Patent ID: 8283795

Claim:
A system for charging batteries in a vehicle that has a chassis and an electric motor for powering the vehicle, said system comprising: a structural member that is responsive to up and down movement of at least one component of the vehicle resulting from the vehicle traveling over uneven surfaces and through turns; at least one energy conversion unit for converting kinetic mechanical energy resulting from the up and down movement to electric energy and including: an alternator with a rotatable power input shaft, said alternator being structured and disposed for generating electricity when the power input shaft is rotated; a weighted flywheel fixedly mounted on the power input shaft of said alternator for promoting prolonged rotation of the power input shaft after removal of an external rotational force exerted on the power input shaft; a first engaging member fixed to the power input shaft of said alternator; a second engaging member normally disposed in disengaged relation to the first engaging member and operatively linked to the structural member, and the second engaging member being structured and disposed for movement into momentary engagement with the first engaging member upon movement of the structural member in at least one direction in response to the up down movement; a rotational assembly linked to the second engaging member for drivingly rotating the second engaging member and the first engaging member upon the momentary engagement of the first and second engaging members, and thereby defining the external rotational force exerted on the power input shaft for rotating the power input shaft; and said alternator being connected to the batteries for delivering the generated electricity for storage in the batteries and thereby providing a continuous electric charge to the vehicle's batteries.