BACKGROUND:

In today's world one of the most significant problems faced by the nations all over the globe is the scarcity of power. It is obvious that any countries' development/growth is greatly dependent on the availability of power. The fast growth is reflected by the infrastructure levels. To efficiently utilize the available space, we have to construct multi-storied buildings and in such buildings, elevators play an important role. The motion of the elevator is not utilized in an effective manner there by wasting enormous amount of energy. This invention illustrates three different, ecological and economical ways of generating electricity from the linear/rotational movement of certain parts of the elevator.

PRIOR ART:

There are some publications relevant to generation of electricity using elevator as a source. In the Indian patent application 1880/MUM/2006, the invention deals with generation of electricity using moving vehicles over a height from ground level interacting with an elevator. In the US Patent 6516922, the invention deals with emergency power source used to regulate the speed of descent of the elevator cab. However, movement of certain parts of the elevator has not been used as source of power generation.

SUMMARY:

Our inventions deal with generation of electricity using the movement of certain parts of the elevator (lift) i.e. converting the available kinetic energy to useful electrical energy in an effective, efficient and ecological manner.

4. DESCRIPTION

This invention illustrates three different, ecological and economical methods of generating electricity from the rotational/linear movement of the elevator parts (Main Shaft, Guide rollers and Car body), which are as detailed below (Ref to Fig 1 to 4).

Figure 1 represents the general view of the elevator. Three methods have been employed to generate electricity from the linear/rotational movement of certain parts of the elevator thereby converting abundant kinetic energy to useful electrical energy. An electrical motor (10) is used to drive the main shaft (2) through a belt drive (3). The rotation of the main shaft (2) in turn rotates the pulley (1) which is located on the main shaft (2) and thereby helps in lifting the car body (6) using a rope (5). The guide bars (8) and the guide rollers (7) help the car body (6) to slide in a defined axis thus converting the rotary motion of the guide rollers (7) to linear motion of the car body
(6).The entire elevator assembly is held firm with the help of support bars (4).

Method A: Generation of electricity from the main shaft.
Method B: Generation of electricity from the guide rollers.
Method C: Generation of electricity from bellows.
Method A: Generation of Electricity using rotational motion of the main shaft - Fig. 2 The main shaft of the elevator is connected to the electrical motor with the help of pulleys and ropes. The electrical motor provides the necessary energy to lift the car body of the elevator. The main shaft is linked to a secondary shaft with the help of Pinion (on the main shaft) and Gear (on the secondary shaft) assembly. The secondary shaft is connected to a dynamo. Any movement of the elevator main shaft results in rotation of the secondary shaft (as it is connected to the main shaft). The rotational speed of the secondary shaft is higher than that of the main shaft due to an increase in gear ratio. The dynamo connected to the secondary shaft thus generates electricity with any movement of the main shaft of the elevator.

Figure 2 represents the three dimensional view of the assembly which is used to generate electricity from rotation of the main shaft (2). The main shaft (2) is connected to the secondary shaft (11) through a Gear-Pinion assembly (13). The secondary shaft (11) rotates at a higher speed due to an increase in gear ratio. The bearing (12) provides the necessary support to the secondary shaft (11). A dynamo (14) is mounted on the secondary shaft (11) which generates electricity when the secondary shaft (12) rotates. To illustrate this, a bulb (15) is connected to a dynamo (14) which glows when the secondary shaft (11) rotates inside the dynamo (14). This entire assembly is placed over the support stand (16).

Method B: Generation of Electricity using rotational motion of the guide rollers - Fig. 3
The guide wheels of the elevator are interconnected by a shaft and in turn this shaft is mated with a secondary shaft through gear-pinion assembly. The secondary shaft is stabilized with the help of a support and bearings. Any movement of the elevator car body (upward/downward) results in the rolling of the guide wheels and the shaft interconnected to the guide wheels. The secondary shaft containing the gear rotates at a higher speed due to an increase in gear ratio. A dynamo is connected to the secondary shaft which generates electricity whenever the secondary shaft rotates.

Figure 3 represents the three dimensional view of the assembly which is used to generate electricity from the rotational movement of the guide rollers (7). As the car body (6) moves upward or downward, the guide rollers (7) rotate simultaneously. The guide rollers (7) are inter-connected via a roller shaft (18) and this roller shaft is in turn connected to a secondary shaft through a gear-pinion assembly (17). Hence the guide rollers (7), roller shaft (18), gear-pinion assembly (17) and the secondary shaft (22) rotate as and when the car body moves. The secondary shaft (22) rotates at a higher speed due to an increase in gear ratio. The secondary shaft (22) is supported by bearings (23) which in turn are supported by a support stand (21). A dynamo (19) is mounted on the seconded shaft (22) which generates electricity when the secondary shaft (22) rotates. To illustrate this, a bulb (20) is connected to a dynamo (14) which glows when the secondary shaft (11) rotates inside the dynamo (14).

