Abstract: A solar disk light has a central body and an annular shelf surrounding the central body and attached to the central body by one or more struts, defining a gap between an inner surface of the annular shelf and the central body. LEDs are disposed on the annular shelf. The central body has solar cells for harvesting solar energy and detecting ambient light. The central body contains a rechargeable battery for storing harvested solar energy, a switch, and wiring and driver electronics for operably connecting the solar cells, battery, switch, and LEDs. A translucent shell is on the disk light body, covering the annular shelf and LEDs, such that light emitted by the LEDs shines through the shell. The shell has an opening for receiving the central body such that the solar cells are not covered by the shell, the shell having an inner wall received in the gap.

Abstract: The current disclosure teaches and describes a generator assembly and related hand crank devices. One embodiment of the device may include a traditional generator, a handle and a crank link. The crank link is rotatably connected to the handle in a perpendicular position. A user may hold the handle and wield the hand crank device to make the crank link rotate around the handle like a clock hand, enabling the generator to provide power to the hand crank device. Such wielding motion may also be driven by other forces. The current design allows the user to charge the device with only one hand and with ease. In addition, the “functioning” components of the current hand crank device may be housed in or attached to either the handle or crank link, or both. Other components may also be introduced to make the generator assembly more efficient and easy to use.

Abstract: The current disclosure teaches and describes a generator assembly and related hand crank devices. One embodiment of the device may include a traditional generator, a handle and a crank link. The crank link is rotatably connected to the handle in a perpendicular position. A user may hold the handle and wield the hand crank device to make the crank link rotate around the handle like a clock hand, enabling the generator to provide power to the hand crank device. Such wielding motion may also be driven by other forces. The current design allows the user to charge the device with only one hand and with ease. In addition, the “functioning” components of the current hand crank device may be housed in or attached to either the handle or crank link, or both. Other components may also be introduced to make the generator assembly more efficient and easy to use.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for determining an aerodynamic drag area CxA of a moving vehicle, for example a bicycle, in dependence upon the airflow yaw direction and speed without the use of a wind tunnel. The vehicle is equipped with sensors for collecting time-stamped values indicative of the vehicle speed, propulsion force, airflow speed and yaw angle of the airflow at various points during the trip. The trip data are then processed using successively refined hypotheses regarding the CxA(yaw) dependence to generate a plurality of elevation profiles for the travelled path. The generated elevation profiles are then evaluated based on available route elevation information to select a correct dependence of the aerodynamic drag area upon the yaw angle of the airflow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for determining an aerodynamic drag area CxA of a moving vehicle, for example a bicycle, in dependence upon the airflow yaw direction and speed without the use of a wind tunnel. The vehicle is equipped with sensors for collecting time-stamped values indicative of the vehicle speed, propulsion force, airflow speed and yaw angle of the airflow at various points during the trip. The trip data are then processed using successively refined hypotheses regarding the CxA(yaw) dependence to generate a plurality of elevation profiles for the travelled path. The generated elevation profiles are then evaluated based on available route elevation information to select a correct dependence of the aerodynamic drag area upon the yaw angle of the airflow.