# US 10,309,368 B2 · Power generation apparatus utilizing water current energy

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- Number: US 10,309,368 B2
- Document ID: US10309368B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/030,688
- Filed: 2013-10-22
- Published: 2016-08-18
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-22
- Applicants: Chikao Hashimoto
- Inventors: Chikao Hashimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309368B2

## CPC

- F03B 17/065: {the flow engaging parts having a cyclic movement relative to the rotor during its rotation}
- F03B 13/10: Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors
- F03B 13/264: {using the horizontal flow of water resulting from tide movement}
- F05B 2250/80: Size or power range of the machines
- Y02E 10/20: Hydro energy
- Y02E 10/30: Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
- F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00)
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

To an installation base fixed to the seabed surface, a vertical cylindrically shaped rotating body is attached to be able to rotate. Mounting frames are attached in a radially manner from the outer circumference of the rotary body. At the top side positions of the mounting frames, pressure receiving plates of flat plate shapes, of a specific gravity slightly smaller and lighter than seawater, and giving rise to buoyancy are attached by butterfly joints to be able to pivot. Further, stoppers and stoppers stopping the pressure receiving plates to within an angular range from slightly below the horizontal or 4° to the substantially vertical or 90° are provided. The rotation of the rotary body is increased to turn the power generator.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A power generation apparatus utilizing water current energy comprising:
an installation base installed in the sea or a freshwater body,
a rotary body mounted to said installation base and configured to rotate relative to the installation base, and
a power generator generating power by rotation of said rotary body with respect to said installation base, and the power generator is provided inside of the rotary body, wherein
a rotary shaft axis of said rotary body is set in a vertical direction being substantially perpendicular to a flow plane of water current in the sea or in the freshwater body where the rotary body is set,
said rotary body has a plurality of mounting frames attached from the rotary body radially, said mounting frames having first ends of flat-plate-shaped pressure receiving plates attached to the mounting frames to be able to pivot at top side positions offset from said rotary shaft axis, and a specific gravity of said pressure receiving plates is set smaller than the specific gravity of the seawater or freshwater where the apparatus is set so as to enable generation of buoyancy in said pressure receiving plates in the sea or in the freshwater body,
stoppers are provided for limiting ranges of angle of pivot of said pressure receiving plates,
output power of said power generator is transmitted by cable to land close to said installation base or a ship on the sea or freshwater body,
force generated at said pressure receiving plates due to tidal current or water current in the sea or freshwater body, the buoyancy of said pressure receiving plates, and said stoppers enable the rotary body to be reliably made to rotate and generate power,
an angular range over which said pressure receiving plates pivot is 4° to 90° in a range downward from a locus plane when ends of the mounting sides of said pressure receiving plates rotate about said rotary shaft axis,
a specific gravity of said pressure receiving plates, obtained by dividing the mass of said pressure receiving plates by the mass of a volume of pure water at 4° C., is made 0.95 to 0.99 of the specific gravity of the seawater or freshwater in which the rotary body is set, and
said rotary body is structured as a circular cross-section vertical cylinder which is provided at said installation base so as to rotate relative to the installation base.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The power generation apparatus utilizing water current energy according to claim 1, wherein
the mounting frames include a plurality of horizontal frames aligned in the vertical direction and a plurality of vertical frames connecting the vertically aligned horizontal frames,
the pressure receiving plates are attached to a top horizontal frame by butterfly hinges to be able to pivot, and
the stoppers include top stoppers, which are attached to top ends of the top horizontal frames and configured to stop top surfaces of pressure receiving plates by pushing downward, and bottom stoppers provided at bottom horizontal frames so as to stop said pressure receiving plates from rotating by 90° or more.