Abstract:
The roadway bump electricity generation system converts kinetic energy obtained from a vehicle into electrical energy, which is intended for use on roads, highways and parking garages. At least one guide-mounted, spring-loaded member is disposed in the roadway and operates an electric generator when displaced by the vehicle wheels rolling over the bump.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/561,990, filed Nov. 20, 2011 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/561,717, filed Nov. 18, 2011. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to renewable energy, and particularly to a roadway bump electricity generation system that provides for electricity generation by vehicular movement over a speed bump. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    There are numerous publications describing apparatus that generate electricity from wheeled vehicles passing over a bump along a road. Many of these devices are spring-loaded and convert movement of the device caused by the weight of a passing vehicle into electricity. 
         [0006]    Nevertheless there remain problems relating to the smooth movement of vehicles over such devices. Moreover, many such devices require too much space in that both the mechanical movement and the electricity generator are housed underground in a hole beneath the bump. 
         [0007]    Thus, a roadway bump electricity generation system solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The roadway bump electricity generation system converts potential (weight) and kinetic (speed) energy obtained from a vehicle into electrical energy, which is intended for use on roads, highways and parking garages. At least one guide-mounted, spring-loaded member is disposed in the roadway and operates a dynamo when displaced by the weight of a passing vehicle. 
         [0009]    These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bump portion of the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the bump portion of the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the bump portion of  FIG. 1 , shown in an extended position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the bump portion of  FIG. 1 , shown in a compressed position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention, showing the bump portion exploded from the receiving pit. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view showing the configuration of aboveground portions of the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention as they would appear on opposite sides of a roadway. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram describing electric power generation in the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an environmental perspective view of an oncoming car about to actuate the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is another environmental perspective view showing the oncoming car of  FIG. 8  in relation to a bump of the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is an environmental side view showing the roadway bump being displaced downward when the front tire of the vehicle passes over in the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is an environmental side view showing the roadway bump returning to its extended position after the vehicle has passed over a bump in the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is an environmental side view showing the roadway bump being displaced downward when the rear tire of the vehicle passes over a bump in the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is an environmental side view showing the roadway bump returning to its extended position after the rear tire of the vehicle has passed over a bump in the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the roadway bump electricity generation system according to the present invention installed in a parking facility. 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the roadway bump electricity generation system of  FIG. 14  as seen from the rear. 
       
    
    
       [0025]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    The roadway bump electricity generation system provides a system for generating electric power from the movement of vehicles passing over a bump. The bump may be in the road, a highway, or in underground parking facilities. As a vehicle passes over the bump, the bump is moved reciprocally down and up. A rod attached to the bump is connected to a lever at its distal end. The lever is connected to a gear assembly that translates the linear up-down motion into a rotational gear motion. Rotational movement in the gearbox is coupled to a generator to produce high electric power. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the device includes a metal cover  100  that is designed to be of similar dimension and height as the familiar concrete speed bump in the road. The metal cover  100  has an arm coupler  2  at each longitudinal end that provides an attachment point for a force driving rod  22  attached to the coupler  2 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The bump cover  100  is attached to an elongate upper frame  99  and maintains a normally raised position over an elongate lower frame  9  via compression support (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) from below provided by springs  14 , which are anchored at attachment points  13  to the lower frame  9 , and also attached at upper frame attachment point  17  to the upper frame  99 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Extending from the lower frame  9  is a side flange mount assembly  10  having an attachment plate  11  with mounting holes through which bolts can be disposed and threaded into an underground concrete structure to secure the unit in place. 
         [0028]    Elongate scissor arms  4   a  and  4   b  are pivotally attached to each other at their midpoint, thereby facilitating scissor like relative pivotal movement. A plurality of assemblies of such scissor arms  4   a  and  4   b  is attached at each frame corner. One end of each of the scissor arms  4   a  and  4   b  is pivotally attached to the lower base  9  and to the upper base  99  at the frame corners. The opposite end of each scissor arms  4   a  and  4   b  have attached roller wheels  7  and  15  that roll in or on tracks defined by the rails  8  and  16  of the lower and upper frame  9 ,  99 , respectively, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0029]    These wheels  7  and  15  permit the scissors arms assemblies  4   a  and  4   b  to freely slide over the rails  8  and  16 . The lower frame  9  is disposed underground to support and attach all components of the speed bump unit. Balance attachment wheeled guides  3  add support to opening sidewalls in which the unit is disposed. These wheeled support guides  3  hug sidewalls of the pit  21  to give the bump more stability and ease of movement, while also constraining motion to upward and downward directions. 
