FR3049012A1 - ROTARY RIGID SAIL DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device comprising a rigid element, called web (1), rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (A1) and able to rotate about said axis of rotation under the effect of wind. Said sail (1) comprising a general shape of quadrangular plate, the axis of rotation (A1) of the plate of said sail is parallel to, preferably substantially coincident with, one of the diagonals of said sail, called diagonal rotation . Said diagonal defining the plate of the sail (1) in two parts (10, 11) opposite, said portions (10, 11) opposite each have a curvature in opposite direction to the curvature of the other part. Said plate has a plane of symmetry (P1) perpendicular to its axis of rotation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to rotary devices with rigid sail.

PRIOR ART

A wind turbine formed by a rotary device with a vertical axis which comprises two half-cylinders which are off-axis and oppositely oriented with respect to one another is known from the state of the art, in particular from Savonius US1766765.

The object of the present invention is to propose a rotary device with rigid sail whose performance is improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To this end, the subject of the invention is a device comprising a rigid element, called a sail, rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation and able to rotate about said axis of rotation under the effect of a fluid flow, such as wind, characterized in that, said sail comprising a plate of generally quadrangular shape, the axis of rotation of said sail is parallel to, preferably substantially coincident with, one of the diagonals of said plate called diagonal of rotation, and in that, said diagonal defining the plate in two opposite parts, said opposite parts each have a curvature in opposite direction to the curvature of the other part. Said plate also has a plane of symmetry perpendicular to its axis of rotation.

The device can be a wind device, that is to say placed in the wind, or a device placed in the water, for example at sea, to be able to recover the energy of waves and / or tides.

Such a design according to which the axis of rotation is oriented along the diagonal of the sail and in which the parts of the sail situated on either side of the axis of rotation are folded in the opposite direction, makes it possible to benefit for each curved part of the sail, opening (s) penetration in the concave high and low areas of each part, and thus to expose concave zones of penetration to the fluid flow, whatever the angular position of the sail around of its axis of rotation.

The device according to the invention thus makes it possible to improve the wind or water hold of the rigid sail, unlike the devices known in the state of the art, the sails of which do not make it possible to obtain sufficient penetration of the sail. air or water in the sail.

In addition, a quadrangular sail configuration rotatably mounted diagonally is less noisy than the known sail configurations of the state of the art.

Thanks to said plane of symmetry of the plate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation and thanks to the curvature of a portion of the plate in one direction and the curvature of the other part in the other direction, the sail of the device according to the invention can rotate indifferently in one direction or the other. It is sufficient to return it relative to its plane of symmetry to change the direction of rotation.

The sail of the device according to the invention can be rotatably mounted around a vertical or horizontal axis. The plane of symmetry allows the sail to maintain a balanced rotation regardless of its vertical or horizontal orientation. The plate also has an axis of symmetry along its diagonal of rotation.

The shape of the sail combined with an arrangement of its axis of rotation substantially along a diagonal of said sail makes it possible to capture low velocity fluid flows, in particular very low winds, at 360 ° thanks to the two angles of rotation. attacks arranged at 180 °.

Such a design of the sail and its axis of rotation increases the power of the device while maintaining a balanced rotation. Advantageously, the plate is substantially full.

Thus, the symmetry of the sail around its axis of rotation and of a plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation makes it possible to obtain a distribution of the balanced weight, and, in combination with the arrangement of the axis of rotation along a diagonal of the sail, to present with respect to the flow of fluid, irrespective of the angle of rotation of the sail, a concave zone exposed to the fluid flow forming a penetration zone of the fluid stream which makes it possible to optimize the rotation of the sail.

Such a design of the device according to the invention also reduces its manufacturing cost and simplifies its assembly.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, in the event of flattening the plate said sail, said plate is in the form of a parallelogram.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the sail is provided with a stabilizing element, which extends around the plate of said sail, substantially halfway up the diagonal of rotation, in a mean orthogonal plane relative to to the axis of rotation.

In other words, the stabilizing element extends substantially in the plane of symmetry of the plate.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the sail is provided along its other diagonal, opposite to the diagonal of rotation, reinforcing means, for example formed by a rod shaped in S.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the device comprises a support structure and a rotation shaft integral with the plate of the sail along its diagonal of rotation, said rotation shaft being connected to said support structure via rolling means.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, said device also comprises a transformation system, such as an alternator or electric generator, configured to transform the mechanical energy of rotation of the sail into electrical energy. The invention also relates to a lamp comprising a device according to one of the embodiments described above, said lamp comprising one or more lighting elements configured to be powered electrically by said device.

