Reducing the energy consumption in a system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10079523-B2
Application number	US-201514953549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2015
Priority date	Jun 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A system comprises a device (300) for receiving and transporting objects and a generator (402). The device (300) has an adjusting mechanism (305, 306) and a base (304) that can be adjusted in height by means of the adjusting mechanism (305, 306). The adjusting mechanism (305, 306) is designed in such a way that the base (304) can be lowered by a weight of objects received. The adjusting mechanism (305, 306) is also able to be connected or is connected to the generator (402) in such a way that the generator (402) is driven and converts mechanical energy into electrical energy while the base (304) is being lowered.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising a transport carriage for receiving and transporting objects and a generator,
the transport carriage having a bag for being filled with objects and an adjusting mechanism,
the bag having a base that can be adjusted in height by means of the adjusting mechanism,
the adjusting mechanism comprising straps for gathering the bag and rollers for rolling up and unrolling the straps,
the straps and the rollers being designed in such a way that the base can be lowered by a weight of objects received, and,
at least one of the rollers being able to be connected or being connected to the generator in such a way that the generator is driven and converts mechanical energy into electrical energy while the base is being lowered.

2. The system according to claim 1 , the generator being one of arranged outside the transport carriage and comprised by the transport carriage.

3. The system according to claim 1 , the generator being arranged outside the transport carriage and the system also comprising
at least one guiding element designed for guiding the transport carriage to a prescribed position, at which the at least one roller can be connected to the generator; and/or
at least one connecting element designed for fixing the transport carriage at a prescribed position, at which the at least one roller can be connected to the generator.

4. The system according to claim 1 , the generator providing the electrical energy in that it feeds the energy into a power supply system.

5. The system according to claim 1 , the generator having a brake and the generator being connected or being able to be connected to the at least one roller in such a way that the base is only lowered by the weight of objects received when the brake is released.

6. The system according to claim 5 , also comprising at least one sensor for monitoring a height of the objects received and a control unit, the control unit being designed to release the brake in dependence on an output signal of the sensor.

7. The system according to claim 6 , the at least one sensor being fastened to the transport carriage and the generator being arranged outside the transport carriage, and the system also comprising communication means for transmitting a signal based on an output signal of the sensor to the control unit.

8. The system according to claim 1 , also comprising a motor, the motor being connected or being able to be connected to the adjusting mechanism in such a way that the base can be raised by means of the motor.

9. A transport carriage for receiving and transporting objects comprising a bag for being filled with objects and an adjusting mechanism,
the bag having a base that can be adjusted in height by means of the adjusting mechanism,
the adjusting mechanism comprising straps for gathering the bag and rollers for rolling up and unrolling the straps,
the straps and the rollers being designed in such a way that the base can be lowered by a weight of objects received, and
the adjusting mechanism being designed for connecting at least one of the rollers to a generator in such a way that the generator is driven while the base is being lowered.

10. The transport carriage according to claim 9 , the generator being arranged outside the transport carriage and the transport carriage also comprising at least one connecting element designed for fixing the transport carriage at a prescribed position, at which the at least one roller can be connected to the generator.

11. The transport carriage according to claim 9 , the generator being arranged outside the transport carriage, the generator having a brake and the generator being connected or being able to be connected to the at least one roller in such a way that the base is only lowered by the weight of objects received when the brake is released, and the transport carriage also comprising at least one sensor for monitoring a height of the objects received and communication means for transmitting a signal based on an output signal of the sensor to a control unit, which is designed to release the brake in dependence on an output signal of the sensor.

12. A method comprising:
transferring a mechanical energy occurring at an adjusting mechanism of a transport carriage for receiving and transporting objects to a generator, the transport carriage comprising a bag for being filled with objects and the adjusting mechanism comprising straps for gathering the bag and rollers for rolling up and unrolling the straps, when a base of the bag that can be adjusted in height by means of the adjusting mechanism is being lowered as a result of a weight of objects received, wherein at least one of the rollers is connected to the generator in such a way that the generator is driven while the base is being lowered; and
converting the mechanical energy into electrical energy by the generator.

13. The method according to claim 12 , the generator being arranged outside the transport carriage.

14. The method according to claim 13 , also comprising
guiding the transport carriage to a prescribed position, at which the at least one roller can be connected to the generator, by means of at least one guiding element; and/or
fixing the transport carriage at a prescribed position, at which the at least one roller can be connected to the generator, by means of at least one connecting element.

15. The method according to claim 12 , also comprising feeding of the electrical energy provided by the generator into a power supply system.

16. The method according to claim 12 , the generator having a brake and the generator being connected or being able to be connected to the at least one roller in such a way that the base is only lowered by the weight of objects received when the brake is released.

17. The method according to claim 16 , also comprising monitoring a height of the objects received by means of at least one sensor and releasing the brake by means of a control unit in dependence on an output signal of the sensor.

18. The method according to claim 17 , the at least one sensor being fastened to the transport carriage and the generator being arranged outside the transport carriage, and the method comprising transmitting a signal based on an output signal of the sensor to the control unit.

19. The method according to claim 12 , also comprising raising the base by means of a motor connected to the adjusting mechanism.

20. The method according to claim 12 , the objects received being objects provided in a system and the method comprising automatic filling of the transport carriage with the objects discharged in the system.

Assignees

• Hartmann Bernd
• Deutsche Post Ag

Inventors

• Hartmann Bernd

Classifications

• B65H2601/525

  Cost of application or use, e.g. energy, consumable · CPC title

• H02K7/18 Primary

  Structural association of electric generators with mechanical driving motors, e.g. with turbines · CPC title

• B65H31/12

  Devices relieving the weight of the pile or permitting or effecting movement of the pile end support during piling · CPC title

• B65H2403/946

  Means for restitution of accumulated energy, e.g. flywheel, spring · CPC title

• B65H31/10 Primary

  and applied at the top of the pile · CPC title