Power plants – Pressure fluid source and motor
Patent
1991-07-10
1992-10-27
Ostrager, Allen M.
Power plants
Pressure fluid source and motor
60668, 417229, F03G 708
Patent
active
051579227
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for generating utilizable energy from potential energy of slowly driving motor vehicles such as street traffic vehicles, whereby the device comprises at least one rigid pivoted plate supported on a bearing block, the plate being lowerable by the force of gravity of a motor vehicle, whereby a flowable fluid is urged out of flexible containers and directed into a pressure equalizing reservoir being connected with a motor such as a turbine or a hydraulic motor.
BACKGROUND DISCUSSION
A device for generating utilizable energy from potential energy of motor vehicles of street traffic is already known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,920. According to this patent a plurality of flexible containers, which are filled with an incompressible fluid are squeezed together, and subsequently the fluid is directed, possibly after passing a flexible and hence extendable container, to a hydraulic motor for generating utilizable energy. The containers, being compressible by the gravity of a motor vehicle, are disposed in small chambers which are inserted within the traffic lane, whereby the covers for these chambers can be urged by the gravity of a motor vehicle into a position underneath the surface of the traffic lane. Thereby the tire of the motor vehicle is hit very hard like in case of driving through potholes.
Furthermore, a device for generating utilizable energy from potential energy of motor vehicles is known from German Patent No. DE-OS 35 42 031. According to this patent flexible containers are filled with water by means of pivoted rigid plates and the urged out water is fed for generating energy into a turbine.
A disadvantage of the device shown in German Patent No. DE-OS 35 42 031 is that there has to be taken special measures for driving back the urged out water into the flexible containers and thereby to move back the pivoted plates into their original position. Furthermore, the requirement of having to urge incompressible fluid out of the flexible containers has shown to be disadvantageous because, in this case, the energy cannot be accumulated without taking additional measures in the form of a fluid under pressure and hence a turbine cannot be driven in an optional moment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the aim of the present invention to create a device which renders it possible to accumulate energy in the form of a fluid under pressure and furthermore to additionally utilize the force of gravity of the water flowing out of a turbine for generating energy.
According to this invention, this aim is achieved in that the fluid being urged out of the flexible containers into the pressure equalizing reservoir is air which presses water also located within the pressure equalizing reservoir through the turbine or through the hydraulic motor, respectively. Also, a storage container for water is positioned downstream from the turbine of the hydraulic motor and directing means such as an exit channel extending from the turbine for directing the water exiting the turbine into the downstream water storage container. The storage container is supported on the plate on both sides of the bearing block, whereby the storage container assists in lowering the pivoted plate and hence assists in driving out the air. Also, the filing of the storage containers is controlled in a manner such as by motor vehicle actuating signal transmitters which open and close valves. In this way, the suitable storage container is exactly filled at the right moment so that it actually assists in lowering the plate being travelled over by the motor vehicle. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, piston pumps are provided which are connected to the pivoted plates for additionally urging out the air and are also connected to the pressure equalizing reservoir.
Advantageously, the turbine is also connected to a compressor which refills the flexible containers with fresh air when required.
According to another preferred embodiment, the signal transmitter, which is first actuated by a
REFERENCES:
patent: 4212598 (1980-07-01), Roche et al.
patent: 4339920 (1982-07-01), Le Van
patent: 4739179 (1988-04-01), Stites
LandOfFree
Device for generating utilizable energy from potential energy does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Device for generating utilizable energy from potential energy, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Device for generating utilizable energy from potential energy will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-899188