Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
416132000 | Sectional, staged or nonrigid working member | 30 |
20080304966 | CONCEALED ROTARY FAN - The concealed rotary fan includes a rotary vane, a drive motor and a base. The drive motor is assembled into the base. The first end of the drive motor with the revolving shaft can be assembled onto a front support in a rotary state. The second end of the drive motor is fitted with a crank link, the first end of which can be driven to make the second end rotate. The second end is screwed onto a pivot point on to the base. When the revolving shaft of the drive motor rotates, the second end of the crank link will rotate synchronously, enabling the drive motor and revolving shaft to rotate axially and obliquely along with the rotary vane. Thus, the rotary fan allows automatic change of the outlet direction through the axial rotation of the rotary vane, the outlet area being expanded to improve the actual applicability. | 12-11-2008 |
20090047131 | Electrical Generation Device - Turbine Rotor Shape For Electrical Power Generation From Moving Fluid - An electrical generation device includes a turbine rotor for electrical power generation, preferably underwater, from moving fluid, preferably water currents or the wind. The turbine rotor includes turbine blades that include flexible portions, preferably mounted at the edges of stiff portions of the turbine blades. | 02-19-2009 |
20090180879 | Flexible Impeller Apparatus and Method - Embodiments of the invention provide an impeller assembly having a flexible impeller and a method of replacing a removable drive mechanism. The impeller assembly includes an impeller having an outer portion defining a substantially cylindrical shape, at least one flexible blade extending radially outward from the outer portion, and a first bore extending a first axial length. The impeller assembly also includes a tubular insert supported at least partially within the first bore. The tubular insert has a second bore defining a substantially cylindrical shape with a first radial distance from an axis passing through the center of the impeller, and a key portion radially extending from the second bore. The key portion defines a second radial distance from the axis larger than the first radial distance. | 07-16-2009 |
20090180880 | CHECK VALVE TURBINE - A check valve turbine assembly includes an assembly base, a vertical member rotatable relative to the base, and a sail assembly attached to the vertical member, wherein the sail assembly has a frame with parallel horizontal airfoil members and parallel vertical airfoil members, a sub frame connected to the horizontal and vertical airfoil members, and a plurality of flaps rotatably attached to the sub frame. In another aspect of the disclosure a turbine assembly includes an assembly base, a vertical member rotatable relative to the base, and at least one flexible sail assembly attached to the vertical member. In another aspect of the disclosure, a turbine system includes a a floating platform, a generator, a gearbox connected to the generator; and a check valve turbine assembly that drives the gearbox. Another aspect of the disclosure includes a check valve assembly with a longitudinal center section and a wing section. | 07-16-2009 |
20090202349 | Self-Assembly Micro Fan - A self-assembly micro fan includes a body, a plurality of blades and flexible joints, with any one of the blades being connected to the body by one of the flexible joints while each flexible joint is regarded as a pivot to move the blade connected therewith to have an angle relative to a radial direction of the body. Besides, each of the flexible joints has plural link members or at least one link member and extension member to provide variable types of shape of the micro fans, so that the air driving efficiency of the self-assembly micro fan is improved. | 08-13-2009 |
20100074751 | Omni-directional turbine and method - The invention teaches a turbine capable of receiving wind power and transferring wind power into mechanical energy, and capable of coupling with a generator. The turbine includes a generally flat horizontally mountable support plate capable of rotation about a central axis, the support plate having a plurality of pivot modifications located proximate to an outside circumference, and vanes coupled to the support plate at the pivot modification, each vane having a vane shaft coupled between a pivot modification on the first support plate and a pivot modification on a cap plate, each vane supported by a first rib and a second rib having an exterior edge defined as the exterior circumference edge of the head and the interior circumference edge of the tail, and a material attached between the exterior of the first rib and the exterior of the second rib. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b). | 03-25-2010 |
20110243736 | JOINT SLEEVE FOR A ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY OF A WIND TURBINE - A joint sleeve for assembling together a first blade section and a second blade section of a rotor blade assembly is disclosed. The joint sleeve may include an outer surface and an inner surface defining a cavity. The cavity may be configured to receive a joint end of the first blade section and a joint end of the second blade section. The joint sleeve may also include a plurality of openings defined between the outer and inner surfaces. The openings may be configured to receive fasteners for securing the joint ends of the first and second blade sections within the cavity. Additionally, a profile of the outer surface may be configured to generally correspond to an aerodynamic profile of the first and second blade sections such that a substantially continuous aerodynamic profile is defined between the first and second blade sections when the joint ends are inserted within the cavity. | 10-06-2011 |
20110008167 | Hinged Sail Vertical-Axis Wind Generator for Residential Ground Operation - A ground-level vertical-axis wind generator introduces the use of reverse push-away hinges and soft sails specifically made for safe operation in a residential environment. The concave sails harness the wind energy, each one tensioned between two curved support arms, which connect to the central rotor via butt hinges. These hinges and soft sails yield safety to allow the wind generator to operate at ground level. The rotor drives an alternator included in the support structure of the wind generator via a gear assembly. The alternator generates the electricity and a direct current to alternating current power inverter converts the electrical current to match that of the residential utility grid. No installation is required; instead, it operates at ground-level in the backyard, which makes this safe and easy-to-assemble invention a cost effective alternative to harnessing free energy. | 01-13-2011 |
20130115086 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A vertical axis wind turbine may comprise a plurality of sail members arranged about a substantially vertical axis of rotation, the sail members having first ends converging to and rotatably supported at a substantially single point, and second ends coupled to a base member substantially aligned with the axis of rotation. A vertical axis wind turbine system may comprise a plurality of sail members having first ends converging to a single point along an axis of rotation, second ends coupled with a base member, and a generator configured to convert kinetic energy from the rotating plurality of sail members and the base member into electrical energy. An array of vertical axis wind turbines may comprise a plurality of vertical axis wind turbines arranged in a predetermined configuration and coupled through common support structure. | 05-09-2013 |
20130272881 | FLEXIBLE PROPELLER AND USES FOR SMALL VESSELS - The present invention relates to a flexible propeller that has the feature of generating propulsive force in only one direction, irrespective of the direction of rotation. The flexible propeller may be used in a mechanism similar to a sterndrive, being actuated by two cables and that are wound around a threaded spindle on the sterndrive shaft, one clockwise and the other anticlockwise, and capable of being actuated alternately longitudinally, causing the flexible propeller to rotate in alternate directions, first in one direction and then in the other. The sterndrive in turn may be used in compact structures that can be fitted to catamarans, kayaks or other types of small vessels, without the need for major alterations to the original vessel. | 10-17-2013 |
