Air- Powered Portable Mobile Generator

Abstract

A hand-held portable mobile device, and a method of use, to generate electricity to charge mobile devices, such as smart phones, by using the kinetic energy of the user's own exhaling air or a manual pump. The device consists of two units; a blowing tube unit and a coupling generator unit. The generator unit include a mechanical part and an electrical part. The mechanical part comprises a freely spinning hollow shaft driven by the force of the user's exhaled air entering into the shaft and then exiting the shaft from narrow orifices of multiple L-shaped pipes configured on the shaft so that the forceful exit of the air from the pipes creates a reactional force that causes the hollow shaft to rotate rapidly. The speed of the shaft's rotation is then further augmented by coupling gears. The rotational force is transmitted to the rotor of a coupling DC generator inside the housing of the generator unit. The electricity thus produced by the generator can be directly delivered to a connected mobile device to be charged via power outlet. In another preferred embodiment, the produced electricity can be stored in coupling capacitor and/or internal battery incorporated within the generator unit. The apparatus further includes a pressure regulator to limit the air pressure entering the device and a second electric regulator to prevent overcharging.

Claims

1- A portable device for capturing the energy of moving air inside a spinner to produce electricity comprising: A hard, hollow freely rotating shaft with plurality of L-shaped hard pipes extending from its hollow space configured to receive an incoming air into its hollow space and to expel the air through narrow offices located in the distal end of the L-shaped pipes, a toothed wheel coupled to the hollow shaft and coupled to a gear box, a gear box, a second high-speed freely rotating solid shaft coupled to the gear box, and to the rotor of an electricity generator, an electrical regulator to prevent overcharging of the device, a microprocessor to regulate the device function, a housing to the above-mentioned components having air inlet, electrical outlets and vents in its walls.

2- The device in claim 1, further comprising an optional power storage such as capacitor and/or a rechargeable battery to store the produced electricity,

3- The device of claim 1, further comprising a coupling blowing tube to deliver air into the device.

4- The tube in in claim 3, comprises a valve to allow escape of air if the pressure inside the tube exceeds a preset level.

5- The tube in claim 3, further comprising internal filter to prevent dust and particles entering the device in claim 1.

6- The tube in claim 3, further comprises a distal section configured to couple to the housing described in claim 1 to create air sealed connection.

7- The tube in claim 3, comprises a proximal section configured to be placed in the user's mouth for inflation.

8- The tube in claim 3, in another embodiment comprises a proximal section configured to be attached to a manual pump for inflation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of using the invention; showing the blowing tube (101) connected to the generator unit (102) which in turns is connected to a mobile device (105).

[0035] FIG. 2 is schematic view of the main components of the preferred embodiment of the generator unit.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the spinner

[0037] FIG. 4A is a schematic cross section view of the spinner with 180, 90, and 120-degree positions of the L-shaped pipes.

[0038] FIG. 4B is a schematic view of the components of the connection between the generator unit and the distal end of the blowing tube.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the different segments of the blowing tube showing the proximal segment containing a filter and a pressure regulating valve, the body segment and its distal segment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0040] The current invention enables a user to charge his mobile device anywhere without the need for any power source. The new invention allows the user to use his breathing air to charge the mobile device in a very simple and efficient method as simple as inflating a balloon. The device comprising two units; a blowing tube and a generator unit. The two parts are separable and can be connected to each other during the charging process.

[0041] Similar to thousands of other inventions in this field, this invention is functionally composed of two main parts, mechanical component and electrical component.

[0042] Only a brief description of the electrical components will be described here since the assembly of these electrical components and how they work together is very well known to the ordinary person in the art. Furthermore, the assembly of most of the generators currently existing in the market consists of identical parts and components.

[0043] On the other hand, since different generators vary among each other mainly by their mechanical component, a detailed description of the mechanical component of this invention will be described here. This mechanical component made this invention distinct and unique in its assembly and in its functionality.

[0044] Mechanical energy that produced electricity, and how this mechanical energy is produced, is the main differentiating part among thousands different invention in this field. Mechanical energy had been historically produced by harvesting the potential and kinetic energy from running water, wind, coal, gas and diesel, tidal and wave power and nuclear fusion. The mechanical energy thus produced is in turn converted to electrical energy using the principle of the generator first described in 1831 by Michael Faraday.

[0045] The key component of the current invention is its unique innovative design in producing the mechanical energy needed to generale electricity. Contrary to all currently invented devices, the mechanical energy in this invention is produced by air power driving a freely rotating hollow shaft to spin in response to air exiting its shaft. AH other generators use the wind, gas, and water energy to externally drive a wheel or to externally drive the blades of a fan or the blades of a turbine. The efficiency of external power driving blades of fans or turbine is extremely low compared to the efficiency of internally acting force of the air as it is described in this current invention. The kinetic energy of the whole air blown into the device is converted to a mechanical energy and subsequently into electric energy.

[0046] FIG. 1 illustrate the gross use of the device in the preferred embodiment. Similar to using a flute, the user places the blowing tube 101 in his mouth and normally exhales. The exhale is repeated several times until the indicator on the charger 102 shows that the device is fully or adequately charged. Once the charger is adequately charged, or during the charging process, a mobile device 105 that need to be charged is connected to the charger by an appropriate cable 104. In another embodiment, the blowing tube is attached to a manual pump.

