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US 2004/0163389 A1Published application
Wave energy converter (WEC) device and system
AssigneeOcean Power Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJames S. Gerber, David B. Stewart
Life of this patent
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AssigneeOcean Power Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJames S. Gerber, David B. Stewart
Estimating the term…
A wave energy converter system comprises two floats; a first being generally flat and heaving up and down in phase with passing surface waves on a body of water, and the second being elongated and heaving up and down out of phase with the passing waves. Preferably, the first float is annular with a central vertical opening therethrough, and the elongated float, with a weighted bottom end, extends vertically through the central opening of the first float. The two floats thus move out of phase with one another, thus providing a relatively large relative motion between the two floats giving rise to highly efficient energy conversion. Each float serves as a “ground” for the other; thus avoiding the need for anchoring the floats to the floor of the body of water.
Apparatus for capturing energy from surface waves on a body of water comprising first and second floats, each having an intercept with the water surface, a power take-off element connected between said floats for converting relative movements therebetween into useful energy, and wherein said first float is configured to rise and fall in in-phase relation with passing surface waves, and said second float is configured to rise and fall in out-of-phase relation with said passing waves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.