20140356168 | CENTRIFUGAL FAN IMPELLER WITH VARIABLE SHAPE FAN BLADES AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY - In one aspect, a flexible fan blade for use in a centrifugal fan impeller having at least one of a rear plate and a front plate with an air inlet is provided. The flexible fan blade comprises a fixed central portion fixedly coupled to at least one of the front plate and the rear plate of the centrifugal fan impeller. The flexible fan blade also includes a trailing edge extending from the fixed central portion and being moveable between a first position and a second position. The trailing edge is fabricated from a compliant material. Furthermore, the trailing edge is flexible in relation to the fixed central portion between a first position and a second position. The flexible fan blade also includes a leading edge extending from the fixed central portion in opposed relation to the trailing edge. | 12-04-2014 |
20160003219 | Apparatus for converting wind into circular mechanical motion - Pocket and cup sails formed from flexible materials, especially such sails formed with excess material, have spar like supports attached at their deepest point to maintain the depth of the said sails when the wind fills them so that the sails expand to maximize resistance to the wind coming into the openings of the sails and so that the sails deflate when the wind is coming from the back of the sails to minimize resistance to the wind, the said sails being attached to rotor arms on rotary devices to provide torque, the torque being used to rotate decorative structures including the sails themselves, generate electricity, bring airplane tires up to speed before landing, and/or measure wind speed, and sails optionally having cuffs on the inside to help the sails inflate and/or maintain inflation by minimizing spillage of air. | 01-07-2016 |
20080226451 | Wedge shaped wind boosters - A plurality of wedge shaped wind boosters on the interior of the curved panel wind sails of a vertical axis windmill, located on a vertical steel tower producing power produced by the electric generator located in the generating room of tower at ground level. | 09-18-2008 |
20080267777 | Modified Darrieus Vertical Axis Turbine - A lift-type turbine comprising at least three blades at circumferentially spaced positions is supported for rotation about a vertical axis. Each blade has an airfoil shape to generate a torque about the axis responsive to wind across the blades. A support comprising cables under tension is connected between adjacent ones of the blades to extend generally circumferentially about the turbine. Accordingly a minimum number of parts form the structure of the blades while minimizing the drag produced during rotation thereof due to the support members lying in a common circumferential path. The tension of the support members can support the blades in a pre-stressed condition to optimize the shape and performance thereof. | 10-30-2008 |
20090074577 | VERTICAL AXIS SAIL-TYPE WINDMILL POWER TRANSFER DEVICE - This invention relates to a vertical axis sail-type windmill power transfer device for efficiently harvesting wind power by increasing the effective surface of interaction with the wind where the sails are formed by a plurality of pairs of blades permanently attached to freely rotating horizontal rods penetrating the vertical output shaft with pivot offset of the center of the weight which causes the blades to self-adjust when impacted by wind so that one blade assumes a driving position while the other—a leeward position. The invention has a modular-type structure which permits for a variety of configurations and allows for photovoltaic cells to be placed on the blades in order to complement the production of wind energy with solar energy. | 03-19-2009 |
20090180878 | GENERATION OF POWER - According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a turbine including—a plurality of adjacent rotors, —each rotor including a pair of opposed balanced arms, each arm extending on either side of a central axis—the rotors being provided in adjacent array along the central axis with each rotor being provided in its own plane perpendicular to the central axis. Each rotor may include a plurality of hinged panels or vanes. The panels or vanes may have an aerofoil shape to assist in permitting fluid to pass over and between the panels or vanes and to provide an amount of lift because of the aerofoil shape during their upstream cycle. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of generating power, including the steps of constructing, erecting, and utilizing a turbine as herein described. | 07-16-2009 |
20110142641 | Enclosed vertical axis fluid rotor - A enclosed vertical axis fluid rotor used as a wind turbine of two designs having multiple sails that are concave on the inside and convex on the outer side which allows omni-directional wind or other fluids to engage sails to create optimum fluid momentum. These are sectional segmentation of each rotor that can be stacked upon one another at locating lug points to be attached to each rotor to keep radial alignment precise during assembly. The preferred embodiment would be of composite materials or plastics that can be molded to a given design of three or more stages. The advantage of this turbine is using the fluids to their optimum efficiency. These designs have low starting speed, low precession, and low drag. One design has a central axis that turns with bearings with the rotor and the other design is a central static (non-turning) axis shaft that allows the turbine to turn on bearings. | 06-16-2011 |
20110194938 | Segmented wind turbine airfoil/blade - A wind foil blade/airfoil for a wind turbine wherein the airfoil includes a series of vertical segments having unique offset shapes to provide openings between segments enabling the segments to function as wind sails when moving downwind to thrust the blade forward and to act as an airfoil when the blade is moving into and upwind, wherein the wind foil blade has a high forward thrust. | 08-11-2011 |
20120014795 | SPINNING HORIZONTAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A spinning horizontal axis wind turbine is disclosed. The blades of the wind turbine are configured to allow the blades to simultaneously rotate in a vertical axis and a horizontal axis when acted upon by an external force such as a wind current. The tip of each blade travels along a helical “figure 8” pattern as the blade rotates through a complete cycle, moving from nearly vertical to nearly horizontal in a complete cycle. | 01-19-2012 |
20120121416 | Wind sail turbine - A vertical axis omni-wind turbine having a wind sail centrally mounted to a turbine drive shaft, the wind sail consisting of three generally identical vanes paced 120 degrees apart. The vanes each have a generally concave surface for capturing impinging wind thrust with an opposite generally convex surface to provide minimal wind resistance. The resulting disparate wind resistance causes a stronger reaction on the concave side of a vane which in turn provides rotation about the vertical oriented drive shaft. The turbine has omni-wind characteristics in that regardless of the wind direction an adequate portion of the concave surface of a rotor blade will always be exposed to impinging wind. The subsequent drive shaft rotation is transmitted to an electrical turbine. | 05-17-2012 |
20120189449 | Alternative sail restraints for Migler's vertical axis wind turbine - This disclosure presents several alternative setting and automatic resetting sail restraints for Migler's vertical axis wind turbine. They are designed to reduce the damaging impact of sail frames upon the structure of the wind turbine by absorbing some of the energy of the impact. Specifically, the disclosure includes spring loaded sail restraints, including motorized spring loaded sail restraints, a gravity-based sail restraint, including a motorized gravity-based sail restraint, a pneumatic sail restraint, including a motorized pneumatic sail restraint, a torsion bar sail restraint, and a motorized torsion bar sail restraint. | 07-26-2012 |
20120243996 | Wind Turbine Having Blades with Medial and Lateral Openings - Various embodiments of a wind turbine are disclosed having a support structure with a rotor disposed about the support structure and having first and second scoops. Each of the scoops can have medial and lateral openings, and the medial opening can include a plurality of apertures that remain open during a complete rotation of the rotor. | 09-27-2012 |
20120269629 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A vertical axis wind turbine having a plurality of upright airfoils pivotally engaged. A continuous adjustment of the angle of attack of the airfoils to oncoming wind is provided by rotation of a control plate connected to the vanes which are mounted upon a rotating drive plate. A vane can be employed to rotate the control plate to affect the continuous adjustment of the airfoils. | 10-25-2012 |
