Electrical generators for use in unmoored buoys and the like platforms with low-frequency and time-varying oscillatory motions

• US 8,134,281 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Inventors: Rastegar, Jahangir S., Murray, Richard T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Addison, Karen B
• Application Number:
  US12/217,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20090015103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 310/339, 310/338, 310/328, 310/311, 290/43, 290/53, 290/58, 605/04, 605/05
• US Class Current: 310/339
• 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 2220/709 Piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/40 Movement of component
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/183 using impacting bodies high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/306 Cantilevers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

A buoy for generating electrical energy from an upward heave resulting from a passing wave is provided. The buoy including: a body; a first device associated with the body to which a motion of the heave is transferred; and a second device associated with the body to which the motion is intermittently transferred from the first device. A buoy is also provided for generating electrical energy from a pitch/roll resulting from the passing wave where the first device is associated with the body to which a motion of the pitch/roll is transferred and the second device is associated with the body to which the motion is intermittently transferred from the first device.

Claims

1. A buoy for generating electrical energy from a pitch/roll resulting from a passing wave, the buoy comprising:

a body;

a first device associated with the body to which a motion of the pitch/roll is transferred; and

a second device associated with the body to which the motion is intermittently transferred from the first device;

wherein the first device comprises;

a linkage assembly having two or more links rotatable with respect to the body; and

a mass rotatably connected to each of the two or more links of the linkage assembly.

2. The buoy of claim 1, wherein each of the two or more links are rotatably connected to the body at a first end and rotatably connected to the mass at a second end.

3. The buoy of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises one or more secondary vibratory elements engaged by one of the mass or linkage assembly.

4. The buoy of claim 3, wherein the mass includes a exciter tip corresponding to each of the one or more secondary vibratory elements for engaging the one or more secondary exciter elements.

5. The buoy of claim 3, further comprising one or more stops for limiting a rotation of the mass within the body.

6. The buoy of claim 5, wherein the one or more stops comprise a portion of the body.