Method C: Generation of Electricity using expansion and compression of bellow - Fig. 4
A bellow is fixed at the bottom of the cabin car very intact such that there is no air leakage through the bellow. The bottom of the bellow is provided with two pipes/tubes which work as the inlet and the outlet. When the elevator ascends, the air is sucked form the air reservoir through the inlet tube and when the elevator descends, the pressurized air is released through the outlet tube. The inlet and the outlet tubes consist of check valves to prevent the air flow in the opposite directions. The cracking pressure of the check valve at the outlet tube is comparatively higher and there by helps in building the air pressure while throwing out the air. This pressurized air is then made to impinge on to the turbine blades via a nozzle there by causing the rotation of the turbine blades. A dynamo is connected to the turbine shaft which in turn generates electricity.

Figure 4 represents the three dimensional view of the assembly which is used to generate electricity from expansion and compression of the bellow {9).The bellow (9) is fixed at the bottom of the car body (6). Air pressurized above the atmospheric pressure is stored in the air reservoir (31). When the elevator car body ascends, the bellow expands and hence sucks air from the air reservoir (31) through the inlet tube (26) and when the elevator car body descends, the air trapped inside the bellow is thrown out through the outlet tube (27). An inlet check valve (24) and an outlet check valve (25) placed inside the inlet and the outlet tubes respectively ensure that there is no air flow in the opposite directions. The outlet check valve (25) has a greater value of cracking pressure and helps in building the pressure. This compressed air passes through the nozzle
(28) and impinges on the turbine blades (30) which in turn rotate. These turbine blades (30) rotate the turbine shaft to which a DC dynamo (32) is connected and hence generating electricity. To illustrate this, a bulb (33) is connected to the turbine shaft which glows whenever the turbine shaft rotates. The turbine blades (30) are covered by a turbine casing (29) which defines the flow path of the air, back to the air reservoir (31).

This method is constrained with respect to the height of the bellow. This method can be implemented effectively only up to a certain height of the elevator based on the depth of the pit dug at the bottom of the elevator well and the material of the bellow used.

In all the above three methods, the electricity generated can be used for various purposes such as lighting inside the cabin car, charging a battery etc. To conclude, these methods would turnout to be an ecological and economical way of producing electricity.

The above invention can be implemented in various application I areas like Multilevel car parking systems, Weigh bridges. Goods conveyors (both horizontal and vertical) in industrial applications. Land rides in amusement parks and Heavy Cranes in industrial applications.

1/ We claim -

(1) With the present invention, electricity can be generated using kinetic energy of certain parts of the elevator while it is in motion, by partially converting kinetic energy (of rotational motion) of main shaft (referred as method A), guide rollers (referred as Method B) and using compression and expansion of the bellow placed below the car body of the elevator (referred as Method C).

(2) Method A referred in claim (1) ,involves connecting a secondary shaft to the main shaft of the elevator, through a gear-pinion assembly, with suitable gear ratio to increase the rotational speed of the secondary shaft, with proper mounting on bearings, and further connecting a dynamo, of suitable capacity, to secondary shaft.

(3) Due to rotation of the main shaft, the secondary shaft referred in claim (2), rotates at higher speed (RPM) which in turn leads to generation of electricity by the dynamo connected to it.

(4) Method-B referred in claim (1), involves connecting guide rollers on either side by shaft referred as roller shaft, further connecting roller shaft to a secondary shaft through gear-pinion assembly with suitable gear ratio to increase the rotational speed of the secondary shaft, with proper mounting on suitable bearings, and further connecting a dynamo to secondary shaft.

(5) Due to upward and downward movement of the car body, the secondary shaft, referred in claim (4), rotates at high speed (RPM) which in turn leads to generation of electricity by the dynamo connected to it.

(6) Method-C, referred in claim (1), involves fitment of large bellow below the car body of the elevator, with provision for suction (during upward movement of the car body) and compression (during downward movement of the car body) of air, through check valves (non return valves) provided at inlet and outlet piping of air.

(7) Further, Method-C, referred in claim (1), involves providing a nozzle at the end of the outlet tube, fitment of the turbine facing the nozzle and further connecting the dynamo of suitable capacity, to the turbine.

(8) Due to downward movement of the car body, the compressed air from the bellow, referred in claim (6), is forced out of the nozzle and impinges on turbine blades making them to rotate at high speeds (RPM), which in turn leads to the generation of electricity by the dynamo connected to turbine shaft.

(9) The electricity generated by any of these methods, referred in claim (1) can be utilized for charging of batteries which in turn can be used for various purposes.