Solar or wind powered assembly device

• US 9,593,814 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• 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:
  US14/223,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20140204568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

An assembly comprising at least one energy consuming device; the at least one energy consuming device being mounted to a support; at least one solar element for creating electric power from solar power; at least one energy storage device for storing electricity generated by the solar element; at least one wind vane or propeller-operatively associated with the support; at least one energy converter for generating electric power from the wind; and at least one shaft operatively connected to the at least one energy converter and the support. Optionally, the energy converter comprises at least one motor which operates to rotate the support; the at least one motor being operatively connected to the at least one battery for storing electric power therein.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

at least one electrical device;

the at least one electrical device being operatively connected to a support;

at least one movable solar element for creating electric power from solar power;

at least energy storage device for storing electricity generated by the solar element;

at least one wind vane operatively associated with the support;

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

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

the at least one energy converter being operatively connected to the at least one battery for storing electric power therein;

wherein the at least one movable solar element is movably positioned so as to increase exposure to the sun.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the electrical device comprises an LED and further comprising a light detector;

the light detector controlling the operation of the LED.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one energy converter comprises a generator.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one energy converter comprises at least one generator and 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 at least one generator to generate electric power.

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 at least one energy converter, such that when the energy converter is in a first mode, the wind causes the wind turbine to turn and the energy converter operates to generate electricity, and when the energy converter is in the second mode, the energy converter causes rotation of the support to rotate the at least one electrical device.

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

7. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one strobe element which causes the at least one electrical device to turn on and off.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the strobe element is operatively associated with the shaft;

whereby as the shaft rotates the strobe element makes contact intermittently causing intermittent operation of the at least one electrical device.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one solar element and the support are supported by the shaft;

the shaft being pivotally mounted to a pivot which is driven by a second motor,

whereby through the operation of the second motor the solar element surface is positioned to absorb sunlight from the sun as the sun rises and sets.

10. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a cover operatively associated with the support and a wind direction detector 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.

11. The assembly of claim 9 further comprising a controller which is programmable which controls the operation of the first and second motors.

12. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling the energy converter for selectively changing the energy converter from a first mode as a generator to a second mode as a motor.

13. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor and wherein the energy converter operates in a first mode when the wind is causing the support to turn and operates in a second mode in response to the temperature sensor to generate air flow to cool the assembly.

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

15. An assembly comprising:

at least one electrical device, the at least one electrical device being operatively associated with at least one support;

at least one solar element for creating electric power from solar power;

the at least one solar element being movably mounted;

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

at least one energy converter operatively associated with the at least one storage device; and

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

the at least one energy converter operating to generate electricity when the support rotates;

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

the at least one wind propeller operative to turn in response to wind.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the electrical device rotates when the at least one solar element rotates.

17. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the at least one solar element is controlled by a timing device and moves to optimize exposure to sunlight.

18. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the energy converter comprises a generator.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the energy converter comprises a motor.