An energy harvesting apparatus 100 comprises a movable road component 106 that moves away from a raised position due to the weight of one or more vehicles. A link 108 is coupled to the movable road component and is movable between rigid and flexible configurations, In the rigid configuration the link transfers force from the movable road component to act as a work input. In the flexible configuration the link substantially isolates the movement of the movable road component to prevent the link from acting as a work input. The link may comprise first and second members 110, 112 coupled at a fixation point 114 and, in the rigid configuration, the first and second members are fixed relative to each other at the fixation point and, in the flexible configuration, the first and second members are movable relative to each other about the fixation point. A speed sensor may measure the speed of a vehicle and a controller may control an actuator 132 to selectively change the link from the flexible configuration to the rigid configuration in advance of the vehicle passing over the movable road component.
Energy harvesting road
2022-09-28
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
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