20130045101 | Horizontal axis wind turbine with ball-and-socket hub - A horizontal axis wind turbine with a ball-and-socket hub is disclosed. The hub provides for a second vertical axis, the hub axis, intersecting the center of the hub that enables a change in orientation of the rotor axis without changing the orientation of the main shaft axis. The cause for the rotation around the hub axis is an imbalance in torque applied by the blades across a wind shear axis due to a gradient in wind velocity. Rotation around the hub axis will continue until back-and-forth rotation of the blades is such that the torque is balanced across a wind shear axis and the rotor axis is set at an optimal angle. As changes in wind direction occur, the torque will become imbalanced, and the hub will rotate until a new optimal angle is achieved. The present turbine design allows for the hub to freely rotate ±20° around the hub axis and continuously maintain orientation of the rotor axis at an optimal angle. When a control limit is reached, a computer signals the yaw axis motor to rotate the main shaft axis until it is aligned with the rotor axis. Laser measuring devices and linear actuators located in the front of the nacelle provide for monitoring and control of the hub movement. | 02-21-2013 |
20140271198 | WIND TURBINE BLADES WITH LAYERED, MULTI-COMPONENT SPARS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Wind turbine blades with layered, multi-component spars, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A wind turbine blade system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a first blade segment having a first spar element that includes first planks having a first thickness and a first plank composition, and a second blade segment having a second spar element that includes second planks having a second thickness and a second plank composition different than the first plank composition. The second blade segment is joined to the first blade segment at a joint, and, in particular embodiments, an overall product of thickness and elastic modulus of the first planks is approximately equal to an overall product of thickness and elastic modulus for the second planks. | 09-18-2014 |
20140322014 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - This Vertical Axis Wind Turbine is designed differently to currently viewed Wind Turbines. It comprises of multiple pairs of boom projections spirally twinned around a Turbine Column, essentially they're opposed Helicoids. During favourable winds, arranged lines of equidistantly spaced identical swivelling Vanes mounted within skeletal booms lever a Turbine Column around an Axis Column. Its more positive, dynamically gainful wind design produces significantly higher torque which enables this model to turn six super conductor generators to produce abundantly greater 3 Phase electricity within a smaller footprint, less costly energy that can be fed into a National Grid System. | 10-30-2014 |
20140341736 | SAIL WIND TURBINE - A sail wind turbine system includes a vertical main shaft with a vertical axis of rotation with parallel horizontal yardarms, cross-connected and corner braced, to the vertical main shaft. A sail assembly is included that comprises rectangular sails in frames fixedly attached at the tip of parallel horizontal yardarms. An outer support structure made of vertical columns with lateral cross bracing, joins together at the vertical main shaft in the middle and top, and is coupled thereto with self-aligning split bearings. The support columns are anchored to the ground, thereby providing more support to the structure. Thus, the present invention is an improved technique for providing wind power to produce electrical energy at ground level. | 11-20-2014 |
20150086366 | Wind turbine blade and blade hub - Four blade VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE is disclosed. Four equally radially spaced fixed troposkein shaped rotor blades nearly eliminates rotor torque ripple. Reduced rotor torque ripple allows thinner skin hollow cross section blades that are lighter and have higher frequency and lower stress natural vibrations. Improved single length blade extrusion has two integral mounting flanges at each of two root ends. One blade root flange is adjoined to the blade nose tip through a blade skin thickening gusset rail. One blade root flange is adjoined to the blade tail tip through a second blade skin thickening gusset rail. A third blade root flange forms a largely rectangular hollow between the two mounting flanges and the blade skin. | 03-26-2015 |
20150118051 | WIND SAIL RECEPTOR - An improved wind sail receptor for turning in a wind flow to turn an axle that operates a generator to produce an electrical power output for performing work. With the improved wind sail receptor blade design and the inclusion of a unique shape of nose cone fitted over a forward end of a housing that the wind sail receptor is journaled to, the wind sail receptor provides for a nearly one hundred percent utilization of the entering wind flow energy to turn the wind sail receptor blades. This near perfect wind energy utilization is provided by the structure of the blades leading and trailing edges along with the blades uniform curvature between leading and trailing edges that is from seventy to seventy eight degrees of arc and the nose cone configuration, whereby a turbulence free wind flow passed off of the blades trailing edge is at a approximately a forty five degree angle to the entering wind flow. | 04-30-2015 |
20150292482 | TURBINE WITH CAM-DRIVEN VARIABLE ORIENTATION POWER SAILS - A wind turbine includes a cam track system that catches fluid flow in optimum flow and removes a sail from the direction of rotation in response to the sail being out of the fluid flow. The wind turbine may be a vertical axis wind turbine. A wind vane assembly may turn the cam track to align cam a bearing in the track to the direction of fluid flow. A sail assembly connected to the cam bearing may ascend/descend in the track to catch fluid flow and tilt flat when out of fluid flow. | 10-15-2015 |
416132000 | Flexible sheet or plate | 5 |
20080304966 | CONCEALED ROTARY FAN - The concealed rotary fan includes a rotary vane, a drive motor and a base. The drive motor is assembled into the base. The first end of the drive motor with the revolving shaft can be assembled onto a front support in a rotary state. The second end of the drive motor is fitted with a crank link, the first end of which can be driven to make the second end rotate. The second end is screwed onto a pivot point on to the base. When the revolving shaft of the drive motor rotates, the second end of the crank link will rotate synchronously, enabling the drive motor and revolving shaft to rotate axially and obliquely along with the rotary vane. Thus, the rotary fan allows automatic change of the outlet direction through the axial rotation of the rotary vane, the outlet area being expanded to improve the actual applicability. | 12-11-2008 |
20090047131 | Electrical Generation Device - Turbine Rotor Shape For Electrical Power Generation From Moving Fluid - An electrical generation device includes a turbine rotor for electrical power generation, preferably underwater, from moving fluid, preferably water currents or the wind. The turbine rotor includes turbine blades that include flexible portions, preferably mounted at the edges of stiff portions of the turbine blades. | 02-19-2009 |
20090180879 | Flexible Impeller Apparatus and Method - Embodiments of the invention provide an impeller assembly having a flexible impeller and a method of replacing a removable drive mechanism. The impeller assembly includes an impeller having an outer portion defining a substantially cylindrical shape, at least one flexible blade extending radially outward from the outer portion, and a first bore extending a first axial length. The impeller assembly also includes a tubular insert supported at least partially within the first bore. The tubular insert has a second bore defining a substantially cylindrical shape with a first radial distance from an axis passing through the center of the impeller, and a key portion radially extending from the second bore. The key portion defines a second radial distance from the axis larger than the first radial distance. | 07-16-2009 |
20090180880 | CHECK VALVE TURBINE - A check valve turbine assembly includes an assembly base, a vertical member rotatable relative to the base, and a sail assembly attached to the vertical member, wherein the sail assembly has a frame with parallel horizontal airfoil members and parallel vertical airfoil members, a sub frame connected to the horizontal and vertical airfoil members, and a plurality of flaps rotatably attached to the sub frame. In another aspect of the disclosure a turbine assembly includes an assembly base, a vertical member rotatable relative to the base, and at least one flexible sail assembly attached to the vertical member. In another aspect of the disclosure, a turbine system includes a a floating platform, a generator, a gearbox connected to the generator; and a check valve turbine assembly that drives the gearbox. Another aspect of the disclosure includes a check valve assembly with a longitudinal center section and a wing section. | 07-16-2009 |
