Marine propulsion – Wind driven motors
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-01
2001-07-17
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Wind driven motors
C114S1440RE
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261138
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wind-driven vessel which cruises by wind force energy. In particular, the invention relates to a wind-driven vessel which is driven by a windmill which normally rotates with respect to natural wind direction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vessels utilizing wind energy as a driving force are known, such as sailing vessels, yachts and windmill vessels. Although sailing vessels are simple in their structure, they are unable to sail against the wind direction. To the contrary, yachts which cruise by lifting force at the sails are able to move at an angle against-wind, but they are difficult to steer. Windmill vessels are driven by wind energy which is converted to rotational energy by a horizontal axis windmill or vertical axis windmill, said energy being transferred to a screw in the water, which enables the vessels to cruise against the wind.
Such prior art windmill vessels are shown in
FIG. 6
, in which numeral
1
is vessel body,
2
is a mast,
3
is a center board,
4
is a rudder,
5
is a link mechanism,
6
is a rotational shaft,
7
is a propeller type windmill, and
8
is an window check stabilizing plate by which a rotor of a propeller type windmill (rotational plane) is always kept in a wind direction and a rotation of the windmill is transferred to the screw (not shown) to power the vessel.
However, said windmill vessels are unable to efficiently utilize the energy of natural wind. For example, when the windmill vessel
1
cruises in a direction shown by arrow A with side winds W
1
, W
2
as shown in
FIG. 7
, the vessel body receives the natural wind W
1
, W
2
from the side when starting but receives the wind W
2
, W
2
from a slant forward as the vessel cruises in the direction A. This is caused by an outlook wind (self cruise wind) W
3
, which is received by the vessel. As a result, the vessel receives the slant front winds W
2
, W
2
caused by the mutual effect of the side natural wind W
1
and the outlook wind (self cruise wind) W
3
from the front. Accordingly, a rotor of the windmill
7
rotates in a direction of the slant front winds W
2
, W
2
as an affect of window check stabilizing plate
8
.
In other words, the vessel converts the energy of the slant front winds W
2
, W
2
to a rotational energy to enable cruising. Hence, only the residual energy of W
2
is utilized (i.e. the reduction in the natural wind W
1
energy due to the effect of the outlook wind (self cruise wind) W
3
).
An additional drawback of such prior art windmill vessels is that when the windmill vessel receives the natural wind from the front of the vessel or from behind the vessel, it is unable to cruise at a speed higher than the wind velocity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides a vessel comprising a windmill mechanism having a variable pitch propeller, a generator rotatably driven by the windmill mechanism, a storage battery for storing current generated by the generator, a screw rotatably driven by the windmill mechanism, a motor to rotatably drive the screw by means of discharge of the storage battery, a control device for propeller pitch, a direction sensor for the natural wind with respect to the vessel, and a rotor direction control device to keep the rotor of the windmill in a direction of the natural wind sensed by said direction sensor. The invention provides for a windmill vessel which is able to cruise by either one of the wind force, the wind force and electric power, or electric power in response to the direction of the natural wind. The influence of the outlook wind (self cruise wind) by forward movement of the vessel is evaded, and the rotor of the windmill is always kept in the direction of the natural wind. Surplus energy achieved from the wind is stored as electric energy which can be used to drive the screw.
In said arrangement, the windmill mechanism may have a variable pitch propeller fixed at a horizontal rotational shaft, a vertical rotational shaft which follows the horizontal rotational shaft and rotates, a support for said horizontal rotational shaft and a revolving device for the support.
Additionally, the vessel may have a steering control device to decide a steering angle in response to a wind direction of a synthesized wind (synthesis of the natural wind and the outlook wind generated by the movement of the vessel) in order to keep a given running path of the vessel, and means for controlling said steering means based on data relating to ebb flow.
Furthermore, said natural wind direction sensor for the vessel may have means for measuring vessel cruising direction, which may include a speedometer, a means for measuring the synthesized wind (the synthesis of the natural wind and the outlook wind created by the movement of the vessel), and a means for determining the natural wind direction from the measured value at each of said measuring means.
Said rotor direction control device may have driving means for driving a rotational device for the support of the horizontal rotational shaft in a given amount and fixing said rotational device in the desired position, and means for controlling said drive means based on the data from the natural wind direction sensor.
Said propeller pitch control device may have a pitch conversion arm, and means for driving and controlling said pitch conversion arm.
Still furthermore, the vessel may have means for controlling cruise to the destination and setting in real time, and controlling thrust force of the vessel by controlling a revolution of the windmill, generator and motor in response to each datum of the present position, a set target position data, direction and speed of the natural wind at current time, and direction of the ebb flow, thereby setting the vessel thrust force as one of wind force, electric power, or the wind force and electric power in combination.
The vessel may have a raft with a solar battery for charging the storage battery.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1181988 (1916-05-01), Breitung
patent: 3685352 (1972-08-01), Pounder et al.
patent: 3964426 (1976-06-01), Lindsey
patent: 4040374 (1977-08-01), Greene
patent: 4083651 (1978-04-01), Cheney, Jr. et al.
patent: 4353702 (1982-10-01), Nagy
patent: 4371346 (1983-02-01), Vidal
patent: 6032087 (2000-02-01), Yamamoto
patent: 6-199287 (1994-07-01), None
patent: 7-2179 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 7-33086 (1995-02-01), None
Lipsitz Barry R.
McAllister Douglas M.
Morano S. Joseph
Wright Andrew
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