Patent ID: 7067932

Claim:
An apparatus for generating electrical energy from the passage of a vehicle thereover comprising: a rotatable incline ramp that is rotatable about an incline axis of rotation proximate a roadway surface on which said vehicle travels; a rotatable decline ramp having a first portion that is rotatably hinged to said rotatable incline ramp and second portion that is arranged to travel in a direction generally parallel to said roadway surface; a rotatable wheel that is rotatable about a wheel axis generally parallel to said incline axis of rotation; a roller assembly that is coupled to a bottom surface of said incline ramp and is joined with a first portion of said wheel; a counterweight that is joined with a second portion of said wheel, and is operative to urge said roller assembly into contact with said bottom surface of said incline ramp, and rotate said wheel so as to bring said inclined ramp and said decline ramp to inclined positions above said roadway surface in the absence of the passage of said vehicle over said incline ramp, but allowing passage of said vehicle over said incline ramp to cause said roller assembly to rotate said wheel about said wheel axis and reduce inclinations of said incline ramp and said decline ramp above said roadway surface; and an electrical generator coupled to said wheel and being operative to generate electricity in response to rotation of said wheel about said wheel axis.