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US 10,309,374 B2Granted
Energy kite winching using buoyancy
AssigneeMakani Technologies LLC
InventorsRobert Nelson, Brian Hachtmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Offshore airborne wind turbine systems with an aerial vehicle connected via a tether to an adjustably buoyant body. The tether may be coupled to an underwater mooring through which it may move, or it may be coupled to a floating platform through which it may move. The buoyancy of the buoyant body may be adjusted to change the tension in the tether or for other purposes.
Claims14
An offshore airborne wind turbine system, comprising:
- an aerial vehicle;
- an underwater mooring;
- an adjustably buoyant body, wherein the adjustably buoyant body is underwater;
- and
- a tether coupled to the underwater mooring and configured to move through the underwater mooring, the tether comprising:
- a first portion extending upwards from the underwater mooring and coupled to the aerial vehicle, and
- a second portion extending upwards from the underwater mooring and coupled to the adjustably buoyant body.
4 more elements
An offshore airborne wind turbine system, comprising:
- an aerial vehicle;
- a floating platform configured as a landing platform for the aerial vehicle;
- an adjustably buoyant body;
- and
- a tether coupled to the floating platform and configured to move through the floating platform, the tether comprising:
- a first portion extending upwards from the floating platform and coupled to the aerial vehicle, and
- a second portion extending downwards from the floating platform and coupled to the adjustably buoyant body.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.