# US 8,148,832 B2 · Electric power generating system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,148,832 B2 - Document ID: US8148832B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/901,593 - Filed: 2010-10-11 - Published: 2011-02-03 - Granted: 2012-04-03 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-14 - Inventors: Jeffrey L. Cripps - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8148832B2 ## CPC - H02P 9/04: Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator - F03G 1/026: {using torsion springs} - F03G 6/001: {having photovoltaic cells} - Y02B 10/20: Solar thermal - Y02B 10/30: Wind power - Y02B 10/70: Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies - Y02E 10/30: Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient - Y02E 10/46: Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An electrical power generating system includes a spring system that stores stored energy, the spring system having an input for recharging the stored energy and an output for releasing the stored energy, wherein the spring system generates a monitor signal based on a status parameter of the spring system and wherein the spring system releases the stored energy in accordance with an output control signal. A generator converts the stored energy released by the spring system into electric power. A spring recharge module recharges the stored energy of the spring system in response to a recharge control signal, based on a supplemental source of power. A control module generates the recharge control signal and the output control signal, based on the monitor signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power generating system comprising: a spring system that stores stored energy, the spring system having an input for recharging the stored energy and an output for releasing the stored energy, wherein the spring system includes a sensor that generates a monitor signal based on a status parameter of the spring system and wherein the spring system releases the stored energy in accordance with an output control signal; a spring recharge module, coupled to the input of the spring system that includes means that operates based on input power from a supplemental energy source to recharge the stored energy of the spring system in response to a recharge control signal; and a control circuit, coupled to the spring system and the spring recharge unit, that generates the recharge control signal based on the monitor signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power generating system of claim 1 wherein the supplemental energy source includes a solar panel that converts solar energy to the input power. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power generating system of claim 1 wherein the supplemental energy source includes at least one of, a wind generator, a geothermal power system, a hydroelectric power system, and a tidal power system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power generating system of claim 1 wherein the supplemental energy source includes a waste water power generation system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power generating system of claim 1 wherein the spring recharge module includes a battery for storing the input power. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power generating system of claim 1 wherein the spring system output includes a drive shaft that turns at a rotational velocity, wherein the monitor signal indicates the rotation velocity, and wherein the control module generates the output control signal to control the rotation velocity to a substantially constant value. ### Claim 7 A method comprising: storing energy in a spring system having an input for recharging the stored energy and an output for releasing the stored energy; generating via a sensor, a monitor signal based on a status parameter of the spring system; releasing the stored energy in accordance with an output control signal; recharging the stored energy of the spring system m response to a recharge control signal, via a means that operates from an input power generated by a supplemental energy source; and generating via a control circuit, the recharge control signal, based on the monitor signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein recharging the stored energy of the spring system includes converting solar energy to the input power. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein recharging the stored energy of the spring system includes at least one of converting wind energy to the input power, converting waste water flow to the input power, converting water flow to the input power, converting geothermal energy to the input power, converting tidal energy to the input power. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein recharging the stored energy of the spring system includes storing the input power. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the spring system output includes a drive shaft that turns at a rotational velocity, wherein the monitor signal indicates the rotation velocity, and wherein the output control signal is generated by the control circuit to control the rotation velocity to a substantially constant value.