A motorized cart retriever, which may be a cart pusher or a cart puller, can apply a force to a nest of human-propelled, wheeled carts to facilitate retrieval of the carts. The cart retriever can include a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive cart status information from cart transmitters of the wheeled carts and wirelessly report event data to a control unit. The cart status information may include an identification of the cart transmitter, a location of the cart, a lock or unlock status of a cart wheel, a misuse condition, etc. The event data can include the cart status information, a number of wheeled carts being retrieved, etc. The cart wheel may include a brake. The transceiver may communicate a message to the cart wheel to keep the brake unactuated during retrieval. The control unit may analyze the event data to detect traffic patterns of the carts.

This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass, a generator, a charger, a hardware controller, and a communication circuit. The driven mass rotates in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle and is coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The driven mass exists in one of (1) an extended position and (2) a retracted position. The generator generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the mechanical input to rotate. The charger is electrically coupled to the generator and: receives the electrical output, generates a charge output based on the electrical output, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle. The controller controls whether the driven mass is in the extended position or the retracted position in response to a signal received from the communication circuit.

This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass, a generator, a charger, a hardware controller, and a communication circuit. The driven mass rotates in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle and is coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The driven mass exists in one of (1) an extended position and (2) a retracted position. The generator generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the mechanical input to rotate. The charger is electrically coupled to the generator and: receives the electrical output, generates a charge output based on the electrical output, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle. The controller controls whether the driven mass is in the extended position or the retracted position in response to a signal received from the communication circuit.

The disclosure is directed to an apparatus for generating energy in response to a vehicle wheel rotation. The apparatus may include a first roller comprising a curved roller surface configured to be positioned in substantial physical contact with a first wheel of the vehicle. The first roller may be configured to rotate in response to a rotation of the first wheel. The apparatus may further include a first shaft rotatably couplable to the first roller such that rotation of the first roller causes the first shaft to rotate. The apparatus may further include a first generator operably coupled to the first shaft. The generator may be configured to generate an electrical output based on the rotation of the first shaft and convey the electrical output to an energy storage device or to a motor of the vehicle that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy to rotate one or more wheels of the vehicle.

A self-generating device equipped in a mechanical system including a power generating part, an operating part, and a main shaft, the self-generating device comprising: the main shaft rotating according to a rotational force powered by the power generating part and transferring the rotational force to the operating part, wherein the operating part performs mechanical motion using the transferred rotational force; a rotor assembly combined with the main shaft and rotating along with the main shaft according to the rotational force, and a stator assembly surrounding the rotor assembly and staying stationary relative to the rotation of the rotor assembly, wherein magnetic field around the rotor assembly and the stator assembly changes according to the rotation of the main shaft, and the self-generating device generates induced electricity.

Methods and systems for substantially continual electrical power generation for a moving vehicle are disclosed herein. According to the various embodiments discussed herein, the battery range can be increased significantly using a variety of energy sources. The energy sources are configured to facilitate continual electricity generation based on: (i) one or more generators positioned around predetermined vehicle parts; (ii) wind energy created by the motion of the vehicle in relation to the surrounding medium, and (iii) solar energy. According to an embodiment, the system for continual electrical power generation in a moving vehicle comprises a generator having a coil-and-magnet arrangement around one or more vehicle components/modified components. In another embodiment, the system comprises an energy generator for converting solar energy and wind energy into electricity.

This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass, a generator, a charger, a hardware controller, and a communication circuit. The driven mass rotates in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle and is coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The driven mass exists in one of (1) an extended position and (2) a retracted position. The generator generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the mechanical input to rotate. The charger is electrically coupled to the generator and: receives the electrical output, generates a charge output based on the electrical output, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle. The controller controls whether the driven mass is in the extended position or the retracted position in response to a signal received from the communication circuit.

This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass, a generator, a charger, a hardware controller, and a communication circuit. The driven mass rotates in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle and is coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The driven mass exists in one of (1) an extended position and (2) a retracted position. The generator generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the mechanical input to rotate. The charger is electrically coupled to the generator and: receives the electrical output, generates a charge output based on the electrical output, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle. The controller controls whether the driven mass is in the extended position or the retracted position in response to a signal received from the communication circuit.

This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass, a generator, a charger, a hardware controller, and a communication circuit. The driven mass rotates in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle and is coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The driven mass exists in one of (1) an extended position and (2) a retracted position. The generator generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the mechanical input to rotate. The charger is electrically coupled to the generator and: receives the electrical output, generates a charge output based on the electrical output, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle. The controller controls whether the driven mass is in the extended position or the retracted position in response to a signal received from the communication circuit.

This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass configured to rotate in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle, the driven mass coupled to a shaft, where rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The apparatus further comprises a hardware controller. The hardware controller identifies output power parameters for the vehicle and generate a control signal based on the identified output power parameters for the vehicle. The apparatus also comprises a generator that generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input and a conditioning circuit electrically coupled to the generator. The conditioning circuit receives the electrical output from the generator and the control signal from the hardware controller, generates a charge output based on the electrical output and the control signal, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle.