Electrical assembly

• US 7,954,977 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2010
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence E Anderson
• Original Assignee: Lawrence E Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Lawrence E
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruce; David V
• Application Number:
  US12/860,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20100315807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 290 Days
• Field of Search: 362/153.1, 362/192, 362/183, 290/44, 290/55
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/08 characterised by means for in situ recharging of the batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/026 rechargeable by using wind power, e.g. using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/03 rechargeable by exposure to light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/035 the solar unit being integrated within the support for the lighting unit, e.g. within or on a pole
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/043 driven by wind power, e.g. by wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/67 characterised by the arrangement of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/12 Hybrid wind-PV energy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/28 Circuit arrangements for protecting against abnormal temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects

Abstract

A LED lighting assembly comprising at least one LED; the at least one LED being mounted to a support; at least one solar element for creating electric power from solar power; at least one battery for storing electricity generated by the solar element; at least one wind vane operatively associated with the support; at least one motor/generator having a first mode for generating electric power from the wind turbine; and at least one shaft operatively connected to the at least one motor/generator and the support; the motor/generator having a second mode in which the motor/generator operates to rotate the support; the at least one motor/generator being operatively connected to the at least one battery for storing electric power therein.

Claims

1. An electrical assembly comprising:

at least one energy consuming device;

the at least one energy consuming device being operatively associated with at least one support;

the at least one energy consuming device comprising at least one LED mounted to the at least one support;

at least one element for creating electric power comprising at least one wind vane and a solar element for creating electricity from solar power;

at least one energy storage device for storing electricity generated by the at least one element for creating electrical power;

the at least one energy storage device comprising a battery for storing electricity generated by the solar element;

the at least one wind vane operatively associated with the at least one support;

the at least one wind vane operative to turn in response to wind;

a cover for controlling the entry of wind to the at least one wind vane;

a wind direction detector for controlling the opening of the casing in response to the direction of the wind;

at least one energy converter operatively associated with the wind vane;

the at least one energy converter comprising a generator for generating electric power from the at least one wind vane;

whereby the wind direction detector controls the position of the cover to enable the wind to turn the at least one wind vane to power the at least one generator to generate electricity.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a light detector;

the light detector controlling the operation of the LED.

3. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an ambient light condition detector and wherein the at least one LED is activated by the ambient light condition detector.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the support is operatively associated with a shaft for rotation thereon;

and wherein the support has a plurality of wind vanes operatively associated therewith which cause the support to rotate and causes the shaft to rotate which causes the generator to generate electric power;

the generator having a first mode in which the generator generates power and a second mode in which the generator operates as a motor, and when the generator is in the second mode, the generator causes the support to rotate whereby the wind vanes operate to cool the at least one LED.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one wind vane comprises a plurality of wind vanes operatively associated with the support to form a wind turbine;

the support being operatively associated with the shaft;

the shaft being operatively associated with the generator, the generator having a first mode in which the generator generates power when the wind causes the wind turbine to turn and a second mode in which the generator operates as a motor, and when the generator is in the second mode, the generator causes the support to rotate to generate air flow to cool the at least one LED.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one energy converter comprises a motor which rotates the support.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the wind direction detector is operatively associated with the cover causing the cover to turn when the wind changes direction;

and wherein the at least one vane comprises a plurality of wind vanes operatively associated with the support to cause rotation thereof; and

wherein the wind causes the support to rotate, the cover covers the wind vanes for which the force of the wind is in a direction opposite to the rotation of the vanes.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one LED and the at least one solar element comprise at least one LED and at least one solar element fabricated as a single unit.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one LED comprises a first semiconductor crystal and the at least one solar element comprises a second semiconductor crystal, the first and second semiconductor crystals being formed on a common substrate.

10. The electrical assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one energy converter comprises first and second energy converters, the first energy converter being a generator operating to generate electricity and the second energy converter being a motor operatively associated with a timer, the second energy converter operating to pivot the solar element to substantially face the sun to absorb sunlight from the sun as the sun rises and sets in response to the timer.

