respective shafts (8) and (9).
  • the gear (27) When the gear (27) is actuated, it will transmit a torque to the shaft (28) of the electric generator (14) through the one way clutch (29), providing this shaft with a determined rotation in the direction (35), which allows the generation of electric energy by the electric generator (14).
  • FIG 4 can be observed a configuration with two blocks, where only one comprises an electric generator (14).
  • the block with the system (1) which comprises an electric generator (14)
  • the block (36) only excludes the electric generator (14), having exactly the same configuration of the mechanical system, which will actuate, by means of (37), the shaft (28) of the electric generator (14) in the block (1).
  • the energy released to each block can be concentrated in one electric generator, maximizing the time of rotation of the respective shaft, which provides a more uniform electric generation, and avoids the implementation of additional electronic and electric equipment.
  • the figure 5 illustrates the electronic system for control, management and storage of electric energy (16).
  • This system has a connector for the electric energy input (38), which is connected to the electric generator (14) that supplies the energy every time the system is actuated.
  • This connector is linked to two independent modules - the electric energy regulation module (39), and the electric energy monitoring module (40).
  • the regulation module of electric energy (39) is responsible for the alternating current (AC) conversion to direct current (DC), being after that both electric energy and the performed measures sent to the electric energy control and management module (41).
  • the control and management module is connected to a computer interface USB port (44), which is used to export the measured data of the monitored energy generation to an external computer, in order to allow the external supervision of the generated energy.
  • this USB port also allows the connection to the embedded microcontroller of this module, to define what use will be given to the electric energy, managed by the controller.
  • the options referred to the energy utilization are: conduct this to the electric energy storage (42), in order to store it; conduct the generated energy directly to the output exit (43), in order to allow a direct consumption of energy; direct the available energy in the storage module (42) to the exit (43), regardless if there is or is not energy generation. All this control can be changed by programming the energy control and management module controller (41).
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system for generation and storage of electric energy from the movement of a surface, comprising the following surfaces:
  • a movable surface (2) which is mounted in a superior position and comprise connections between the columns (4 and 6) to the shaft (8) using the arms (19 and 21), and by the columns (5 and 7) to the shaft (9) using the arms (20 and 22), actuating an electric generator (14);
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system according to claim 1, wherein the movable surface (2) present a linear and uniform movement by the connections between the surface (2) and the shafts (8 and 9), using the linkage columns - columns (4 and 6) connected to the shaft (8) by the arms (19 and 21), and the columns (5 and 7) connected to the shaft (9) by means of the arms (20 and 22) providing a uniform load transmission in equally spaced points over the shafts (8 and 9).
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system wherein the conversion of linear movement of the surface (2) into a rotational movement of two shafts, (8 and 9) is made through the actuation of the mechanical arms (19), (20), (21) and (22) by columns (4), (5) (6) and (7), respectively, connected to the surface base (2), which transmits the full load exerted on the surface to the referred arms.
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system wherein the transmission and increase of the rotational movement of the shafts (8 and 9) to the shaft (28) connected to electric generator (14), trough the two levers connected to the shafts (8 and 9), with a lever consisting of a body (10) and a toothed component (11) in the extremity opposed to the connection with shaft (8), and the other formed by the body (12) with a toothed component (13) in the extremity opposed to his connection with shaft (9).
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system wherein there is a connection between two toothed components (11 and 13) to a shaft (28) which is coupled to an electric generator (14) through a central gear (27), and to a one way clutch (29).
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system wherein the connection between two modules through a shaft (37), transmitting the movement induced by the mechanical system of a block without generator to the shaft (28) of a module with an electric generator (14).
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system comprising two shafts (8 and 9) of variable length, according to the length of the block implemented in the pavement.
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system comprising a number of connections between the surface (2) and the shafts (8 and 9), depending on the length of the shafts (8 and 9), where this number can be equal or different in both shafts.
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system comprising an electronic system (16) for control, monitoring and management of the generated electric energy, connected to the electric generator (14), which comprises a rectifier, instrumentation, microcontroller and power electronics for modulation, analysis and regulation of the electric energy signal.
  • An embodiment describes an electromechanical system comprising a storage component (42), to which is transferred the generated electric energy by the electronic controller (41) and respective power electronics.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
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  • Connection Of Motors, Electrical Generators, Mechanical Devices, And The Like (AREA)
  • Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention is related to an electromechanical system (1) for electric energy generation and storage, which is actuated by the motion of a surface (2). The present system comprises two surfaces, keeping the horizontal position of the movable surface (2) every time that its actuated by any kind of variable loading, action allowed by the connections between the columns (4) and (6) to the shaft (8) using the arms (19 and 21), and by the columns (5 and 7) to the shaft (9) using the arms (20) and (22), actuating an electric generator (14), which generates electric energy that is monitored, controlled and stored by an electronic system (16). So, the present invention is useful for electricity generation and storage by alternative means, making use of any kind of variable loads on movable surfaces, reducing the need for electric energy production from fossil fuels.

