Energy harvesting device for a transport vehicle

A vehicle, comprising:

• a vehicle chassis;
• a drive shaft;
• an energy harvesting device attached to the drive shaft, wherein the energy harvesting device comprises:
• an electric converter circuit, wherein the electric converter circuit comprises:
• an electric energy storage comprising an electrochemical battery and a super-capacitor bank,
• a first DC bus,
• an electronic brake controller,
• an electric generator connected to the first DC bus through the electronic brake controller,
• a second DC bus connected to the first DC bus through a DC/DC converter, wherein the first DC bus has a first voltage is lower than a second voltage of the second DC bus, and
• an inverter, wherein an input of the inverter is connected to the second DC bus and an output of the inverter is connected to an electrical load of the energy harvesting device
• a power take-off unit, wherein the power take-off unit comprises:
• a pivot plate with a single-point coupling and an arcuate slot coupling both for coupling to the vehicle chassis, wherein the pivot plate is rotatable about the single-point coupling around the arcuate slot coupling for aligning with the vehicle driveline shaft, wherein the electric generator is attached to the pivot plate,
• an electric generator pulley coupled to the electric generator and supported by the pivot plate,
• a shaft pulley,
• a shaft attachment for attaching the shaft pulley to the vehicle driveline shaft, and
• a belt connecting the electric generator pulley and the shaft pulley.

A method of retrofitting a transport vehicle with a driveline shaft, comprising:

• disconnecting an end of the vehicle driveline shaft;
• attaching an energy harvesting device to vehicle, the energy harvesting device comprising:
• an electric converter circuit, wherein the electric converter circuit comprises:
• an electric energy storage comprising an electrochemical battery and a super-capacitor bank,
• a first DC bus,
• an electronic brake controller,
• an electric generator connected to the first DC bus, through the electronic brake controller,
• a second DC bus connected to the first DC:
• bus through a DC/DC converter, wherein the first DC bus has a first voltage is lower than a second voltage of the second DC bus, and
• an inverter, wherein an input of the inverter is connected to the second DC bus and an output of the inverter is connected to an electrical load of the energy harvesting device;
• and
• a power take-off unit, wherein the power lake-off unit comprises:
• a pivot plate with a single-point coupling and an arcuate slot coupling, both for coupling to the vehicle chassis, wherein the pivot plate is rotatable about the single-point coupling around the arcuate slot coupling for aligning with the vehicle driveline shaft, wherein the electric generator is attached to the pivot plate,
• an electric generator pulley coupled to the electric generator and supported by the pivot plate,
• a shaft pulley,
• a shaft attachment for attaching the shaft pulley to the vehicle driveline shaft, and
• a belt connecting the electric generator pulley and the shaft pulley;
• wherein the step of attaching the energy harvesting device to the vehicle comprises:
• coupling the pivot plate to the vehicle chassis, and
• attaching the shaft pulley to the vehicle driveline shaft;
• and
• reconnecting the vehicle driveline shaft.