Abstract:
A crushing power generator is capable of being installed below a road surface. The crushing power generator includes a hollow casing installed below a road surface and having an upward opening; a resetable pressing unit installed in the hollow casing and part of the resetable pressing unit protruded out of the hollow casing from the opening the hollow casing for receiving pressure from the road surface to descend into the hollow casing so as to generate a downward pressure; a generator unit received in the hollow casing; and a power converter received in the hollow casing and connected to the resetable pressing unit and the generator unit so as to convert the downward pressure from the resetable pressing unit into mechanic power to drive the power generator unit to generate power.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to powers, and in particular to a crushing power generator which uses power of cars passing through a road surface; the power is supplied to traffic lights or indicators so as to save energy consumption. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Since energy in earth is reduced day after day. More and more natural powers are used, such as electric power can be generated from water force and wind force instead of nuclear power. The object is to reduce the power consumption, but not affect the daily life of human. 
         [0003]    Water power generation or wind power generation are confined by positions, which cannot be realized everywhere. Thereby there is an eager demand for novel devices which generate power from environments. For example the treading action for treading a bicycle can generate electric power to the supply the lights of the bicycles without extra batteries. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a crushing power generator which uses the power of car passing through a road surface; the power is supplied to traffic lights or indicators so as to save power. 
         [0005]    To achieve above object, the present invention provides a crushing power generator capable of being installed below a road surface. The crushing power generator includes a hollow casing installed below a road surface and having an upward opening; a resetable pressing unit installed in the hollow casing and part of the resetable pressing unit protruded out of the hollow casing from the opening the hollow casing for receiving pressure from the road surface to descend into the hollow casing so as to generate a downward pressure; a generator unit received in the hollow casing; and a power converter received in the hollow casing and connected to the resetable pressing unit and the generator unit so as to convert the downward pressure from the resetable pressing unit into mechanic power to drive the power generator unit to generate power. 
         [0006]    When a car passes through the first inclined plate and the second inclined plate, the first inclined plate and second inclined plate pivotally rotate along the pivotal connection of the ends to a position flushing with the surface of the road. Thereby the ends of the two plates will overlap and apply a pressure to the roller set so as to push the driving shaft so that the pressure cylinder will generate air pressure. The air pressure will be transferred to the pressure motor  43  to drive the blade wheel of the pressure motor to rotate. Then, the gear change unit increase speed and then the power is outputted to the generator to increase the rotation speed of the generator so as to generate power. The power is directly outputted to the traffic indicator or traffic lights on the road  6 . The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view about the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the crushing power generator is installed below a road surface. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross sectional view, wherein the embodiment in  FIG. 1  is added with a resetable pressing unit and a power converter. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view showing that the power converter in the first embodiment has a plurality of pressure cylinders, a pressure motor, a gear change unit and a power generator unit. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows the actions of the two plates which are pressed by a car. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a partial cross sectional view about the second embodiment of the present invention, where a rack and a unidirectional gear set are installed to replace the pressure cylinders and the pressure motor. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In order that those skilled in the art can further understand the present invention, a description will be described in the following in details. However, these descriptions and the appended drawings are only used to cause those skilled in the art to understand the objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, but not to be used to confine the scope and spirit of the present invention defined in the appended claims. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the crushing power generator  1  of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a hollow casing  2 , a resetable pressing unit  3 , a power converter  4 , and a power generator unit  5 . The crushing power generator  1  of the present invention is used in a road  6 . The power from the crushing power generator  1  is provided to traffic indicators  7  or traffic lights. 
         [0014]    In use, the hollow casing  2  of the crushing power generator  1  is embedded into a groove  60  of a road  6 . The hollow casing  2  has an upward opening  21 , a peripheral wall  20  and a spacer  31 . The spacer  31  is installed within the peripheral wall  20  and spaces the hollow casing  2  into an upper space  311  and a lower space  312 . 
         [0015]    It should be noted that in this the present invention, the power converter  4  includes a plurality of pressure cylinders  41  located in the lower space  312 . Each pressure cylinder  41  has a respective driving shaft  411 . Each driving shaft  411  passes through the spacer  34  and a top thereof faces toward the opening  21  at the upper side of the hollow casing  2 . 
         [0016]    In this embodiment, the resetable pressing unit  3  includes a first inclined plate  32 , a second inclined plate  33 , at least one resisting plate  34 , at least one roller set  35  and at least one elastic element  36 . In  FIG. 2 , only one resisting plate  34 , one roller set  35 , and one elastic element  36  are illustrated. However each pressure cylinder  41  has a resisting plate  34 , a roller set  35  and an elastic element  36  on the driving shaft  411 ) 
         [0017]    The first inclined plate  32  has a first end  321  and a second end  322 . The second inclined plate  33  has a first end  331  and a second end  332 . The second end  322  of the first inclined plate  32  and the second end  332  of the second inclined plate  33  are pivotally installed at two opposite ends of the opening  21  of the hollow casing  2 . The first end  321  of the first inclined plate  32  is located below and in contact with the second end  331  of the second inclined plate  33 . The connection of the first inclined plate  32  and the second inclined plate  33  are formed as a V shape top portion  8  which can protrude from a surface of the road  6 . 
