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US 7,352,073 B2Granted
Ocean wave energy converter having an improved generator and ballast control
OwnerP. Foerd Amesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The ocean wave energy converter uniquely includes a generator with a rotating inner rotor surrounded by a counter-rotating outer rotor for generating electricity. A reciprocating drive rod drives the inner rotor on the downstroke of the drive rod and the outer rotor on the upstroke of the drive rod through a gear driven driveshaft with clutches. A buoy is attached to end of the drive rod whereby the undulation of the ocean waves relative to the buoy reciprocates the drive rod between the upstroke and the downstroke positions.
Claims19
An apparatus for converting the kinetic energy of ocean waves into electricity, comprising:
- a main body member;
- at least one generator located within the main body member for generating electricity, the at least one generator having:
- a driveshaft having a positive direction and a negative direction;
- an inner rotor driven by the driveshaft, the inner rotor configured and arranged to be driven only in the negative direction of the driveshaft;
- an outer rotor surrounding the inner rotor and being driven by the driveshaft, the outer rotor configured and arranged to be driven only in the positive direction of the driveshaft;
- whereby the rotation of the inner rotor relative to the rotation of the outer rotor generates electricity;
- and
- at least one drive rod having a buoy attached to one end, the at least one drive rod freely movable between an upstroke position and a downstroke position, the at least one drive rod driving the at least one generator as the at least one drive rod reciprocates between the upstroke position and the downstroke position;
- whereby the undulation of the ocean waves relative to the buoy of the at least one drive rod reciprocates the at least one drive rod between the upstroke position and the downstroke position.
6 more elements
An apparatus for converting the kinetic energy of ocean waves into electricity, comprising:
- a main body member;
- three generators located within the main body member for generating electricity, the three generators each having:
- a driveshaft having a positive direction and a negative direction,
- an inner rotor having at least one permanent magnet driven by the driveshaft, the inner rotor configured and arranged to be driven only in the negative direction of the driveshaft,
- a counter-rotating outer rotor having at least one coil surrounding the inner rotor and being driven by the driveshaft, the outer rotor configured and arranged to be driven only in the positive direction of the driveshaft;
- whereby the rotation of the inner rotor relative to the rotation of the outer rotor generates electricity;
- and
- three drive rods each having a buoy attached to one end, each of the three drive rods freely movable between an upstroke position and a downstroke position, each of the three drive rods respectively driving the driveshaft of one of the three generators in the negative direction when reciprocating to the downstroke position and in the positive direction when reciprocating to the upstroke position respectively;
- whereby the undulation of the ocean waves relative to the buoys of the three drive rods reciprocates the three drive rods between the upstroke position and the downstroke position.
6 more elements
An apparatus for converting the kinetic energy of ocean waves into electricity, comprising:
- a main body member;
- three generators located within the main body member for generating electricity, the three generators each having:
- a driveshaft having a positive direction and a negative direction,
- an inner rotor having at least one permanent magnet driven by the driveshaft, the inner rotor configured and arranged to be driven only in the negative direction of the driveshaft,
- a counter-rotating outer rotor having at least one coil surrounding the inner rotor and being driven by the driveshaft, the outer rotor configured and arranged to be driven only in the positive direction of the driveshaft;
- whereby the rotation of the inner rotor relative to the rotation of the outer rotor generates electricity;
- three drive rods arranged in a tetrahedral configuration, each of the three drive rod having a buoy attached to one end, each of the three drive rods freely movable between an upstroke position and a downstroke position, each of the three drive rods respectively driving the driveshaft of one of the three generators in the negative direction when reciprocating to the downstroke position and in the positive direction when reciprocating to the upstroke position respectively;
- and
- an active neutral buoyancy control system including at least one bladder, a pump for filling and evacuating said at least one bladder and a water level sensor for controlling said pump;
- whereby the undulation of the ocean waves relative to the buoys of the three drive rods reciprocates the three drive rods between the upstroke position and the downstroke position.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.