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US 4,928,553 AGranted
Variable-inertia flywheels and transmission
OwnerJohn T. Wagnerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flywheel energy storage system with a continuously-variable output speed employing a pair of variable inertia flywheels for energy storage and transfer and a second pair of variable inertia flywheels for control of the inertia of the first flywheels. A gear type transmission is provided for coupling each of the flywheels to an input shaft and each of the flywheels with an output shaft with multiple output shaft speed ranges. A system for automatic control of shifting is provided.
Claims21
An energy storage apparatus comprising:
- a pair of variable inertia flywheels;
- an output shaft;
- means for coupling the output shaft with either of said variable inertia flywheels;
- and
- control means for simultaneously increasing the moment of inertia of one of the pair of variable inertia flywheels while reducing the moment of inertia of the remaining one of the pair of variable inertia flywheels.
2 more elements
An energy storing apparatus comprising:
- a pair of variable inertia flywheels;
- an output shaft;
- means for rotationally coupling the output shaft with a selected one of the pair of variable inertia flywheels and rotating either one of the output shaft and the one selected flywheel with the remaining one of the output shaft and the one selected flywheel;
- and
- control means for simultaneously varying the angular momentum of the pair of variable inertia flywheels from one another.
2 more elements
A transmission comprising:
- a pair of variable inertia flywheels;
- an output shaft;
- first means for coupling the output shaft with a selected one of said variable inertia flywheels;
- an input shaft;
- second means for selectively coupling the input shaft with at least one of the pair of variable inertia flywheels;
- and
- control means for simultaneously varying the angular momentum of the pair of variable inertia flywheels from one another.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.