Patent Application
20150042191
The invention pertains to the field of generating electric power from the rotational motion of the braking system of wheeled vehicle having brake rotors.
Many people consider electric cars to be the future of transportation. As petroleum globally continues to be depleted and various regulations, which disfavor the use of petroleum and gas fuel, the gas combustion engine is slowly being phased out in favor of electric cars. Despite the many advantages of electric cars, current complaints of electric include the relative short distance required to travel before the electric storage device, or battery, must be recharged. For this reason the transition to electric automobiles continues to be rather sluggish.
Gas engine powered vehicles are generally able to travel farther distances than their electric counterparts due to the energy density of gasoline relative to the energy density of electric vehicle batteries. While current developments in electric vehicle battery technology obtain greater and greater travel distances, there remains more that can be done to facilitate up the efficiency of electric vehicles to increase the distances they can travel before a recharge is required.
Currently, a moving vehicle creates significant energy that is wasted. In order to increase the efficiency of electric cars and, it is important to harvest the wasted energy and if possible convert it into usable energy
It would be highly advantageous to find a means to recharge the battery of a vehicle through converting wasted energy into usable energy. Locating various wasted energy sources and strategically applying scientific and engineering principles to increase energy efficiency benefits vehicle manufacturers in that they are able to offer more efficient vehicles. Vehicle consumers and users benefit from harvesting currently wasted energy as their cost of operation is significantly less. Harvesting currently wasted energy, which is generally dissipated or unused, can be used to at least partially recharge vehicle energy storage devices or batteries. Innovation which increases the distances electric vehicles travel, via use of energy currently wasted, would have significant benefits. Thus, there is a long felt need for innovation to increase energy sources and enhance the operational efficiency of vehicles.
Accordingly, it is an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide an invention which relates an apparatus that generates electric power to provide a means to charge and re-charge electric energy storage devices or batteries during the motion of a vehicle having a brake rotor.
The present invention is concerned with a new and novel use of at least one magnet in close proximity to a brake rotor having surface regions comprised of conducting and non-conducting materials. To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises an apparatus to generate electric power comprising an at least one magnet secured to brake caliper and disposed in close proximity to a brake rotor having a brake rotor top planar surface, a brake rotor bottom planar surface and an brake rotor outer edge therebetween and the at least one magnet in contact with a electric conducting wire further in contact with energy storage device that is able to convert alternating electric current to electric energy. As the brake rotor, having conducting material surface regions and non-conducting material surface regions, rotates, the at least one magnet in close proximity to the brake rotor generates alternating electric current.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
Benefits and advantages of the present invention include, but are not limited to, providing a apparatus, which provides a means to generate electric energy from a brake rotor's rotation which would otherwise be lost and unused. The invention is provides an easy way to effectuate the harvest of currently lost energy during brake rotor rotation.
The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference characters refer to the same or similar elements in all figures.
The magnets 3A and 3B are disposed in close positional proximity to the brake rotor 2. In some embodiments the term “close positional proximity” is a distance less than a millimeter from the brake rotor 2, and in other embodiments the distance is more than a centimeter. The magnets 3A and 3B in
While
The optimal amount of electric current production from the magnets is dependent upon the configuration of conducting and non-conducting surface regions and magnets distance from the regions of non-conducting surface material and conducting surface material. The optimal amount of electric current production from the magnets is also dependent upon the distance between the magnet and the surface of the rotor. The less distance between the magnet and the rotor surface, the more current will be produced upon brake rotor rotation. In some embodiments the distance is less than a millimeter, and in other embodiment the distance is more than a centimeter. The term “disposed in close proximity” contemplates a predetermined distance that optimizes energy production via the magnets close proximity to the rotatable surface of the brake rotor, yet also maintains magnet integrity, such that the magnet is not disposed in so close in positional proximity that the magnet has physical contact with any portion of brake rotor.
The invention further contemplates embodiments wherein the portion of the caliper that contacts the brake rotor bottom planar surface 2B during braking operations has at least one magnet attached to the caliper and would function in a similar manner to
In the embodiment depicted in
As a result of rotation of the brake rotor edge 2C, the magnet 3F is exposed to conducting material surface regions and non-conducting surface regions, which causes the magnet 3F to generate an alternating current. In
Typically, brake rotors are composed of regions of conducting material with interspersed regions of air space. The air space functions to dissipate heat generated by contact between the rotor and caliper during braking operations. In the embodiments of the invention, the brake rotor comprises conducting materials meant to include such material as steel, metals, metal alloy materials as are commonly known and used in brake rotors. Also, the brake rotor as manufactured comprise non-conducting materials such as air space, ceramics, carbon-based materials and insulator-based materials as are commonly known and comprise brake rotors.
It is further contemplated, with respect to this invention that there are embodiments comprising a brake rotor having at least one magnet in close proximity to the brake rotor top planar surface, at least one magnet in close proximity to the brake rotor bottom planar surface and at least one magnet in close proximity to the brake rotor outer edge.
In embodiments of the instant invention it is understood that the alternating current generated by the rotation of the brake rotor in close proximity to at least one magnet will be converted into energy in the energy storage device for use in the vehicle. Such conversion of alternating current into energy is well known in the electrical energy conversion arts.
It is also to be understood within the context of this invention that the means to secure magnet to either a brake caliper to bracket is well known in the attachment arts. Such methods include, but are not limited to screw(s), pin(s), epoxy(ies), adhesive(s), amongst the many methods known in the art of attachment, all of which are incorporated and contemplated herein.
It is believed that the apparatus of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention and without sacrificing its material advantages. The forms described are merely exemplary and explanatory embodiments thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
