Granted Patent B2

US 11,615,923 · App. 17/332,824 · Granted Mar 28, 2023

Inventor: Anthony Macaluso (San Diego, CA)

H01G11/08B60K1/04B60K6/28B60L50/40B60L53/00B60L53/14B60L53/24H02J2207/50Y02T10/92

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A system for providing power to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a driven mass configured to rotate in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle, the driven mass coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate;

a generator configured to generate an electrical output at a generator output terminal based on a mechanical input, the mechanical input mechanically coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the mechanical input to rotate; and

a hypercapacitor comprising:

at least one ultracapacitor electrically coupled to the generator output terminal via one or more inbound diodes, wherein the one or more inbound diodes are biased toward the at least one ultracapacitor and wherein the at least one ultracapacitor is configured to:

receive, via the one or more inbound diodes, inbound energy from the generator; and

store the inbound energy as a first energy in an electric field of the at least one ultracapacitor; and

an energy retainer electrically coupled to the at least one ultracapacitor via one or more outbound diodes, wherein the one or more outbound diodes are biased toward the energy retainer and wherein the energy retainer is configured to:

receive, via the one or more outbound diodes, outbound energy from the at least one ultracapacitor in response to a voltage level of the energy retainer dropping below a threshold value;

store said outbound energy as a second energy of the energy retainer; and

convey the second energy to a traction motor of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hypercapacitor is further configured to be electrically couplable to a utility grid via a standard 110 volt or 220 volt outlet, and wherein the at least one ultracapacitor of the hypercapacitor is further configured to:

be electrically couplable to the standard 110 volt or 220 volt outlet of the utility grid;

receive, via the one or more inbound diodes, inbound energy from the standard 110 volt or 220 volt outlet; and

store the inbound energy as a first energy in an electric field of at least one ultracapacitor; and

wherein the energy retainer is further configured to not receive outbound energy from the at least one ultracapacitor in response to a voltage level of the energy retainer reaching a high threshold voltage value.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultracapacitor comprises multiple ultracapacitors.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy retainer comprises one or more batteries.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy retainer comprises one or more capacitors.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy retainer does not comprise lithium ion batteries.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical coupling between the energy retainer and the at least one ultracapacitor stabilizes the voltage of the at least one ultracapacitor to prevent voltage loss of the first energy of the at least one ultracapacitor due to self-discharge.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy retainer is further configured to convey all of the second energy to the traction motor of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a commercial vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises farm or construction equipment.

11. A method for providing energy to a vehicle, the method comprising:

rotating a driven mass in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle, wherein the driven mass is coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate;

generating an electrical output at a generator based on a rotation of the shaft;

conveying the electrical output from the generator to at least one ultracapacitor electrically coupled to the generator via one or more inbound diodes biased toward the at least one ultracapacitor;

storing the electrical output from the generator as a first energy in an electric field of the at least one ultracapacitor;

conveying at least a portion of the first energy from the at least one ultracapacitor to an energy retainer electrically coupled to the at least one ultracapacitor via one or more outbound diodes biased toward the energy retainer based at least in part on a voltage level of the energy retainer dropping below a threshold;

storing the at least the portion of the first energy from the at least one ultracapacitor as a second energy of the energy retainer; and

conveying the second energy from the energy retainer to a traction motor of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

electrically coupling the at least one ultracapacitor to a utility grid via a standard 110 volt or 220 volt outlet;

receiving, via the one or more inbound diodes, inbound energy at the at least one ultracapacitor from the standard 110 volt or 220 volt outlet; and

storing the inbound energy as a second energy in an electric field of at least one ultracapacitor.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one ultracapacitor comprises multiple ultracapacitors.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, by the electrical coupling between the energy retainer and the at least one ultracapacitor, stabilizing the voltage of the at least one ultracapacitor to prevent voltage loss of the first energy of the at least one ultracapacitor due to self-discharge.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising conveying all of the second energy from the energy retainer to the traction motor of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the energy retainer comprises one or more batteries.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the energy retainer comprises one or more capacitors.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the energy retainer does not comprise lithium ion batteries.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle comprises a commercial vehicle.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle comprises farm or construction equipment.

Continuity (8)

Cited By (8)

US 12,249,896 US 12,252,026 US 12,407,219 US 12,409,747 US 12,412,430 US 12,456,903 US 12,495,284 US 12,496,914