         [0018]    The roller set  35  includes a connecting rod  351  and two rollers  352 ,  353  at two ends of the connecting rod  351 . One end of the connecting rod  351  is approximately connected to the first end  321  of the first inclined plate  32  and has a roller  352 . Another end of the connecting rod  351  faces toward the hollow casing  2  and is connected with a roller  353 . The resisting plate  34  is connected at one end of the driving shaft  411  and is in contact with the roller  353 . The elastic element  36  is a spring enclosing the driving shaft  411  and is placed between the resisting plate  34  and the spacer  31 . 
         [0019]    Other than the pressure cylinder  41  and the driving shaft  411 , the power converter  4  further includes a tube set  42 , a pressure motor  43  and a gear change unit  44 . In this embodiment, the pressure cylinder  41  is a pneumatic cylinder. The pressure motor  43  is an air compressing motor which has a blade wheel  431 . The pressure motor  43  is connected to a power generator unit  5  through a speed change unit  44  (such as a gear change box). The power generator unit  5  has a generator  51  which is an induction generator with a rotor (not shown). The tube set  42  includes a plurality of pressure tubes. One end of each tube is connected to the pressure cylinders  41  and another end thereof is connected to the pressure motor  43 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 , when a car passes through the first inclined plate  32  and the second inclined plate  33 , the first inclined plate  32  and second inclined plate  33  pivotally rotate along the pivotal connection of the ends  322 ,  332  thereof to a position flushing with the surface of the road  6 . Thus the car  71  will not vibrate. The angle between the first inclined plate  32  and the second inclined plate  33  is approximately 180 degrees. Thereby the ends  321 ,  331  of the two plates  32 ,  33  will overlap and apply a pressure to the roller set  35  so as to push the driving shaft  411  so that the pressure cylinder  41  will generate air pressure. The air pressure will be transferred to the pressure motor  43  through an air pressure tube so as to drive the blade wheel  431  of the pressure motor  43  to rotate. Thereby the air pressure from the pressure cylinder  41  will be converted into mechanic energy of the blade wheel  431 . Then, the gear change unit  44  increase speed and then the power is outputted to the generator  51  to increase the rotation speed of the generator  51  so as to generate power. The power is directly outputted to the traffic indicator  7  or traffic lights on the road  6 . When the car  71  leaves from the resetable pressing unit  3 , the two plates  32 ,  33  return to the original position by the resilient force of the spring  36  so as to return to a state of protruding from the surface of the road  6  for next use. 
         [0021]    When the output pressure from the pressure cylinder  41  is sufficient to drive the pressure motor  43  to drive the generator  51 , the gear change unit  44  can be neglected. Moreover the tube set  42  can be added with an air pressure accumulation tank  40 . When more cars pass, the air pressure can be accumulated in the tank  40  for being use as fewer cars passes. 
         [0022]    In the present invention, the crushing power generator  1  can be added with an electric power storage device  52  for storage surplus power from the generator  51 . Besides in this embodiment, the pressure motor  43  is driven by air pressure, but it can be replaced by an oil pressure motor and the pressure cylinder  41  is replaced by an oil pressure cylinder. The tube set  42  includes a plurality of oil tubes. This can achieve the same effect. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  6 , the second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Those identical to the first embodiment will not be described. Only those differences are described. In this embodiment, a rack  61  and a unidirectional gear set  82  are used to replace the pressure cylinder  41  and the pressure motor  43  of the power converter  4 . The unidirectional gear set  82  rotates unidirectionally. It is idle as rotates along a reverse direction. When car passes through the resetable pressing unit  3 , the rack  82  moves downwards to drive the unidirectional gear set  82  to rotate so as to drive the rotor of the generator  51 . When the car  71  moves away, by the resilient force of the elastic element  36 , the rack  81  moves upwards so as to drive the unidirectional gear set  82  to rotate reversely, however this is idle rotation. The generator  51  will not drive to move. The two plates  32 ,  33  will return to the original positions to protrude from the road  6  for next use. 
         [0024]    Moreover as shown in  FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, each of the two opposite walls of the lower space  312  of the hollow casing  2  is connected to an ventilation channel  30  to retain air ventilation in the lower space  312  so as to avoid the blade wheel  431  of the pressure motor  43  cannot rotate due to over pressure of the lower space  312 . The spacer  31  has a further effect to prevent the water flowing into the upper space  311  to flow to the lower space  312  so as to destroy the generator  5  and the power converter  4 . Furthermore, if the space under the road  6  is insufficient, the pressure motor  43 , gear change unit  44  and the generator  51  can be separated from the resetable pressing unit  3  and the pressure cylinders  41  to be installed on the road  6  and then are connected to the pressure cylinder  41  through tubes. 
         [0025]    In summary, in the present invention, the resetable pressing unit  3  moves downwards by the pressure of cars, and then the power converter  4  will convert the pressure into mechanic power so as to drive the power generator  5  to generate power. The crushing power generator  1  can be installed on a railway or a subway. By the pressure from the train, the same effect can be achieved. Furthermore, since part of the resetable pressing unit  3  protrudes from the road  6 , the crushing power generator  1  has the affect of deceleration of cars to reduce the possibility of vehicle accidents. 
         [0026]    This, in the present invention, by a car  71  to pass through the resetable pressing unit  3  to generate a pressure, the pressure is converted into mechanic power by the power converter  4  to drive the generator  5  to generate power so as to provide power to traffic indications  7  or traffic lights. No extra power is necessary to generate power. 
         [0027]    The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.