Power generation apparatus using wave energy conversion by gravity

• US 9,394,878 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Energy Inc.
• Original Assignee: Smart Energy Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Shih-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gugger, Sean
• Application Number:
  US14/287,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20140353973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 787 Days
• Field of Search: 290/42, 290/43, 290/53, 290/54, 74/59, 74/59.5, 74/25, 603/98, 60495-505, 417 30- 33
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: F05B 2260/506 using cams or eccentrics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

A power generation apparatus (1, 1a) using wave energy conversion by gravity includes a sealed body (10, 10a), a rotor (20, 20a), a gear box (30,30a), a power generation motor (40, 40a), and a pontoon (50, 50a). The rotor (20, 20a), disposed in the sealed body (10, 10a), includes an eccentric disk (21, 21a), a plurality of rollers (22, 22a) and a rotating shaft (23, 23a) penetrating through the eccentric disk (21, 21a). A center of gravity of the eccentric disk (21, 21a) is disposed with an offset to that of the sealed body (10, 10a). The gear box (31) is driven by the rotating shaft (23, 23a). The power generation motor (40, 40a) is driven by the gear box (31) to rotate and generate electric power.

Claims

1. A power generation apparatus (1, 1a) using wave energy conversion by gravity, comprising:

a sealed body (10, 10a) having a receiving space (100) in which a track (11) is disposed;

a rotor (20, 20a) disposed in the receiving space (100) and comprising an eccentric disk (21, 21a), a plurality of rollers (22, 22a), and a rotating shaft (23, 23a), wherein a center of gravity of the eccentric disk (21, 21a) is disposed with an offset to that of the sealed body (10, 10a), wherein the rollers (22, 22a) are mounted to the eccentric disk (21, 21a) and disposed on the track (11), wherein the rotating shaft (23, 23a) penetrates through the eccentric disk (21, 21a);

a gear box (30, 30a) comprising at least one gear shaft (31) driven by the rotating shaft (23, 23a) to rotate;

a power generation motor (40, 40a) driven by the at least one gear shaft (31) to rotate and generate electric power; and

a pontoon (50, 50a) mounted to the outside of the sealed body (10, 10a),

wherein the track (11) has a ring shape and is disposed along an inner wall of the sealed body (10, 10a)

wherein the track (11) comprises a first ring plate (111) and a second ring plate (112) opposite to the first ring plate (111), wherein both sides of the rollers (22, 22a) contact against the first ring plate (111) and the second ring plate (112), respectively, wherein the rollers (22, 22a) are disposed and can slide between the first ring plate (111) and the second ring plate (112).

2. The power generation apparatus (1, 1a) according to claim 1, wherein the gear box (30, 30a) and the power generation motor (40, 40a) are received on one side of the eccentric disk (21, 21a) in the receiving space (100).

3. The power generation apparatus (1, 1a) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one cable (60), one end of the at least one cable (60) being mounted to a bottom surface of the sealed body (10, 10a).

4. The power generation apparatus (1, 1a) according to claim 1, wherein the rollers (22, 22a) are spaced apart each other at the outer edge of the eccentric disk (21, 21a).

5. The power generation apparatus (1, 1a) according to claim 1, wherein the eccentric disk (21, 21a) is a ring plate having at least one hollow portion (210a).

6. A power generation apparatus (1, 1a) using wave energy conversion by gravity, comprising:

a sealed body (10, 10a) having a receiving space (100) in which a track (11) is disposed;

a rotor (20, 20a) disposed in the receiving space (100) and comprising an eccentric disk (21, 21a), a plurality of rollers (22, 22a), and a rotating shaft (23, 23a), wherein a center of gravity of the eccentric disk (21, 21a) is disposed with an offset to that of the sealed body (10, 10a), wherein the rollers (22, 22a) are mounted to the eccentric disk (21, 21a) and disposed on the track (11), wherein the rotating shaft (23, 23a) penetrates through the eccentric disk (21, 21a);

a gear box (30, 30a) comprising at least one gear shaft (31) driven by the rotating shaft (23, 23a) to rotate;

a power generation motor (40, 40a) driven by the at least one gear shaft (31) to rotate and generate electric power; and

a pontoon (50, 50a) mounted to the outside of the sealed body (10, 10a),

wherein the eccentric disk (21, 21a) has a hammer shape;

wherein the eccentric disk (21, 21a) comprises a solid pate (211) and a strut (212) connected to the solid pate (211), wherein the rotating shaft (23, 23a) is disposed axially at the joint of the solid pate (211) and the strut (212).