[0047] FIG. 2 illustrates the components of the charger 102. The figure illustrates the general components of the invention.

[0048] A housing 200 made of any appropriate material such as aluminum, copper, hard carbon fibers, hard plastic, or any other material used in manufacturing similar devices. The housing has an air inlet 217. The inlet is designed to make air-tight connection between the charger 102 and the blowing tube 101. The inlet will allow the air to enter into the shaft 301 of a spinner 201 to generate a spinning force. The inlet and the spinner will be described in more details below.

[0049] A spinner 201 connected to gear box 202 transmits the rotational force to a solid free-moving high-speed shaft 204 which is connected to a generator 205. The rotor 206 driven by the high-speed shaft rotates around a stator 205. The capacitor 208 and the rechargeable battery 210 are connected to each other and to an electric regulator 211. The electric regulator turns off the charging process if the device is full, even though the generator is still spinning.

[0050] A microprocessor 212 is a circuit which regulate all the functions of the device including displaying 214 the level of charging, additional LED flashlight 218. A switch 213 can be used to manually turns off the charging process even if air is blown into the unit.

[0051] The housing 200 has one or more outlet 218. The outlet matches the plug of the cable of the mobile device 104. Furthermore, the housing has at least one vent 216 to allow the escape of the injected air and to cool the components.

[0052] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4A illustrate the components and the function of the spinner 201. The spinner is preferably made of a material which has low friction coefficient, light weight and durable. Steel or Aluminum can be used. However, any other low friction coefficient alloy can be used.

[0053] The shaft 301 of the spinner is hollow and configured to have several L-shaped pipes 303 extended from its shaft. The proximal segment of the L-Shaped pipe is perpendicular to the main axis of the shaft, and the distal segment of the L-shaped pipe is in the same plain and parallel to the cross section of the shaft. The distal segment is preferably made narrower towards its end where the orifice 304 is located. This will allow the shaft to spin in the opposite direction to the air exit from the orifice. The shaft 301 spins around its axis inside a low friction fitted bracelets 302. In other embodiment the shaft spins inside ball bearing wheels 309. The bracelets 302 are stabilized on supporting structure 306 to prevent instability.

[0054] At each cross section of the shaft 301, In the preferred embodiment, the L-shaped pipes 303 are be positioned at 90-degree, 120-degree or 180-degree. The higher the number of pipes along the long axis of the shaft, the higher the rotational speed. Number of pipes and their angles can vary with each specific product depends on the manufacturing preference in view of efficiency and cost of production.

[0055] The air enters the pipe shaft 301 via the nostril 508 of the distal segment 507 of the blowing tube 101. When connected, the nostril 508 should be in the center of the shaft and should not be in contact with the inner wall of the shaft. The distal end 507 allows an air-tight contact with the air inlet 217 which will be described below.

[0056] The pipe shaft 301 has a blind distal end with a solid part carrying on its outside a toothed wheel 305. This wheel 305 spins at the same speed as the shaft.

[0057] FIG. 4 B illustrate the distal segment 507 of the blowing tube 101 and its nostril 508. The drawing also illustrates the air inlet 217. The air inlet 217 is a non-removal part of the housing 200 and makes an air-tight fitting with the proximal end of the hollow shaft 301 by using a build-in matching sealing rings 401 and 402. The nostril 508 pass the inlet through a matching opening 403 in the inlet. The distal segment 507 is connected to the air inlet and secured by screw mechanism, by clicking mechanism, by special configuration of 507 such as making 507 slightly conical in shape, or any other known design to achieve secure and air-tight sealing between the distal end 507 and the air inlet 217.

[0058] FIG. 5 illustrate the blowing tub (BT) 101. The BT consist of a narrow conducting tube 506 with proximal and distal ends. The tube 506 is preferably about 10 mm in diameter made of any suitable material impermeable to air such as rubber, plastic, wood or metal. The proximal segment in the preferred embodiment is detachable. The proximal end however can be an integral non-detachable part of the tube 506.

[0059] The proximal segment is made of mouthpiece 501 to be put in the user's mouth to inflate the device. The mouthpiece is preferably made of hard material and about 1-2 cm in diameter. The mouthpiece has a distal end 503 connected, or to be connected if detachable, to the 506.

[0060] The proximal segment preferably includes a filter 502 to prevent dust, saliva, water and unwanted particles from entering the device.

[0061] The proximal segment in the preferred embodiment includes a pressure regulating valve 504 to opens up when the air pressure exceeds a preset level. This valve limits the excessive air force which may damage the device. Any type of valve available in the market can be used.

[0062] In the preferred embodiment, the valve is made from two opposing balls 504 or windows connected by internal spring 505. The spring 505 will keep the windows closed in resting position. Excessive air force will push the balls, stretching the spring, opening the windows for excessive air to escape. When the pressure returns to a level below the set level, the spring will get back to its resting position and close the windows.

[0063] The air from the mouthpiece will pass along the conducting tube to the distal end 507. The distal end has a nostril 508 which allows the air to pass freely into the device inlet 217 without any air escape.

[0064] In other embodiment, the proximal segment of the blowing tube may be configured to receive air from a portable pump. There are several types of pumps already available in the market. Although pump is not necessary for the function of this device, the manufacture may benefit commercially from supplying a coupling manual pump with the device as an alternative or as an additional option to user's breathing.

[0065] Although the description above contain many specifies, these should not be constructed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustration of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention.