JP2009243456A - Simple power generation device based on shape memory alloy spring - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device capable of preserving surplus energy or a heat source abandoned or forgotten in a daily life without discarding it vainly and reducing the use of fossil fuel to some extent. <P>SOLUTION: Expansion and contraction motions of a shape-memory alloy spring are converted into rotary motions by an expansion and contraction function of the shape-memory alloy spring 6 for making a shape change and rack and pinion gears 3, 4, 5-1, and 5-2 on the basis of a temperature difference between the day and night caused by solar heat, a temperature difference inside and outside a house, or a temperature difference between a heat source existing inside the house and inside and outside the house. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention finds a heat source or small energy existing in the daily living environment, and describes a usage method that does not cause pollution as much as it can be used effectively and has little influence on increase of entropy. It relates to the development of power generation energy that does not use fossil fuels.

Most of the energy sources used in everyday living space in recent years depend on fossil fuels and electric power, which are finite resources that are surely exhausted. But even with a clean image of electricity, fossil fuels account for a few percent of the heat source, and the cleaner image of nuclear power has many unresolved issues, whether it is a nuclear issue or its nuclear fuel waste issue. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to find a heat source, exhaust heat and other waste energy generated in daily life, and to provide a system that uses a temperature difference between these heats as an energy source. The invention is an invention that has a little influence on the CO2 problem, which is said to have a great influence on global warming. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-161359, a patent document of the prior application, relates to the extraction and storage of energy by using an existing rotating body, and the invention disclosed in Patent Publication No. 2004-76713 is an engine development using a spring. The present invention provides a technology relating to energy utilization, which is fundamentally different from these inventions.
Patent Publication No. 2004-76713 Patent Publication No. 2003-161359

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and its purpose is overlooked or forgotten without using any fossil fuel, in the natural world, or in daily life and daily work. In view of reducing the use of fossil fuels in any way by effectively utilizing the temperature difference between each heat source and the surrounding heat sources, making use of the features of shape memory alloy springs without wasting excess energy The present invention has been made and an apparatus is provided.

Without using fossil fuels, existing biomass or other fuels or electricity, recovering heat sources and energy that are close but too close or forgotten because they are too small for a small investment The above idea of utilizing can be solved by the present invention having the following configuration. In other words, by utilizing the expansion and contraction function due to the temperature difference of the shape memory alloy spring of the present invention, waste heat and energy that are casually released daily are stored in the spring, and the release is not instantaneously released. A technique for releasing and using stored energy to various devices by stably releasing it as long as possible.

Motor vehicles and power plants that use fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline, light oil and heavy oil as their power source or heat source have a great influence on the global warming problem as well as the use of fossil fuels. The purpose was to reduce the adverse effects of the heat source as much as possible. Its purpose is a heat source that exists in the natural world or a heat source that is artificially created, or a heat source that has different exhaust heat or temperature around it. It memorizes the shape corresponding to different temperature zones as a characteristic of shape memory alloy spring, expresses the temperature difference as reciprocating motion in the spring part, and rotates the reciprocating motion is intended to take out the power generation function can be converted to exercise, homes and also utilized if a certain day and footprint of only 1 m ² in apartment is fully enabled, the horizontal If so, it can be installed on the roof. As other uses, it is suitable not only for homes but also for backward countries, remote islands, ships, etc. where infrastructure is delayed, and provides a simple and inexpensive device and a highly versatile technology. In particular, the temperature difference required by this technology can be realized if the temperature difference is 10 degrees or more. A shape memory alloy spring having an appropriate operating temperature range may be used.

