Flywheel system properties are enhanced with rim designs that control stress at operational rotational velocities. The tensile strength of fiber-resin composites can be aligned with radial forces to improve radial stress loading. Loops with composite casings can be arranged around the flywheel circumference with a majority of the fibers being aligned in the radial direction. The loops can enclose masses that contribute to energy storage in the flywheel system. The masses subjected to radial forces can provide compressive force to the loops to contribute to maintaining loop composite integrity. With the alignment of fibers in radial directions, higher loading permits increase in rotational velocities, which can significantly add to the amount of energy stored or produced with the flywheel.

Flywheel system properties are enhanced with rim designs that control stress at operational rotational velocities. The tensile strength of fiber-resin composites can be aligned with radial forces to improve radial stress loading. Loops with composite casings can be arranged around the flywheel circumference with a majority of the fibers being aligned in the radial direction. The loops can enclose masses that contribute to energy storage in the flywheel system. The masses subjected to radial forces can provide compressive force to the loops to contribute to maintaining loop composite integrity. With the alignment of fibers in radial directions, higher loading permits increase in rotational velocities, which can significantly add to the amount of energy stored or produced with the flywheel.

Flywheel system properties are enhanced with rim designs that control stress at operational rotational velocities. The tensile strength of fiber-resin composites can be aligned with radial forces to improve radial stress loading. Loops with composite casings can be arranged around the flywheel circumference with a majority of the fibers being aligned in the radial direction. The loops can enclose masses that contribute to energy storage in the flywheel system. The masses subjected to radial forces can provide compressive force to the loops to contribute to maintaining loop composite integrity. With the alignment of fibers in radial directions, higher loading permits increase in rotational velocities, which can significantly add to the amount of energy stored or produced with the flywheel.

Flywheel system properties are enhanced with rim designs that control stress at operational rotational velocities. The tensile strength of fiber-resin composites can be aligned with radial forces to improve radial stress loading. Loops with composite casings can be arranged around the flywheel circumference with a majority of the fibers being aligned in the radial direction. The loops can enclose masses that contribute to energy storage in the flywheel system. The masses subjected to radial forces can provide compressive force to the loops to contribute to maintaining loop composite integrity. With the alignment of fibers in radial directions, higher loading permits increase in rotational velocities, which can significantly add to the amount of energy stored or produced with the flywheel.

A composite flywheel (13), comprising a primary flywheel (15) integral with an input shaft (31) and a secondary flywheel (17) coaxial with the primary flywheel (15). The secondary flywheel (17) and the primary flywheel (15) are constrained so that they can rotate freely with respect to each other. A coupling device (61) is further provided, adapted selectively to: transmit power from the input shaft (31) to the secondary flywheel (17); and disengage the secondary flywheel (17) from the input shaft (31).

A composite flywheel (13), comprising a primary flywheel (15) integral with an input shaft (31) and a secondary flywheel (17) coaxial with the primary flywheel (15). The secondary flywheel (17) and the primary flywheel (15) are constrained so that they can rotate freely with respect to each other. A coupling device (61) is further provided, adapted selectively to: transmit power from the input shaft (31) to the secondary flywheel (17); and disengage the secondary flywheel (17) from the input shaft (31).

A method of making a magnetically loaded pre-impregnated tape uses a drum 1 that is heated and which is associated with a heated bath 2 containing a thermoplastic resin solution. A fiber tape material 4 is fed onto the drum 1 and, just prior to the fiber tape material meeting the periphery of the drum, the fiber tape material 4 is impregnated with an isotropic magnetic particle material 6 to form a pre-impregnated tape 8. The pre-impregnated tape is fed to a heating station where it is bonded with a thermoplastic resin impregnated fiber tow to produce a magnetically loaded composite tape. The heating station includes a rotatably driven heated mandrel (20) having a magnetic field (41, 42) embedded therein to provide the pre-impregnated tape (8) with a desired magnetic configuration.

A method of making a magnetically loaded pre-impregnated tape uses a drum 1 that is heated and which is associated with a heated bath 2 containing a thermoplastic resin solution. A fiber tape material 4 is fed onto the drum 1 and, just prior to the fiber tape material meeting the periphery of the drum, the fiber tape material 4 is impregnated with an isotropic magnetic particle material 6 to form a pre-impregnated tape 8. The pre-impregnated tape is fed to a heating station where it is bonded with a thermoplastic resin impregnated fiber tow to produce a magnetically loaded composite tape. The heating station includes a rotatably driven heated mandrel (20) having a magnetic field (41, 42) embedded therein to provide the pre-impregnated tape (8) with a desired magnetic configuration.

A rotary drive apparatus that rotates a flywheel holding a mirror and a lens includes a motor and the flywheel. The flywheel is supported by the motor and is rotatable about a central axis extending in a vertical direction. The flywheel includes an accommodating portion including lens, an insertion opening located at an upper portion of the accommodating portion to allow the lens to be inserted therethrough, a support surface located below a light path of reflected light in the accommodating portion to support the lens, and a slanting surface radially inside of the lens in the accommodating portion and opposite to a radially inner surface of the lens, located above and below the light path of the reflected light, and slanting radially outward with decreasing height.

A rotational body, to a rotor and to a flywheel energy storage unit having such rotational bodies is disclosed and a method for the production of a rotational body, having a cylinder jacket at least partially wound using a fiber-reinforced composite. A cylinder axis includes open cylinder base surfaces, whereby the cylinder jacket, with its inside facing the axis of rotation and its outside oriented in the opposite direction, has a length parallel to the axis of rotation of more than twice the outer diameter of the rotational body, and it has a wall thickness that is less than 12.5% of the outer diameter. The fiber-reinforced composite of the cylinder jacket has a layered structure in the radial direction comprising helical layers of fibers which extend along the axis of rotation and whose orientation along the helical fiber angle is less than 35 relative to the axis of rotation.