Electricity generating device by applying vehicle weight

In an electricity generating device by applying vehicle weight, a rolling vehicle wheel is weighting down on a pressure receiver to actuate a driving mechanism having a restoring function. It is then able to provide a unidirectional rotating torque to drive a generating device to produce electrical power. The mechanical power transmission is performed by a transmission gear unit composed of a driving wheel and a follower wheel interconnected each other with a transmission means therebetween. When the vehicle weight is applied to the driving mechanism by pressing the vehicle wheel on the pressure receiver, the driving mechanism is forced to downwardly urge a ratchet wheel and a driving wheel to rotate that in turn causes the rotation of the follower wheel through the transmission means thereby driving the generating device to operate to produce electricity. The driving mechanism can recover its initial state with the aid of a balancing weight as soon as it has been liberate from the exerted pressure of the vehicle wheel. The device is to be installed flush with the road surface to work.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electricity generating device by applying vehicle weight, and in particular, to a generating device when a rolling vehicle wheel is weighting down on a pressure receiver, a driving mechanism installed flush with the road surface is actuated to drive the electricity generating device to output the electric power.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Rising of the environmental consciousness to save energy and minimize carbon producing has become common all over the world. The technique of energy saving and development of various new electric generation means is a paramount importance to harbingers who are working in the front of scientific fields.

From the latter parts of the 20thcentury up to now, the bulk power station plays the most essential roll on the power generation to provide all the power demand by the society. Meanwhile, the public power service including the traffic signs and the street and roadway lighting has been increasing not only in amount but also broadly spreading in large areas that becomes uneconomical to supply the power to aforesaid consumers from the bulk power station. And instead the power supply from local small-scaled power sources scattered here and there seems more economical and efficient for the sake of saving length of the distribution line.

In view of the foregoing situation, in a bid to solve the present problems, the inventor of the present invention herein has conducted intensive research based on a long time of experience in connection with the related techniques, with consistent experimentation and improvement finally has come out with the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide electricity generating device wherein when a rolling vehicle wheel is weighting down on a driving mechanism to actuate it which in turn drives a generating device to output an electric power via a transmission gear.

It is another object of the present invention to provide aforesaid electricity generating device in which the mechanical power is converted into electric power by a transmission means.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a plurality of aforesaid electricity generating device, which can be linked in cascade applicable for different road widths so as to effectively operate.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide aforesaid electricity generating device with compact size, which can be easily, installed flush with the road surface and efficiently workable with a prolonged lifespan.

Meanwhile, the electricity so produced is to be supplied to the electrical installation for public use such as the traffic signs, street and roadway lighting.

To achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention comprises essentially a driver, a balancing weight, a driving wheel, a ratchet wheel, a follower (driven) wheel, a transmission means and a generator.

A transmission gear unit is composed of the driving wheel and the follower wheel interconnected each other with the transmission means therebetween. The driving wheel is coupled with a ratchet wheel capable of making one-way circulation, and the driver is fixed to the driving wheel with a mandrel. The driver is further accompanied with a balancing weight. The generator is engaged to the extension shaft of the follower wheel to work. When the vehicle wheel is weighting down on the driver, the downwardly urged driver is then causing the ratchet wheel and the driving wheel to make one-way circulation and the follower wheel to make unidirectional rotation via transmission means so as to drive the generating device to work. The driver can return to its initial position with the aid of the balancing weight as soon as it has been liberated from the exertion of the vehicle wheel. The device of the present invention is to be installed flush with the road surface to work.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIG. 1, the generating device100of the present invention includes a driver1which further includes a pressure receiver11and a restoring element12forming a predetermined angle therebetween. The pressure receiver11is located above the restoring element12and both are engaged each other with a hinge to the mandrel211. The aforesaid angle formed between the pressure receiver11and the restoring element12is designed to have a value according to predetermined angular swinging speed of the driver1. The restoring force of the restoring element12is offered by at least a balancing weight13whose weight is also determined according to the angular swinging speed of the driver1. The hinge is enclosed by a sleeve14, which is also enclosing the mandrel211of a driving wheel21. The whole structure of the present invention is installed beneath the road flush with the road surface300except the pressure receiver11being emerged out the road surface300.

As shown inFIG. 2, in another embodiment of the present invention, the generating device includes a driver1′ which further includes a pressure receiver11′ and a restoring element12′, whereas the former is located above the latter. The pressure receiver11′ is an elongated strip shaped plate serrated along at least one edge, and the restoring element12′ is a spring, for example, a compressed spring, or a leaf spring with a restoring force to bring the pressure receiver11′ back to its initial position. The pressure receiver11′ is in mesh with an external gear wheel13′ which is engaged to the shaft211of a driving wheel21so as to convert the linear motion of the pressure receiver11′ into rotation of the external gear wheel13′.

A transmission gear unit is composed of the driving wheel21and a follower wheel23either directly coupled together to transmit the mechanical power, or a transmission means24is interconnected therebetween to perform transmission of the mechanical power. In the present invention, a flexible chain is used as a transmission means24, but not limited only as such.

As shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, the driving wheel21further comprises a ratchet wheel212, several ratchet pawls213and an external wheel215. The ratchet wheel212is engaged to the mandrel211with more than one ratchet pawls213distributed around its rim. An elastic element214is interposed between the ratchet pawl213and the ratchet212serving as a cushion. The external wheel215is rotatably sleeved on the mandrel211and has several detents216formed along the inner circumference thereof so as to fix the ratchet wheel212onto the mandrel211and to be in mesh with the ratchet pawls213. By this scheme, when the external wheel215makes a continuous reciprocation, the ratchet wheel212is driven to make a unidirectional rotation (circulation).

In the case the driver1(or an external wheel13′) is engaged on the mandrel211of the driving wheel21to rotate, the driving wheel21can only rotate in one direction because its mandrel211is also conjoined to the ratchet wheel212, accordingly the unidirectional rotation of the driving wheel21is transmitted to an extension shaft231of the follower wheel23via transmission means24.

Referring toFIG. 8, the transmission means24may select one of the transmission ways from variable speed transmission, belt drive, chain drive, worm gearing, friction drive and transmission gearing.

A generator3is engaged with an extension shaft231of the follower wheel23to be driven by the follower wheel23to output the electrical power.

Referring toFIG. 5throughFIG. 7, when operating the generating device of the present invention, at least a speed reducer301can be added if necessary. Referring toFIG. 5, before being urged by the vehicle wheel200, the pressure receiver11or11′ is emerged out of the road surface300supported by the restoring force of the restoring element12or12′. Referring toFIG. 6, as soon as the vehicle wheel200has trodden on the driver1or1′ and exerted the vehicle weight on the pressure receiver11or11′, it will downwardly urge the ratchet wheel212and driving wheel21to rotate such that the follower wheel23is simultaneously driven by the transmission means24and finally the generator3is driven to produce the electricity.

Referring toFIG. 7, as soon as the vehicle wheel200has liberated the driver1or1′, the pressure receiver11or11′ returns to its initial position with the aid of the balancing weight13and restoring force of the restoring element12or12′. Again the next vehicle wheel200treads on and goes away from the pressure receiver11or11′, the driving mechanism is able to keep working that causes the generator3to continuously output the electric power.

Referring toFIG. 9, wherein a plurality of generating devices100are linked in cascade by connecting the individual mandrels211and the extension shafts231so as to be applicable to various different road widths.

The advantages of the generating device of the present invention are:

1. The generating device is installed flush with the road surfaces only emerging out of the driver that never causes the traffic interference.

2. The electric power produced can be supplied to local public demand such as the traffic signs and the street and roadway lighting.

3. A plurality of generating devices can be joined in cascade to meet the requirement of different road widths.

4. The structure of the generating device is compact, small sized, easy to install, and operative with high efficiency and prolonged life.

It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the examples given above, but may vary with the scope of the following claims.