Wave energy device

A wave energy device for capturing heave forces and surge forces of waves propagating in a wave direction in which the device faces forwardly to confront the waves propagating in the wave direction, the device comprising:

• a buoyant body for tracking a rise and fall of the waves;
• a working surface for facing forwardly to confront the waves and being coupled to the buoyant body for movement together therewith, the working surface including an upper portion and a lower portion for capturing a substantial portion of the surge forces in the wave direction and the heave forces of the waves between the upper and lower portions of the working surface;
• the lower portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the lower portion is spaced forwardly and downwardly in relation to the inner end of the lower portion;
• the upper portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced forwardly in relation to the inner end of both the upper and the lower portions and in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced above the outer end of the lower portion;
• an anchor for being substantially anchored against the rise and fall and the surge forces of the waves;
• and
• a driven linkage coupling the buoyant body to the anchor for relative movement therebetween and for converting said relative movement into a usable form of energy;
• wherein the driven linkage comprises a piston rod coupled to the anchor and a housing which slidably receives the piston rod therein for converting relative movement between the piston rod and the housing into the usable form of energy, the housing being coupled to the buoyant body for movement together therewith;
• and
• wherein the piston rod extends through opposing sides of the buoyant body and the piston rod carries the buoyant body for sliding movement therealong.

A wave energy device for capturing heave forces and surge forces of waves propagating in a wave direction in which the device faces forwardly to confront the waves propagating in the wave direction, the device comprising:

• a buoyant body for tracking a rise and fall of the waves;
• a working surface for facing forwardly to confront the waves and being coupled to the buoyant body for movement together therewith, the working surface including an upper portion and a lower portion for capturing a substantial portion of the surge forces in the wave direction and the heave forces of the waves between the upper and lower portions of the working surface;
• the lower portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the lower portion is spaced forwardly and downwardly in relation to the inner end of the lower portion;
• the upper portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced forwardly in relation to the inner end of both the upper and the lower portions and in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced above the outer end of the lower portion;
• an anchor for being substantially anchored against the rise and fall and the surge forces of the waves;
• and
• a driven linkage coupling the buoyant body to the anchor for relative movement therebetween and for converting said relative movement into a usable form of energy;
• wherein there is provided an extension surface oriented parallel to the lower portion of the working surface at the outer end thereof to project downwardly and forwardly from the working surface, the extension surface being supported on the anchor in fixed relationship therewith for sliding movement relative to the working surface.

A wave energy device for capturing heave forces and surge forces of waves propagating in a wave direction in which the device faces forwardly to confront the waves propagating in the wave direction, the device comprising:

• a buoyant body for tracking a rise and fall of the waves;
• a working surface for facing forwardly to confront the waves and being coupled to the buoyant body for movement together therewith, the working surface including an upper portion and a lower portion for capturing a substantial portion of the surge forces in the wave direction and the heave forces of the waves between the upper and lower portions of the working surface;
• the lower portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the lower portion is spaced forwardly and downwardly in relation to the inner end of the lower portion;
• the upper portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced forwardly in relation to the inner end of both the upper and the lower portions and in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced above the outer end of the lower portion;
• an anchor for being substantially anchored against the rise and fall and the surge forces of the waves;
• and
• a driven linkage coupling the buoyant body to the anchor for relative movement therebetween and for converting said relative movement into a usable form of energy;
• wherein the buoyant body includes a front wall which is sloped downwardly and rearwardly in the wave direction and a rear wall which is sloped upwardly and rearwardly in the wave direction;
• and
• wherein there is provided a panel member below the buoyant body which projects upwardly and rearwardly in the wave direction substantially in alignment with the rear wall of the buoyant body, the upper portion of the working surface being defined by the front wall of the housing and the lower portion of the working surface being defined by the panel member.

A wave energy device for capturing heave forces and surge forces of waves propagating in a wave direction in which the device faces forwardly to confront the waves propagating in the wave direction, the device comprising:

• a buoyant body for tracking a rise and fall of the waves;
• a working surface for facing forwardly to confront the waves and being coupled to the buoyant body for movement together therewith, the working surface including an upper portion and a lower portion for capturing a substantial portion of the surge forces in the wave direction and the heave forces of the waves between the upper and lower portions of the working surface;
• the lower portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the lower portion is spaced forwardly and downwardly in relation to the inner end of the lower portion;
• the upper portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced forwardly in relation to the inner end of both the upper and the lower portions and in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced above the outer end of the lower portion;
• an anchor for being substantially anchored against the rise and fall and the surge forces of the waves;
• and
• a driven linkage coupling the buoyant body to the anchor for relative movement therebetween and for converting said relative movement into a usable form of energy;
• wherein connection of the driven linkage with at least one of the buoyant body and the anchor is selectively releasable for releasing the buoyant body from a working position to a transport position.

A wave energy device for capturing heave forces of waves propagating in a wave direction, the device comprising:

• a buoyant body for tracking a rise and fall of the waves responsive to the heave forces of the waves;
• an anchor for being substantially anchored against the rise and fall of the waves;
• a driven linkage coupling the buoyant body to the anchor for relative movement therebetween and for converting said relative movement into a usable form of energy;
• connection of the driven linkage with at least one of the buoyant body and the anchor being selectively releasable for releasing the buoyant body from a working position into a transport position;
• and
• a variable ballast on the buoyant body operable to increase buoyancy of the buoyant body in the transport position in relation to the working position.