US 12,434,540 B2 · Transport power generator system

Abstract

A transport refrigeration system includes a transportation refrigeration unit; an energy storage device configured to provide electrical power to the transportation refrigeration unit; and an electric generation device 340 operably connected through a mechanical interface 370 to at least one of a wheel 364 of the transport refrigeration system and a wheel axle 365 of the transport refrigeration system; the mechanical interface includes: a first clutch mechanism 371 operable to selectively engage the electric generation device with at least one of the wheel and the wheel axle to generate electrical power to charge the energy storage device; and a second clutch mechanism 372, the second clutch mechanism is an overrunning clutch configured to disengage the electric generation device from the wheel and/or the wheel axle when a rotational velocity of the electric generation device is greater than a rotational velocity of the wheel and/or the wheel axle.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A transport refrigeration system comprising:

a transportation refrigeration unit;
an energy storage device configured to provide electrical power to the transportation refrigeration unit;
and
an electric generation device operably connected through a mechanical interface to at least one of a wheel of the transport refrigeration system and a wheel axle of the transport refrigeration system;
wherein the mechanical interface comprises:
a first clutch mechanism operable to selectively engage the electric generation device with at least one of the wheel and the wheel axle to generate electrical power to charge the energy storage device;
and
a second clutch mechanism, wherein the second clutch mechanism is an overrunning clutch configured to disengage the electric generation device from the wheel and/or the wheel axle when a rotational velocity of the electric generation device is greater than a rotational velocity of the wheel and/or the wheel axle.

5 more elements

A method of operating a transport refrigeration system, the method comprising:

powering a transportation refrigeration unit using an energy storage device;
charging the energy storage device using an electric generation device operably connected through a mechanical interface to at least one of a wheel of the transport refrigeration system and a wheel axle of the transport refrigeration system, wherein the mechanical interface comprises a first clutch mechanism and a second clutch mechanism, and wherein charging the energy storage device using the electric generation device comprises:
operating the first clutch mechanism to engage the electric generation device with the wheel and/or the wheel axle to generate electrical power;
and
when a rotational velocity of the electric generation device is greater than a rotational velocity of the wheel and/or the wheel axle, disengaging the electric generation device from the wheel and/or the wheel axle by the second clutch mechanism, wherein the second clutch mechanism is an overrunning clutch.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Transport power generator system

Life of this patent

Transport power generator system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15