WAVE-ACTIVATED POWER GENERATOR PROVIDED WITH ROPE-CONTROL HYDRAULIC CYLINDER

• US 20190360452A1
• Filed: 08/08/2017
• Published: 11/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yanming Qu
• Original Assignee: Yanming Qu
• Inventors: QU, Yanming
• Granted Patent: US 11,536,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/1875 and the wom is the piston or the cylinder in a pump
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/1885 and the wom is tied to the rem
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

The wave generator for a rope-controlled hydraulic cylinder in the present invention includes a Wave Energy Harvest and Conversion system (WEHCS), a rope control device and a gravity anchor. The rope control device includes two members which are controllable in relative motion, i.e., frame and an elongated member. When the frame is located above the elongated member, the top end of the frame serves as a connection point with the WEHCS, and the bottom end of the elongated member serves as a collection point with the gravity anchor; however, when the frame is located below the elongated member, the frame serves as a connection point with the gravity anchor, and the top end of the elongated member serves as, a connection point with the WEHCS. The wave generator is applicable for large waves and adapted to tidal changes, as well as effective in rope-retrieving.

Claims

1-10. -10:

(canceled)

11. :

A rope control mechanism, comprises;

a frame, a linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism and an auxiliary mechanism thereof, and an electric brake;

the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is coupled to a rotor of the electric brake by a main shaft, and may also be linked with the rotor of the electric brake through a chain/gear/belt transmission mechanism;

a stator of the electric brake is fixed on the frame, and the main shaft of the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is installed on the frame through the bearing &

housing;

the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism and the auxiliary mechanism thereof is one of the following three types;

Type 1;

the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is a roller sprocket and roller chain type;

a vertical cylinder is fixed at a bottom end of the frame of the rope control mechanism, and a counterweight is inside the vertical cylinder and has a certain gap with an inner wall of the vertical cylinder;

one end of the roller chain is connected to the counterweight, and the other end of the roller chain extends upward to pass around the roller sprocket, then extends downward and enters into the vertical cylinder to be connected to one end of a rope, and the other end of the rope extends downward to successively pass through the vertical through hole on the counterweight and a fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the inlet of the bottom end of the vertical cylinder, and is finally tied to a gravity anchor;

Type 2;

the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is a round link sprocket and welded chain type, or a friction wheel and rope type;

one end of the welded chain is connected to the gravity anchor, and the other end extends upward to passed through a fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the bottom end of the frame of the rope control mechanism, then passes around a round link sprocket, and extends downward to pass through another fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the bottom end of the frame, and continues to extend downward to be finally connected to a counterweight that acts as a rope-retrieving member;

the round link sprocket and the welded chain may also be replaced by a friction wheel and a rope;

one end of the rope is connected to the gravity anchor, and the other end extends upward to pass through a fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the bottom end of the frame, then passes around a friction wheel, and extends downward to pass through another fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the bottom end of the frame, and continues to extend downward to be finally connected to a counterweight;

Type 3;

the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is main &

secondary drum and main &

secondary rope type, specifically;

a main drum and a secondary drum are coupled through a main shaft or linked through a gear/chain transmission mechanism;

one end of the main rope is fixed and wound on the main drum, and the other end of the main rope extends downward to pass through a fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the bottom end of the frame of the rope control mechanism, and continues to extend downward to be finally connected to the gravity anchor;

one end of the secondary rope is fixed and wound on the secondary drum, and the other end of the secondary rope extends downward and passes through another fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the bottom end of the frame of the rope control mechanism to be connected to a counterweight;

the counterweight acts as a rope-retrieving member, and the torques of pulling forces of the main rope and the secondary rope generated on the main shaft are opposite;

the rope/welded chain/main rope between the aforementioned rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism and the gravity anchor is defined as an energy harvesting line;

the rope/welded chain/secondary rope between the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism and the counterweight is defined as a reset line.

12. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is the round link sprocket and welded chain type, or the friction wheel and rope type, or the main drum and secondary drum type with the counterweight as the rope-retrieving member;

an anti-entanglement mechanism is added, and the anti-entanglement mechanism is one of the following ten types;

type 1;

one end of a catenary chain is connected to the counterweight, and the other end extends downward to one side, and is finally connected to another anchor;

the catenary chain may also be replaced with a rope with a weight tied in the middle;

type 2;

one end of a rope is connected to the counterweight, and the other end extends to one side for a distance, then passes around a pulley and extends downward to be finally connected with a weight;

the pulley bracket of the pulley is in a flexible/universal connection at a certain portion of the middle of a anchor chain;

the anchor chain is one of the mooring systems of a floating body;

the counterweight may also be omitted, so that the end of the reset line is directly connected to one end of the rope, and the weight acts as a counterweight for rope-receiving;

type 3;

