Wind speed monitoring system

• US 5,918,276 A
• Filed: 04/06/1998
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dale D. Cummings, Jimmy Grindle
• Original Assignee: Dale D. Cummings, Jimmy Grindle
• Inventors: Grindle, Jimmy, Cummings, Dale D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Biegel, Ronald L.
• Application Number:
  US09/055,678
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 73/170.03, 73/170.06, 73/170.07, 73/170.08, 73/170.09, 73/170.11, 340/601, 702/3
• US Class Current: 73/170.11
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6863 sensing wind speed
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/0046 with electrical coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 5/07 with electrical coupling to the indicating device

Abstract

A system for monitoring the wind speed experienced at a particular residential location includes a roof housing with a cup-type anemometer having three or four concave cups attached to a rotatable vertical shaft. The cups resist the wind, causing the cups and shaft to rotate at a rate proportional to the wind speed. Shaft is rotatably joined to a dynamo which converts the mechanical energy derived from rotation of the shaft into electricity. Voltage from the dynamo is then transferred to rechargeable batteries which power the system. An array of solar panels is also utilized to recharge the batteries. The shaft includes a mark detectable by a photomicrosensor through which the shaft extends, allowing the photomicrosensor to count the number of shaft revolutions. This data is sent at fixed time intervals to a logic circuit housed within a display unit. The logic circuit calculates wind speed according to the number of shaft revolutions detected within a fixed time interval. An LED on the display unit corresponding to an appropriate Beufort Scale wind classification is then activated and the wind speed is digitally displayed. An audible alarm within the display unit is activated if the wind speed exceeds a predetermined speed.

Claims

1. A wind speed display system comprising:

an anemometer assembly including a shaft rotating at a speed in proportion to a speed of wind acting thereon;

a dynamo coupled to said shaft, said dynamo producing an electric power upon said shaft rotation;

a solar power cell for providing electric power upon solar rays impinging thereon;

a trickler circuit connected to said dynamo and solar cell for dispensing said electric power received therefrom;

at least one rechargeable battery connected to said trickler circuit;

a photomicrosensor for counting rotations of said shaft, said photomicrosensor producing data corresponding to said rotations;

a logic circuit including a time counter therein for receiving said data from said photomicrosensor, said logic circuit utilizing said data for computing a wind speed corresponding to rotation of said shaft;

means coupled to said battery and said logic circuit for displaying a wind speed, said display means including at least a screen for displaying the calculated wind speed.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of display indicia on said display means corresponding to predetermined gradients of wind speed.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said indicia correspond to data of a Beufort scale.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for producing an alarm coupled to said logic circuit, said alarm means energized upon a predetermined wind speed being calculated by said logic circuit.

5. A wind speed display system comprising:

an anemometer assembly including means for responding to wind acting thereon, said responding means including an element acting at a speed in proportion to said wind speed;

means coupled to said anemometer assembly for producing an electric power in proportion to said wind response means;

a solar power cell for providing electrical power;

means for regulating said electric power received from said solar cell and producing means;

at least one rechargeable battery connected to said regulating means;

means for delivering data corresponding to said speed of said element acting in said anemometer assembly;

data processing means for receiving said data from said delivering means, said data processing means utilizing said data for computing a wind speed corresponding to said element speed;

means coupled to said data processing means for displaying at least said computed wind speed.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a plurality of display indicia on said display means corresponding to predetermined gradients of wind speed.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said indicia correspond to data of a Beufort scale.

8. The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising means for producing an alarm coupled to said data processing means, said alarm producing means energized upon a predetermined wind speed being computed.

9. A wind speed display system comprising:

an anemometer assembly including a shaft rotating at a speed in proportion to speed of wind acting thereon;

means coupled to said assembly for producing electrical power upon at least one weather element acting thereon;

a circuit for storing said electric power received from said producing means;

at least one rechargeable battery operably connected to said circuit;

means for determining a speed of rotation of said shaft, said determining means producing information corresponding to said shaft speed;

a logic circuit for receiving said information, said logic circuit including means for computing a wind speed corresponding to said information;

means coupled to said logic circuit for displaying at least said computed wind speed.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said weather element is the sun, said producing means comprising a solar cell.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said weather element is the wind, said producing means comprises a dynamo coupled to said shaft.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a plurality of display indicia on said display means corresponding to predetermined gradients of air speed.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12 wherein said indicia correspond to data on a Beufort scale.

14. The system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising means for producing an alarm coupled to said logic circuit, said alarm means energized upon a predetermined wind speed being calculated by said logic circuit.