Description

D E S C R I P T I O N
ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC ENERGY GENERATION AND STORAGE BY MOTION OF A SURFACE
Technical field
[0001] The present invention relates to an energy conversion system addressed to the production of electricity from the energy released from people and/or vehicles motion, to an horizontal surface that is part of the pavement where they are moving, which is slightly displaced while they are passing, and consequently actuates a mechanical system, that converts the vertical linear movement into a rotational one, which drives an electric generator. This modular system allows the integration of multiple units in order to increase the generation capacity.
Summary
[0002] One of the aims of the present disclosure is to create an energy conversion system to be applied in the pavement, intended to harvest the energy wasted from people and/or vehicles, during its motion on the movable surface, in order to generate electricity. The movement of people and/or vehicles over the surface, which is part of the system, drives an electromechanical system that converts the harvested kinetic and potential energy in electrical energy. Besides the capability to generate electricity, the system also can store it for latter consumption.
[0003]
[0004] The present disclosure is useful to allow the electric energy generation through renewable and alternative means, without any fossil fuel as energy resource, having as its main advantage the zero green house gases emissions (essentially C02) l during the process of electric energy production, that decreases the negative environment impact, which is common to electricity generation technologies. Another advantage related to this technology consists on its diversity of applications, which one can be actuated by people and/or vehicles, allowing its implementation on several places: on the pavement of inner spaces as shopping malls, gyms, sports facilities, night clubs, among other places with great people affluence; in pavement of outside spaces as sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian bridges and recreation areas; in roads: on slowdown zones like pedestrian crosswalks, speed humps or speed bumps areas, toll zones, highway exits among other places high vehicle affluence where a speed reduction is required.
Background
[0005] The electric energy generation is still highly dependent on thermal power plants supplied by fossil fuels (coal, natural gas or oil derivatives) and nuclear energy, having been verified in the past decades an increase on the implementation of electric energy generation systems based on renewable sources, namely hydroelectric power plants and wind farms, Onshore and Offshore. Solar energy have been gathered in photovoltaic and thermoelectric power plants, whose feasibility is doubtful due to their high costs of installation and low conversion efficiency.
[0006] The large scale generation methods described above are found, usually, distant from the large urban and industrial centers where electric consumption is greater. Thus, it is necessary to transport the electric energy to these places, which implies energy losses in the grid that must be compensated with a greater resource consumption to generate this extra energy. Besides, the referred energetic resources not always are available (solar, wind and hydro energy) or need to be acquired by non renewable means (fossil fuel and nuclear), being this consumption ecologically undesirable. [0007] Recently, to reduce the electric energy transport from power plants to urban centers, it has been adopted the concept of "micro generation" trough the implementation of low power electric generating devices on the houses and public places. The chosen technologies for this type of generation are essentially photovoltaic and wind converters, that needs for suitable climacteric conditions (sun and wind) which, besides intermittent and geographically dependent, are also unpredictable.
[0008] Besides wind and solar energy, there is another energy resource in urban centers suitable for electric micro generation: pedestrian and vehicles traffic. People and vehicles affluence are two evident factors in populated areas, consisting in kinetic and potential energy sources which are frequently wasted to a common space: the pavement. From this fact rises the idea to use this common space, to harvest this wasted energy from pedestrian and vehicle motion, in order to produce electric energy.
[0009] The concept of harvest the released energy to the pavement by people and vehicles is not a novelty, since there already have been published systems that execute the same function. The patent application CA2715129A1 (as well as the patent applications WO2009098673A1 and US20050127677, and patent US7830071B2) are related to systems that make use of piezoelectric transducers in surfaces, that produce electric energy while being deformed due to the passage of people and vehicles. However the piezoelectric transducers are characterized by a low generation capacity, whose applications needs a large number of devices to achieve a considerable electricity production, which place some doubts in the project feasibility once these piezoelectric units are highly costly. The present invention detaches form the latter described by introducing an alternative system, whose generation density is much higher than the systems referred above, which turns the electric energy production from the pavement much more sustainable. [0010] Other systems designated for the same purpose make use of hydraulic or pneumatic mechanisms operating as intermediaries in the energy conversion process. Most part of these, convert the mechanical energy into potential pressure energy, which is stored in a pressure accumulator for later use to drive an hydraulic actuator or turbine coupled to an electric generator, in order to produce electric energy. Despite the fact that some systems are destined to people and vehicles (as related in the patent applications GB2461860A, US20110215593A1 and US5634774), the majority are meant exclusively for road vehicles, like the system described in the patent application US20070246282A1 (as well as in the patent applications US4739179, US7541684B1, GB2461860A, US20060147263A1, US6936932B2, WO2010/085967A1, US6172426B1, US4409489, US4211078, US4173431 and US4004422). This type of systems needs large loads to be properly actuated and to produce considerable amounts of electric energy. However, the presence of hydraulic mechanisms, make the systems more complex and expensive and needs a large available space to their implementation. The present invention is different from the previously referred by overcoming these limitations, since it presents a simple and compact electromechanical system which allows the generation of equivalent, or higher, energy quantities, relatively to the formerly mentioned technologies, by coupling several modular units with different configurations in order to maximize the system overall generated energy.