a buoy is provided at a certain distance around the floating body of a wave generator, and the floating body and the buoy are anchored at a certain position by a mooring system;

one end of a rope is tied to the counterweight, and the other end extends below the buoy to pass around a pulley, then extends downward to be finally connected to a weight;

the pulley bracket of the pulley is connected to the bottom surface of the buoy through a second rope;

the counterweight may also be omitted, so that the end of the reset line is directly connected to one end of the rope, and the weight acts as a counterweight for rope-retrieving;

type 4;

one end of a rope is connected to the counterweight, and the other end extends downward to one side, then passes around a pulley and extends upward to be finally connected to a submerged float;

the pulley bracket of the pulley is in a flexible/universal connection with the top end of another anchor;

or the counterweight is omitted, namely the end of the reset line is directly connected with one end of a rope, and the other end of the rope extends downward to one side to pass around a pulley, then extends upward to be finally connected with a submerged float;

the pulley bracket of the pulley in a flexible/universal connection with the top end of another anchor;

type 5;

the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism of the rope control mechanism, including;

one main drum and two sets of identical secondary drums and secondary ropes on left and right sides of the main drum, respectively;

the three drums are coaxial;

the lower ends of the two secondary rope are tied to the left and right sides of the counterweight, and the main rope passes through the vertical through hole on the counterweight;

type 6;

the rope control mechanism has two sets of coaxial and identical round link sprockets/friction wheels/main drums that spaced apart by a certain axial distance from each other, and matching energy harvesting lines thereof;

after passing through the respective corresponding fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the bottom end of the frame, the two energy harvesting lines continue to extend downward to pass through two vertical through holes that spaced apart by a certain distance in the counterweight, respectively, and are finally connected to the gravity anchor;

type 7;

each side of the counterweight that connected to the reset line is tied to an anchor chain;

the other end of each anchor chain extends downward to each side, and is connected to another anchor;

the anchor chain may also be replaced by an anchor rope, but a weight should be tied in the middle of the anchor rope;

the counterweight may also be omitted, so that the reset line and the two anchor chains/anchor ropes are directly connected to form an inverted Y-shaped structure;

type 8;

the frame of the rope control mechanism is a half-enclosed housing having an opening only at the bottom surface;

the bottom surface of the housing is fixedly connected with a vertical cylinder, and the inner cavity of the vertical cylinder is in communication with the cavity of the housing through the opening of the top end of the cylinder;

the counterweight is inside the vertical cylinder, and a gap exists between the counterweight and the inner wall of the vertical cylinder;

the fairlead/double-roller chock through which the reset line passes and above the counterweight is omitted, and the fairlead/double-roller chock through which the energy harvesting line passes is modified to be installed on the outer side of the lower portion of the vertical cylinder;

type 9;

in case that the rotation of the frame of the rope control mechanism is restrained, this type of anti-entanglement mechanism may be applied;

a suspended anchor is namely the gravity anchor suspended in the water;

the bottom end of the energy harvesting line is connected to the suspended anchor, and the reset line passes through the vertical through hole in the suspended anchor, then continues to extend downward to be connected the counterweight;

if the suspended anchor is a pulley suspended anchor, the pulley bracket should be fixedly connected with the suspended anchor;

Type 10;

in case that the rotation of the frame of the rope control mechanism is restrained, this type of anti-entanglement mechanism may be applied;

specifically, the lower half of the energy harvesting line is replaced by a r-shaped guiding rod;

namely, the bottom end of the energy harvesting line is firstly connected to the right angle inflection point of the r-shaped guiding rod, then the bottom end of the long rod portion of the r-shaped guiding rod is connected to the gravity anchor through a pair of lock rings that hooked to each other, and the reset line passes through a third fairlead/double-roller chock, which is installed on the outer end of the short rod portion of the r-shaped guiding rod;

the counterweight defines a vertical guiding hole, and the long rod portion of the r-shaped guiding rod passes through the fairleads that installed at upper and lower openings of the vertical guiding hole;

the cross section of the long rod portion of the r-shaped guiding rod is rectangular, and the four sides of the long rod portion abut four rollers of the fairlead one by one;

wet weight of the counterweight is greater than total wet weight of the energy harvesting line and the r-shaped guiding rod.

13. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 12, wherein for the type 1, type 2, type 3 and type 4 of the anti-entanglement mechanisms, the rope/catenary chain for laterally pulling the counterweight is connected to the counterweight through a rigid straight rod, rather than being directly connected to the counterweight, namely, one end of the rigid straight rod is connected with the end of the rope/catenary chain, and the other end of the rigid straight rod is in a flexible/universal connection with the counterweight;

14. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 12, wherein for the type 6 of the anti-entanglement mechanisms, the connection between the energy harvesting line and the gravity anchor is one of the following two designs;

design 1;

the two energy harvesting lines that extend downward from the rope control mechanism, instead of being directly connected to the gravity anchor, are modified to be combined to one and pass around a pulley, and the pulley bracket of the pulley is in a flexible/universal connection with the gravity anchor;

design 2;

instead of being directly connected to the gravity anchor, the two energy harvesting lines are connected to two ends of a rigid straight rod, respectively, then the rigid straight rod is connected to the gravity anchor through a V-shaped rope, namely;

two top ends of the V-shaped rope are connected to the two ends of the rigid straight rod, respectively, and the bottom end of the V-shaped rope is in a flexible/universal connection with the gravity anchor.

15. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 11, wherein for a rope control mechanism with a friction wheel and a rope, the rope is one, and the friction wheel can be two in series to form a friction wheel set;

specifically the friction wheel is coupled to a gear through a shaft;

the friction wheel, the gear, the shaft and its bearing &

housing form a friction wheel gear unit;

the shaft is mounted on the frame of the rope control mechanism through the bearing &

housing;

two identical friction wheel gear units have parallel axes, same directions and aligned end faces and are sequentially and adjacently mounted on the frame, and the gears of the two friction wheel gear units are meshed with each other;

however, the diameter of the rim of each friction wheel is less than the diameter of the reference circle of the gear, the friction wheels do not contact with each other;

the gear of one unit in the friction wheel gear set is coupled to the rotor of the electric bake, and the rope successively passes by the friction wheels in each friction wheel gear unit in a zigzagged manner, namely the direction of the rope passing around the first friction wheel and the direction of the rope passing around the second friction wheel are opposite;

in addition, the gears of the two friction wheel gear units may be different in diameter and the two friction wheels may also be different in diameter, but the ratio of the diameter of the friction wheel to the diameter of the gear in each friction wheel gear unit is the same.

16. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 15, wherein more than two friction wheel gear units are mounted according to the said rules of parallel, the same direction and aligned end faces, and the gears of the friction wheel gear units are meshed in series;

the rope passes by the friction wheels of each friction wheel gear unit in the meshing order in a zigzagged manner, and the shaft of only one friction wheel gear unit in the whole friction wheel gear set is coupled to the rotor of the electric brake;

the said friction wheel gear unit coupled to the rotor is the first friction wheel gear unit on the side where the reset line is located.

17. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 16, wherein the meshing transmissions of the all gears have a clearance.

18. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 11, wherein an overrunning clutch/torque limiter is inserted into the power transmission path from the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism to the electric brake;

specifically, the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism and one end of the overrunning clutch/torque limiter are coupled by the shaft or linked with each other through a chain/gear/belt transmission mechanism, and the other end of the overrunning clutch/torque limiter and the rotor of the electric brake are coupled by the shaft;

the stator of the electric brake is fixed on the frame;

if the overrunning clutch is introduced, the rotatable direction of the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism should be the same as the direction of the torque generated by the pulling force of the reset line, when the electric brake is in the braking mode.

19. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 18, wherein if the rope control mechanism is already provided with the said overrunning clutch, a second electric brake is installed, and the stator of the second electric brake is installed on the frame of the rope control mechanism;

the rotor of the second electric brake and the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism are coupled by a shaft, or linked through a chain/gear/belt transmission mechanism.

20. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the frame of the rope control mechanism is a semi-enclosed housing with an opening only at its bottom, and the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism, the main shaft and its bearing &

housing, and the electric brake are all installed inside the inner cavity of the frame.

21. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 20, wherein an air supply system is further included, and the following are several types of the air supply system;

type 1;

the air supply system includes a gas tube, a waterlogging sensor, a Microcontroller Unit module, an electric air pump and an auxiliary power supply;

the electric air pump is installed in the air environment of the floating body on the sea surface;

one end of the gas tube is connected to the air outlet of the air pump, and the other end extends into the cavity of the rope control mechanism;

the waterlogging sensor is installed on the frame below the shaft of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism inside the cavity of the rope control mechanism, and the waterlogging sensor sends information to the MCU module through a signal line;

the MCU module performs switching control of the power supply of the electric air pump;

if the gas returns after the air pump is stopped, the air outlet of the air pump is connected to the air tube through a permitting-out check valve;

Type 2;

the air supply system includes a waterlogging sensor, a MCU and an auxiliary power supply, a solenoid valve, and a high-pressure gas tank, and all of which except the waterlogging sensor are installed on an upper part inside the cavity of the semi-enclosed housing;

the waterlogging sensor is installed inside the cavity of the rope control mechanism and on the frame below the shaft of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism;

once the water is detected, the waterlogging sensor immediately sends a signal to the MCU;

the MCU controls opening and closing of the solenoid valve, and the gas tube connected to the outlet of the high-pressure gas tank is in communication with the cavity of the housing of the rope control mechanism through the solenoid valves;

Type 3;

place a chemical solid, such as calcium carbide, which reacts with water to generate a large amount of gas on the frame below the shaft of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism inside the cavity of the frame of the rope control mechanism;

type 4;

two outer insulation electric cables with positive and negative of DC voltage are arranged on the rope control mechanism;

the negative electric cable leads into the cavity of the frame to connect a graphite electrode;

the graphite electrode is bare but insulated from the frame, and is installed on the frame below the shaft of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism;

the other graphite electrode connected to the positive electric cable is installed outside the frame housing and insulated from the frame.

22. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the lower segment of the energy harvesting line is a chain, and a point on the chain is connected to the gravity anchor by a quick link.

23. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the rope control mechanism is connected with a Wave Energy Collection &

Conversion System through a square tube;

the bottom end of the square tube is connected to the tope of the rope control mechanism.

24. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 23, wherein a electric cable connecting the rope control mechanism enters the square tube from the top inlet of the square tube, and comes out from the bottom outlet of the square tube.

25. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the fairlead is one of the two following types;

type 1;

the fairlead is a four-roller fairlead, and the first pair of the rollers that the rope is contacted with when just enters in the fairlead are sleeved with circular tubes;

the circular tubes are made of a soft and wear-resistant material, and both ends of the soft wear-resistant tubes are in fixed and sealed connection with the two ends of cylindrical surfaces of the rollers, respectively;

the gaps between the inner wall of the soft wear-resistant circular tube and the cylindrical surfaces of the rollers are small and filled with lubricating oil;

type 2;

the fairlead is a four-roller fairlead, and the first pair of rollers that the rope is contact with when just enters in the fairlead are sleeved with barrel-shaped sleeves;

the barrel-shaped sleeves are woven by ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, and the surfaces of the barrel-shaped sleeves are externally coated with rubber;

both ends of the barrel-shaped sleeves are connected to both ends of the cylindrical surfaces of the rollers, respectively;

the rollers are made of polytetrafluoroethylene material.

26. :

A rope control mechanism, comprises;

a frame, a linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism and an auxiliary mechanism thereof, and an electric brake, and the top end of the frame of the rope control mechanism is connected with a Wave Energy Collection &

Conversion System located above;

the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is coupled to a rotor of the electric brake by a main shaft, and may also be linked to the rotor of the electric brake through a chain/gear/belt transmission mechanism;

a stator of the electric brake is fixed on the frame, and the main shaft of the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is installed on the frame through the bearing &

housing;

the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism and the auxiliary mechanism thereof is as following;

the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism is main &

secondary drum and main &

secondary rope, specifically;

a main drum and a secondary drum are coupled through a main shaft or linked through a gear/chain transmission mechanism;

one end of the main rope is fixed and wound on the main drum, and the other end of the main rope extends downward to pass through a fairlead/double-roller chock installed at the bottom end of the frame of the rope control mechanism, and continues to extend downward to be finally connected to a gravity anchor;

one end of the secondary rope is fixed and wound on the secondary drum, and the other end of the secondary rope extends to be connected to an extension spring, and the other end of the extension spring is fixed on the frame; and

the torques of pulling forces of the main rope and the secondary rope generated on the main shaft are opposite;

in addition, the frame of the rope control mechanism is a semi-enclosed housing with an opening only at its bottom, and the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism, the main shaft and its bearing &

housing, and the electric brake are all installed inside the inner cavity of the frame.

27. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 26, wherein the rope control mechanism is connected with the Wave Energy Collection &

Conversion System through a square tube;

the bottom end of the square tube is connected to the tope of the rope control mechanism.

28. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 26, wherein an overrunning clutch/torque limiter is inserted into the power transmission path from the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism to the electric brake;

specifically, the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism and one end of the overrunning clutch/torque limiter are coupled by the shaft or linked with each other through a chain/gear/belt transmission mechanism, and the other end of the overrunning clutch/torque limiter and the rotor of the electric brake are coupled by the shaft;

the stator of the electric brake is fixed on the frame;

if the overrunning clutch is introduced, the rotatable direction of the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism should be the same as the direction of the torque generated by the pulling force of the reset line, when the electric brake is in the braking mode.

29. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 28, wherein if the rope control mechanism is already provided with the said overrunning clutch, a second electric brake is installed, and the stator of the second electric brake is installed on the frame of the rope control mechanism;

the rotor of the second electric brake and the rotating member of the linear-rotary motion conversion mechanism are coupled by a shaft, or linked through a chain/gear/belt transmission mechanism.

30. :

The rope control mechanism according to claim 26, wherein the main rope is sheathed with sleeves made of wear-resistant soft materials to reduce wear.