Modular multi-axial rotor

Abstract

A modular, electricity generating apparatus comprises an elongate, central member comprising a first end and a second end; at least one foil disposed about the central member in fluid interacting relation thereto; the solar foil comprising an outer surface having photovoltaic properties; the first end and the second end dimensioned and configured to be connected to a connecting node; and, the elongate central member at least partially formed of an electrically conductive material and configured to conduct electricity from at least one of the connecting nodes to the other of the connecting nodes.

Claims

1. A modular electricity generating apparatus comprising: an elongate, central member; at least one solar foil disposed about said central member in rotational relation thereto; said at least one solar foil at least partially comprising a photovoltaic outer surface; said central member further including at least a first end and a second end; said central member further including a shell rotationally disposed about a stator member; and said central member further including an electrically conductive material.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said stator member and said shell at least partially comprise an electrical generator.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said at least one solar foil is rigidly connected to said shell.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said at least one solar foil is formed unitarily with said shell.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one solar foil includes at least one surface disposed helically about said central member.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said at least one solar foil further comprises a reduced radius toward each of said first end and said second end.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said at least one solar foil further includes a central portion conforming to said central member.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said at least one solar foil further includes a trailing edge that is thinner in cross-section than said central portion.

9. An electricity generating assembly comprising: a plurality of electricity generating apparatuses, each apparatus including at least an elongate central member, a first end, a second end, and at least one foil disposed about said central member; a plurality of connecting nodes; each of said first ends and second ends rotationally disposed against said plurality of connecting nodes, thereby interconnecting said plurality of apparatuses; and each apparatus of said plurality of electricity generating apparatuses and each connecting node of said plurality of connecting nodes correspondingly configured and disposed to conduct electricity from at least one connecting node of said plurality of connecting nodes to any other connecting node of said plurality of connecting nodes.

10. The electricity generating assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein at least some of said plurality of central members further comprise a stator member and a shell, said stator member rigidly connected to said plurality of connecting nodes, respectively; said shell rotationally disposed about said stator member, respectively; and, wherein said stator member and said shell, respectively, at least partially comprise an electrical generator.

11. The electricity generating assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein at least some of said plurality of connecting nodes include a connecting node collar; at least some of said first ends and said second ends are disposed within corresponding connecting node collars of said plurality of connecting nodes, respectively.

12. The electricity generating assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein at least a portion of either of said first end or said second end of said central member is rotationally disposed within said connecting node collar, respectively.

13. The electricity generating assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said connecting node collar and said either of said first end or said second end of said central member, respectively, at least partially comprise an electrical generator.

14. The electricity generating assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein at least some of said plurality of connecting nodes further comprise at least one electrical generator connected in mechanically driven relation to either of said first end or said second end of said central member, respectively.

15. A scalable, modular, electricity generating apparatus comprising: an elongate, central member; at least one foil disposed about said central member in fluid interacting relation thereto; said central member further including at least a first end and a second end; each of said first end and said second end dimensioned and configured to be connected to a connecting node, respectively; said elongate central member further including an electrically conductive material; said central member further including a stator member rigidly connected to each of the connecting nodes; and said elongate central member further configured to conduct electricity from one of the connecting nodes to the other of the connecting nodes.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein said central member further comprises a shell rotatably disposed about said stator member.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said stator member and said shell at least partially comprise an electrical generator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side plan view of an electricity generating apparatus and connecting nodes according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a foil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is a section plan view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 is an assembly of apparatus and connecting nodes in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 5 is an assembly of apparatus and connecting nodes in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 6 is an assembly of apparatus and connecting nodes in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 7 is an assembly of apparatus and connecting nodes in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

(9) FIG. 8 is a side section view of one embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

(10) FIG. 9 is a side plan view of an electricity generating apparatus and connecting nodes according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(11) FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a foil in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention

(12) FIG. 11 is a section plan view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 9 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

(13) FIG. 12 is an assembly of apparatus and connecting nodes in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

(14) Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(15) FIG. 1 depicts an electricity generating apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 100 as depicted includes an elongated central member 110. The central member 110 serves in part to provide a mounting point for the foil 120, as well as to interconnect the apparatus 100 between connecting nodes 200. Additionally, the central member 110 may serve as an axle about which the apparatus 100 may rotate. For example, the central member 110 may be disposed in rotatable relation to the connecting nodes 200.

(16) The foil 120 of the present invention is an at least partially rigid structure connected to or disposed on or about the central member 110. The foil 120 serves to transmit force to the central member 110 via interaction with a fluid travelling past the foil 120. For purposes of the present invention any of a variety of foil shapes or configurations may suffice, such as a traditional airfoil or other shape. However in the depicted embodiment, the foil 120 is comprised of at least one helical surface 121 which is disposed about the central member 110. As such, at least a portion of the foil is always presented to the passing fluid, which allows for smoother force input to the central member, and accordingly, smoother power input. Additionally, the foil 120 may comprise a tapered configuration, as at 122, such that adjacently disposed foils 120 of adjacently disposed apparatus 100 do not collide, as will be explained further below.

(17) FIG. 2 provides a top plan view of a foil 110 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention such that the general shape and configuration may be presented.

