The bike's crank speed and crank position are sensed via a micro controller, torque sensor, gyro and accelerator disposed on the bike's crank. External power and control signals can be passed to and from the crank micro controller and the e-bike controller through a throttle connector of the e-bike controller via slip rings around the crank hub with bearings, fixed rings, bushings or springs contacting the respective slip rings. Throttle data can also be provided to the e-bike controller wirelessly via a wireless dongle coupled to the throttle connector of e-bike controller.

Methods and apparatus to mitigate electrical voltage on a rotating shaft are disclosed. An example grounding brush system mitigates electric current in a rotating shaft, the grounding brush system comprising: a brush assembly configured to be disposed proximate a motor shaft, the brush assembly having conductive filaments configured to be in electrical continuity with the motor shaft when the brush assembly is disposed proximate the motor shaft; and a conductive coating comprising a base liquid and conductive particles, in which the conductive coating coats at least respective portions of the conductive filaments so as to provide an electrical path between the conductive filaments and the motor shaft.

An exemplary grounding device includes an electrically conductive planar member having a hollow, central opening. Arms extend from inner edges of the hollow, central opening of the planar member. Each arm is angled relative to a surface of the planar member and each arm includes a facing portion having an electrically conductive cushion attached thereto. Each arm is approximately the same size and is configured to contact a shaft extending through the hollow, central opening of the planar member to form an electrical connection between the planar member and the shaft. The electrically conductive cushion is between the arm and the shaft. A tab projection extends from an outer edge of the planar member. Each tab projection is in the same plane as the planar member.

A housing and a power cable for supplying power to components within the housing wherein the power cable is attached to the appliance via a rotatable connection, the rotatable connection comprising a male connector having two longitudinally spaced connectors separated by a separator and a female connector comprising two longitudinally spaced receptacles. The two longitudinally spaced receptacles may be substantially identical and may be shaped to receive the longitudinally spaced connectors and may have a base portion and two upstanding portions forming a U-shape. The two upstanding portions may have a first straight section that extends from the base portion and may have a second section which extends from the first section and is adapted to receive a longitudinally spaced connector and may have a third section which extends from the second section and provides an opening into which a longitudinally spaced connector can be inserted.

A housing and a power cable for supplying power to components within the housing wherein the power cable is attached to the appliance via a rotatable connection, the rotatable connection comprising a male connector having two longitudinally spaced connectors separated by a separator and a female connector comprising two longitudinally spaced receptacles. The two longitudinally spaced receptacles may be substantially identical and may be shaped to receive the longitudinally spaced connectors and may have a base portion and two upstanding portions forming a U-shape. The two upstanding portions may have a first straight section that extends from the base portion and may have a second section which extends from the first section and is adapted to receive a longitudinally spaced connector and may have a third section which extends from the second section and provides an opening into which a longitudinally spaced connector can be inserted.

An exemplary grounding device includes an electrically conductive planar member having a hollow, central opening. Arms extend from inner edges of the hollow, central opening of the planar member. Each arm is angled relative to a surface of the planar member and each arm includes a facing portion having an electrically conductive cushion attached thereto. Each arm is approximately the same size and is configured to contact a shaft extending through the hollow, central opening of the planar member to form an electrical connection between the planar member and the shaft. The electrically conductive cushion is between the arm and the shaft. A tab projection extends from an outer edge of the planar member. Each tab projection is in the same plane as the planar member.

There is provided a hybrid turbine system comprising a plurality of flexible and thin film photovoltaic modules or panels attached to a plurality of blades of a vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) for energy generation. Electrical performance of rotating photovoltaic modules or panels is enhanced since rotating photovoltaic modules are self-cooled by rotation of the blades of the wind turbine. It is experimentally shown that voltage of the photovoltaic modules decreases when the photovoltaic modules' temperature increases, and this decrease was modelled by four parameters namely ideality factor, reverse saturation current, short-circuit current, and material band gap. The present invention evidences that the proposed rotating photovoltaic modules increases the output voltage of the photovoltaic modules. Rotation of the photovoltaic modules as a part of the plurality of blades cools down and lowers the operating temperature of the photovoltaic modules and improves overall performance of the hybrid turbine system.

There is provided a hybrid turbine system comprising a plurality of flexible and thin film photovoltaic modules or panels attached to a plurality of blades of a vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) for energy generation. Electrical performance of rotating photovoltaic modules or panels is enhanced since rotating photovoltaic modules are self-cooled by rotation of the blades of the wind turbine. It is experimentally shown that voltage of the photovoltaic modules decreases when the photovoltaic modules' temperature increases, and this decrease was modelled by four parameters namely ideality factor, reverse saturation current, short-circuit current, and material band gap. The present invention evidences that the proposed rotating photovoltaic modules increases the output voltage of the photovoltaic modules. Rotation of the photovoltaic modules as a part of the plurality of blades cools down and lowers the operating temperature of the photovoltaic modules and improves overall performance of the hybrid turbine system.

A shaft grounding device for establishing an electrically conductive connection between a rotatable shaft and a housing is mechanically and electrically connected to the housing. The shaft grounding device particularly includes contact elements, where each of the contact elements is elastically bendable and electrically conductive, and where the contact elements forming a sliding contact that is electrically conductive with a circumferential surface of the rotatable shaft or a sleeve on the rotatable shaft, with the the contact elements preloading the sliding contact. Additionally, the shaft grounding device includes at least one guide element, with each of the at least one guide element preventing the contact elements from folding over when the shaft grounding device is mounted onto the rotatable shaft.

A shaft grounding device for establishing an electrically conductive connection between a rotatable shaft and a housing is mechanically and electrically connected to the housing. The shaft grounding device particularly includes contact elements, where each of the contact elements is elastically bendable and electrically conductive, and where the contact elements forming a sliding contact that is electrically conductive with a circumferential surface of the rotatable shaft or a sleeve on the rotatable shaft, with the the contact elements preloading the sliding contact. Additionally, the shaft grounding device includes at least one guide element, with each of the at least one guide element preventing the contact elements from folding over when the shaft grounding device is mounted onto the rotatable shaft.