[0011] Other technologies developed and patented comprise systems that work under the same principles of the present invention, once they have a single mechanical system that drives an electric generator, as described in the patent US20100295322A1. In this system, the surface that receives the external load, interacts with the mechanical system in just only one contact point, leading to an unbalanced force transmission. Also, the transmission ratio between the lever and the gear system is low, implying the necessity of intermediate stages to supply the rotor of the generator with the sufficient rotations, for a small displacement of the surface. In the present invention, these issues do not exist due to a more uniform and, consequently, better load distribution with a greater transmission ratio between the lever and the gear responsible for actuate the rotor of the electric generator. In the present invention there is only needed one centered elastic element to restore the surface to his initial position, which one is always balanced due to the configuration of the respective mechanical support structure, a characteristic that is not verified in system previously referred, which are constituted by several elastic elements for the same effect. In the same system, the contact between the lever and the gear, as well as the transmitted force, is performed in just one side of the latter component, being the present invention different for performing the same function through a symmetric configuration, which allows a better torque transmission to the shaft.
[0012] In the patent application US20090315334A1 (as well in the patent applications US20060152008A1 and US20110187125A1) is introduced a system with a work principle closer to the present invention. However, this conversion system, exclusive to road applications, comprises a tilted surface, which induces an excessive slowdown in the vehicles as they pass through it, increasing the possibility of getting damaged. The previous system (as the devices described in the patent applications US20110049906A1 and CN201339553Y), has a surface that rotates on its longitudinal extremities and conducts the load for the remaining mechanism in the opposite extremity. This method does not allow the use of the full load, since a part of it is distributed by the support where the extremity rotates reducing, consequently, the amount of captured energy. The present invention overcomes this issues once its surface is held flat, to do not disturb the people or vehicles traffic and for achieve a better use of the forces exerted on it, since the latter are equally distributed and transferred from the surface to remain mechanical system, maximizing the harvested energy conversion.
[0013] According to the device described in the patent US7714456B1, the contact between the system and the vehicle is given at one mechanical element instead of a flat surface which, due to its geometry configuration, turns the pavement into an irregular shape and exposes the pavement to external agents, shortening the system lifetime. These drawbacks are not found in the present invention, that comprises a surface in which the irregularities associated to its displacement are unnoticeable, with a conversion system isolated from external agents. In the previously referred technology, the electric generator is driven through flexible coupling elements (and not directly as in the present invention), turning the transmission system more vulnerable to failures. The system described in the patent US4434374 is only properly actuated when the load is applied in the center of the surface, since is the contact point with the lever that converts the linear movement into rotational, achieving a less efficiency load transmission. In the present invention, as already referred, the load is equally transmitted for any point of actuation in the surface.
[0014] The present invention partly follows the system related in the patent PT105126 (WO2011145057), where the main differences are found in the force transmission system from the surface to the generator, where the linear bearing components have been suppressed, as well as the method and elements of force transmission from the surface to the arm. As further differences applied in the present system, there is the method to always keep the surface in an horizontal plane, independently of the load actuation point, which effect is guaranteed by the elements that link the surface to the two rotational shafts, through the columns connected between the surface and the arms fixed to the shafts, which are equally disposed and induce a rotational movement always in the same direction as the other shaft. With this new transmission method, the load propagates more efficiently from the surface to the two shafts that comprise the mechanical system, having as main advantages the increase on the system efficiency and a significant cost reduction, once the previous elements used to held a linear vertical displacement are very expensive and need a more regular maintenance. Also, the method to actuate the generator shaft have been changed and technically improved, where the unique geared lever is substituted by two levers with smaller dimensions, each one with one extremity fixed to the shaft and the other in contact with a gear that drives the shaft coupled to the electric generator. With this technical evolution, a better force transmission to the generator shaft can be achieved, as well as the balance of the system can be maintained during its complete displacement. The generator shaft can be driven in just one angular direction (preferred configuration) or in both (using the energy transferred to the surface during its downward movement, as well as the energy stored in the spring, during the surface ascension). Finally, was also developed a system for electronic control, management and storage of electric energy, in order to control, monitor and store the generated energy within the generation module, avoiding the necessity to use external systems for the same purposes. With this embedded system, the present invention becomes more efficient than the former version with additional and different features.
General description
[0015] The present disclosure relates to an electromechanical system suitable to generate electric energy from mechanical energy released by people and vehicles to the pavement.
[0016] The system consists on a block constituted by a fixed and a movable part. The fixed part comprises the lower base, that is settled on the pavement and supports all the remaining mechanical elements of the conversion system.