20090202349 | Self-Assembly Micro Fan - A self-assembly micro fan includes a body, a plurality of blades and flexible joints, with any one of the blades being connected to the body by one of the flexible joints while each flexible joint is regarded as a pivot to move the blade connected therewith to have an angle relative to a radial direction of the body. Besides, each of the flexible joints has plural link members or at least one link member and extension member to provide variable types of shape of the micro fans, so that the air driving efficiency of the self-assembly micro fan is improved. | 08-13-2009 |
20100074751 | Omni-directional turbine and method - The invention teaches a turbine capable of receiving wind power and transferring wind power into mechanical energy, and capable of coupling with a generator. The turbine includes a generally flat horizontally mountable support plate capable of rotation about a central axis, the support plate having a plurality of pivot modifications located proximate to an outside circumference, and vanes coupled to the support plate at the pivot modification, each vane having a vane shaft coupled between a pivot modification on the first support plate and a pivot modification on a cap plate, each vane supported by a first rib and a second rib having an exterior edge defined as the exterior circumference edge of the head and the interior circumference edge of the tail, and a material attached between the exterior of the first rib and the exterior of the second rib. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b). | 03-25-2010 |
20110243736 | JOINT SLEEVE FOR A ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY OF A WIND TURBINE - A joint sleeve for assembling together a first blade section and a second blade section of a rotor blade assembly is disclosed. The joint sleeve may include an outer surface and an inner surface defining a cavity. The cavity may be configured to receive a joint end of the first blade section and a joint end of the second blade section. The joint sleeve may also include a plurality of openings defined between the outer and inner surfaces. The openings may be configured to receive fasteners for securing the joint ends of the first and second blade sections within the cavity. Additionally, a profile of the outer surface may be configured to generally correspond to an aerodynamic profile of the first and second blade sections such that a substantially continuous aerodynamic profile is defined between the first and second blade sections when the joint ends are inserted within the cavity. | 10-06-2011 |
20110008167 | Hinged Sail Vertical-Axis Wind Generator for Residential Ground Operation - A ground-level vertical-axis wind generator introduces the use of reverse push-away hinges and soft sails specifically made for safe operation in a residential environment. The concave sails harness the wind energy, each one tensioned between two curved support arms, which connect to the central rotor via butt hinges. These hinges and soft sails yield safety to allow the wind generator to operate at ground level. The rotor drives an alternator included in the support structure of the wind generator via a gear assembly. The alternator generates the electricity and a direct current to alternating current power inverter converts the electrical current to match that of the residential utility grid. No installation is required; instead, it operates at ground-level in the backyard, which makes this safe and easy-to-assemble invention a cost effective alternative to harnessing free energy. | 01-13-2011 |
20130115086 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A vertical axis wind turbine may comprise a plurality of sail members arranged about a substantially vertical axis of rotation, the sail members having first ends converging to and rotatably supported at a substantially single point, and second ends coupled to a base member substantially aligned with the axis of rotation. A vertical axis wind turbine system may comprise a plurality of sail members having first ends converging to a single point along an axis of rotation, second ends coupled with a base member, and a generator configured to convert kinetic energy from the rotating plurality of sail members and the base member into electrical energy. An array of vertical axis wind turbines may comprise a plurality of vertical axis wind turbines arranged in a predetermined configuration and coupled through common support structure. | 05-09-2013 |
20130272881 | FLEXIBLE PROPELLER AND USES FOR SMALL VESSELS - The present invention relates to a flexible propeller that has the feature of generating propulsive force in only one direction, irrespective of the direction of rotation. The flexible propeller may be used in a mechanism similar to a sterndrive, being actuated by two cables and that are wound around a threaded spindle on the sterndrive shaft, one clockwise and the other anticlockwise, and capable of being actuated alternately longitudinally, causing the flexible propeller to rotate in alternate directions, first in one direction and then in the other. The sterndrive in turn may be used in compact structures that can be fitted to catamarans, kayaks or other types of small vessels, without the need for major alterations to the original vessel. | 10-17-2013 |
20140356168 | CENTRIFUGAL FAN IMPELLER WITH VARIABLE SHAPE FAN BLADES AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY - In one aspect, a flexible fan blade for use in a centrifugal fan impeller having at least one of a rear plate and a front plate with an air inlet is provided. The flexible fan blade comprises a fixed central portion fixedly coupled to at least one of the front plate and the rear plate of the centrifugal fan impeller. The flexible fan blade also includes a trailing edge extending from the fixed central portion and being moveable between a first position and a second position. The trailing edge is fabricated from a compliant material. Furthermore, the trailing edge is flexible in relation to the fixed central portion between a first position and a second position. The flexible fan blade also includes a leading edge extending from the fixed central portion in opposed relation to the trailing edge. | 12-04-2014 |
20160003219 | Apparatus for converting wind into circular mechanical motion - Pocket and cup sails formed from flexible materials, especially such sails formed with excess material, have spar like supports attached at their deepest point to maintain the depth of the said sails when the wind fills them so that the sails expand to maximize resistance to the wind coming into the openings of the sails and so that the sails deflate when the wind is coming from the back of the sails to minimize resistance to the wind, the said sails being attached to rotor arms on rotary devices to provide torque, the torque being used to rotate decorative structures including the sails themselves, generate electricity, bring airplane tires up to speed before landing, and/or measure wind speed, and sails optionally having cuffs on the inside to help the sails inflate and/or maintain inflation by minimizing spillage of air. | 01-07-2016 |
20080226451 | Wedge shaped wind boosters - A plurality of wedge shaped wind boosters on the interior of the curved panel wind sails of a vertical axis windmill, located on a vertical steel tower producing power produced by the electric generator located in the generating room of tower at ground level. | 09-18-2008 |
20080267777 | Modified Darrieus Vertical Axis Turbine - A lift-type turbine comprising at least three blades at circumferentially spaced positions is supported for rotation about a vertical axis. Each blade has an airfoil shape to generate a torque about the axis responsive to wind across the blades. A support comprising cables under tension is connected between adjacent ones of the blades to extend generally circumferentially about the turbine. Accordingly a minimum number of parts form the structure of the blades while minimizing the drag produced during rotation thereof due to the support members lying in a common circumferential path. The tension of the support members can support the blades in a pre-stressed condition to optimize the shape and performance thereof. | 10-30-2008 |