(18) FIG. 3 presents a section plan view in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention along line 3-3 of FIG. 1, such that the general shape and configuration may be similarly presented. Accordingly, a cross-section of the foil 120 is presented. As can be seen, in the depicted embodiment, the cross-sectional area 123 of the foil 120 comprises a central portion 124 that substantially conforms to the central member 110 and gradually tapers toward a trailing edge 125 that is substantially thinner in cross section. It should be appreciated that the depicted embodiment is but one of many possible configurations encompassed by the present invention. One benefit of the depicted embodiment however, is that the enlarged central portion 124 of the foil 120 increases the bending moment resistance of the apparatus 100. Additionally, the depicted embodiment is capable of producing a low pressure lifting force on the leeward side of the foil 120, which supplements pressure on the windward side of the foil 120, thereby increasing the amount of torque produced by the apparatus 120 as it rotates.

(19) As another feature of the present invention, a plurality of apparatus 100 may be assembled into an assembly 1000 as exemplified in FIGS. 4 through 7. With continuing reference to FIGS. 1, and 4 through 7, the connecting nodes 200 may serve as junctions with which to interconnect the plurality of apparatus 100. As such, one embodiment of a connecting node 200 may include a connecting node collar 210 into which an end 130, 140 of the central member 110 may be disposed. As can further be seen, the tapered configuration 122 of the foil 100, which in the depicted embodiment comprises a reduced radial dimension of the foil 100 at the first end 130 and second end 140, serves to provide clearance between adjacently disposed apparatus 100 of the assembly 1000.

(20) Additionally, the connecting nodes 200 may take any of a variety of desired configurations, as depicted in FIGS. 4-7, such configurations being mainly dictated by the shape of the desired assembly 1000, as depicted in FIGS. 5 and 7. In yet further embodiments, the connecting nodes 200 may be generally spherical, with varying numbers and configurations of collars 210, as desired.

(21) Now turning to FIG. 8, depicted is one embodiment of an apparatus 100 according to the present invention that includes a stator 111 and a shell 112 within the central member 110. As such, at least a portion of the structure required for an electric generator may be disposed within the central member 110. Accordingly, the stator 111, even though stationary in the present invention, may correspond structurally to a rotor as generally implemented in electric motors or generators, as it is centrally located within the central member 110. Similarly, the shell 112, even though dynamic, may correspond structurally with a stator as generally implemented in electric motors or generators, as it is disposed about the stator 111 of the present invention. Thus, the stator 111 and shell 112 are comprised of such electrically and/or magnetically conductive material so as to form an electric generator or otherwise take advantage of the known effects of induction when the shell 112 is rotated about the stator 111 in order to produce electricity. It should be understood that the depicted structure merely depicts one embodiment of the present invention and many other embodiments are suitable. For example, any number of electrical generator structures may be disposed within the connecting node 200. For example, the central member 110 may be configured to rotate within at least a portion of the connecting node 200, thereby providing a rotor as commonly implemented in electric generators. Additionally, substantially all of the electrical generator structure may be disposed within the connecting node 200, and the central member 110 rigidly attached to the rotor therein, thereby driving the rotor when the central member 110 is rotated.

(22) Furthermore, at least a portion of the central member 110 and connecting node 200 may be fabricated of electrically conductive material and include electrical contacts for electrical interconnection between adjacent central members 110 and connecting nodes 200. As such, when deployed as an assembly 1000 with a plurality of apparatus 100, electricity may be drawn from and conducted through each apparatus 100 such that only one exterior electrical connection need be made in order to draw electricity from the assembly 1000. This may be accomplished, for example, by disposing a single electrical receptacle on a predetermined connecting node 200 of the assembly 1000, and constructing the assembly 1000 such that each successive apparatus 100 and connecting node 200 is disposed in electrical interconnection with the predetermined connecting node 200. Of course, in alternative embodiments, it may be desirable to utilize multiple electrical receptacles and/or other exterior electrical connections.

(23) FIG. 9 depicts another embodiment of the apparatus 100 of the present invention in which the foil, referred to as a solar foil 300, at least partially comprises an outer surface with photovoltaic properties 310. As can be seen, the solar foil 300 is substantially similar to the foil 120 of the previous embodiments in shape and configuration, including the solar foil 300 being disposed about the central member 110 in a helical plane 301 and, that the solar foil 300 may include a tapered configuration 302 so as to avoid interference with adjacently disposed apparatus 100. However the solar foil 300 includes a photovoltaic outer surface 310. Accordingly, the electricity-generating capability of the apparatus 100 of the present invention is enhanced beyond that of either a wind foil or a solar panel alone.

(24) FIG. 10 depicts a top plan view of a solar foil 300 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention such that the general shape and configuration may be presented.

(25) FIG. 11 is a section plan view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 9, such that the general shape and configuration may be similarly presented. Accordingly, a cross-section of the solar foil 300 is presented. As can be seen, in the depicted embodiment, the cross-sectional area 303 of the solar foil 300 comprises a central portion 304 that substantially conforms to the central member 110 and gradually tapers toward a trailing edge 305 that is substantially thinner in cross-section, similar to the previous embodiment discussed herein. However, the solar foil 300 of the present embodiment also includes a photovoltaic outer surface 310, which, in certain embodiments, may at least partially be comprised of a thin-film photovoltaic cell 311 applied to the helical plane 301, or in yet further embodiments, at least partially comprising the helical plane 301.

(26) FIG. 12 depicts a plurality of apparatus 100, each utilizing a solar foil of the present embodiment 300, assembled into an assembly 1000 as in previous embodiments. As can further be seen, the tapered configuration 302, which in the depicted embodiment comprises a reduced radial dimension of the solar foil 300, serves to provide clearance between immediately adjacent apparatus.

(27) Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

(28) Now that the invention has been described,