[0017] The movable part is related to the superior surface, that becomes part of the pavement, allowing the interaction between people and/or vehicles and the conversion system. When a load is applied on the surface, by the passage of a person or a vehicle, the latter is displaced from its initial position, describing an essentially vertical movement, with a very small horizontal movement.
[0018] The load is uniformly distributed by the four columns, that are fixed to the lower base of the movable superior surface where, each one, is pivotally connected to an arm, which is rigidly coupled to a shaft, very much like a crank or crankshaft (the arm is the crank; the shaft is the shaft of the crankshaft, the columns is the crankshaft connecting rod which moves in reciprocating linear motion). With this connection, the vertical linear movement of the surface will induce a rotational motion in the shafts, which rotates relatively to the base, where each shaft is actuated by a pair of columns/arms.
[0019] To each shaft is rigidly connected a lever with a toothed part-circular shaped component on its extremity. The toothed extremities of both levers will drive a set of gears connected to the rotor of the generator. The system lever/gears allows the multiplication of the shafts rotations induced by mechanical arms as well as the concentration of the respective moments of force in generator rotor shaft, so the latter may achieve sufficient angular velocity and torque to generate electricity.
[0020] The gear system and the generator rotor shaft are in particular linked through a one way clutch bearing, which allows the torque transmission in just one direction, so that the shaft rotation is not inverted when the surface is ascending. If it is intended to transform the energy stored in the spring(s) (that return the movable superior surface to its initial position) into electric energy, the one way clutch bearing is removed, and the generator rotor shaft rotates in two ways, following the same angular movement of the levers, rotating in one way during the surface descending and in the opposite way when the latter is ascending.
[0021] To extend the continuity of the rotational movement of the rotor generator, for the configuration where the one way clutch is used, a flywheel may be coupled to rotor shaft, which allows the storage of kinetic energy to be gradually converted, extending the rotation period of the electric generator and, consequently, the generated electric energy. The electric generator is, preferentially, a single phase permanent magnet synchronous generator, with the possibility to use other type of generator according with the intended application. [0022] Several blocks can be coupled while sharing the same rotor shaft and driving one or more electric generators in common. The electric generator is preferably always connected to an electronic control, management and storage system, which receives, regulates and monitors the generated energy, that trough a control module can be directly delivered (properly regulated) to the consumption or stored for later consumption when its necessary.
Description of the Figures
[0023] The following figures provide preferred embodiments for illustrating the description and should not be seen as limiting the scope of the disclosure.
[0024] Fig. 1: Schematic representation of system for kinetic and potential energy conversion into electric energy.
[0025] Where (1) represents the system for kinetic and potential energy conversion into electric energy (in a block configuration), (2) the upper surface (pavement), (3) the base of the system which connects it to the ground, (4 and 6) represents the columns that establish the connection between the surface and the shaft (8), by the arms (19 and 21), (5 and 7) represents the columns that establish the connection between the surface and the shaft (9), using the arms (20 and 22). The lever fixed to the shaft (8) comprises the body (10), to which is coupled the toothed component (11), that describes a circular movement once it follows the rotation of the shaft (8).
[0026] The second lever is composed by the body (12) which is fixed to shaft (9) in one extremity and to which is couple a toothed component (13) in the opposite extremity, that describes the same circular movement as the first lever by following the rotation of the shaft (9). (14) indicates the electric generator, (15) the spring that replaces the surface to its initial position in the absence of load, (16) the electronic control, management and storage system, (17 and 18) the supports of the shafts (8 and 9).
[0027] Fig. 2: Schematic representation of the mechanical connections between the several elements of the electromechanical system. Where (19 and 21) represents the arms of the connection between the surface and the shaft (8), (20 and 22) represent the arms of the connection between the surface and the shaft (9), (23 and 24) represent the elements that allow the pivoted connection between the arms (19 and 20) and the columns (4 and 5), respectively, where the arms (21 and 22) are pivotally connected to the columns (6 and 7) through the elements (25 and 26), respectively.
[0028] When the levers rotate, they will drive, simultaneously, the gear (27) that, in turn, drives the shaft (28) coupled to the electric generator (14) by means of a one way clutch (29). The remaining elements of the configuration indicated in this figure were already identified in the figure 1.
[0029] Fig. 3: Schematic representation of the system functioning. Where (30) indicates the direction of the vertical forces distributed by the columns (4 and 5) and by the columns referred in the figures 1 and 2 by (6 and 7), when the upper surface (pavement) is loaded. (31) represents the rotational direction of the shaft (8) and the arms (19 and 21) indicated in figure 2, when the upper surface is vertically downwards displaced, where (32) is the rotational direction of the shaft (9) and the arms (20 and 22) referred in figure 2, for the same conditions of the surface displacement.
