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US 6,616,115 B1Granted
Gimbaled flywheel system
AssigneeAFS Trinity Power Corporation
InventorsRay F. Griswold, John V. Coyner, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A presently-preferred embodiment of a gimbaled flywheel system mountable on a supporting surface comprises a first and a second pivot each being adapted to be mounted on the supporting surface. The gimbaled flywheel system also comprises a mounting frame comprising a first frame member coupled to the first pivot, an opposing second frame member coupled to the second pivot, and a third and an opposing fourth frame member each being fixedly coupled to the first and the second frame members. The gimbaled flywheel system further comprises a plurality of flywheel units each comprising a casing pivotally coupled to the third and the fourth frame members, and a flywheel rotatably coupled to the casing.
Claims29
A gimbaled flywheel system for use on a supporting surface, comprising:
- a pivot for mounting on the supporting surface;
- a mounting frame comprising a first frame member coupled to the pivot and extending in a first direction, and a second frame member fixedly coupled to the first frame member and extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the mounting frame being pivotable about an axis extending substantially in the second direction when the pivot is mounted on the supporting surface;
- and
- a plurality of flywheel units each comprising a casing pivotally coupled to the second frame member and being pivotable about a respective axis extending substantially in the first direction, a flywheel rotatably coupled to the casing and being rotatable about a respective axis extending substantially in a third direction, the third direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a pivot pin extending from the casing of the respective flywheel unit and being pivotally coupled to the second frame member, and
- a plurality of rotational dampers, wherein the pivot pins are pivotally coupled to the second frame member via the rotational dampers.
2 more elements
The gimbaled flywheel system of claim ,7 wherein the pivot further comprises a rotational damper, the pin member being rotatably coupled to the mount via the rotational damper.
A power-storage system, comprising:
- a first and a second pivot for being fixedly coupled to a mounting surface;
- a mounting frame comprising a first frame member coupled to the first pivot, an opposing second frame member coupled to the second pivot, and a third and an opposing fourth frame member each being fixedly coupled to the first and the second frame members, the mounting frame being pivotable about an axis extending in a first direction;
- and
- a plurality of flywheel units each comprising a casing pivotally coupled to the third and the fourth frame members and being pivotable about a respective axis extending substantially in a second direction, a flywheel rotatably coupled to the casing and being rotatable about an axis extending substantially in a third direction, a first and a second pivot pin extending from the casing of the respective flywheel unit and being pivotally coupled to the third and the fourth frame members respectively;
- and
- a plurality of rotational dampers, wherein each of the first pivot pins is pivotally coupled to the third frame member via one of the plurality of rotational dampers.
3 more elements
A gimbaled flywheel system for use on a supporting surface, comprising:
- a pivot comprising a mount for being fixedly coupled to the supporting surface, a pin member fixedly coupled to the first member, extending from the first member substantially in the second direction, and being rotatably coupled to the mount, and a rotational damper, the pin member being rotatably coupled to the mount via the rotational damper,
- a mounting frame comprising a first frame member coupled to the pivot and extending in a first direction, and a second frame member fixedly coupled to the first frame member and extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the mounting frame being pivotable about an axis extending substantially in the second direction when the pivot is mounted on the supporting surface;
- and
- a plurality of flywheel units each comprising a casing pivotally coupled to the second frame member and being pivotable about a respective axis extending substantially in the first direction, and a flywheel rotatably coupled to the casing and being rotatable about a respective axis extending substantially in a third direction, the third direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
1 more element
A gimbaled flywheel system for use on a supporting surface, comprising;
- a pivot for being mounted on the supporting surface,
- a mounting frame comprising a first frame member coupled to the pivot and extending in a first direction, and a second frame member fixedly coupled to the first frame member and extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the mounting frame being pivotable about an axis extending substantially in the second direction when the pivot is mounted on the supporting surface;
- and
- a plurality of flywheel units each comprising a casing pivotally coupled to the second frame member and being pivotable about a respective axis extending substantially in the first direction, and a flywheel rotatably coupled to the casing and being rotatable about a respective axis extending substantially in a third direction, the third direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a center of gravity of each of the flywheel units is located below the respective axis extending substantially in the first direction.
1 more element
A power-storage system, comprising:
- a first and a second pivot for being fixedly coupled to a mounting surface, the first pivot comprising (i) a first mount for being fixedly coupled to the mounting surface, (ii) a first pin member having a first end fixedly coupled to the first frame member and a second end rotatably coupled to the first mount, (iii) a first bearing, the second end of the first pin member being rotatably coupled to the first mount via the first bearing, and (iv) a first rotational damper, the second end of the first pin member being rotatably coupled to the first mount via the first rotational damper, the second pivot comprising (i) a second mount for being fixedly coupled to the mounting surface, (ii) a second pin member having a first end fixedly coupled to the second frame member and a second end rotatably coupled to the second mount, and (iii) a second bearing, the second end of the second pin member being rotatably coupled to the second mount via the second bearing;
- a mounting frame comprising a first frame member coupled to the first pivot, an opposing second frame member coupled to the second pivot, and a third and an opposing fourth frame member each being fixedly coupled to the first and the second frame members, the mounting frame being pivotable about an axis extending in a first direction;
- and a plurality of flywheel units each comprising a casing pivotally coupled to the third and the fourth frame members and being pivotable about a respective axis extending substantially in a second direction, and a flywheel rotatably coupled to the casing and being rotatable about an axis extending substantially in a third direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.