Lift drive system for energy storage and delivery system
AssigneeEnergy Vault, Inc.
InventorAndrea Pedretti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lift drive system for an energy storage and delivery system includes an electric motor that rotates a driven shaft, a brake assembly for selectively braking the rotation of the driven shaft, and optionally includes a clutch selectively operable to decouple the electric motor from the driven shaft. A steel ribbon is disposed at least partially about and in contact with the driven shaft, where rotation of the driven shaft by the electric motor causes linear movement of the steel ribbon. The steel ribbon can connect at one end to an elevator cage assembly and at an opposite end to a counterweight.
Claims19
A lift drive system for an energy storage and delivery system, comprising:
- an electric motor having an output shaft;
- a clutch coupled to the output shaft;
- a driven shaft coupled to the clutch;
- a steel ribbon disposed at least partially about and in contact with the driven shaft, rotation of the driven shaft causing the steel ribbon to translate;
- and
- a brake assembly operatively coupled to the driven shaft and selectively operable to brake the rotation of the driven shaft,
- wherein when the clutch is engaged, rotation of the output shaft rotates the driven shaft in a first direction to translate the steel ribbon, and wherein when the clutch is disengaged, rotation of the output shaft does not rotate the driven shaft and the brake assembly is engaged to maintain a position of the driven shaft and the steel ribbon.
A lift drive system for an energy storage and delivery system, comprising:
- one or more lift drive units comprising:
- an electric motor coupled to a driven shaft and operable to rotate the driven shaft,
- a steel ribbon disposed at least partially about and in contact with the driven shaft, rotation of the driven shaft causing the steel ribbon to translate,
- a brake assembly operatively coupled to the driven shaft and selectively operable to brake a rotation of the driven shaft,
- a clutch coupled to the driven shaft, the brake assembly disposed between the clutch and the electric motor,
- a roller coupled to the clutch, the clutch disposed between the brake assembly and the roller, the electric motor, the brake assembly, the clutch and the roller arranged in-line;
- a drive shaft offset from the roller and coupled to the roller by a belt so that rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the roller in a same direction via the belt;
- and
- a second electric motor coupled to the drive shaft and operable to rotate the drive shaft,
- wherein when the clutch is engaged, the brake assembly disengaged and the electric motor off, rotation of the drive shaft by the second electric motor causes rotation of the roller and the driven shaft in a first direction to translate the steel ribbon, and wherein when the clutch is disengaged, rotation of the drive shaft does not rotate the driven shaft and the brake assembly is engaged to maintain a position of the driven shaft and the steel ribbon.
A lift drive system for an energy storage and delivery system, comprising:
- one or more lift drive units comprising:
- an electric motor coupled to a driven shaft,
- a variable frequency drive operatively coupled to the electric motor,
- a steel ribbon disposed at least partially about and in contact with the driven shaft, rotation of the driven shaft by the electric motor causing the steel ribbon to translate, and
- a brake assembly operatively coupled to the driven shaft and selectively operable to brake a rotation of the driven shaft,
- wherein when the brake assembly is disengaged, rotation of the driven shaft by the electric motor in a first direction causes a linear movement of the steel ribbon in one direction, and wherein rotation of the driven shaft by the electric motor in a second direction opposite the first direction causes a linear movement of the steel ribbon in an opposite direction, and wherein when the brake assembly is engaged a position of the driven shaft and the steel ribbon is maintained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.