[0030] When the load actuates in the upper surface, the lever composed by the body (10) and the toothed component (11) describes the angular movement (33), which is the same as (31), once the lever is fixed to the shaft (8). In the same way, (34) is referred to the angular movement of the lever formed by the body (12) and the toothed component (13) when the surface is actuated by a load, which is the same rotational direction as (32) and (33). (35) is referred to the rotational direction of the shaft (28), which is induced by the simultaneously rotation of the levers, and is not affected when the latter reverse their angular movement, due to the presence of the one way clutch (29), which is only actuated by the gear (27) when the movement of the latter is the same directions as (35).
[0031] Fig. 4: Schematic representation of two blocks connected to each other. Where the block represented by the system (1) is mechanically connected to a second block (36) (with the same components as the system (1), with the exception of the electric generator (14)) through a central shaft (37), which is responsible for transmit the motion of the gear in the second module to the shaft (28), that is coupled to the electric generator (14) of the system (1).
[0032] Fig. 5: Schematic representation of the electronic control, management and storage of electric energy system. Where (16) represents the system for electronic control, management and storage of the generated electric energy by system (1), (38) represents an electric connection for the electric energy input, supplied by the electric generator (14), which is directly connected to an electric energy regulation module (39), and to an electric energy monitoring module (40), which is connected to an electric energy control and management module (41). The latter represents the main element of the system (16) that is connected to an electric energy storage module (42), to the electric energy output (43) and to a computer interface USB port (44).
[0033] Fig. 6: Schematic representation of an embodiment where the arms and levers are the same part (10A, 12A).
[0034] Fig. 7: Schematic representation of an embodiment where the arm and lever is the same part (10A).
[0035] Fig. 8: Schematic representation of an embodiment where the arms and levers are the same part (10A, 12A). [0036] Fig. 9: Schematic representation of an embodiment where in part the arms and levers are the same part (10A) and the arms and levers are different parts (10A, 19).
[0037] Fig. 10: Schematic representation of an embodiment where in part the arms and levers are the same part (10A, 12A) and the arms and levers are different parts (10A, 19, 12A, 20).
[0038] Fig. 11: Schematic representation of an embodiment where the arms and levers are not the same part (10, 19).
Detailed description of the invention
[0039] The present invention relates to an electromechanical system (1) suitable for generate electric energy from the mechanical energy released by people and vehicles to the pavement, where the passage of those on the surface (2) exerts a force on the latter and cause its displacement, which drives the electromechanical system pivotally supported by the supports (17) and (18), which are fixed to the base (3), referred in figure 1.
[0040] The base (3) is fixed to the ground of the installation zone and to it are fixed all mechanical and electric components that are part of the energy conversion system. The surface (2) represents one movable element of the system, that becomes part of the pavement where the system is installed, and allows the interaction of people and/or vehicles with the conversion system, where its displacement is composed by vertical component and an horizontal component, being the first more evident and responsible for the energy transfer to the system. [0041] The columns (4, 5, 6 and 7) follow the displacement of the surface and actuate the mechanical arms (19, 20, 21 and 22) referred in figure 2, which are responsible to transfer the vertical movement of the surface and the columns into a rotational movement of the shafts (8 and 9) to which they are fixed and where, respectively, the columns (4 and 6) are coupled to the arms (19 and 21) by the connection elements (23 and 25), with the arms fixed to the shaft (8). The columns (5 and 7) are connected, respectively, by connection elements (24 and 26), to the arms (20 and 22), which are fixed to the shaft (9).
[0042] This configuration implies that the load exerted on the surface is uniformly distributed by the columns, which transfer the referred vertical load to the extremities of the arms through the connection elements while they rotate around it. This force is applied on the arms extremities, which are fixed by the opposite extremity to the respective shafts, that are supported on its ends by the support elements (17) and (18), and rotates around its longitudinal axes in the presence of an applied torque induced by the vertical force on the surface.
[0043] The columns are always vertically aligned and perpendicular to surface during the displacement, as the latter stay parallel with horizontal plane while follows the motion described by the arms extremities, which movement is the reason for the horizontal component subjacent to the surface displacement.
[0044] Thus, the shafts are simultaneously actuated and, consequently, describe the same angular displacement and have the same velocity. Every time a torque is applied to the shafts, this is transmitted to the respective levers, and the shaft (8) is connected with the body (10) of the respective lever, which presents a determined initial position relatively to the base (3) horizontal plan, as presented on figure 3, and to which is coupled a toothed component (11) on the opposite extremity to the shaft (8), that actuates the gear (27) when following the motion of the body (10). [0045] Likewise, to shaft (9) is fixed the body (12) of the respective lever, which presents the same tilt as the body (10) in respect to the horizontal plane of the base (3), as illustrated on figure 3, which has on its extremity a toothed component (13), that follows the movement of the body and, as the toothed component (11), actuates the gear (27), which in turn drives the shaft (28) of the electric generator (14) by means of an one way clutch (29).
[0046] When a load is exerted on the surface, it is distributed by the columns, on which actuate a vertical force (30) as illustrated on figure 3, where the columns (4 and 6) will induce a torque in the shaft (8) through arms (19 and 21), causing its rotation in the direction (31), that induces the motion described by (30) in the arm (10) and in the toothed component (11), which is the same as (31).