         [0030]    The weight of a vehicle passing over the bump is transmitted to the bump via the vehicle&#39;s wheels and causes the scissor arms  4   b  and  4   a  to extend while sliding horizontally along tracks in the rails  8  and  16  with the aid of lower and upper wheels  7  and  15  as the bump is pushed downward by the vehicle wheels. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the bump  100  is pushed down by the vehicle weight, the springs  14  are compressed. The movable arm pairs  4   a  and  4   b  extend along the tracks in rails  8 , and  16  until they reach at least one stop member  12  disposed across the tracks in at least one of the upper or lower frames. The stop member  12  gives the bump more support to overcome the weight of any vehicle. The stop rod  12  limits downward movement of the bump and is positioned to stop movement of the bump when it has been displaced to a position horizontal with the ground surface. Also, when the bump moves downward, the attached arm coupler  2  is also moved downward, thereby pulling the force driving rod  22  downward, as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0032]    The force driving rod  22 , which is attached to arm coupler  2 , is pivotally linked to a gearbox crank arm  23 , which therefore also pivots downward to turn gears in a gearbox  25  responsive to the downward motion of the bump. As the crank arm  23  reciprocates, a gear train in the gearbox  25  rotates a shaft (such as an armature shaft or rotor of a generator), which is connected to or part of an electric generator  26 , so that the generator  26  rotates according to the specified transmission ratio of the gear train in the gearbox  25 . Crank arms and gear trains that produce rotation of a shaft are well known, and need not be described further. The generator  26  produces electric power according to the rotation speed of the gears in the gearbox  25 , and according to transformer or armature winding turns. 
         [0033]    The gear train in the gearbox  25  has a plurality of gear stages used to produce high-speed rotation of the gear-driven generator  26 . Thus, the generator  26  will rotate at a high speed to produce high electrical power. The generator will reach a speed of approximately 120 RPM, and the output electric power at 48V DC is more than 500 W. When the first tire of a vehicle, such as exemplary vehicle V, moves away from the bump, due to recoil action of the compressed springs  14 , the bump will return to its normal extended position. During the returning process the force driving rod  22  is pushed up and again causes rotation of gears in the gearbox  25  on this upward return stroke. Thus, in all conditions the force driving rod  22  both reciprocates and rotates or vibrates right and left and causes gear train in the gearbox  25  to rotate the rotor of generator  26 . A slot  24  in the gearbox housing is provided to allow the linked arms  22  and  23  to freely pivot in a drive plane of the assembly. 
         [0034]    Measuring instrumentation  27  is disposed or displayed on a control panel in the front portion of an enclosure housing the generator  26  and is provided to indicate the measured value of voltage or current or power of the electric power from the generator  26 . Also, for more security, the generator enclosure has a door  28  to seal the generator  26  from the elements, yet provides access for maintenance of the device. 
         [0035]    The electric power output from the generator is used to charge a battery bank  29 . The battery bank  29  has a plurality of batteries. The gearbox  25 , the generator  26 , and the storage battery bank  29  are disposed inside or atop a concrete pillar  30 .  FIG. 6  shows a first power generator assembly disposed on the left side of a roadway and a second unit disposed on the right side of the roadway. 
         [0036]    In another embodiment of the system, the gearbox, the generator, and the batteries box may be disposed underground inside of a basement or pit beside the road or the highway, according to the design of the road or highway. Moreover, the gearbox, generator and the batteries box may be housed in a basement sidewall or beneath the sidewalls. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the bump assembly is housed in a pit  21 , which is covered with inclined flaps  20 . The flaps are pivotally attached along longitudinal edges of the pit  21  by flexible springs  18 . The springs  18  are secured to each flap  20  by a locking retainer  19 . The springs  18  provide flexible movement of the flaps  20 . The top side of the flaps  20  is lined black and white in order to be similar to a normal concrete speed bump. 
         [0038]    As shown in the diagram  700  of  FIG. 7 , the output electric power of the generator is about 48V DC and 500 watts. The RPM of the generator, however, is not constant because it varies according to the weight, speed, and rate of vehicles passing over the bump. Therefore, a charging controller  705  is provided to regulate the charging rate of the battery bank  29 . The charging controller  705  is connected between the generator  26  and the battery bank  29 , and adjusts and controls the output power of the generator  26  to a constant value for charging the batteries  29 . The battery bank  29  can be connected with a suitable destination (load) or used with a DC/AC inverter  710  to convert the DC values to AC 240 volts single phase and 440 volts three phase for electrical connection to a suitable destination. The battery bank  29  may comprise any combination of 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48-volt DC batteries, preferably each of 400 amp hour (AH) rating. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 8 through 13  illustrate positioning and movement of the bump assembly and force driving member  22  as a vehicle V passes with first front wheels in contact with the bump assembly, and then the rear wheels in contact with the bump apparatus. As shown in the parking garage installations  1400  and  1500  of  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the vertical driving rod  22  is housed inside vertically extending driving member enclosure  33 , so it isn&#39;t visible to the vehicle occupants. The driving rod housing  33  may be, for example, a pipe  33 . The diameter of the pipe  33  is larger than the diameter of the force driving member  22  to allow unimpeded power stroke motion of the force driving rod  22  inside the pipe housing  33 . 
         [0040]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.