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US 4,730,154 AGranted
Variable inertia energy storage system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorGeorge T. Pinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable inertia energy storage system for storing large amounts of mechanical energy for an extended period of time on land or on a mobile vehicle. The energy storage system can also be used for generating electrical power for use on demand by a subsystem or the like.
Claims5
A variable inertia energy storage system for mounting on land or on a vehicle, the storage system comprising:
- an enclosed housing having an inner periphery;
- a central hub mounted in the center of the housing and rotatably mounted therein;
- a plurality of spokes extending outwardly toward the periphery of the housing;
- a plurality of solid movable masses mounted on the spokes for moving inwardly and outwardly from the central hub, said movable masses for storing inertial energy;
- drive motors attached to one end of the spokes for moving the masses along the length of the spokes;
- and
- a hoop disposed around and adjacent said inner periphery of the housing and attached to the ends of the spokes, the hoop having electrical motor/generator elements mounted thereon, and complementary motor/generator elements disposed on said inner housing periphery adjacent said motor generator elements for generating electricity or rotative force as the movable masses, said hoop, and said motor/generator elements are rotated past said complementary elements.
4 more elements
A variable inertia energy storage system for mounting on land or on a vehicle, the system comprising:
- an enclosed circular housing having a inner periphery and also having a central hub centered therein;
- a plurality of spokes equally spaced and attached to the central hub and extending outwardly therefrom, the spokes having threads thereon;
- a plurality of solid movable masses mounted on, and engaged with, the threads of the spokes and movable along the length of the spokes, said movable masses for inertial energy storage;
- drive motors attached to the central hub and one end of the spokes for rotating the spokes and moving the masses along the length of the spokes;
- a structural hoop mounted adjacent the periphery of the housing and attached to the other ends of the spokes, the hoop having a plurality of motor/generator elements mounted thereon a plurality of complementary motor/generator elements mounted on said housing inner periphery adjacent said motor/generator elements for generating electricity or rotational force as the movable masses said hoop, and said motor/generator elements are rotated thereby;
- and
- a power controller connected to the drive motors for controlling the motors for moving the masses along the length of the spokes and controlling the inertia of the storage system.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.