Marigo round (Actual Working)

 continue.............

                As illustrated in FIG. 1, an electricity generating playground device, indicated generally at , is shown in accordance with the present invention for generating electricity when children play on the playground device. The playground device can be a merry-go-round, a teeter totter, a zip line, a witches hat, a pedal car, a windmill, a ratcheting spin sled, a whirly bird, a spring horse, a tire swing, a climbing wall, a bicycle, a treadmill, and the like. Additionally, the playground device  can have a cyclically movable part , an electricity generator  , and a duty cycle controller, indicated generally at .

              The cyclically movable part  can be moved in reciprocal or repetitive cycle by children playing on the playground device  . For example, in the case of a merry-go-round, the cyclically movable part can be a rotatable upper deck that can be turned by children pushing on the deck. Additionally, in the case of a zip line, the cyclically movable part can be pulley that can have a line wrapped around the pulley so that when children travel downward on the line the line rotates the pulley. As another example, in the case of a teeter totter the cyclically movable part can be a ratcheted pivot that ratchets forward and rearward as the children push the teeter totter up and down.

              The electrical generator  can be operable coupled to the cyclically movable part  . The generator  can be operated by the cyclically movable part  so as to generate electricity when the cyclically movable part is moved through a repetitive motion. In one aspect, the generator  can be a permanent magnet generator and alternator that can have a low start up speed due to low cogging and resistive torque design. Additionally, the generator can be a gearless, direct drive, and low RPM generator, as known in the art.

             The duty cycle controller  can be operable coupled to the electricity generator  . The duty cycle controller  can convert a predetermined portion of the kinetic energy of the cyclically movable part  to usable electricity. The duty cycle controller  can include a voltage regulator  that can regulate the voltage of electricity generated by the generator . It will be appreciated that a consistent, regulated input voltage is optimal for charging a battery, and the voltage regulator  of the duty cycle controller  can regulate the voltage for battery charging needs. Additionally, the duty cycle controller  can include a pulse width modulator  coupled to the generator  . The pulse width modulator  can be programmable to control electrical current flow of the electricity generated by the generator  . In one aspect, the pulse width modulator of the duty cycle controller  can limit current generation to convert approximately ¼, or 25% of the kinetic energy of the cyclically movable part  to usable electricity.

             The playground device  can also include a battery  electrically coupled to the electricity generator  . The battery  can receive and store electricity from the electricity generator  . In one aspect, the battery  can be a 12 V lead acid battery, or a deep cycle RV or marine battery. In another aspect, the battery  can be a rechargeable valve regulated lead-acid battery with a gasified electrolyte. Other batteries, as known in the art can also be used, so long as the battery is rechargeable.

            It will be appreciated that as children play on the electricity generating playground device  , the children can move the cyclically movable part  in uneven and irregular cycles in a given unit of time. This can cause an irregular output from the generator  which can cause less than ideal conditions for charging a battery  . Additionally, as the activity level on the playground device  ebbs and flows, the frequency of complete cycling of the cyclically movable part  can fall below a minimum threshold for generating power from the generator  in which case the drag from the generator  can cause the cyclically movable part  to stop cycling or become difficult to move. Moreover, in an effort to generate as much electricity as possible from the play of the children on the playground device  , the generator can cause drag on the playground device that significantly dampens the free cycling or momentum driven cycling of the cyclically movable part  making the cyclically movable part difficult to move.

          These problems can cause children or adult supervisors to lose interest in the playground device  . For example, if the playground device is inefficient at producing electricity, adults supervisors may not view the device as anything more than a toy. Additionally, if the cyclically movable part  is difficult to move, children may view the playground device as a work tool instead of a toy, and, thus, choose to decrease energy expenditure on the device.

          Advantageously, the duty cycle controller  can provide solutions to these problems. For example, the voltage regulator  of the duty cycle controller  can regulate the voltage to the correct level for recharging the battery  . Additionally, the pulse width modulator  of the duty cycle controller  can limit the current generated by the generator  in order to limit the amount of kinetic energy from the cyclically movable part  that is converted to electricity. Thus, the duty cycle controller  can be programmed or set to limit the electrical current generation to a level approximately equal to about 25% of the kinetic energy expended by children playing on the playground device  . The inventors have found that by limiting the amount of current generated by the generator  to about 25% of the kinetic energy of children playing on the playground device allows for adequate electricity generation to charge the batteries  and does not induce so much drag or dampening on the playground device that operation of the cyclically movable part turns from fun to work for the children playing on the device.

        The playground device  can also include a charging station  that can be electrically coupled to the battery  . A portable lighting device  can be removable couple able to the charging station  in order to charge the lighting device  when the lighting device is stowed in the charging station  . The portable lighting device  can be removed from the charging station  and carried to a remote location away from the charging station in order to provide light to the remote location.