Planform Configuration for Stability of a Powered Kite and a System and Method for Use of Same

• US 20110260462A1
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Makani Technologies LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Vander Lind, Damon
• Granted Patent: US 8,800,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/002 Means for manipulating kites or other captive flying toys, e.g. kite-reels reels in general B65H75/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/04 Captive toy aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/08 Kites kite-sails or kite-wings specially adapted for water sports boards B63H8/10; kite-sails for wind propelled vessels B63H9/069

Abstract

A system and method of power generation, wind based flight, and take off and landing using a tethered kite with a raised tail mounted rearward of the main wing or wings. The tail may be fully rotatable and may be adapted to rotate more than 90 degrees from its nominal position during a traditional flight paradigm.

Claims

1. A kite adapted for tethered flight, said kite comprising:

a main wing,

a tail wing, and

a tail boom, said tail boom attached to said main wing on a first end, said tail boom coupled to said tail wing on second end,

wherein said tail wing is mounted behind and above said main wing.

2. The kite of claim 1 wherein said tail wing comprises a fully rotatable wing adapted to rotate relative to said main wing.

3. The kite of claim 2 wherein said tail wing is adapted to rotate from a first position parallel to said main wing to a second position perpendicular to said main wing.

4. The kite of claim 2 wherein said tail wing is adapted to rotate from a first position parallel to said main wing to a second position 20 past perpendicular to said main wing.

5. The kite of claim 3 wherein said kite further comprises a plurality of turbine driven generators.

6. The kite of claim 5 wherein said plurality of turbine driven generators are adapted to function as motor driven propellers.

7. The kite of claim 2 wherein said kite has a center of mass, and wherein said tail wing rotates about a point greater higher than a line 20 degrees off of horizontal through said center of mass when said main wing is in a horizontal position.

8. The kite of claim 2 wherein said kite has a center of mass, and wherein said tail wing rotates about a point greater higher than a line 30 degrees off of horizontal through said center of mass when said main wing is in a horizontal position.

9. A method of flying a tethered and powered kite, said method comprising the steps of:

lifting a kite off of the ground in a hover mode, said kite comprising a main wing and a tail wing rearward and above said main wing when viewed in a horizontal aspect, said kite oriented vertically in said hover mode; and

controlling said kite in pitch at least in part by rotating said tail wing, wherein said tail wing is adapted to rotate at least ninety degrees from horizontal.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of reeling out a tether after said kite lifts off a ground perch, wherein said tether is attached to said kite on a first end and to a ground station on a second end.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of transitioning from said hover mode to a forward flight mode.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of transitioning from said forward flight mode to said hover mode.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of landing a kite in hover mode, while controlling said kite in pitch at least in part by rotating said tail wing.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of lifting a kite off of the ground comprises lifting off a kite mounted in a ground receiving fixture.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of landing a kite comprises landing a kite into a ground receiving fixture.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of constraining the kite in the roll axis with the use of a bridle between said kite and said tether.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein constraining the kite in the roll axis is comprises constraining the kite in the roll axis using a bridling system adapted to provide a restoring force about the roll axis.

18. A system for power generation with a tethered kite, said system comprising:

a ground station;

a tether, said tether attached to said ground station on a first end and to a kite on a second end; and

a

a kite, said kite comprising;

a main wing,

a tail wing, and

a tail boom, said tail boom attached to said main wing on a first end, said tail boom coupled to said tail wing on second end,

wherein said tail wing is mounted behind and above said main wing.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said tail wing comprises a fully rotatable wing adapted to rotate relative to said main wing.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said tail wing is adapted to rotate from a first position parallel to said main wing to a second position perpendicular to said main wing.

21. The kite of claim 19 wherein said tail wing is adapted to rotate from a first position parallel to said main wing to a second position past perpendicular to said main wing.