[0047] Simultaneously, the forces acting on the columns (5 and 7) with direction (30) and equal magnitude to the forces that act in columns (4 and 6), will produce a torque in shaft (9), which will rotate in the direction (32) and, by consequence, will move the body (12) with toothed component (13), which will describe a motion of direction (34), that is the same rotational motion as (32). When the toothed components (11 and 13) rotates, respectively, in the direction (33 and 34) will apply a torque in the gear (27) with direction (35), which is transmitted to the shaft (28) coupled to the electric generator (14) by means of one way clutch (29), where this torque is responsible to rotate the shaft (28), which drives the rotor of the electric generator (14), allowing the generation of electric energy.
[0048] When the load leaves the surface, the latter is replaced to its initial position due to a force induced by the spring (15), which is distributed by the columns with an opposite direction to (30). The shafts (8 and 9) will describe, respectively, an opposite motion to (31) and (32), as well as the bodies (10 and 12) and the toothed components (11 and 13) will rotate in the opposite direction as indicated by (33) and (34), which induce in the gear an opposite motion to (35), that will not affect the rotation of the shaft due to the presence of the one way clutch (29), which only transmits torque in the direction (35), allowing the shaft to keep rotating and generating electric energy.
[0049] The toothed components of the two levers, which are positioned in opposite hemispheres relatively to the plane formed by the rotation axes of shafts (8), (9) and (28), actuates the gear in two opposite sides promoting a better torque transmission, which due to the same slope in both levers, when one ascends, the other descends and helps its return. The toothed components have circular extremities, which are in contact with the gear (27), with a superior curvature radius in respect to the latter, that allows a high transmission ratio, which promotes the electric generator shaft with sufficient angular velocity to generate electric energy. To extend the rotation of the shaft coupled to the electric generator (14), a flywheel is coupled to the referred shaft, and multiple gear transmission stages can be implemented between the gear and the one way clutch, to multiply even more the shaft coupled to the electric generator (14).
[0050] The electric generator (14) can be of direct current or alternating current, preferentially of permanent magnets to avoid the need for supplying the exciting magnetic field with an external electric source.
[0051] It can be easily understood how it is the length of the arm from the column to the shaft vs. the length of the arm from the shaft to the toothed part-circular element that defines the gear ratio between the vertical movement of the columns and the rotation delivered to the generator input shaft or gear. It will be easily understood how supplying gears, instead of the crankshaft performed by the arms, would either need a plurality of gears (thus more complex and costly) or require a much larger circular gear which would go outside the physical boundaries of the device.
[0052] It is also possible that a toothed element lever (10, 12) and the arm (19, 20, 21, 22) driving said lever are the same part (10A, 12A) - in this case, the shaft (8, 9) does not require any further lever to drive the generator. In case all arms have a corresponding lever (either rigidly coupled or being the same part lever+arm) driving the generator, the shaft (8, 9) traversing several arms and levers is dispensable. In this case the synchronization of the vertical movement is fully carried out by the generator shaft, which simplifies construction but places a further burden upon the generator shaft.
[0053] It is clear how to keep the upper surface moving in parallel, there must be at least 3 moveable columns (4, 5, 6, 7) such that the upper surface is fully controlled (3 points define a plane).
[0054] It is clear how to keep the upper surface moving in parallel, the mechanic elements linking the movement of the columns ensure that the columns move by the same amount. This linkage can be effected either by linking several arms with the same shaft or by linking several levers to the same generator shaft. A number of combinations are possible (see figs. 7-11).
[0055] The electric generator (14) is connected to a system (16) for electronic control, management and storage of electric energy, which receives the electric energy generated and directs it to a regulation module (39), where the electric signal is convert to direct current, to allow a better management and monitoring. After the regulation (or when a DC electric generator is used), the energy is conducted to a monitoring module (40), where measures are performed by suitable instrumentation, in order to monitor the values of generated electric energy produced at each instant, and to allow the access to this data.
[0056] The monitored data as well as the generated energy are conducted to the management and control energy control module (41), which comprises a microcontroller and appropriate power electronics, promoting the management of the energy according to the users intended conditions: the energy can be all stored, and on this case it will be conducted to the storage module (42), which can have different technologies inside to store electric energy, as Li or Ni-Mg batteries, supercapacitors, or the combination of different storage devices; the generated energy can be directly delivered to the output (43), where in this case, the energy is properly regulated with a stabilized signal; or it can also send the stored energy directly to the exit (43), when necessary, regardless of the presence of energy flow in (38).
[0057] All this control is performed by a microcontroller, which can be programmed through a USB connection (44), that also allows to export the monitored energy data to an external computer, by a communication port.
[0058] In the figures 1, 2 and 3 may be observed the preferable implementation of the system (1), which comprises a mechanical system composed by the components (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), (15), (19), (20), (21), (22), (23), (24), (25), (26), (27), (28) and (29), an electric system composed by the electric generator (14) and one system (16) for control, management and storage of the harvested electric energy.
