Novel electrical generators for use in unmoored buoys and the like platforms with low-frequency and time-varying oscillatory motions

• US 20090015103A1
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Inventors: Rastegar, Jahangir S., Murray, Richard T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/20 wherein both members , i.e. wom and rem are movable relative to the sea bed or shore
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/709 Piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/40 Movement of component
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/183 using impacting bodies high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/306 Cantilevers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

A buoy for generating electrical energy from an upward heave resulting from a passing wave is provided. The buoy including: a body; a first device associated with the body to which a motion of the heave is transferred; and a second device associated with the body to which the motion is intermittently transferred from the first device. A buoy is also provided for generating electrical energy from a pitch/roll resulting from the passing wave where the first device is associated with the body to which a motion of the pitch/roll is transferred and the second device is associated with the body to which the motion is intermittently transferred from the first device.

Claims

1. A buoy for generating electrical energy from an upward heave resulting from a passing wave, the buoy comprising:

a body;

a first device associated with the body to which a motion of the heave is transferred; and

a second device associated with the body to which the motion is intermittently transferred from the first device.

2. The buoy of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises:

a rigid member movable in the heave direction;

a sea anchor which resists motion in the heave direction as the body is moved in the heave direction;

wherein the rigid member moves in a direction opposite to the heave direction with respect to the body.

3. The buoy of claim 2, further comprising a biasing means for biasing the rigid member in the heave direction to return the rigid member in the heave direction.

4. The buoy of claim 3, wherein the rigid body includes one or more tips interacting with the second device to transfer the motion thereto.

5. The buoy of claim 4, wherein the second device comprises one or more vibrating members having one or more piezoelectric materials associated therewith such that the one or more tips interact with a portion of the one or more vibrating members to vibrate the one or more vibrating members to generate electrical energy from the one or more piezoelectric members associated therewith.

6. The buoy of claim 5, wherein the one or more tips interact with the one or more vibrating members by contacting with the portion of the one or more vibrating members.

7. The buoy of claim 5, wherein the one or more tips interact with the one or more vibrating members by creating a repulsion force with the portion of the one or more vibrating members.

8. A buoy for generating electrical energy from a pitch/roll resulting from a passing wave, the buoy comprising:

a body;

a first device associated with the body to which a motion of the pitch/roll is transferred; and

a second device associated with the body to which the motion is intermittently transferred from the first device.

9. The buoy of claim 8, wherein the first device comprises a pendulum rotatable in response to the pitch/roll.

10. The buoy of claim 8, wherein the pendulum includes at least a portion interacting with the second device to transfer the motion thereto.

11. The buoy of claim 10, wherein the second device comprises one or more vibrating members having one or more piezoelectric materials associated therewith such that the portion of the pendulum interacts with a portion of the one or more vibrating members to vibrate the one or more vibrating members to generate electrical energy from the one or more piezoelectric members associated therewith.

12. The buoy of claim 11, wherein the portion of the pendulum interacts with the one or more vibrating members by contacting with the portion of the one or more vibrating members.

13. The buoy of claim 11, wherein the portion of the pendulum interacts with the one or more vibrating members by creating a repulsion force with the portion of the one or more vibrating members.

14. The buoy of claim 8, wherein the pendulum comprises a mass suspended by a rigid bar positioned along a length of the body.

15. The buoy of claim 8, wherein the pendulum comprises an eccentric mass rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the body.

16. The buoy of claim 8, wherein the pendulum comprises:

a mass, and

a linkage assembly, wherein the mass comprises a link of the linkage assembly.