Hinge system for an articulated wave energy conversion system

A method of providing omni-directional stress relief to at least one piston pump positioned across a gap between at least two floating members that are hinged together, the at least one piston pump being operable when wave motion causes the at least two floating members to pivot, the at least one piston pump having two ends, said method comprising:

• securing a first portion of bracing assembly pairs to one end of a first floating member and securing a second portion of said bracing assembly pairs to one end of a second floating member that faces said first floating member;
• pivotally coupling said first and second portions of said bracing assembly pairs together using an axle segment such that said first and second floating members can pivot about an axis perpendicular to a common longitudinal axis of said first and second floating members;
• providing a universal coupling member on a respective truss to which said first and second portions are secured;
• and
• connecting the ends of the at least one piston pump to respective universal coupling members positioned on respective trusses such that the at least one pump is positioned across the gap, said universal coupling members providing omni-directional stress relief to said at least one pump by allowing movement of said at least one pump in directions other than said longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members, said at least one piston pump comprising a linear piston pump having an extendable/retractable piston for transforming wave motion into pump energy.

A hinge system that provides omni-directional stress relief to at least two piston pumps positioned in parallel position above the other and both positioned across a gap between at least two floating members that are hinged together, the at least two floating members pivoting about an axis perpendicular to a common longitudinal axis of said at least two floating members and said at least two piston pumps positioned across the gap, aligned with the longitudinal axis, said hinge system comprising:

• a plurality of bracing assemblies, said plurality of bracing assemblies forming pairs such that a first portion of each pair is fixedly coupled to a first floating member and a second portion of each pair is fixedly coupled to a second floating member, and wherein said first portion and said second portion are hingedly coupled to each other using an axle segment to permit the first floating member to pivot with respect to the second floating member due to wave motion;
• a first truss positioned transversely along a first end of said first floating member and to which each of said first portions is fixedly coupled and a second truss positioned transversely along a first end of said second floating member, opposite to said first end of said first floating member, and to which each of said second portions is fixedly coupled, said first and second trusses comprising a first set of corresponding universal couplings between which a first one of said at least two piston pumps is coupled, thereby providing omni-directional stress relief to the first one of said at least two piston pumps by allowing movement of the first one of said at least two piston pumps in directions other than the longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members;
• said first and second portions comprising a second set of corresponding universal couplings between which a second one of said at least two piston pumps is coupled, thereby providing omni-directional stress relief to the second one of said two piston pumps by allowing movement of the second one of said two piston pumps in directions other than the longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members;
• wherein said first set of corresponding universal couplings is located above said second set of universal couplings such that said first one of said at least two piston pumps is positioned above said second one of said at least two piston pumps;
• and
• wherein said at least two piston pumps are each a linear piston pump having an extendable/retractable piston for transforming wave motion into pump energy.

A method of providing omni-directional stress relief to two piston pumps positioned in parallel position above the other and both positioned across a gap between at least two floating members that are hinged together, the piston pumps being operable when wave motion causes the at least two floating members to pivot, said method comprising:

• securing a first portion of bracing assembly pairs to one end of a first floating member via a first truss and securing a second portion of said bracing assembly pairs to one end of a second floating member, that faces said first floating member, via a second truss;
• pivotally coupling said first and second portions of said bracing assembly pairs together using a plurality of axle segments such that said first and second floating members can pivot about an axis perpendicular to a common longitudinal axis of said first and second floating members;
• providing a first set of corresponding universal couplings on on said first and second trusses;
• connecting ends of a first one of the two piston pumps between said first set of corresponding universal couplings so that the first one of the two piston pumps is positioned across the gap, said first set of corresponding universal coupling providing omni-directional stress relief to said first one of the two piston pumps by allowing movement of said first one of the two piston pumps in directions other than said longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members;
• providing a second set of corresponding universal couplings on said first and second portions which are positioned beneath said first set of corresponding universal couplings on said first and second trusses;
• connecting ends of a second one of said two piston pumps between said second set of universal couplings so that said second one of said two piston pumps is also positioned across the gap and beneath the first one of said two piston pumps, said second set of corresponding universal couplings providing omni-directional stress relief to the second one of said two piston pumps by allowing movement of the second one of said two piston pumps in directions other than the longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members, said two piston pumps each comprising a linear piston pump having an extendable/retractable piston for transforming wave motion into pump energy.