Wind driven power generator

• US 7,365,448 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2006
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: X-Blade Systems LP (X-Blade Systems)
• Original Assignee: X-Blade Systems LP (X-Blade Systems)
• Inventors: Stephens, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg; Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohandesi; Iraj A.
• Application Number:
  US11/505,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20080042445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 290/55, 290/44, 290/54, 290/43
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/42 Foundations for poles, masts or chimneys sockets or holders for poles or masts per se E04H12/22
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/425 specially adapted for wind motors masts wind motors per se F03D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/22 Foundations specially adapted for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/002 the axis being horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/04 having stationary wind-guiding means, e.g. with shrouds or channels F03D9/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/068 mechanically controlled by the rotor structure
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/30 Lightning protection
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/506 using cams or eccentrics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/74 Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction

Abstract

A wind driven generator includes a rotor disposed in a cylindrical duct and supported by a frame for rotation in response to wind flowing through the duct. The rotor includes plural circumferentially spaced paralleled rotor blades supported for rotation about a generally horizontal axis. Each blade is supported for pivotal movement to change blade pitch, angle of attack or camber as the rotor rotates. A pitch or camber control motor or self-governing wind vane mechanism is operable to move a circular cam to vary blade pitch or camber to control rotor speed. The duct is mounted on a mast having a base supported on a foundation for pivotal movement to face the wind for maximizing air flow through the duct. Electric power generators are connected to opposite ends of the rotor at respective power output or drive shafts.

Claims

1. A wind driven power generator comprising:

a frame;

a rotor supported for rotation on said frame, said rotor including plural, circumferentially spaced apart elongated, generally parallel rotor blades, said rotor blades being supported by spaced apart arm assemblies, at least one of said arm assemblies including drivingly connected to a drive shaft;

wherein said rotor includes rotor blade lifting force control means having cam followers engageable with a cam operably connected to said rotor blades, wherein each of said rotor blades is connected to a link connected to one of said cam followers, respectively, and responsive to rotation of said rotor to vary one of the pitch angle and camber of said each rotor blade with respect to the direction of wind impinging on said rotor.

2. The power generator set forth in claim 1 including:

at least one electric power generator drivenly connected to said drive shaft.

3. The power generator set forth in claim 2 wherein:

each of said assemblies is drivingly connected to a drive shaft, said drive shafts being supported on said frame, respectively, and each of said drive shafts is drivingly connected to an electric power generator.

4. The power generator set forth in claim 1 including:

actuator means operably connected to said cam for rotating said cam to move an axis of said cam with respect to an axis of rotation of said rotor.

5. The power generator set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said actuator means comprises a motor drivingly connected to said cam for rotating said cam.

6. The power generator set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said actuator means comprises a vane responsive to wind flowing thereover to rotate said cam to vary one of the camber and the pitch of said rotor blades to control a resultant driving force generated by said rotor blades.

7. The power generator set forth in claim 4 including:

a brake mechanism operably connected to said rotor for controlling the rotation speed of said rotor.

8. The power generator set forth in claim 7 where:

said brake means includes a brake disk mounted on said drive shaft and engageable with a brake caliper mechanism for applying braking forces to said rotor.

9. The power generator set forth in claim 1 wherein:

at least selected ones of said rotor blades comprise multiple blade sections hingedly interconnected to form a variable camber blade and said link is connected to at least one of said blade sections for moving said blade sections relative to each other to vary the camber of said blades, respectively, as said rotor rotates.

10. The power generator set forth in claim 9 wherein:

at least selected ones of said blades comprise three blade sections hingedly interconnected and including a leading edge blade section, an intermediate blade section and a trailing edge blade section and said at least selected ones of said blades each include an end section cooperable with said blade sections for supporting said blade sections while permitting limited movement of said blade sections to vary the camber of said blades, respectively.

11. The power generator set forth in claim 1 wherein

said rotor is disposed in a duct.

12. The power generator set forth in claim 11 wherein:

said duct is mounted on a mast for rotation to a position whereby an air inlet opening of said duct faces the direction of wind flow.

13. The power generator set forth in claim 11 wherein:

said duct includes an inner duct member and an outer duct member spaced around said inner duct member and defining passage means therebetween for cooling air flow therethrough.

14. The power generator set forth in claim 11 wherein:

said duct includes at least one vane member responsive to wind flow to effect rotation of said duct into said position facing the direction of wind flow.

15. The power generator set forth in claim 1 including:

a mast supporting said rotor, a base for said mast, said base being support on and cooperable with a foundation for rotation of said base and said mast to a position whereby said rotor blades face the direction of wind flow.

16. The power generator set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said base is supported for rotation on said foundation and includes electrical conductor means engageable with electrical conductor means on said foundation for transmitting electric power from said generator to a conductor leading away from said generator.

17. The power generator set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said frame includes an electrical grounding member and at least one lightning attractor rod for grounding electrical charges impinging on said power generator.