KS: Pedal Power -- Human Scale Energy For Everyday Tasks

[eneuro]

I've made today research in recent patent rights in diffrent countries and reading some WIPO based materials found out that in 2001 Kieron Loy patented something called "Pedal & Power" - pro ecologic cell phone charger what ever it means 
I was very supprised that on KickStarter we have something with simlar name but more that 10 years later diffrent "inventor"?
This thing has backers who payed $30k
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1510207830/pedal-power-human-scale-energy-for-everyday-tasks



Of course, with my car alternator teardown project and changed oryginal voltage regulator I'm probably  light years in the future, but I do not ever wanted to patent it

How do they found any backers for something like this while human power is up to 250W and reserved for sport athlets ? 

BTW: http://pedal-power.com/   

"We create pedal-powered machines"

[Zbig]

Boy, that sounds weird. In Polish, "pedal" is an offensive and derogatory way to call a gay male. And yes, we call that part of the bike this, too.

[eneuro]

Maybe it might sound strange like many other words in diffrent languages, but it looks like this Kieron Loy http://www.facebook.com/kieron.loy likes be surrounded by pretty women  as well as every man

Probably this is this patent (Nov 7, 2002) I was talking about given to Kieron Loy: Improvements in charging mobile phones
http://www.google.com/patents/WO2002089289A1?cl=en

And... 1/16 claims 
 

Claims.
1. A device for charging a mobile phone comprising an electrical generator, or dynamo, and means for generating electricity, such as direct current electricity, suitable for charging a mobile phone battery and an output enabling connection of the device to a mobile phone thereby to enable supply of electricity to the mobile phone, for example for recharging when the dynamo is in use.

But there are many related to this one like this: Bicycle lighting system and generator
http://www.google.com/patents/US5857762
 
It looks like that everyone who uses old fashion dynamo in his bike violates at least one of these patents listed in citations 
Hopefully, I do not use dynamo but.. car alternator 

[NiHaoMike]

Many have already done it. I even did one as part of a senior design project.
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/appliances-gadgets/325-building-pedal-power-bicycle-12-volt-generator-ghetto-style.html

What we really need is a portable version intended to charge portable electronics on the go.

[eneuro]

What we really need is a portable version intended to charge portable electronics on the go.

Do you mean crappy "smart" phones?  I'm not fan of using those devices
I used to use car alternator to charge main 12V electronics batteries in HPEV when we are far away from any 230VAC grid power supply and need some power to keep onboard navigation subsystems working including positional lights, artificial horizon, GPS, CB radio, etc.
Also powertrain batteries can be charged and in emergency with small speed and many pitstops one can finally find grid power supply and make full recharge