20090074577 | VERTICAL AXIS SAIL-TYPE WINDMILL POWER TRANSFER DEVICE - This invention relates to a vertical axis sail-type windmill power transfer device for efficiently harvesting wind power by increasing the effective surface of interaction with the wind where the sails are formed by a plurality of pairs of blades permanently attached to freely rotating horizontal rods penetrating the vertical output shaft with pivot offset of the center of the weight which causes the blades to self-adjust when impacted by wind so that one blade assumes a driving position while the other—a leeward position. The invention has a modular-type structure which permits for a variety of configurations and allows for photovoltaic cells to be placed on the blades in order to complement the production of wind energy with solar energy. | 03-19-2009 |
20090180878 | GENERATION OF POWER - According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a turbine including—a plurality of adjacent rotors, —each rotor including a pair of opposed balanced arms, each arm extending on either side of a central axis—the rotors being provided in adjacent array along the central axis with each rotor being provided in its own plane perpendicular to the central axis. Each rotor may include a plurality of hinged panels or vanes. The panels or vanes may have an aerofoil shape to assist in permitting fluid to pass over and between the panels or vanes and to provide an amount of lift because of the aerofoil shape during their upstream cycle. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of generating power, including the steps of constructing, erecting, and utilizing a turbine as herein described. | 07-16-2009 |
20110142641 | Enclosed vertical axis fluid rotor - A enclosed vertical axis fluid rotor used as a wind turbine of two designs having multiple sails that are concave on the inside and convex on the outer side which allows omni-directional wind or other fluids to engage sails to create optimum fluid momentum. These are sectional segmentation of each rotor that can be stacked upon one another at locating lug points to be attached to each rotor to keep radial alignment precise during assembly. The preferred embodiment would be of composite materials or plastics that can be molded to a given design of three or more stages. The advantage of this turbine is using the fluids to their optimum efficiency. These designs have low starting speed, low precession, and low drag. One design has a central axis that turns with bearings with the rotor and the other design is a central static (non-turning) axis shaft that allows the turbine to turn on bearings. | 06-16-2011 |
20110194938 | Segmented wind turbine airfoil/blade - A wind foil blade/airfoil for a wind turbine wherein the airfoil includes a series of vertical segments having unique offset shapes to provide openings between segments enabling the segments to function as wind sails when moving downwind to thrust the blade forward and to act as an airfoil when the blade is moving into and upwind, wherein the wind foil blade has a high forward thrust. | 08-11-2011 |
20120014795 | SPINNING HORIZONTAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A spinning horizontal axis wind turbine is disclosed. The blades of the wind turbine are configured to allow the blades to simultaneously rotate in a vertical axis and a horizontal axis when acted upon by an external force such as a wind current. The tip of each blade travels along a helical “figure 8” pattern as the blade rotates through a complete cycle, moving from nearly vertical to nearly horizontal in a complete cycle. | 01-19-2012 |
20120121416 | Wind sail turbine - A vertical axis omni-wind turbine having a wind sail centrally mounted to a turbine drive shaft, the wind sail consisting of three generally identical vanes paced 120 degrees apart. The vanes each have a generally concave surface for capturing impinging wind thrust with an opposite generally convex surface to provide minimal wind resistance. The resulting disparate wind resistance causes a stronger reaction on the concave side of a vane which in turn provides rotation about the vertical oriented drive shaft. The turbine has omni-wind characteristics in that regardless of the wind direction an adequate portion of the concave surface of a rotor blade will always be exposed to impinging wind. The subsequent drive shaft rotation is transmitted to an electrical turbine. | 05-17-2012 |
20120189449 | Alternative sail restraints for Migler's vertical axis wind turbine - This disclosure presents several alternative setting and automatic resetting sail restraints for Migler's vertical axis wind turbine. They are designed to reduce the damaging impact of sail frames upon the structure of the wind turbine by absorbing some of the energy of the impact. Specifically, the disclosure includes spring loaded sail restraints, including motorized spring loaded sail restraints, a gravity-based sail restraint, including a motorized gravity-based sail restraint, a pneumatic sail restraint, including a motorized pneumatic sail restraint, a torsion bar sail restraint, and a motorized torsion bar sail restraint. | 07-26-2012 |
20120243996 | Wind Turbine Having Blades with Medial and Lateral Openings - Various embodiments of a wind turbine are disclosed having a support structure with a rotor disposed about the support structure and having first and second scoops. Each of the scoops can have medial and lateral openings, and the medial opening can include a plurality of apertures that remain open during a complete rotation of the rotor. | 09-27-2012 |
20120269629 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A vertical axis wind turbine having a plurality of upright airfoils pivotally engaged. A continuous adjustment of the angle of attack of the airfoils to oncoming wind is provided by rotation of a control plate connected to the vanes which are mounted upon a rotating drive plate. A vane can be employed to rotate the control plate to affect the continuous adjustment of the airfoils. | 10-25-2012 |
20130045101 | Horizontal axis wind turbine with ball-and-socket hub - A horizontal axis wind turbine with a ball-and-socket hub is disclosed. The hub provides for a second vertical axis, the hub axis, intersecting the center of the hub that enables a change in orientation of the rotor axis without changing the orientation of the main shaft axis. The cause for the rotation around the hub axis is an imbalance in torque applied by the blades across a wind shear axis due to a gradient in wind velocity. Rotation around the hub axis will continue until back-and-forth rotation of the blades is such that the torque is balanced across a wind shear axis and the rotor axis is set at an optimal angle. As changes in wind direction occur, the torque will become imbalanced, and the hub will rotate until a new optimal angle is achieved. The present turbine design allows for the hub to freely rotate ±20° around the hub axis and continuously maintain orientation of the rotor axis at an optimal angle. When a control limit is reached, a computer signals the yaw axis motor to rotate the main shaft axis until it is aligned with the rotor axis. Laser measuring devices and linear actuators located in the front of the nacelle provide for monitoring and control of the hub movement. | 02-21-2013 |
20140271198 | WIND TURBINE BLADES WITH LAYERED, MULTI-COMPONENT SPARS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Wind turbine blades with layered, multi-component spars, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A wind turbine blade system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a first blade segment having a first spar element that includes first planks having a first thickness and a first plank composition, and a second blade segment having a second spar element that includes second planks having a second thickness and a second plank composition different than the first plank composition. The second blade segment is joined to the first blade segment at a joint, and, in particular embodiments, an overall product of thickness and elastic modulus of the first planks is approximately equal to an overall product of thickness and elastic modulus for the second planks. | 09-18-2014 |
20140322014 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - This Vertical Axis Wind Turbine is designed differently to currently viewed Wind Turbines. It comprises of multiple pairs of boom projections spirally twinned around a Turbine Column, essentially they're opposed Helicoids. During favourable winds, arranged lines of equidistantly spaced identical swivelling Vanes mounted within skeletal booms lever a Turbine Column around an Axis Column. Its more positive, dynamically gainful wind design produces significantly higher torque which enables this model to turn six super conductor generators to produce abundantly greater 3 Phase electricity within a smaller footprint, less costly energy that can be fed into a National Grid System. | 10-30-2014 |