Advantageously, said lamp is provided with a braking system to allow it to be extinguished or to reduce the generation of electricity. The invention also relates to a device, called a sail column, according to one of the embodiments presented above, characterized in that said device comprises a plurality of sails distributed along said axis of rotation, two neighboring sails being preferably angularly offset with respect to each other. The invention also relates to an assembly, called wall of sails, comprising two columns according to one of the embodiments presented above, characterized in that the two columns have parallel rotation shafts and spaced one of the the other, the webs of one column being offset along their axis of rotation relative to the webs of the other column so as to partially fit into the spaces left free between the webs of said other column.

The device according to the invention can be used in different industries or in the domestic sector. In particular the device can be used in urban environment, in micro ventilation for small appliances but also in the marine environment to recover the force of the currents thanks to the possibility of reverse rotation adapted for the rising or falling tide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and nonlimiting and should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. sail profile of a device according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a top view of the sail of a device according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is a view of a portion of a device according to one embodiment of the invention, showing the arrangement of the sail and a support structure; FIG. 4 is a view of a lamp comprising a device according to one embodiment of the invention; - Figure 5 is a side view of the sail of a device according to one embodiment of the invention, said sail being provided with a stabilizing element; - Figure 6 is a top view of the sail of a device according to an embodiment of the invention corresponding for example to that of Figure 5, said sail being provided with a stabilizing element; - Figure 7 is a side view of an assembly, called wall of sails, which comprises a plurality of devices according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The concept of the invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the concept of the invention are shown. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of the elements may be exaggerated for clarity. Similar numbers refer to similar items on all drawings. However, this concept of the invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided so that this description is complete, and communicate the scope of the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is therefore defined by the appended claims.

Reference throughout the specification to "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or feature described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrase "in one embodiment" at various locations throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, the particular features, structures, or features may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

With reference to the figures and as recalled above, the invention relates to a rotary device intended to be placed in a flow of fluid, such as air (wind) or water (for example in a marine environment). . According to various embodiments, the rotary device is used as an electricity generator, for example to supply electricity to one or more lighting elements, possibly via a battery.

In the example illustrated in Figure 1 which shows a partial view of the device according to the invention, said device comprises a rigid element, called web 1, rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation A1 and able to rotate about said axis of rotation. rotation under the effect of a flow of fluid, for example the wind, when the direction of the fluid flow is different from that of the axis of rotation.

Said veil 1 comprises a general shape of quadrangular plate. Plate means an element whose thickness is less, preferably at least ten times smaller than its length and width. The axis of rotation A1 of said sail is parallel to, preferably substantially coincident with, one of the diagonals of said sail, called diagonal rotation. Said plate 1 has a plane of symmetry P1 perpendicular to its axis of rotation.

Said diagonal defines the sail 1 in two parts 10, 11 opposite. Said opposite portions 10, 11 each have a curvature in the opposite direction to the curvature of the other part. The curvature of a part is considered around an axis parallel to the axis of rotation. In other words, the parts are bent around axes parallel to the axis of rotation but in opposite directions. In top view and as shown in Figure 2, the center of curvature C11 of the portion 11 is located on one side of the tangent T1 at the point of inflection of the plate and the center of curvature C10 of the other party 10 is located on the other side of the tangent T1 at the point of inflection of the plate.

Preferably, each portion 10, 11 has a curvature of the same value but opposite that of the other part of the sail.

Advantageously, the parts 10 and 11 are bent so that, seen from above and as illustrated in FIG. 2, the angle formed between the straight line connecting the opposite ends of the parts 10, 11 and the tangent T1 at the point d The inflection between the two parts 10, 11 is substantially equal to 90 °.

Advantageously, assuming that it is possible to lay flat the plate from which the sail is formed, said sail 1 is in the general form of a parallelogram.

As shown in FIG. 1, in profile view, the part 11 of the sail which presents to the fluid stream a convex portion CV11, also has a concave exposure zone which comprises a high portion CC11S situated above the end corresponding side of the portion 11 of the sail exposed to the fluid flow and a lower portion CC11I located below the corresponding lateral end of the portion 11 of the sail.

The plate from which the sail is formed can be made using different materials, including different types of glass such as reinforced glass or dyed glass. Different metals can also be used such as aluminum, copper, brass, ferrous alloys, and nonferrous, different types of steels. The sail can also be made of polyester resin, glass fiber, composite material, wood and laminate, glued laminated, in the different varieties of existing plastics. It is also possible to provide the sail in carbon fiber.

According to an advantageous embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the sail 1 is provided with a stabilizing element 3. This element extends around said sail 1, substantially halfway up the diagonal of rotation, in a orthogonal mean plane with respect to the axis of rotation A1, substantially corresponding to the plane of symmetry P1. The stabilizing element may be an annular element, called the stabilizing ring 3, which extends around said sail, substantially halfway up the diagonal of rotation, or alternatively a solid element formed for example of two parts of type half-disc, reported on both sides of the sail. The stabilizing element extends in a mean plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation A1.