[0059] In this configuration, when a person or a vehicle pass by the surface (2), which is fixed to the columns (4), (5), (6) and (7) and is initially leveled with the pavement, the surface will suffer a slightly diagonal displacement, with a vertical component more evident, and whereby is exerted a force with the direction (30) and equal magnitude over the four referred columns, where the latter follows the surface movement, staying always vertically aligned. The force exerted on the columns (4) and (6) is transmitted, respectively, to the arms (19) and (21) through the connection elements (23) and (25), which together they induce a torque in the shaft (8), that will rotate according to the direction (31).
[0060] Simultaneously, the force exerted in the columns (5) and (7) are, respectively, transmitted to the arms (20) and (22) through the connection elements (24) and (26), which induce a torque in the shaft (9), that rotates in the direction (32), which is the same direction as (31). The rotation of shaft (8) is transferred to the body (10) of the respective lever, which is coupled to toothed component (11), that actuates the gear (27) together with toothed component (13), where the latter is fixed to the extremity of the body (12), which is actuated in the opposite extremity by the shaft (9), to which it is fixed.
[0061] The toothed component (11) describes a rotational movement in the direction (33) and the toothed component (13) a motion according to the direction (34), where both movements happen at the same time, promoting the rotation of the gear (27), by the induced torque of the respective shafts (8) and (9). When the gear (27) is actuated, it will transmit a torque to the shaft (28) of the electric generator (14) through the one way clutch (29), providing this shaft with a determined rotation in the direction (35), which allows the generation of electric energy by the electric generator (14).
[0062] Due to the one way clutch (29), the shaft (28) stays in rotation even if an opposite torque is applied to the gear (27), which happens when the surface and the remaining mechanical system returns to its initial position, describing, in this case, movements contrary to the stated by (30), (31), (32), (33), (34) and (in the case of the gear) (35). The return of the system to its initial position is done by action of the spring (15), that is compressed when the external load is applied to the surface, and raises the surface when a person or a vehicle leaves it, and therefore the load is no longer exerted.
[0063] In figure 4 can be observed a configuration with two blocks, where only one comprises an electric generator (14). The block with the system (1), which comprises an electric generator (14), is coupled to a second block (36) through a mechanical shaft (37), which is fixed to the shaft (28) of the system (1).
[0064] In respect to the configuration of block with the system (1), the block (36) only excludes the electric generator (14), having exactly the same configuration of the mechanical system, which will actuate, by means of (37), the shaft (28) of the electric generator (14) in the block (1). With this configuration the energy released to each block can be concentrated in one electric generator, maximizing the time of rotation of the respective shaft, which provides a more uniform electric generation, and avoids the implementation of additional electronic and electric equipment.
[0065] Thus, when the load is exerted on the block (36), the latter induces a rotational movement in the shaft (28) of the block (1) through the connection shaft (37), which is responsible for the electric generation by the electric generator (14). When the block (1) is actuated by an external load, the energy is directly transferred to the shaft (28) by the respective mechanical system, where a rotational movement is provided to the referred shaft, which promotes the electric generation by the electric generator (14).
[0066] The figure 5 illustrates the electronic system for control, management and storage of electric energy (16). This system has a connector for the electric energy input (38), which is connected to the electric generator (14) that supplies the energy every time the system is actuated. This connector is linked to two independent modules - the electric energy regulation module (39), and the electric energy monitoring module (40).
[0067] The regulation module of electric energy (39) is responsible for the alternating current (AC) conversion to direct current (DC), being after that both electric energy and the performed measures sent to the electric energy control and management module (41).
[0068] The control and management module is connected to a computer interface USB port (44), which is used to export the measured data of the monitored energy generation to an external computer, in order to allow the external supervision of the generated energy. [0069] Additionally, this USB port also allows the connection to the embedded microcontroller of this module, to define what use will be given to the electric energy, managed by the controller. The options referred to the energy utilization are: conduct this to the electric energy storage (42), in order to store it; conduct the generated energy directly to the output exit (43), in order to allow a direct consumption of energy; direct the available energy in the storage module (42) to the exit (43), regardless if there is or is not energy generation. All this control can be changed by programming the energy control and management module controller (41).
[0070] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system for generation and storage of electric energy from the movement of a surface, comprising the following surfaces:
- a movable surface (2) which is mounted in a superior position and comprise connections between the columns (4 and 6) to the shaft (8) using the arms (19 and 21), and by the columns (5 and 7) to the shaft (9) using the arms (20 and 22), actuating an electric generator (14);
a fixed surface comprising the lower base.
[0071] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system according to claim 1, wherein the movable surface (2) present a linear and uniform movement by the connections between the surface (2) and the shafts (8 and 9), using the linkage columns - columns (4 and 6) connected to the shaft (8) by the arms (19 and 21), and the columns (5 and 7) connected to the shaft (9) by means of the arms (20 and 22) providing a uniform load transmission in equally spaced points over the shafts (8 and 9).
