Lossless short-duration electrical storage means for power generation system

Abstract

A vehicle energy harvester including a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface; a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface; a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position; and a capacitor coupled to the generator, the capacitor storing power generated by the generator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle energy harvester comprising:
 a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface;   a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface;   a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position; and   a capacitor coupled to the generator, the capacitor storing power generated by the generator.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the capacity is a high capacity capacitor. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a central harvesting unit coupled to the capacitor.   
     
     
         4 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 3 , wherein the central harvesting unit is coupled to the capacitor via a cable assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 3 , wherein the central harvesting unit is coupled to a second capacitor, and
 wherein the central harvesting unit combines the output with the capacitor and the second capacitor.   
     
     
         6 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 1 , wherein the generator is a permanent magnet alternator (PMA). 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a rectifier assembly coupled between the generator and the capacitor.   
     
     
         8 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 7 , comprising:
 a power conditioning circuit coupled to an output of the capacitor.   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 8 , comprising:
 an inverter unit coupled to an output of the power conditioning circuit.   
     
     
         10 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 9 , comprising:
 a power meter coupled to an output of the inverter unit.   
     
     
         11 . A vehicle energy harvester comprising:
 a plurality of subunits each having an upper surface forming a roadway surface;   a plurality of vehicle activated treadles on the plurality of subunits, each of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface;   a plurality of generators that generate power in response to movement of each of the plurality of vehicle activated treadles; and   a plurality of capacitors coupled to the plurality of generators, the plurality of capacitors storing power generated by the plurality of generators.   
     
     
         12 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 11 , comprising:
 a central harvesting unit coupled to the plurality of capacitors.   
     
     
         13 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 12 , wherein the central harvesting unit is coupled to each of the plurality of capacitors via a cable assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 12 , wherein the central harvesting unit combines the output with the plurality of capacitors. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 11 , comprising:
 a rectifier assembly coupled between each of the plurality of generators and the plurality of capacitors.   
     
     
         16 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 15 , comprising:
 a power conditioning circuit coupled to an output of the plurality of capacitors.   
     
     
         17 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 16 , comprising:
 an inverter unit coupled to an output of the power conditioning circuit.   
     
     
         18 . The vehicle energy harvester of  claim 17 , comprising:
 a power meter coupled to an output of the inverter unit.   
     
     
         19 . A vehicle energy harvester comprising:
 a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface;   a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface;   a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position; and   short-duration electrical storage means, coupled to the generator, for storing power generated by the generator.