20140341736 | SAIL WIND TURBINE - A sail wind turbine system includes a vertical main shaft with a vertical axis of rotation with parallel horizontal yardarms, cross-connected and corner braced, to the vertical main shaft. A sail assembly is included that comprises rectangular sails in frames fixedly attached at the tip of parallel horizontal yardarms. An outer support structure made of vertical columns with lateral cross bracing, joins together at the vertical main shaft in the middle and top, and is coupled thereto with self-aligning split bearings. The support columns are anchored to the ground, thereby providing more support to the structure. Thus, the present invention is an improved technique for providing wind power to produce electrical energy at ground level. | 11-20-2014 |
20150086366 | Wind turbine blade and blade hub - Four blade VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE is disclosed. Four equally radially spaced fixed troposkein shaped rotor blades nearly eliminates rotor torque ripple. Reduced rotor torque ripple allows thinner skin hollow cross section blades that are lighter and have higher frequency and lower stress natural vibrations. Improved single length blade extrusion has two integral mounting flanges at each of two root ends. One blade root flange is adjoined to the blade nose tip through a blade skin thickening gusset rail. One blade root flange is adjoined to the blade tail tip through a second blade skin thickening gusset rail. A third blade root flange forms a largely rectangular hollow between the two mounting flanges and the blade skin. | 03-26-2015 |
20150118051 | WIND SAIL RECEPTOR - An improved wind sail receptor for turning in a wind flow to turn an axle that operates a generator to produce an electrical power output for performing work. With the improved wind sail receptor blade design and the inclusion of a unique shape of nose cone fitted over a forward end of a housing that the wind sail receptor is journaled to, the wind sail receptor provides for a nearly one hundred percent utilization of the entering wind flow energy to turn the wind sail receptor blades. This near perfect wind energy utilization is provided by the structure of the blades leading and trailing edges along with the blades uniform curvature between leading and trailing edges that is from seventy to seventy eight degrees of arc and the nose cone configuration, whereby a turbulence free wind flow passed off of the blades trailing edge is at a approximately a forty five degree angle to the entering wind flow. | 04-30-2015 |
20150292482 | TURBINE WITH CAM-DRIVEN VARIABLE ORIENTATION POWER SAILS - A wind turbine includes a cam track system that catches fluid flow in optimum flow and removes a sail from the direction of rotation in response to the sail being out of the fluid flow. The wind turbine may be a vertical axis wind turbine. A wind vane assembly may turn the cam track to align cam a bearing in the track to the direction of fluid flow. A sail assembly connected to the cam bearing may ascend/descend in the track to catch fluid flow and tilt flat when out of fluid flow. | 10-15-2015 |
416132000 | Windmills | 18 |
20080304966 | CONCEALED ROTARY FAN - The concealed rotary fan includes a rotary vane, a drive motor and a base. The drive motor is assembled into the base. The first end of the drive motor with the revolving shaft can be assembled onto a front support in a rotary state. The second end of the drive motor is fitted with a crank link, the first end of which can be driven to make the second end rotate. The second end is screwed onto a pivot point on to the base. When the revolving shaft of the drive motor rotates, the second end of the crank link will rotate synchronously, enabling the drive motor and revolving shaft to rotate axially and obliquely along with the rotary vane. Thus, the rotary fan allows automatic change of the outlet direction through the axial rotation of the rotary vane, the outlet area being expanded to improve the actual applicability. | 12-11-2008 |
20090047131 | Electrical Generation Device - Turbine Rotor Shape For Electrical Power Generation From Moving Fluid - An electrical generation device includes a turbine rotor for electrical power generation, preferably underwater, from moving fluid, preferably water currents or the wind. The turbine rotor includes turbine blades that include flexible portions, preferably mounted at the edges of stiff portions of the turbine blades. | 02-19-2009 |
20090180879 | Flexible Impeller Apparatus and Method - Embodiments of the invention provide an impeller assembly having a flexible impeller and a method of replacing a removable drive mechanism. The impeller assembly includes an impeller having an outer portion defining a substantially cylindrical shape, at least one flexible blade extending radially outward from the outer portion, and a first bore extending a first axial length. The impeller assembly also includes a tubular insert supported at least partially within the first bore. The tubular insert has a second bore defining a substantially cylindrical shape with a first radial distance from an axis passing through the center of the impeller, and a key portion radially extending from the second bore. The key portion defines a second radial distance from the axis larger than the first radial distance. | 07-16-2009 |
20090180880 | CHECK VALVE TURBINE - A check valve turbine assembly includes an assembly base, a vertical member rotatable relative to the base, and a sail assembly attached to the vertical member, wherein the sail assembly has a frame with parallel horizontal airfoil members and parallel vertical airfoil members, a sub frame connected to the horizontal and vertical airfoil members, and a plurality of flaps rotatably attached to the sub frame. In another aspect of the disclosure a turbine assembly includes an assembly base, a vertical member rotatable relative to the base, and at least one flexible sail assembly attached to the vertical member. In another aspect of the disclosure, a turbine system includes a a floating platform, a generator, a gearbox connected to the generator; and a check valve turbine assembly that drives the gearbox. Another aspect of the disclosure includes a check valve assembly with a longitudinal center section and a wing section. | 07-16-2009 |
20090202349 | Self-Assembly Micro Fan - A self-assembly micro fan includes a body, a plurality of blades and flexible joints, with any one of the blades being connected to the body by one of the flexible joints while each flexible joint is regarded as a pivot to move the blade connected therewith to have an angle relative to a radial direction of the body. Besides, each of the flexible joints has plural link members or at least one link member and extension member to provide variable types of shape of the micro fans, so that the air driving efficiency of the self-assembly micro fan is improved. | 08-13-2009 |
20100074751 | Omni-directional turbine and method - The invention teaches a turbine capable of receiving wind power and transferring wind power into mechanical energy, and capable of coupling with a generator. The turbine includes a generally flat horizontally mountable support plate capable of rotation about a central axis, the support plate having a plurality of pivot modifications located proximate to an outside circumference, and vanes coupled to the support plate at the pivot modification, each vane having a vane shaft coupled between a pivot modification on the first support plate and a pivot modification on a cap plate, each vane supported by a first rib and a second rib having an exterior edge defined as the exterior circumference edge of the head and the interior circumference edge of the tail, and a material attached between the exterior of the first rib and the exterior of the second rib. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b). | 03-25-2010 |
20110243736 | JOINT SLEEVE FOR A ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY OF A WIND TURBINE - A joint sleeve for assembling together a first blade section and a second blade section of a rotor blade assembly is disclosed. The joint sleeve may include an outer surface and an inner surface defining a cavity. The cavity may be configured to receive a joint end of the first blade section and a joint end of the second blade section. The joint sleeve may also include a plurality of openings defined between the outer and inner surfaces. The openings may be configured to receive fasteners for securing the joint ends of the first and second blade sections within the cavity. Additionally, a profile of the outer surface may be configured to generally correspond to an aerodynamic profile of the first and second blade sections such that a substantially continuous aerodynamic profile is defined between the first and second blade sections when the joint ends are inserted within the cavity. | 10-06-2011 |