11. An electrical assembly comprising:

at least one energy consuming device;

the at least one energy consuming device being operatively associated with at least one support;

at least one element for creating electric power comprising at least one wind vane;

the at least one wind vane operatively associated with the at least one support;

the at least one wind vane operative to turn in response to wind;

at least one energy storage device for storing electricity generated by the at least one element for creating electrical power;

a cover for controlling the entry of wind to the at least one wind vane;

a wind direction detector for controlling the opening of the casing in response to the direction of the wind;

at least one motor/generator operatively associated with the wind vane for generating electric power from the at least one wind vane in a first mode and operating as a motor in a second mode;

the wind direction detector controlling the position of the cover to enable the wind to turn the at least one wind vane to power the at least one motor/generator to generate electricity; and

a temperature sensor;

wherein the motor/generator operates in the first mode when the wind is causing the support to turn and operates in the second mode in response to the temperature sensor to generate air flow to cool the assembly.

12. A wind turbine assembly comprising:

a support;

a wind turbine operatively associated with the support;

the wind turbine having blades and a casing with an opening for controlling the entry of the wind such that the wind strikes at least one of the blades in a direction substantially perpendicular to the blade in the same direction as the blade is moving;

a wind direction detector for controlling the opening of the casing in response to the direction of the wind;

at least one energy converter for generating electric power from the wind turbine; and

at least one shaft operatively connected to the at least one energy converter and the wind turbine;

at least one solar element for generating electricity from the sun operatively associated with the support;

at least one energy converter operating to pivot the solar element to substantially face the sun to absorb sunlight from the sun as the sun rises and sets;

whereby the wind direction detector controls the opening of the casing to enable wind to enter the casing and cause the wind to turn the wind turbine to generate electricity.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the casing operates to prevent wind from striking the vanes in a direction opposite to the movement of the blades.

14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the wind turbine rotates on an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the wind direction.

15. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the wind turbine rotates on an axis and the wind direction detector is operatively associated with the casing causing the casing to cover substantially one half of the blades;

the wind direction detector operating to turn the casing when the wind changes direction; and

wherein the wind turbine comprises a plurality of wind vanes; and

the casing covers the wind vanes for which the force of the wind is in a direction opposite to the rotation of the vanes.

16. The assembly of claim 12 further comprising at least one energy storage device for storing electricity;

the at least one energy converter being operatively connected to the at least one energy storage device for storing electric power therein.

17. The electrical assembly of claim 12 wherein the at least one energy converter comprises first and second energy converters, the first energy converter being a generator operating to generate electricity and the second energy converter being a motor operatively associated with a timer, the second energy converter operating to pivot the solar element to substantially face the sun to absorb sunlight from the sun as the sun rises and sets in response to the timer.

18. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the at least one energy converters comprises first and second energy converters, the first energy converter operating to generate electricity and the second energy converter operatively associated with a timer, the second energy converter operating to pivot the solar element to substantially face the sun to absorb sunlight from the sun as the sun rises and sets.

19. The electrical assembly of claim 18 wherein the second energy converter-operates to pivot the solar element to substantially face the sun to absorb sunlight from the sun as the sun rises and sets in response to a timer.

20. A wind turbine assembly comprising:

a support;

a wind turbine operatively associated with the support;

the wind turbine having blades and a casing with an opening for controlling the entry of the wind such that the wind strikes at least one of the blades in a direction substantially perpendicular to the blade in the same direction as the blade is moving;

a wind direction detector for controlling the opening of the casing in response to the direction of the wind;

the wind direction detector controlling the opening of the casing to enable wind to enter the casing and cause the wind to turn the wind turbine to generate electricity;

at least one energy converter for generating electric power from the wind turbine;

at least one shaft operatively connected to the at least one energy converter and the wind turbine; and

at least one LED, wherein the at least one LED comprises a first semiconductor crystal and the at least one solar element comprises a second semiconductor crystal, the first and second semiconductor crystals being formed on a common substrate.