The structure and function of the spring shape change system according to the temperature difference between two different heat sources of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall structural view of the present invention, wherein an upper rack gear 3 and a lower rack gear 4 are attached to both side surfaces of an inner core rod 2 extending downward from the top 1, and an upper fixed plate in the middle of the inner core rod 2. 12-1 is fixed to the inner core rod 2, and the lower fixed plate 12-2 is fixed to the insertion casing 10 side, each sandwiching a spring in a sandwich shape, and the inner casing 2 is used as a base for reciprocating the inner core rod 2 up and down. Becomes the source of operation. The insertion casing 10 for the inner mandrel 2 has an entire supporting column function and at the same time serves as an insertion part for the telescopic function of the inner mandrel 2. The vertical movement of the inner mandrel 2 or the reciprocating movement of the left and right is changed into a rotational movement by the pinion gears 5-1 and 5-2 being sequentially interlocked. At this time, in FIG. 1, when the rack gear 3 operates upward, the pinion gear 5-1 operates, and when the rack gear 4 operates downward, only the 5-2 side of the pinion gear operates. Is a distance twice as long as the movable distance 11 of the inner core rod shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the rack gear is operated upward and when the rack gear is operated downward, the rotation direction of the pinion gear is 5-1 in the rotational direction of 7-1 and the inner shaft 2 is lowered in the downward direction. As shown in FIG. 1 via -2, 7-2 has the same rotational direction as 7-1. Further, for the necessary power generation time which is the object of the present invention, the distance 11 of the rack gear may be extended, or the number of combinations of intermediate planetary gears from the pinion gears 5-1 to 7-1 may be increased. The switching from the pinion gear 5-1 to 5-2 may be automated. Naturally, the size and capacity of the shape memory alloy spring 6 will inevitably change in response to the adjustment of the power generation time due to the above. However, the shape memory alloy spring is subject to local and seasonal variations in advance. Several kinds of shape memory alloy springs may be manufactured to cope with the above.

In other words, when solar heat is used as the heat source, the time required for energy absorption and release is the time required for the expansion and contraction of the spring as well as the absorption speed of the solar heat, and the same elapsed time as the rotation speed of the gear. It is possible to freely adjust the energy release speed by adjusting the number of combinations of intermediate gears from the pinion gear 5-1 to the generator shaft 7-1, and by increasing or decreasing the number of planetary gears and the number of teeth, and the vertical speed of the rack gear can be adjusted simultaneously. If it can be adjusted, stable energy can be used for a long time.

Since the expansion and contraction of the shape memory alloy spring of the present invention is based on solar heat as a heat source, naturally, the temperature change, that is, the time during which the shape memory alloy spring extends from the dawn of the lowest temperature to the highest hour in the afternoon After that, it will be a time zone to shrink, but if it is necessary to extend the time further, other heat sources such as exhaust heat in the factory or home or bath waste water may be used. Further, when the shape memory alloy spring is contracted too quickly with respect to the time zone in which the shape memory alloy spring extends, it is sufficient to devise measures such as keeping the shape memory alloy spring warm.

Further, in a narrow place where the height and the width are insufficient such as a veranda, the expanding and contracting rack gear portion may be replaced with a winding device with a circular spring and transmitted as it is to the opinion gear as a rotational force. When there is a time zone in which the power generated by this apparatus is not required, the expansion / contraction operation of the shape memory alloy spring may be temporarily stopped. For this purpose, the vertical operation of the inner core rod 2 is freely stopped at an appropriate place. A lock gear device may be provided, a heat retaining function for keeping the temperature change at a constant temperature, or a relief of the inner core rod 2 may be made downward as in the case of FIG. Also, when restarting after locking, remove the lock gear or remove the heat retention function, the rack gear is operated again by the force of the stored spring and repeats the above operation, and finally it is transmitted as rotational energy and the generator Can be operated.

In addition, the shape memory alloy spring for storing and releasing energy may be a leaf spring or a spring, and the shape may be changed according to the required location of the apparatus. Also, depending on the capacity of the power generation function, any material or shape may be used as long as it is a rubber material or other elastic body that can operate the pinion gear.

FIG. 1 is an overall structural view of the present invention, in which a rack gear 3 and a rack gear 4 are attached to both sides of an inner core rod 2 extending downward from the top of the head 1, and an insertion case 10 for the inner core rod 2 has an entire support function. At the same time, it becomes an insertion portion for the expansion / contraction function of the inner core rod 2. The pinion gears 5-1 and 5-2 interlock with the vertical movement of the inner mandrel 2 to cause rotational movement. At this time, when the rack gear 3 operates upward, the pinion gear 5-1 operates, and when the rack gear 4 operates downward, only the 5-2 side of the pinion gear operates. As a result, the distance is twice as long as 11 shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the rack gear 3 operates upward and when the rack gear 4 operates downward, the rotation directions of the pinion gears are respectively 5-1 and 5-2 as shown in FIG. As a result of passing through 1, the rotation direction is the same as that of 7-1. 7-1 and 7-2 are the rotating shafts of the generator itself, or are connected to the generator via a shut-off device such as a clutch or a cam mechanism.

