Multi-rim flywheel
First Claim
1. A method of storing energy in a flywheel having a shaft with spokes of a predetermined radius and a rim assembly having an inner radius less than the radius of said spokes, said method comprising the steps of positioning the rim assembly on the spokes of said shaft in a noncircular configuration, and causing rotational motion of said flywheel at a speed at which said rim assembly assumes a substantially circular configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of nested rims are mounted on spokes of a flywheel hub member in a manner causing the rim assembly to have a noncircular configuration while the flywheel is at rest. Expansion of the rim assembly and the hub member during high speed flywheel operation causes the rim assembly to assume a substantially circular configuration with each rim frictionally engaging its adjacent rims while the inner rim is frictionally engaged by the spokes.
57 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of storing energy in a flywheel having a shaft with spokes of a predetermined radius and a rim assembly having an inner radius less than the radius of said spokes, said method comprising the steps of positioning the rim assembly on the spokes of said shaft in a noncircular configuration, and causing rotational motion of said flywheel at a speed at which said rim assembly assumes a substantially circular configuration.
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2. A method of constructing a flywheel having a shaft with spokes of a predetermined radial dimension, said method comprising the steps of forming a plurality of nested cylindrical rims having an inner radius less than said predetermined radial dimension, deforming said cylindrical rims to produce a plurality of enlarged points on said rims having a radial dimension not less than said predetermined radial dimension, mounting said rims on said spokes with the enlarged points respectively aligned with said spokes, and releasing said rims to firmly engage said spokes.
- 3. A flywheel comprising hub means having a plurality of spokes, and a plurality of nested rims positioned on said spokes, said rims having a noncircular configuration when said flywheel is at rest and having a substantially circular configuration when said flywheel is spinning at a preselected speed.
- 11. A flywheel comprising spider means having a hub and a plurality of spokes extending from the hub and having a radial dimension, and nested rim means having an average radial dimension less than the radial dimension of the spokes and mounted on the spider in a noncircular configuration.
- 19. A flywheel comprising first spider means including a plurality of spokes, each spoke having a first end support having a first radial dimension and a second end support having a second radial dimension, second spider means including a plurality of spokes, each spoke having a first end support having said first radial dimension and a second end support having said second radial dimension, first tubular rim means having an average inner radial dimension smaller than said first radial dimension and having end portions mounted on the first end supports of said spiders in a noncircular configuration, second tubular rim means having an average inner radial dimension smaller than said second radial dimension and having end portions mounted on the second end supports of said spiders in a noncircular configuration, and means for attaching said spider means with the spokes of said first spider means respectively aligned with the spokes of said second spider means.
- 21. A method of constructing a flywheel having at least two rims disposed around a hub, said method comprising the steps of constructing a first tubular rim, constructing a second tubular rim on the first tubular rim without adhesion between the first and second rims, and mounting the first and second rims on a hub.
- 23. A flywheel comprising hub means and nested rim means positioned on said hub means, said nested rim means comprising a plurality of individual rims and including means for preventing adhesion between adjacent rims.
Specification