20110008167 | Hinged Sail Vertical-Axis Wind Generator for Residential Ground Operation - A ground-level vertical-axis wind generator introduces the use of reverse push-away hinges and soft sails specifically made for safe operation in a residential environment. The concave sails harness the wind energy, each one tensioned between two curved support arms, which connect to the central rotor via butt hinges. These hinges and soft sails yield safety to allow the wind generator to operate at ground level. The rotor drives an alternator included in the support structure of the wind generator via a gear assembly. The alternator generates the electricity and a direct current to alternating current power inverter converts the electrical current to match that of the residential utility grid. No installation is required; instead, it operates at ground-level in the backyard, which makes this safe and easy-to-assemble invention a cost effective alternative to harnessing free energy. | 01-13-2011 |
20130115086 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A vertical axis wind turbine may comprise a plurality of sail members arranged about a substantially vertical axis of rotation, the sail members having first ends converging to and rotatably supported at a substantially single point, and second ends coupled to a base member substantially aligned with the axis of rotation. A vertical axis wind turbine system may comprise a plurality of sail members having first ends converging to a single point along an axis of rotation, second ends coupled with a base member, and a generator configured to convert kinetic energy from the rotating plurality of sail members and the base member into electrical energy. An array of vertical axis wind turbines may comprise a plurality of vertical axis wind turbines arranged in a predetermined configuration and coupled through common support structure. | 05-09-2013 |
20130272881 | FLEXIBLE PROPELLER AND USES FOR SMALL VESSELS - The present invention relates to a flexible propeller that has the feature of generating propulsive force in only one direction, irrespective of the direction of rotation. The flexible propeller may be used in a mechanism similar to a sterndrive, being actuated by two cables and that are wound around a threaded spindle on the sterndrive shaft, one clockwise and the other anticlockwise, and capable of being actuated alternately longitudinally, causing the flexible propeller to rotate in alternate directions, first in one direction and then in the other. The sterndrive in turn may be used in compact structures that can be fitted to catamarans, kayaks or other types of small vessels, without the need for major alterations to the original vessel. | 10-17-2013 |
20140356168 | CENTRIFUGAL FAN IMPELLER WITH VARIABLE SHAPE FAN BLADES AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY - In one aspect, a flexible fan blade for use in a centrifugal fan impeller having at least one of a rear plate and a front plate with an air inlet is provided. The flexible fan blade comprises a fixed central portion fixedly coupled to at least one of the front plate and the rear plate of the centrifugal fan impeller. The flexible fan blade also includes a trailing edge extending from the fixed central portion and being moveable between a first position and a second position. The trailing edge is fabricated from a compliant material. Furthermore, the trailing edge is flexible in relation to the fixed central portion between a first position and a second position. The flexible fan blade also includes a leading edge extending from the fixed central portion in opposed relation to the trailing edge. | 12-04-2014 |
20160003219 | Apparatus for converting wind into circular mechanical motion - Pocket and cup sails formed from flexible materials, especially such sails formed with excess material, have spar like supports attached at their deepest point to maintain the depth of the said sails when the wind fills them so that the sails expand to maximize resistance to the wind coming into the openings of the sails and so that the sails deflate when the wind is coming from the back of the sails to minimize resistance to the wind, the said sails being attached to rotor arms on rotary devices to provide torque, the torque being used to rotate decorative structures including the sails themselves, generate electricity, bring airplane tires up to speed before landing, and/or measure wind speed, and sails optionally having cuffs on the inside to help the sails inflate and/or maintain inflation by minimizing spillage of air. | 01-07-2016 |
20080226451 | Wedge shaped wind boosters - A plurality of wedge shaped wind boosters on the interior of the curved panel wind sails of a vertical axis windmill, located on a vertical steel tower producing power produced by the electric generator located in the generating room of tower at ground level. | 09-18-2008 |
20080267777 | Modified Darrieus Vertical Axis Turbine - A lift-type turbine comprising at least three blades at circumferentially spaced positions is supported for rotation about a vertical axis. Each blade has an airfoil shape to generate a torque about the axis responsive to wind across the blades. A support comprising cables under tension is connected between adjacent ones of the blades to extend generally circumferentially about the turbine. Accordingly a minimum number of parts form the structure of the blades while minimizing the drag produced during rotation thereof due to the support members lying in a common circumferential path. The tension of the support members can support the blades in a pre-stressed condition to optimize the shape and performance thereof. | 10-30-2008 |
20090074577 | VERTICAL AXIS SAIL-TYPE WINDMILL POWER TRANSFER DEVICE - This invention relates to a vertical axis sail-type windmill power transfer device for efficiently harvesting wind power by increasing the effective surface of interaction with the wind where the sails are formed by a plurality of pairs of blades permanently attached to freely rotating horizontal rods penetrating the vertical output shaft with pivot offset of the center of the weight which causes the blades to self-adjust when impacted by wind so that one blade assumes a driving position while the other—a leeward position. The invention has a modular-type structure which permits for a variety of configurations and allows for photovoltaic cells to be placed on the blades in order to complement the production of wind energy with solar energy. | 03-19-2009 |
20090180878 | GENERATION OF POWER - According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a turbine including—a plurality of adjacent rotors, —each rotor including a pair of opposed balanced arms, each arm extending on either side of a central axis—the rotors being provided in adjacent array along the central axis with each rotor being provided in its own plane perpendicular to the central axis. Each rotor may include a plurality of hinged panels or vanes. The panels or vanes may have an aerofoil shape to assist in permitting fluid to pass over and between the panels or vanes and to provide an amount of lift because of the aerofoil shape during their upstream cycle. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of generating power, including the steps of constructing, erecting, and utilizing a turbine as herein described. | 07-16-2009 |
20110142641 | Enclosed vertical axis fluid rotor - A enclosed vertical axis fluid rotor used as a wind turbine of two designs having multiple sails that are concave on the inside and convex on the outer side which allows omni-directional wind or other fluids to engage sails to create optimum fluid momentum. These are sectional segmentation of each rotor that can be stacked upon one another at locating lug points to be attached to each rotor to keep radial alignment precise during assembly. The preferred embodiment would be of composite materials or plastics that can be molded to a given design of three or more stages. The advantage of this turbine is using the fluids to their optimum efficiency. These designs have low starting speed, low precession, and low drag. One design has a central axis that turns with bearings with the rotor and the other design is a central static (non-turning) axis shaft that allows the turbine to turn on bearings. | 06-16-2011 |
20110194938 | Segmented wind turbine airfoil/blade - A wind foil blade/airfoil for a wind turbine wherein the airfoil includes a series of vertical segments having unique offset shapes to provide openings between segments enabling the segments to function as wind sails when moving downwind to thrust the blade forward and to act as an airfoil when the blade is moving into and upwind, wherein the wind foil blade has a high forward thrust. | 08-11-2011 |