[0072] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system wherein the conversion of linear movement of the surface (2) into a rotational movement of two shafts, (8 and 9) is made through the actuation of the mechanical arms (19), (20), (21) and (22) by columns (4), (5) (6) and (7), respectively, connected to the surface base (2), which transmits the full load exerted on the surface to the referred arms.
[0073] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system wherein the transmission and increase of the rotational movement of the shafts (8 and 9) to the shaft (28) connected to electric generator (14), trough the two levers connected to the shafts (8 and 9), with a lever consisting of a body (10) and a toothed component (11) in the extremity opposed to the connection with shaft (8), and the other formed by the body (12) with a toothed component (13) in the extremity opposed to his connection with shaft (9).
[0074] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system wherein there is a connection between two toothed components (11 and 13) to a shaft (28) which is coupled to an electric generator (14) through a central gear (27), and to a one way clutch (29).
[0075] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system wherein the connection between two modules through a shaft (37), transmitting the movement induced by the mechanical system of a block without generator to the shaft (28) of a module with an electric generator (14).
[0076] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system comprising two shafts (8 and 9) of variable length, according to the length of the block implemented in the pavement.
[0077] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system comprising a number of connections between the surface (2) and the shafts (8 and 9), depending on the length of the shafts (8 and 9), where this number can be equal or different in both shafts. [0078] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system comprising an electronic system (16) for control, monitoring and management of the generated electric energy, connected to the electric generator (14), which comprises a rectifier, instrumentation, microcontroller and power electronics for modulation, analysis and regulation of the electric energy signal.
[0079] An embodiment describes an electromechanical system comprising a storage component (42), to which is transferred the generated electric energy by the electronic controller (41) and respective power electronics.
[0080] The previously described embodiments are combinable.
[0081] The invention is of course not in any way restricted to the embodiments described and a person with ordinary skill in the art will foresee many possibilities to modifications thereof without departing from the basic idea of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The following claims set out particular embodiments of the invention.

Claims

C L A I M S
1. Electromechanical system (1) for generating electric energy from the movement of people and/or vehicles comprising:
- a horizontal lower base (3) and an upper surface (2) vertically movable relative to the horizontal lower base(3), said upper surface (2) being vertically movable downwards towards the lower base (3) by the movement of people, or vehicles, or people and vehicles when passing on said surface(2);
- a rotational electric generator (14) comprising a shaft (28) with a gear (27);
- resilient means (12) able to return the upper surface (2) to its initial position after the actuation by people and/or vehicles;
- three or more vertically displaceable columns (4, 5, 6, 7) supporting the upper surface (2);
- one or more arms (19, 20) rotatable about an axis (8, 9), each arm distally and rotatably coupled to a column;
- one or more levers (10, 12) rotatable about said axis (8, 9), rigidly coupled to said arms (19, 20), either directly coupled or coupled through a shaft (8, 9) rotatable about said axis;
- one or more part-circular toothed elements (11, 13) rigidly and distally coupled to said levers (10, 12) meshing with the generator shaft gear (27).
2. Electromechanical system (1) according to the previous claim comprising a freewheeling clutch (29) configured to disengage the generator shaft (28) from the driving generator shaft gear (27), when the driving gear (27) rotates in reverse or more slowly than the driven generator shaft (28), and configured to engage otherwise.
3. Electromechanical system (1) according to any of the previous claims comprising an inertia! wheel coupled to the generator shaft (28);
4. Electromechanical system (1) according to any of the previous claims comprising a gearbox between the generator shaft (28) and the driving generator shaft gear (27).
5. Electromechanical system (1) according to any of the previous claims comprising 4 columns (4, 5, 6, 7), 4 arms (19, 20, 21, 22) one for each column, 2 shafts (8, 9) each for two arms, 2 levers (10, 12) each for one shaft and two part-circular toothed elements (11, 13).
6. Electromechanical system (1) according to any of the previous claims wherein a lever (10, 12) and an arm (19, 20) are the same part (10A, 12A).
7. Pavement system according to any one of the previous claims comprising one or more of said electromechanical systems (1).
8. Pavement system according to the previous claim wherein the generator shaft (28) of two or more said electromechanical systems (1) are coupled together.
PCT/IB2013/050616 2012-01-31 2013-01-24 Electromechanical system for electric energy generation and storage using a surface motion WO2013114253A1 (en)

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PT106123A PT106123A (en) 2012-01-31 2012-01-31 ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM OF GENERATION AND STORAGE OF ELECTRIC ENERGY FROM THE MOVEMENT OF A SURFACE
PT106123 2012-01-31

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CN113217315A (en) * 2021-04-16 2021-08-06 杭州电子科技大学 Energy collecting system for road deceleration strip
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WO2023099781A1 (en) * 2021-12-02 2023-06-08 Kinetic Power Systems Ltd A power generation assembly

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