In the present invention, a small and portable power generation device without using fossil fuel is arranged on a sunny home garden or veranda, or on a condominium veranda or roof, and can easily generate power, and in some cases, a shape memory alloy spring. Is a small generator that can be used to lock in and use stored energy when needed, or to be installed directly on or attached to an object, and its discharge is as stable as possible rather than instantaneous. By releasing it over time, it is possible to gradually use the energy of the stored spring, and it can be used as a full-fledged household power generator. Since it can be used in abundant Southeast Asia and in developed countries with delayed infrastructure, it may be a valuable technology export resource for Japanese industries.

In general, except for a battery or the like having a function of storing some electricity, it generally cannot store electricity. Pumped-storage power generation is the purpose of using surplus power rather than storing electricity, and this is wisdom because it cannot store electricity, and basically it is power that cannot be stored. In the case of the present invention, solar heat or other heat source is temporarily stored in a shape memory alloy spring, and its reciprocating motion is converted into rotational force. This storage and release is performed while the so-called thermal energy is temporarily stored and released in the spring. As the adjusted rotational energy, the generator is rotated indirectly or directly, and these technologies can contribute to global warming countermeasures, and their purpose is small and almost everywhere. It can be installed and installed, or it can be used as a power generator that can be installed as a part of an existing device. It improves convenience as a simple power generator in small households as well as ordinary households, and it is also installed by families It is possible to make a great contribution to the industry, such as an energy saving effect.

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic sectional view of the present invention, showing a state in which a shape memory alloy spring is fully extended. FIG. 2 is an overall schematic cross-sectional view of the present invention in which the shape memory alloy spring is in a contracted state. FIG. 3 is an overall schematic cross-sectional view of the horizontal type of the present invention, in which the shape memory alloy spring is in a contracted state. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the shape memory alloy spring by the combination of various gears is contracted except for the insertion casing of FIG. FIG. 5 is an overall schematic cross-sectional view in which the rack gear is attached to the maximum and the working distance or working time is extended to the maximum in the present invention, and the shape memory alloy spring is in a contracted state.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Head part 2 Inner core rod 3 Upper row rack gear 4 Lower row rack gear 5-1 Pinion gear (It starts when an inner mandrel operates upward)
5-2 Pinion gear (starts when the inner core is operating downward)
6 Shape memory alloy spring 6-1 The shape memory alloy spring is fully extended 6-2 The shape memory alloy spring is contracted 7-1 Generator shaft 7-2 Generator shaft 8-1 Planetary gear 8-2 Planetary gear 9 Solar heat Reflector 10 Insert casing 11 Inner shaft movable distance 12-1 Upper fixed plate / spring receiving base 12-2 Lower fixed plate / spring receiving base 13 Example of adding rack gear 14 Example of adding rack gear 15 Example of adding rack gear 16 Example of adding rack gear

Claims (5)

With the expansion and contraction function of the shape memory alloy spring and the rack and pinion gear based on the temperature difference between the day and night based on solar heat and the temperature difference inside and outside the house, or the temperature difference between the heat source existing inside the house and the outside of the house, A power generation device or an energy storage system, wherein the expansion / contraction motion of the shape memory alloy spring is changed to a rotational motion. Utilizing temperature difference created by using underground heat, heat energy existing in nature, exhaust heat, exhaust gas, or artificially created heat energy, or temperature difference between the structure including the moving body and the outside air of the structure The power generation device or the energy storage system according to claim 1. The power generation device or the energy storage system according to claim 1, wherein a flywheel is integrally incorporated in the rotator, and the structure can stably supply the rotational force or power generation capacity of the rotator. The power generation apparatus or energy storage system according to claim 1, further comprising a battery for temporarily charging generated power. The power generation apparatus or energy storage system according to claim 1, wherein the power generation apparatus or the energy storage system has a structure capable of compressing a spring by human power.

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