DEVICE FOR HARNESSING WASTED POTENTIAL ENERGY

Abstract

An energy measuring device made of two same size blocks. The outline of two metal ball bearings are traced onto the blocks which are then drilled out where the tracings are marked. Ball bearings are inserted into the resulting holes. With the bearings fitted in place a dowel is inserted through the centers of the bearings to check out the fitting. The dowel is then removed and replaced with a roller. Next, a generator and gear assembly is fabricated comprising two gears and a band, the selected gears having a 10:1 ratio. A string is now loosely attached to the dowel so it can be wound up and released to measure an amount of energy created. The string is marked from 12-24 inches, in 6 inch increments, and these markings are used to control speed and turns for tests related to harnessing otherwise wasted energy.

Claims

1. An energy measuring device for testing the harvesting of energy resulting from the condition of roads over which vehicles travel and from traffic traversing over the roads comprising: a generator; an instrument for measuring an energy output of the generator; two ball bearings; two blocks of the same size onto each of which an outline of a ball bearing is traced, each of the blocks then being drilled out where the tracings are marked and one of the ball bearings being fitted into each of the resulting holes; a dowel and a roller, the dowel first being inserted through centers of the ball bearings to check out each fitting, the dowel then being removed and replaced with the roller; a gear assembly formed of two gears having a predetermined gear ratio and a band, one of the gears being connected to a generator shaft and the other gear to the roller with the band connecting the two gears; and, a string of a predetermined length and which is marked at predetermined intervals, the string being loosely attached to the roller so to wind up the roller and measure an amount of energy created by the generator when the roller is released, the markings on the string being used to control the rotational speed of the generator for conducting tests related to harnessing otherwise wasted energy.

2. The energy measuring device of claim 1 in which the predetermined gear ratio is 10:1.

3. The energy measuring device of claim 1 in which the string is marked from 12 inches to 24 inches in 6 inch increments.

4. The energy measuring device of claim 1 in which the two blocks are wood blocks cut to the same size.

5. The energy measuring device of claim 1 in which the roller is a paint roller.

6. A method of fabricating an energy measuring device for testing the harvesting of energy resulting from the condition of roads over which vehicles travel and from traffic traversing over the roads and employing a generator and an instrument for measuring an energy output of the generator, the method comprising; forming blocks into the same and shape; tracing an outline of a ball bearing on each block size two ball bearings; drilling out each block where the tracings are marked and inserting one of the ball bearings into each of the resulting holes in each block; inserting a dowel through center a dowel and a roller, the dowel first being inserted through a center of each of the ball bearings to check out each fitting; then removing the dowel and replacing the dowel with a roller; forming a gear assembly using two gears having a predetermined gear ratio and a band, one of the gears being connected to a generator shaft and the other gear to the roller with the band connecting the two gears; and, loosely attaching a string of a predetermined length and which is marked at predetermined intervals to the roller so to wind up the roller and measure an amount of energy created by the generator when the roller is released, the markings on the string being used to control the rotational speed of the generator for conducting tests related to harnessing otherwise wasted energy.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the predetermined gear ratio is 10:1.

8. The method of claim 6 in which the string is marked from 12 inches to 24 inches in 6 inch increments.

9. The method of claim 6 in which the two blocks are wood blocks cut to the same size.

10. The method of claim 6 in which the roller is a paint roller.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0028] In the drawings,

[0029] FIG. 1 is a simplified representation of the device of the present invention;

[0030] FIGS. 2-4 are graphs depicting data derived from different test performed using the device; and,

[0031] FIG. 6 is graph illustrating the average results from the various tests.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The following detailed description illustrates the claimed invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the claimed invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the claimed invention, including what I presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the claimed invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the claimed invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The claimed invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0033] For purposes of this description, those skilled in the art will understand that:

[0034] Independent Variable: The number of turns tested per trial.

[0035] Dependent Variable: Measured Volts determined using a Voltmeter.

[0036] Controlled Variables: The same controlled speed is used for each test based on a controlled pull regardless of how many turns the roller makes, this being reconfirmed by use of a digital tachometer. Also, the same test setup and materials are used, dissipated the energy between trials, and tests were conducted on the same flat surface for each design.

Materials Required

[0037] 2 ball bearings

[0038] Hot glue gun

[0039] Drill

[0040] 3 different colored pens

[0041] Scotch tape

[0042] A 12 inch wooden dowel that can fit through a middle hole of the ball bearings, this all depending on the size chosen for the particular design.

[0043] 10 inch paint roller barrel with a ¼ inch diameter

[0044] Alligator Clips

[0045] Digital Multimeter

[0046] 30 inches of String

[0047] Pulley Unit Set (gears and bands)

[0048] Pulley Unit Set (gears and bands)

[0049] Digital Meter Tachometer with sticker indicator

[0050] 2 pieces of wood each being 1.5 inch by 9 inch by 3.5 inch

[0051] 25 inch piece of string.

