Automatically adjusting wind energy paddlewheel
OwnerJohn Andrew Nelseninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device is described herein that harnesses wind energy by employing large rectangular airfoils mounted on a rotating frame. As the frame rotates, sliders cause the airfoils to expand and contract in a cyclical pattern. The aerodynamic drag of the airfoils is maximized during the power stroke and minimized during the recoil stroke. When subjected to wind, the wind causes more pressure on the expanded airfoils than the contracted ones, which drives rotation of the entire frame. The design is highly scalable, limited only by stiffness and strength limitations of the materials used in its construction. It may be possible to achieve efficiency of power generation that greatly surpasses that of traditional propeller style windmills.
Claims10
A horizontal axle that structurally supports fixed frames;
- the fixed frames extending radially from the horizontal axle;
- on each fixed frame is mounted a rectangular sail-type airfoil, which is connected at its four corners as follows:
- two corners are attached to the frame itself and are therefore disallowed from moving with respect to the frame, and the other two corners are attached to sliders that translate along the radial members of the frame;
- the sliders are free to translate in the radial direction with regard to the horizontal axis as caused by gravity or a mechanically driven action, and, in doing so, result in the expanding or contracting motion of the airfoil such that the highest wind resistance occurs at one position and low wind resistance occurs at the opposite position of the cycle.
The cyclical motion of the device results in a power stroke and a recoil stroke for each airfoil. The power stroke occurs while the airfoil is fully expanded and the recoil stroke occurs while the airfoil is fully contracted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.