Wind turbine driven generator to recharge batteries in electric vehicles

• US 3,876,925 A
• Filed: 01/02/1974
• Issued: 04/08/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Christian Stoeckert
• Original Assignee: Christian Stoeckert
• Inventors: Stoeckert, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, J. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/430,048
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2,61 322/1,100 290/44,55 180/1P,60,65
• US Class Current: 322/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/0463 with converging inlets, i.e. the shield intercepting an area greater than the effective rotor area
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/11 storing electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/941 which is a land vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/74 Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

In a wind turbine driven generator for the recharging of batteries utilized as the power source for various vehicles, and particularly an automotive electrically driven vehicle, the mechanical combination wherein wind driven vanes of particular design are mounted to rotate about a vertical shaft disposed in or on the roof of the vehicle, said vanes being completely enclosed within a suitable housing of either rectangular or circular configuration. When of rectangular shape the housing has at least four air current receiving openings, one on each side, each of which do in turn serve as exhaust outlets depending on direction of predominant air pressure, and, when of circular configuration, the housing has but one air current receiving vent, with that vent revolving to face the direction of any wind current by the impetus of a wind vane on the top thereof. In either case the arrangement is such that the said wind driven vanes rotate while the vehicle is under way, or, if air currents are prevalent, even while the vehicle is not in motion, thus to drive a suitably mounted generator for more or less continuous recharge of the battery system. Said generator is mounted within the hub around which said vanes rotate, and comprises a stationary stator, and rotating rotor, the latter being wind driven by the rotating vanes.

Claims

1. In a wind driven turbine generator to recharge the batteries of an electric vehicle the combination comprising a rotatable wind driven rotor means, said means being mounted upon a stationary vertical shaft, said rotor means having a series of laterally disposed rotor blades approximately semicircular in cross-sectional configuration mounted for rotation on said shaft, a housing mounted upon the roof of said electric vehicle for enclosure of said rotor means, said housing being rectangular and having at least one air inlet and outlet means on each side thereof to receive and discharge air currents from more than one direction, said inlet and outlet means being in communication with said laterally disposed rotor blades, a generator means within said housing, said generator means comprising a rotor winding and a stator winding, said stator winding being mounted upon said shaft and concentrically with respect to said rotor blades, said rotor winding being in fixed interconnection with said rotor blades to rotate therewith about said stator winding, and electrical circuitry means interconnecting the voltage output of said generator to said batteries during rotation of said rotor blades.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said inlet openings is of a horn-shaped scoop design with the wider portion thereof being adjacent the casing wall and the narrower portion thereof being adjacent said rotor means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said generator means comprises a stationary shaft, said rotor means having a hub rotatably about said shaft, a series of stator windings and a series of rotor windings, said stator windings being disposed on said shaft, said rotor windings being disposed upon said hub, and circuitry means in interconnection with said rotor windings to feed current produced thereby to said batteries.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said rotor windings are successively wound in opposite directions to thereby produce direct current for transmission to said batteries.

5. In a wind driven turbine generator to recharge the batteries of an electric vehicle the combination comprising a rotatable wind driven rotor means, said means being mounted upon a stationary vertical shaft, said rotor means having a series of laterally disposed rotor blades approximately semicircular in cross-sectional configuration mounted for rotation on said shaft, a housing for enclosure of said rotor means, said housing being provided with one air inlet duct at the forward end thereof and an oppositely positioned air exit opening, said housing being rotatably mounted with respect to the top of said electric vehicle, and wind vane means interconnected to the exterior of said housing to rotate said housing responsive to air current to constantly maintain said inlet opening facing the direction of air current, a generator means within said housing, said generator means comprising a rotor winding and a stator winding, said stator winding being mounted upon said shaft and concentrically with respect to said rotor blades, said rotor winding being in fixed interconnection with said rotor blades to rotate therewith about said stator winding, and electrical circuitry means interconnecting the voltage output of said generator to said batteries during rotation of said rotor blades.

6. In a wind driven turbine generator to recharge the batteries of an electric vehicle the combination comprising a rotatable wind driven rotor means, said means being mounted upon a sationary vertical shaft, said rotor means having a series of laterally disposed rotor blades approximately semicircular in cross-sectional configuration mounted for rotation on said shaft, a housing for enclosure of said rotor means, said housing being rotatably mounted upon the roof of said vehicle, there being one air inlet and one air outlet in said housing, and wind vane on the top of said housing, said wind vane being adapted to turn said housing responsive to wind direction so that said inlet constantly faces into said wind, a generator means within said housing, said generator means comprising a rotor winding and a stator winding, said stator winding being mounted upon said shaft and concentrically with respect to said rotor blades, said rotor winding being in fixed interconnection with said rotor blades to rotate therewith about said stator winding, and electrical circuitry means interconnecting the voltage output of said generator to said batteries during rotation of said rotor blades.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said inlet opening is of a horn-shaped scoop design with the wider portion thereof being adjacent the casing wall and the narrower portion thereof being adjacent said rotor means.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said generator means comprises a stationary shaft, said rotor means having a hub rotatably about said shaft, a series of stator windings and a series of rotor windings, said stator windings being disposed on said shaft, said rotor windings being disposed upon said hub, and circuitry means in interconnection with said rotor windings to feed current produced thereby to said batteries.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said rotor windings are successively wound in opposite directions to thereby produce direct current for transmission to said batteries.