Advantageously, said stabilizing element is connected to the opposite lateral ends of the sail.

Said stabilizing element makes it possible to gain in stability and to increase the inertia force related to the rotation of the sail and thus allows the sail to turn longer, in the manner of a top.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, said stabilization ring is provided with elements 31 for wind-holding, preferably distributed regularly along said stabilizing element 3.

This ring acts as a stabilizer during its rotation and allows the sail to maintain a certain rotational inertia.

According to various embodiments, said ring may have a circular, oblong or ovoid shape. Said ring is preferably flat. It can be provided that the outer edge of the ring is beveled for better penetration into the fluid flow. Advantageously, the space between the ring and the sail is left free to maintain a limited weight.

It is possible to arrange on the ring, for example every 90 °, wind-catching elements, such as flats or cones with flat bottom. These wind catch elements make it possible to improve the start of the training in rotation of the sail.

The rigidity of the assembly can be improved by adding force arms and / or fins 37, arranged symmetrically about the axis of rotation, between said axis A1 and the ring 3. Such a design reduces the risk of twisting , deformations, tremors that can affect the rotation of the sail.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the sail 1 is provided along its other diagonal, opposite to the diagonal of rotation, reinforcement means, for example formed by a rod shaped S. This reinforcing means also extends substantially in said plane of symmetry of the sail. Said rod may be for example steel of half-round section.

The sail may also comprise additional reinforcements arranged closer to its upper end and / or its lower end.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4, the device according to the invention comprises a support structure 5 and a rotation shaft 7 integral with the sail 1 along its diagonal of rotation. The rotation shaft 7, to which the sail is secured, projects from the lower and upper ends of the sail 1. Said projecting portions of the shaft are connected to the support structure 5 by rolling means. 57. The bearing means are interposed between the rotation shaft and the support structure so as to mount the rotation shaft A1 free to rotate on the support structure.

According to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the rotation mechanism comprises a shaft 7 integral with the sail along a diagonal and rolling means 57 which is coupled to said axis. Said rolling means are carried by a structure, such as an annular bracket, for example steel. The annular stem may have different shapes, for example square, circular, or rhombus. Preferably the rolling means are each provided with a protective cap, for example plastic.

Advantageously, the annular stem is connected to a frame via a connecting tube traversed by the rotation shaft and provided with rolling means ensuring the rotational connection between the rod and the connecting tube. The connections between fixed elements such as the stem, the tube and the frame are preferably made by welding. The rotation shaft is configured to rotate the rotor of a transformation system described hereinafter.

According to a particular characteristic, the sail is provided along its other diagonal, opposite to the diagonal of rotation, reinforcing means, for example formed by a steel rod of half-round section. The sail may also comprise additional reinforcements arranged closer to its upper end and / or its lower end.

According to various embodiments that can be combined with the embodiments described above, the device or devices comprise or comprise a transformation system 2, such as an alternator or electric generator, configured to transform the mechanical energy of rotation of the sail 1 in electrical energy. The transformation system can be synchronous or asynchronous. Such a transformation system 2 comprises in particular, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7, a rotor 21 coupled to the shaft of rotation of the sail (s) and a stator 20 coupled to the support structure or to the frame of the device.

Advantageously, the rotor is the inductor and the stator is the armature. The rotor may include a magnet or electromagnet that provides induction. The stator comprises windings of electrically conductive elements which will be the seat of alternating electric current induced by the variation of the flux of the magnetic field due to the relative movement of the inductor with respect to the armature. The electricity produced can then be used to power one or more electricity-consuming elements such as LEDs and / or to recharge a battery which can itself feed consumer elements.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the ends of the parts 10, 11 opposite to the axis of rotation are also provided with lighting elements 8, such as LEDs, powered electrically by the electricity produced by the device. Advantageously, the upper end of the sail located substantially on the axis of rotation is also provided with a lighting element.

The devices as described above can be used to make lamps. Examples of lamps are illustrated more particularly in Figure 3 and Figure 4. Said lamp comprises one or more lighting elements 8 configured to be electrically powered by said device.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the device thus comprises a plurality of light elements 80, for example LEDS, distributed around the axis of rotation of the sail and powered by the electricity produced by the rotation of the light. sailing.

Preferably, the lamp is provided with a braking system to allow it to be switched off or to reduce the generation of electricity.

Fixing lugs can be placed at the foot, or be melted with the lamp frame for screwing in the event of strong winds or to prevent theft.

The buttresses or arches 51 of the support structure 5 have the possibility of being melted in one piece with the frame. A hoop may also be hollowed out to allow a passage of wire to supply lighting on the cap 59 and / or the head roll holder. The lamp also includes an upper handle 97 and a switch 98.

