Ring generator

• US 7,728,446 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Hofbauer, Peter, McCleer, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALEZ, JULIO C
• Application Number:
  US10/560,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20060138777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,167 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.R, 290/1.A, 290/4.R, 290/44, 310/12, 310/14, 310/15, 310/20, 310/23, 310/24, 310/30, 123/46.R
• US Class Current: 290/1.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/11 using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/04 for driving propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/24 with cylinders arranged oppositely relative to main shaft and of "flat" type
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/183 wherein the turbine is a wind turbine adaptation of a wind turbine to an electric generator F03D9/25
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1884 structurally associated with free piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

The present invention is a rotary device that may be adapted for use as a propeller assembly and electrical generator for aerial vehicles or other vehicles intended for fluid media. In one example, the device includes a ring assembly having a plurality of centrally linked blades coupled to a rotatable common hub. Rotary motion of the ring assembly is facilitated by coupling it to an opposed cylinder, opposed piston, internal combustion. The ring assembly includes components of an electrical power generating system so that electrical power is produced from the rotation of the ring assembly.

Claims

1. A ring generator comprising:

a first rotatable hub having a first hub axis of rotation;

a first plurality of blades coupled to, radially-disposed from, and spread around the first rotatable hub;

an engine coupled to the first rotatable hub so as to impart rotary motion to the first rotatable hub;

a first magnetic flux generating element;

a first current conducting element;

wherein either the first magnetic flux generating element or the first current conducting element is fixedly disposed in relation to the first rotatable hub at a specified radius; and

the first magnetic flux generating element and the first current conducting element cooperate so that during rotation of the first rotatable hub, an electric current flow is induced in the first current conducting element.

2. The ring generator of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of blades is in substantially coplanar arrangement.

3. The ring generator of claim 1 wherein the engine is disposed within a cylinder defined by the specified radius and the first hub axis of rotation.

4. The ring generator of claim 1 wherein the blades are adapted to provide propulsive thrust when the first rotatable hub rotates.

5. The ring generator of claim 4 further comprising an external electrical system of an aerial vehicle wherein the ring generator is electrically coupled to the external electrical system of the aerial vehicle so as to receive current from the first current conducting element based on its cooperation with the first magnetic flux generating element.

6. The ring generator of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of non-contiguous, symmetrically arranged arc segments arranged about a given radius at the end of the blades.

7. The ring generator of claim 1 wherein a plurality of non-contiguous, symmetrically arranged arc segments comprises three arc segments arranged at about 120 degrees apart.

8. The ring generator of claim 1 further comprising a second current conducting element fixedly disposed in relation to the first current conducting element and arranged at about equidistant from the first current conducting element.

9. The ring generator of claim 1 further comprising:

a second rotatable hub having a second hub axis of rotation;

a second plurality of blades coupled to, radially-disposed from, and spread around the second rotatable hub;

a second magnetic flux generating element;

a second current conducting element;

wherein either the second magnetic flux generating element or the second current conducting element is fixedly disposed in relation to the second rotatable hub; and

the second magnetic flux generating element and the second current conducting element cooperate so that during rotation of the second rotatable hub, a second electric current flow is induced;

wherein the engine is coupled to the second rotatable hub so as to impart rotary motion to the second rotatable hub.

10. The ring generator of claim 9 wherein the first hub axis of rotation and the second hub axis of rotation are coextensive.

11. The ring generator of claim 10 wherein the rotary motion imparted to the first rotatable hub is in the opposite direction to the rotary motion imparted to the second rotatable hub.

12. The ring generator of claim 1 wherein the engine comprises a first opposed piston, opposed cylinder engine module.

13. The ring generator of claim 12 wherein the engine further comprises a second opposed piston, opposed cylinder module.

14. The ring generator of claim 13 further comprising a clutching mechanism coupled between an engine module and the first rotatable hub to decouple the engine module from imparting rotary motion to the first rotatable hub.

15. The ring generator of claim 13 wherein the engine further comprises a third opposed piston, opposed cylinder module.

16. The ring generator of claim 1 wherein the engine has a weight to power ratio of about 0.76 to about 2.46 horsepower per pound.

17. The ring generator of claim 16 wherein the engine has a power output of about 9 to about 42 horsepower.

18. The ring generator of claim 16 wherein the engine has a weight to power ratio of about 1.21 to about 2.25 horsepower per pound.

19. The ring generator of claim 18 wherein the engine has a power output of about 1.5 to about 35 horsepower.

20. The ring generator of claim 1 wherein the magnetic flux generating element is fixedly disposed in relation to the first rotatable hub.

21. The ring generator of claim 20 further comprising a second magnetic flux generating element that is fixedly disposed in relation to the first rotatable hub at a specified radius.