FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and a device for generating electricity from liquid fuel; specifically, the present invention relates to a novel generator that supplies DC voltage from petroleum-based fuel input.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Model vehicles such as remotely controlled airplanes, boats or cars have become the trend. The appearance of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs, known as drones) and wireless communication have converted a simple pastime into an industry with millions of followers.

Most vehicles use electric motors to obtain thrust. Electric motors are reliable, durable and highly efficient and, from an energy viewpoint, are the best option for small vehicles. There is a reality that limits the use of electric motors: they are powered by batteries. The batteries used in these vehicles are generally small and manufactured from lithium polymers or similar technologies, are small, dense, heavy and low-energy; therefore, the flight time of the vehicles is usually less than one hour.

Prior to the use of electric motors, model vehicles used internal combustion motors actuated by petrol or other petroleum derivatives. Since these fuels have more energy per mass than batteries, these models were mainly limited by the size of their fuel tank. Recent developments in the field of electrical converters and small-sized generators offer new alternatives to solve these problems.

US Patent Application No. 2004/0075420 discloses a dynamo-based system to light up a bicycle light. It uses a converter to regulate voltage output from the system. It is designed to convert the energy generated by the movement of the tyre rim into electricity.

US Patent No. 6,608,393 discloses a device or method for converting energy from fuels into electricity. The device uses permanent magnets wherein the generator shaft is connected to an internal combustion engine supplied by a fuel tank. The present invention overcomes and improves the aforementioned limitations, on providing dynamos instead of permanent magnets to convert the energy stored in fossil fuels into electricity. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a device and method for converting the energy stored in liquid fuels into electricity in model-sized vehicles. The device is composed of a glow spark plug motor that receives fuel from a tank; the shaft of the glow spark plug motor is connected to a dynamo that generates DC voltage. The dynamo is connected to a DC/DC converter that makes it possible to stabilise voltage output.

An objective of the present invention is to disclose a device that converts energy from fossil fuels into electricity.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a compact, small device that can be installed in the chassis of a model-sized vehicle.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a device that uses glow spark plugs for the combustion of liquid fuels.

Yet an even further objective of the present invention is to provide a device that converts mechanical energy into electricity by means of a dynamo. Yet an even further objective of the present invention is to provide a method for converting energy from liquid fuels into electricity.

It shall be understood that the following brief description and the subsequent detailed description are solely illustrative and explanatory, due to which they do not limit the invention as claimed. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which from part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic flow diagram indicating the components of the device that perform the conversion of energy according to the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a general top view of an embodiment of the device described in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Following are detailed examples included in the (?) in reference to the examples of embodiments of a device such as that described in this invention. The following descriptions of the embodiments relate to the attached drawings; the numbers, located in the various illustrations, indicate the same component or a similar component. It should be noted that the implementations shown in the examples are not the only possible implementations of the invention as described. Moreover, they are better examples that adapt consistently to that claimed.

The drawings are not made to scale. The position, location, size and layout of the components of the device described in FIG. 2 are not mandatory but rather illustrative. The present specification is intended to provide a sufficient description so that the person skilled in the art can build the device and understand how it works.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic flow diagram indicating the components of the device that execute the energy conversion method according to the present invention. The arrows indicate the energy flow, which goes from one component to another. Liquid fuel is stored in the fuel tank 1 , which is subsequently supplied to a glow spark plug motor 3 by gravity or any other well-defined manner. The glow spark plug motor 3 must be started up, due to which a starter 3 must be provided. This starter 2 may require a battery system to enable its autonomous operation. The glow spark plug motor 3 is now operational and the shaft 10 rotates according to the output power envisaged by the motor 3. The shaft 10 is coupled to the dynamo 4 that transforms rotational energy into electricity. The nature of the generation of electricity from mechanical rotational energy, such as that carried out herein by the dynamo, is susceptible to variations in voltage in the terminals 9. In order to provide stable voltage, the dynamo terminals 9 are connected to a DC/DC converter 5, wherein said converter 5 reduces the level of voltage generated so as to allow stable voltage in the output terminals 7.

FIG. 2 shows a view of a possible embodiment of an electric generator such as that described herein. The described device is composed of a liquid fuel tank 1 , a glow spark plug motor 3, a motor starter 2, a dynamo 4 coupled to a glow spark plug motor 3 and a DC/DC converter 5 connected to the dynamo 4 output. The glow spark plug motor 3 can heat up; consequently, other components can become heated up to a dangerous temperature or that prevents its operation, due to which a thermal insulation layer 6 is disposed between the glow spark plug motor 3 and the fuel tank 1. The fuel is dispensed to the motor 3 by means of a tube 8. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to the person skilled in the art and from the considerations of this specification and practice of the invention described herein. This application is performed with the intention of covering variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following the general principles specified herein. It can be observed that the described invention cannot be built solely as described and as represented in the attached drawings, and that changes can be made without detracting from the idea described herein. The scope of the invention is intended to be that described by the following claims.