[0052] Scissors

[0053] Saw

[0054] Cardboard to prop up generator kit

Procedures

[0055] 1. First make the device DV on which to test the product by taking two wood blocks WB1, WB2.

[0056] 2. Cut wood blocks WB1, Wb2 to a size of 1.5 inch by 9 inch by 3.5 inch. This is done using a saw.

[0057] 3. Next put the wood blocks WB1, WB2 side-by-side and trace an outline of a ball bearing BB onto both sides of each piece of wood. Make sure the sizes are equal before drilling.

[0058] 4. Once everything is measured properly, use a drill to cut two holes into which ball bearing BB will fit.

[0059] 5. Using a hot glue gun, apply glue inside the respective holes that are created and place a ball bearing BB into each hole. Ensure everything is glued on and sturdy before continuing. Also make sure each ball bearing can spin freely.

[0060] 6. Now take a paint roller PR and take everything off it where two holes are created at both ends for dowel D to slide through. Make sure the hole in the roller properly fits inside the wooden dowel.

[0061] 7. Place paint roller PR onto wooden dowel D.

[0062] 8. Now hot glue the roller onto the dowel.

[0063] 9. Attach the dowel to the two ball bearings by sticking the dowel through the holes of the bearings.

[0064] 10. Tie one end of a string S to an end of dowel D and the other end of the string to the roller.

[0065] 11. Mark string S in increments I of 6 inches starting at 12 inches from the end of the string attached to dowel D up to 24 inches.

[0066] 12. Next chose from the pulley set a first gear G1 and a second gear G2, the ratio between gears G1 and G2 being 10:1.

[0067] 13. Attach the smaller gear G1 to a motor shaft MS of a motor M and secure the motor to a motor stand ST.

[0068] 14. Now attach a belt B between gears G1 and G2 and so there is some tension on the belt.

[0069] 15. Finally, attach larger gear G2 to an end of dowel D and align gears G1, G2; again, allowing enough distance between the gears so there is a tension on belt B running between them.

[0070] 16. Set up digital multimeter DMM for use in recording test data when the dowel is spinning.

[0071] 17. Attach electrical connectors C1, C2 such as those having alligator clips between motor M and multimeter DMM.

[0072] 18. Set up multimeter DMM to act as a tachometer which measures motor speed during each trial.

[0073] 19. Wrap string S on dowel D around the dowel at the first 12 inch mark and then pull the string using a controlled force.

[0074] 20. Record the multimeter DMM measurements and the speed measured by the tachometer for each pull. Make sure the speeds produced are approximately the same for every trial. Do this 30 times.

[0075] 21. Repeat steps 19 and 20, 30 times for all 3 different string lengths (12 inches, 18 inches, and 24 inches) and record the appropriate data.

Results

[0076] Data taken at 4 revolutions per second (rps), based on the tachometer readings between each controlled pull for each set of 30 trials, is listed in the following chart.

TABLE-US-00001 12 inch string (V) 18 inch string (V) 24 inch string (V) 1 0.50 1.60 2.51 2 0.34 1.46 2.83 3 0.74 1.32 2.76 4 0.93 1.51 2.59 5 0.61 1.54 2.79 6 0.84 1.78 2.58 7 0.79 1.82 2.82 8 0.72 1.79 2.98 9 0.68 1.85 2.74 10 0.49 1.69 2.61 11 1.15 1.92 2.49 12 0.39 1.44 2.61 13 0.45 1.34 2.83 14 0.48 1.31 2.95 15 0.68 1.43 3.01 16 0.63 1.49 2.87 17 0.36 1.58 2.81 18 0.76 1.64 2.72 19 0.86 1.78 2.62 20 0.81 1.69 2.77 21 0.77 1.93 2.69 22 0.71 1.85 2.83 23 0.81 1.75 2.74 24 0.69 1.71 2.97 25 0.87 1.68 3.02 26 0.62 1.63 2.91 27 0.66 1.98 2.66 28 0.73 1.74 2.84 29 0.68 1.86 2.71 30 0.64 1.60 2.43

[0077] The average of the data from the 30 trials is:

TABLE-US-00002 12 inch string 18 inch string 24 inch string 0.68 V 1.66 V 2.76 V

[0078] The standard deviation of data from the 30 trials is:

TABLE-US-00003 12 inch string 18 inch string 24 inch string 0.178 0.186 0.156

[0079] The graphs shown in FIGS. 2-5 each depict test results obtained using different lengths of string; i.e., a 12 inch string in FIG. 2, and 18 inch string in FIG. 3, and a 24 inch string in FIG. 4. Each graph lists the number of trials on the x-axis and the energy produced (in Volts) for the trials is represented on the y-axis.

[0080] Finally, FIG. 5 is a bar graph of the averages of the 30 trails for each length of string pulled. The longest, 24 inch string, by far produces the most energy because of how many more rotations it has. The shorter pull, represented by the 12 inch string, produces the least energy due to its significantly fewer rotations.