It is possible to position two lamps, about 1 meter or 1.5 meters high enthroned on each side of the entrance to a port, with a light for example red for one of the lamps indicating the starboard, and for example a green light indicating the port side.

Such a lamp makes it possible to obtain an innovative, autonomous, practical, ecological and economical lighting.

Advantageously, the lamp comprises at its base 50 a central screw to access the battery compartment (s). Alternatively, it is possible that the base comprises a quick access and secure access drawer for changing the batteries.

The devices as described above can also be used to make sail columns. By sail column is meant an embodiment according to which said device comprises a plurality of webs 1 distributed along said axis of rotation A1 and interconnected by a rotation shaft 7 formed of a single element or of several sections. Two neighboring webs 1 along the axis of rotation are preferably angularly offset relative to each other as illustrated in FIG. 7.

It is then possible to construct a sail wall using a plurality of sail columns as shown in FIG. 7. According to this embodiment, the sails from one column to the other are rotatably mounted mounted. relative to one another by a gear system 61 and toothed belts 62.

The columns have rotation shafts 7 parallel and spaced from each other. The webs 1 of a column are offset along their axis of rotation A1 with respect to the webs 1 of the other column so as to partially fit into the spaces left free between the webs 1 of said other column.

According to various embodiments, the device according to the invention can be fixed to a wall using a plate. Said platen may have a U-shaped section. The base of the U serving to fix it to the wall and the axis of rotation of the sail extending from a branch of the U, while being connected to said branches of the U via bearings.

The device may also include a wind directional drift.

According to various embodiments, the sail may be generally square or diamond shaped. The sides of the sail can be straight or curved.

The device may also comprise at least one additional sail of axis of rotation coinciding with said sail, and angularly offset, for example 90 ° with said sail.

According to particular embodiments, the sail can be made by folding for example when the material is metal plastic type, or molding or pressing for example when the material is plastic type or polyester resin, or by injection for example when the material is of expansive polyurethane foam type.

It can be provided that the sail is formed by assembling two half-shells, each half-shell forming a face of the sail. The space between the two half-shell can be filled for example with expansive polyurethane foam. The sail can be built from a galvanized sheet with a folded edges folded and matted sides to gain strength, for example with a tin solder to prevent corrosion.

It is also possible to provide one or more devices comprising several webs, for example in line or parallel, integral or not in rotation with each other. The invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Accordingly, it should be understood that when the features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, these signs are included solely for the purpose of improving the intelligibility of the claims and are in no way limiting to the scope of the claims. claims.

Moreover, the term "including" does not exclude other elements or steps. In addition, features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the embodiments set forth above may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments set forth above.

Claims (10)

1. Device comprising a rigid element, called sail (1), rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (A1) and able to rotate about said axis of rotation under the effect of the wind, characterized in that, said sail ( 1) comprising a plate of generally quadrangular shape, the axis of rotation (A1) of said plate is parallel to, preferably substantially coincident with, one of the diagonals of said plate, called diagonal of rotation, and in that, said diagonal defining the plate (1) in two opposite parts (10, 11), said opposite parts (10, 11) each have a curvature in the opposite direction to the curvature of the other part, and in that said plate has a plane of symmetry (P1) perpendicular to its axis of rotation. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the event of a flattening of the plate of said sail, said plate is in the form of a parallelogram. 3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sail is provided with a stabilizing element (3), which extends around the plate of said sail, substantially halfway up the diagonal of rotation, in a mean plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation A1. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate of the sail (1) is provided along its other diagonal, opposite to the diagonal of rotation, reinforcement means (4), for example formed by a rod shaped in S. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a support structure (5) and a rotation shaft (7) integral with the sail (1) along its diagonal of rotation, said shaft of rotation (7) being connected to said support structure (5) via rolling means (57). 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device also comprises a transformation system (2), such as an alternator or electric generator, configured to transform the mechanical energy of rotation of the sail (1). ) in electrical energy, 7. Lamp comprising a device according to claim 6, characterized in that said lamp comprises one or more lighting elements (8) configured to be powered electrically by said device. 8. Lamp according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said lamp is provided with a braking system to allow to extinguish or reduce the generation of electricity. 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said device comprises a plurality of webs (1) distributed along said axis of rotation (A1), two neighboring webs (1) being preferably offset angularly i one with respect to the other. 10. Set, called wall of sails, comprising two devices, called columns, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the two columns have rotation shafts (A1) parallel and spaced from each other, the sails (1) of a column being offset along their axis of rotation (A1) with respect to the webs (1) of the other column so as to partially fit into the spaces left free between the webs (1) of said other column.