ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING UNIT
An electric vehicle charging unit is disclosed. The electric vehicle charging unit uses a specially configured housing and a turbine to charge the batteries of a vehicle when attached to such vehicle. In particular, the electric vehicle charging unit preferably uses the housing to channel air flow, during operation of the vehicle, into the turbine to generate power, which can be used to charge one or more batteries of the vehicle.
1 . An electric vehicle charging unit, comprising:
a housing comprising a first end, a second end linearly extending from the first end, and a funnel connected to the first end of the housing, the funnel having:
a first end with a first opening of a first size, and
a second end with a second opening of a second size that is smaller than the first size;
a turbine disposed in the housing and having:
a receiving end coupled to the second end of the funnel,
an exhaust end, and
a rotatable shaft with a plurality of blades configured to rotate the shaft when air travels from the receiving end to the exhaust end; and
a generator disposed in the housing and coupled to the rotatable shaft for generating electricity;
wherein the housing is configured to be attached to a roof of a vehicle so that air passing through the first end of the funnel further passes through the turbine and is exhausted out the second end of the housing.
2 . The electric vehicle charging unit of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a funnel section and a collar section, the funnel section tapering from the first end of the funnel to the second end of the funnel, the collar section maintaining a consistent cross-section from the second end of the funnel to the second end of the housing.
3 . The electric vehicle charging unit of claim 1 , further comprising a charge controller coupled to the generator to condition electric power generated by the generator and to provide conditioned electric power to one or more batteries of the vehicle.
4 . The electric vehicle charging unit of claim 3 , further comprising a system controller electrically coupled to the charge controller, the system controller configured to selectively disable electrical power received from the generator and enable electrical power from a charging port of the electric vehicle.
5 . The electric vehicle charging unit of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of turbines disposed in the housing, a corresponding plurality of funnels connected to the first end of the housing, each funnel coupled to a respective receiving end of one of the plurality of turbines, and a plurality of generators, each generator coupled to a respective shaft of one of the plurality of turbines.
6 . The electric vehicle charging unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades comprises a first set of a plurality of blades coupled to the shaft, and a second set of a plurality of blades coupled to the shaft, wherein the second set is coupled to the shaft behind the first set.
7 . A method of retrofitting an electric vehicle, the method comprising connecting the electric vehicle charging unit of claim 1 onto a roof of an electric vehicle, and electrically coupling the generator to one or more batteries of the electric vehicle.