Data Analysis

[0081] The results of this experiment demonstrate that using a device created to simulate a vehicle driving over a roller, more energy will be produced the longer the roller spins. The average amount of energy produced at the shortest distance of 12 inches was 0.68 V. The average amount of energy produced at the medium length of 18 inches was 1.66 V. Finally, the average amount of energy produced at the largest length of 24 inches was 2.76 V. This shows that more energy is generated if the roller is spun at longer times. In this case, the longer time is represented by the length of the markings on the string that each trial is to.

[0082] As set forth in the above graph, standard deviation of the results were 0.156, 0.178, and 0.186 for 24 inches, 12 inches, and 18 inches, respectively. The lower the standard deviation value is, the more accurate are the test results. Based on the results, the trials for 18 inches showed a slightly higher standard deviation. This result could be because the variation between trials was minimal resulting from the experiments being were carried out with controlled methods. That is, the test data was acquired with a digital tachometer to ensure the values being recorded accorded with the methods of testing. Any slight fluctuation in recording voltages could have resulted in any slight difference in the standard deviation.

[0083] Based on the results, the average amount of energy produced from each of these three distances increases as the distance and time increases. Friction of the ball bearings can play a huge factor on how many smooth revolutions can occur from the gears. The 10:1 ratio in the gears also helped generate more energy. Focusing on these aspects of the tests can help improve the performance and amount of energy that each rotation generates.

Experimental Error

[0084] Applicant notes that a few different factors that could have affected the results of this experiment. One of these, for example, was that the dowel used was wooden. It will be appreciated that while the testing was done to prove a concept, use of a wooden dowel may slow down the speed of the roller versus use of a dowel made of another material (i.e., metal or plastic) if tested on a road. It would be best to test more durable but lighter options such as a hollow metal rod, or plastic rod. Other possible reasons for the roller not performing as expected could be related to a lack of straightness of the dowel and any friction resulting from use of a wooden dowel. In future tests, a straighter dowel will be used and material with friction will be tested.

[0085] During the tests, sometimes the belt would come off of the gears and the alignment would have to be straightened. To prevent this from occurring in other trials, a cardboard platform or the like can be used. Another factor that could have affected the results is the paint roller that was used. Such a roller may have added excess weight or drag onto the dowel making the dowel harder to spin. Better materials will need to be tested when working with rollers.

[0086] In terms of recording results, some errors occurred when the voltage would fluctuate so often that the peak voltage may not have been properly recorded. In the future tests this can be fixed by using a digital voltmeter connected to recording software. The more these trials are recorded, the more information will be collected. There are many imperfections that will need to be fixed in the prototype to allow for a more meaningful and effective product.

CONCLUSION

[0087] In conclusion, the predicted hypothesis was supported by the testing. The prediction was that more energy will be produced if a generator spins for a longer period of time. This is true because the longer something is spun, the more times it will rotate, and if connected to a generator, produce energy. Another contributing factor to the amount of energy generated was the gear ratio used. If more gears or a larger gear ratio is used, the greater the number of turns made on the generator thereby producing more energy. This is something else to test out in the future.

[0088] Many things have been learned from the experiment whose purpose was to harness wasted potential energy from the use of a rotational roller coupled to an electrical generator. The underlying hypothesis was tested by making a device that could used in performing appropriate experiments.

[0089] In summary, the device was created by first using a saw to cut two wooden blocks to the same size. Then, the outline of two metal ball bearings was traced onto the blocks of wood. The wood was then drilled into where the tracings were marked. Inside of the resulting holes the bearings were hot glued and a wooden dowel was inserted through the centers of the bearings to check out the fitting. The wooden dowel was then removed and a paint roller was placed in the center of the dowel. Next, a motor and gears assembly was fabricated. For this purpose, a pulley unit kit was used and two gears and bands were chosen. The gears selected were of a 10:1 ratio. Finally, a string was loosely attached onto the wooden dowel so it could be tied up and released to test the energy amount. The string was marked from 12 to 24 inches in 6 inch increments and these markings were used to control the speed and turns for 30 trials.

[0090] The results of the experiment are that it is possible to harness wasted potential energy using a rotational roller. The longest string used during testing produced the greatest amount of energy, the medium string produced the second most amount of energy, and the shortest string produced the least amount of energy. This was as predicted. Importantly, the device created produced more energy than expected. As such, the high amounts of energy harnessed proved that this device and process could be an incredibly effective way of harnessing otherwise wasted potential energy. This experiment was designed to mimic of a car traversing a road. If this amount of energy produced was multiplied several times to effectively represent what would happen with a real, life size vehicle, then the amount of energy produced would be significant. There would be even more energy produced since traffic can be constant on a road. The implications of this project are vast and can prove to be very effective in generating great amounts renewable energy in the future.

[0091] In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects and advantages of the present invention have been achieved and other advantageous results have been obtained.

[0092] As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

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