Wave motion electric generator

• US 4,423,334 A
• Filed: 09/28/1979
• Issued: 12/27/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edgar F. Jacobi, Robert J. Winkler
• Original Assignee: Edgar F. Jacobi, Robert J. Winkler
• Inventors: Winkler, Robert J., Jacobi, Edgar F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dobeck, B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wade, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US06/079,974
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 290/42, 290/43, 290/53, 290/54, 440/10, 9/8.3 E, 416/85, 417/61, 417/328, 417/332, 417/337
• US Class Current: 290/53
• 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 2250/44 one element moving inside another one, e.g. wave-operated member (wom) moving inside another member (rem)
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

Set out herein is an electrical generator conformed for installation in a buoy, the generator comprising an inverted pendulum having two windings formed at the free end thereof and aligned to articulate between two end stops each provided with a magnetic circuit. As the loops thus pass through the magnetic circuit, electrical current is induced which may be rectified through a full way rectifier to charge up a storage battery. The buoy itself may be ballasted to have its fundamental resonance at more than double the wave frequency with the result that during each passing of a wave at least two induction cycles occur.

Claims

1. A wave motion powered electrical generator comprising:

a substantially spherical hollow buoyant structure having a sealed exterior shell;

a ballast weight mounted at a selected point on the interior of said buoyant structure for providing a preferred flotation alignment therefore when deployed on a body of liquid;

a support platfrom disposed on the interior of said buoyant structure on said ballast weight and aligned along a horizontal plane an arcuate pivotal guide mounted on said support platform in a vertical plane relative thereto;

a pivoted arm aligned for pivotal articulation in a vertical plane above said platform a weighted head conformed for receipt in said arcuate guide on the free end of said pivotal arm, said head having a substantially arcuate plan form extending as arc segments relative said pivoted arm each said arc segment being respectively provided with a first and second winding connected in a series circuit;

a first and second magnetic loop mounted on said arcuate guide proximate the ends thereof, each magnetic loop including an air gap aligned to receive a corresponding one of said arcuate segments of said head according to the pivotal articulation thereof wherein said first or second windings are respectively passed through the corresponding ones of said air gap according to the pivotal motion of said arm; and

rectifying means connected to said first and second winding for rectifying the induced currents therein.