Methods for making a flywheel
First Claim
1. A method for preparing a flywheel having minimized interstitial volume, comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially circular fiber which comprises a plurality of generally parallel-oriented filaments;
providing a winding substrate;
winding the fiber around the substrate such that the fiber contacts itself in a generally parallel configuration to define a plurality of interstices thereby forming a winding substrate; and
positioning within the winding substrate a hub having a predetermined outer diameter;
providing a plurality of tubes which each have a diameter greater than one-half the difference between the substrate inner diameter and the hub outer diameter;
compressing at least one tube; and
placing each tube between the winding substrate and the hub.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Flywheel-based energy storage devices are provided along with methods for their use and fabrication. The devices have the capacity to store electric energy as kinetic energy and to generate electric energy from the stored kinetic energy. Preferred devices comprise a pair of counter-rotating anisotropic flywheels which are designed to rapidly rotate within an evacuated housing. The flywheels comprise a lightweight hub and a circumferentially-wound fiber rim. The hub and rim are fabricated from materials having high tensile strength and are connected with system of novel tube assemblies positioned around the hub parallel to the axis of rotation. The flywheel are principally supported by magnetic bearings and are further stabilized during rotation by a self-restoring liquid bearing system.
60 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for preparing a flywheel having minimized interstitial volume, comprising the steps of:
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providing a substantially circular fiber which comprises a plurality of generally parallel-oriented filaments; providing a winding substrate; winding the fiber around the substrate such that the fiber contacts itself in a generally parallel configuration to define a plurality of interstices thereby forming a winding substrate; and positioning within the winding substrate a hub having a predetermined outer diameter; providing a plurality of tubes which each have a diameter greater than one-half the difference between the substrate inner diameter and the hub outer diameter; compressing at least one tube; and placing each tube between the winding substrate and the hub. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification