APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HYDRAULICALLY CONVERTING MOVEMENT OF A VEHICLE WHEEL TO ELECTRICITY FOR CHARGING A VEHICLE BATTERY

摘要

An apparatus and its method of operation hydraulically convert the relative movements between a vehicle wheel and a body of the vehicle to electricity, and use the electricity to recharge a battery of the vehicle. A generator is provided on the vehicle and a hydraulic motor is provided on the vehicle to rotate an input shaft of the generator. A double acting piston and cylinder assembly is operatively connected to each wheel of the vehicle, and each double acting piston and cylinder assembly is connected through a hydraulic circuit to the hydraulic motor. Movements of the vehicle wheels during operation of the vehicle cause reciprocating movements of each piston in each double acting piston and cylinder assembly. The reciprocating movements of the pistons pump liquid to the hydraulic motor and draw liquid from the hydraulic motor to cause operation of the hydraulic motor. The operation of the hydraulic motor drives the generator input shaft, which in turn produces electricity that is supplied to the vehicle battery to recharge the vehicle battery.