Vehicle energy harvesting device having a continuous loop of shape memory alloy

A method of harvesting energy comprising:

• exposing localized regions of a shape memory alloy to heat exchange contact with a first region having a first temperature and a second region having a second temperature that is different from the first temperature, wherein the shape memory alloy has a crystallographic phase changeable between austenite and martensite in response to the temperature difference between the first region and the second region;
• expanding and contracting the localized regions of the shape memory alloy in response to the temperature difference between the first region and the second region;
• rotating at least one continuous loop of the shape memory alloy at least partially around a conduit located within the first region in response to expanding and contracting the localized regions of the shape memory alloy;
• rotating at least one pulley with the rotation of the shape memory alloy, and
• driving a component with the rotation of the at least one pulley;
• wherein exposing the localized regions of the shape memory alloy to heat exchange contact with the first region and the second region further comprises threading the at least one continuous loop of the shape memory alloy alternately through an interior of a plurality of inner pulleys and an exterior of a plurality of outer pulleys, wherein the plurality of inner pulleys and plurality of outer pulleys are rotatably mounted to a support in an alternating relationship to one another such that the plurality of inner pulleys are at least partially located in one of the first region and the second region, and the plurality of outer pulleys are at least partially located in the other of the first region and the second region,
• wherein exposing the localized regions of the shape memory alloy to heat exchange contact with the first region and the second region further comprises rotating the at least one continuous loop of the shape memory alloy around the conduit, the plurality of inner pulleys, and the plurality of outer pulleys rotatably mounted to a respective one of a plurality of lobes.

A vehicle comprising:

• a conduit for the vehicle;
• a first region having a first temperature, wherein the first region surrounds the conduit;
• a second region having a second temperature that is different from the first temperature, wherein the second region at least partially surrounds the first region;
• a heat engine configured for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy including:
• a support concentrically located about the conduit;
• a plurality of inner pulleys rotatably mounted to the support;
• a plurality of outer pulleys rotatably mounted to the support in an alternating relationship with the inner pulleys;
• at least one continuous loop of a shape memory alloy alternately threaded about an interior of the plurality of inner pulleys and an exterior of the outer pulleys surrounding the conduit;
• and
• wherein the shape memory alloy is disposed in heat exchange contact with each of the first region and the second region such that at least one of the plurality of inner pulleys and the plurality of outer pulleys is driven to rotate by the shape memory alloy in response to the temperature difference between the first region and the second region;
• and
• a component of the vehicle driven by the rotation of the at least one of the plurality of inner pulleys and the plurality of outer pulleys.