20120014795 | SPINNING HORIZONTAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A spinning horizontal axis wind turbine is disclosed. The blades of the wind turbine are configured to allow the blades to simultaneously rotate in a vertical axis and a horizontal axis when acted upon by an external force such as a wind current. The tip of each blade travels along a helical “figure 8” pattern as the blade rotates through a complete cycle, moving from nearly vertical to nearly horizontal in a complete cycle. | 01-19-2012 |
20120121416 | Wind sail turbine - A vertical axis omni-wind turbine having a wind sail centrally mounted to a turbine drive shaft, the wind sail consisting of three generally identical vanes paced 120 degrees apart. The vanes each have a generally concave surface for capturing impinging wind thrust with an opposite generally convex surface to provide minimal wind resistance. The resulting disparate wind resistance causes a stronger reaction on the concave side of a vane which in turn provides rotation about the vertical oriented drive shaft. The turbine has omni-wind characteristics in that regardless of the wind direction an adequate portion of the concave surface of a rotor blade will always be exposed to impinging wind. The subsequent drive shaft rotation is transmitted to an electrical turbine. | 05-17-2012 |
20120189449 | Alternative sail restraints for Migler's vertical axis wind turbine - This disclosure presents several alternative setting and automatic resetting sail restraints for Migler's vertical axis wind turbine. They are designed to reduce the damaging impact of sail frames upon the structure of the wind turbine by absorbing some of the energy of the impact. Specifically, the disclosure includes spring loaded sail restraints, including motorized spring loaded sail restraints, a gravity-based sail restraint, including a motorized gravity-based sail restraint, a pneumatic sail restraint, including a motorized pneumatic sail restraint, a torsion bar sail restraint, and a motorized torsion bar sail restraint. | 07-26-2012 |
20120243996 | Wind Turbine Having Blades with Medial and Lateral Openings - Various embodiments of a wind turbine are disclosed having a support structure with a rotor disposed about the support structure and having first and second scoops. Each of the scoops can have medial and lateral openings, and the medial opening can include a plurality of apertures that remain open during a complete rotation of the rotor. | 09-27-2012 |
20120269629 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - A vertical axis wind turbine having a plurality of upright airfoils pivotally engaged. A continuous adjustment of the angle of attack of the airfoils to oncoming wind is provided by rotation of a control plate connected to the vanes which are mounted upon a rotating drive plate. A vane can be employed to rotate the control plate to affect the continuous adjustment of the airfoils. | 10-25-2012 |
20130045101 | Horizontal axis wind turbine with ball-and-socket hub - A horizontal axis wind turbine with a ball-and-socket hub is disclosed. The hub provides for a second vertical axis, the hub axis, intersecting the center of the hub that enables a change in orientation of the rotor axis without changing the orientation of the main shaft axis. The cause for the rotation around the hub axis is an imbalance in torque applied by the blades across a wind shear axis due to a gradient in wind velocity. Rotation around the hub axis will continue until back-and-forth rotation of the blades is such that the torque is balanced across a wind shear axis and the rotor axis is set at an optimal angle. As changes in wind direction occur, the torque will become imbalanced, and the hub will rotate until a new optimal angle is achieved. The present turbine design allows for the hub to freely rotate ±20° around the hub axis and continuously maintain orientation of the rotor axis at an optimal angle. When a control limit is reached, a computer signals the yaw axis motor to rotate the main shaft axis until it is aligned with the rotor axis. Laser measuring devices and linear actuators located in the front of the nacelle provide for monitoring and control of the hub movement. | 02-21-2013 |
20140271198 | WIND TURBINE BLADES WITH LAYERED, MULTI-COMPONENT SPARS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Wind turbine blades with layered, multi-component spars, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A wind turbine blade system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a first blade segment having a first spar element that includes first planks having a first thickness and a first plank composition, and a second blade segment having a second spar element that includes second planks having a second thickness and a second plank composition different than the first plank composition. The second blade segment is joined to the first blade segment at a joint, and, in particular embodiments, an overall product of thickness and elastic modulus of the first planks is approximately equal to an overall product of thickness and elastic modulus for the second planks. | 09-18-2014 |
20140322014 | VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - This Vertical Axis Wind Turbine is designed differently to currently viewed Wind Turbines. It comprises of multiple pairs of boom projections spirally twinned around a Turbine Column, essentially they're opposed Helicoids. During favourable winds, arranged lines of equidistantly spaced identical swivelling Vanes mounted within skeletal booms lever a Turbine Column around an Axis Column. Its more positive, dynamically gainful wind design produces significantly higher torque which enables this model to turn six super conductor generators to produce abundantly greater 3 Phase electricity within a smaller footprint, less costly energy that can be fed into a National Grid System. | 10-30-2014 |
20140341736 | SAIL WIND TURBINE - A sail wind turbine system includes a vertical main shaft with a vertical axis of rotation with parallel horizontal yardarms, cross-connected and corner braced, to the vertical main shaft. A sail assembly is included that comprises rectangular sails in frames fixedly attached at the tip of parallel horizontal yardarms. An outer support structure made of vertical columns with lateral cross bracing, joins together at the vertical main shaft in the middle and top, and is coupled thereto with self-aligning split bearings. The support columns are anchored to the ground, thereby providing more support to the structure. Thus, the present invention is an improved technique for providing wind power to produce electrical energy at ground level. | 11-20-2014 |
20150086366 | Wind turbine blade and blade hub - Four blade VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE is disclosed. Four equally radially spaced fixed troposkein shaped rotor blades nearly eliminates rotor torque ripple. Reduced rotor torque ripple allows thinner skin hollow cross section blades that are lighter and have higher frequency and lower stress natural vibrations. Improved single length blade extrusion has two integral mounting flanges at each of two root ends. One blade root flange is adjoined to the blade nose tip through a blade skin thickening gusset rail. One blade root flange is adjoined to the blade tail tip through a second blade skin thickening gusset rail. A third blade root flange forms a largely rectangular hollow between the two mounting flanges and the blade skin. | 03-26-2015 |
20150118051 | WIND SAIL RECEPTOR - An improved wind sail receptor for turning in a wind flow to turn an axle that operates a generator to produce an electrical power output for performing work. With the improved wind sail receptor blade design and the inclusion of a unique shape of nose cone fitted over a forward end of a housing that the wind sail receptor is journaled to, the wind sail receptor provides for a nearly one hundred percent utilization of the entering wind flow energy to turn the wind sail receptor blades. This near perfect wind energy utilization is provided by the structure of the blades leading and trailing edges along with the blades uniform curvature between leading and trailing edges that is from seventy to seventy eight degrees of arc and the nose cone configuration, whereby a turbulence free wind flow passed off of the blades trailing edge is at a approximately a forty five degree angle to the entering wind flow. | 04-30-2015 |
20150292482 | TURBINE WITH CAM-DRIVEN VARIABLE ORIENTATION POWER SAILS - A wind turbine includes a cam track system that catches fluid flow in optimum flow and removes a sail from the direction of rotation in response to the sail being out of the fluid flow. The wind turbine may be a vertical axis wind turbine. A wind vane assembly may turn the cam track to align cam a bearing in the track to the direction of fluid flow. A sail assembly connected to the cam bearing may ascend/descend in the track to catch fluid flow and tilt flat when out of fluid flow. | 10-15-2015 |