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US 11,629,693 B2Granted
Collapsible frictionless vertical axis power generating wind/ocean current turbine
OwnerJonathan Duane Robinsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved turbine over the old horizontal and vertical axis turbines because of its ability to capture several times the amount of wind. The basic design and process of this new machine can also work in the ocean at capturing ocean currents. Being Omni-directional (not having to turn into the wind) gives it one efficiency over the 3 bladed turbine. Another efficiency all embodiments have is its frictionless exponent. This quality helps save on wear and tear and maintenance cost. Most if not all past turbines have a static presents, being built in one basic wind capturing position. This new turbine is more dynamic because it can hide from wind damage and then open to capture more wind than its predecessors.
Claims20
A turbine assembly, comprising:
- a cylindrical mast having a cylindrical upper collar forming a top of the cylindrical mast and a cylindrical lower collar;
- upper rail arms operatively connected to the cylindrical upper collar, extending radially from the cylindrical mast and operative to fold downward, toward the cylindrical lower collar, until substantially parallel with the cylindrical mast;
- lower rail arms operatively connected to the cylindrical lower collar, extending radially from the cylindrical mast and operative to fold upward, toward the cylindrical upper collar, until substantially parallel with the cylindrical mast;
- rail arm supports, each rail arm support operatively connected to an upper rail arm and a lower rail arm at a radially extended endpoint from the cylindrical mast;
- sail arrays, operatively connected between the upper rail arms and the lower rail arms and substantially perpendicular thereto, each sail array comprising a plurality of foldable sail sections that are rotatable;
- and
- upper and lower stopper pairs, protruding from each upper rail arm and each lower rail arm, respectively, each upper and lower stopper pair corresponding to each foldable sail section of each of the sail arrays, with each upper and lower stopper pair operative to make contact with a corresponding foldable sail section to prevent rotation of the foldable sail sections.
4 more elements
A method of deploying turbine sail arrays, comprising:
- deploying a set of upper rail arms and a corresponding set of lower rail arms, from an initial folded position with respect to a cylindrical mast, to a position substantially perpendicular to the cylindrical mast, the cylindrical mast having a cylindrical upper collar forming a top of the cylindrical mast and a lower collar, each upper rail arm of the set of upper rail arms having a corresponding lower rail arm of the corresponding set of lower rail arms, the upper rail arms operatively connected to the cylindrical upper collar, extending radially from the cylindrical mast and operative to fold downward, toward the cylindrical lower collar, until substantially parallel with the cylindrical mast, and the lower rail arms operatively connected to the cylindrical lower collar, extending radially from the cylindrical mast and operative to fold upward, toward the cylindrical upper collar, until substantially parallel with the cylindrical mast;
- deploying a set of rail arm supports, each rail arm support of the set of rail arm supports corresponding to a one upper rail arm of the set of upper rail arms, and also corresponding to a one lower rail arm of the set of lower rail arms, wherein each rail arm support is substantially perpendicular to the corresponding one upper rail arm and one lower rail arm, wherein each rail arm support is driven radially outwardly from the cylindrical mast, while positioned between, and substantially perpendicular to, the corresponding one upper rail arm and one lower rail arm, and driven into a deployed position at radial ends of the corresponding one upper rail arm and one lower rail arm, wherein each rail arm support is operatively connected to an upper rail arm and a lower rail arm at a radially extended endpoint from the cylindrical mast;
- aligning, sequentially, each upper rail arm with a wind direction with each upper rail arm positioned substantially in parallel with the wind direction;
- deploying a sail array between a first upper rail arm and a second upper rail arm, the sail arrays, operatively connected between the upper rail arms and the lower rail arms and substantially perpendicular thereto, each sail array comprising a plurality of foldable sail sections that are rotatable;
- allowing, during each subsequent sequential sail array deployment, the plurality of independent, foldable sail sections of a previously deployed sail array to freely rotate such that wind does not produce a force upon the previously deployed sail array;
- and
- deploying, after completion of deployment of each sail array, a set of stoppers, protruding from each upper rail arm and each lower rail arm, thereby forming upper and lower stopper pairs corresponding to each foldable sail section such that each foldable sail section contacts with a corresponding upper and lower stopper pair thereby preventing rotation of the foldable sail sections and enabling wind to produce a force upon the deployed sail arrays.
4 more elements
A turbine assembly, comprising:
- a tower structure, comprising a first tower electromagnet positioned on a top upper surface of the tower structure;
- and
- a cylindrical mast, configured to cover at least a portion of the tower structure, the cylindrical mast comprising:
- a cylindrical upper collar forming a top of the cylindrical mast;
- an axis component, for operatively coupling to a generator, the axis component connected to an upper inner surface of the cylindrical upper collar and substantially centered as an axis of the cylindrical mast, and extending downward through a substantial axial centerline of the tower structure;
- and
- a first mast electromagnet operatively coupled to the upper inner surface of the cylindrical upper collar, in a position opposing the first tower electromagnet.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.