JPH0243914B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting wave motion into rotational motion of a driven mechanism, such as a generator.

The basic idea of converting natural wave energy into a usable form is disclosed in a number of known patents. The problem common to all “wave engines” is that
The purpose is to convert the linear motion caused by the vertical movement of the float into rotational motion. Proper functioning of a wave motor depends on many interacting factors, and in some cases, such as in power generation plants, efficiency is a key factor. The present invention provides a means to obtain the efficiency performance necessary to create a practical wave motor.

The present invention provides an apparatus for converting periodic wave motion in a fluid into electrical energy. The apparatus includes a support structure mounted in a substantially fixed position with respect to a fluid surface, a float movable relative to the support structure in response to wave motions in the fluid surface, and a float mounted on the support structure for generating electrical energy. It is equipped with a generator attached to the The device further includes:
a threaded screw member, a threaded nut member, and a threaded member disposed between the threaded member and the nut member such that the threaded member and the nut member are capable of axial movement relative to each other and rotational movement relative to each other; A nut and lead screw assembly of the type comprising bearing means is also included. Means is also provided for operatively connecting one of the members to the float and the other to the generator so that movement of the former member and the float drives the latter member and the generator.

U.S. Pat. No. 994,728 to Edens discloses a shaft having a helical thread that is caused to follow the up and down movement of water by a float. This shaft has left and right helical screws that drive a pair of wheels. Both wheels are connected to a single output gear by a ratchet arrangement. A ratchet device is used to always drive the output gear in one direction even if the direction of rotation of the wheels is reversed as the shaft moves up and down.

Goedecke, US Pat. No. 773,285, discloses a threaded fixed shaft that is rotated as the float moves up and down. During its rise, the float engages a sleeve having a pin extending into the helix of the shaft, causing the shaft to rotate.

Although the above-mentioned patent discloses the general idea of a wave motor, it does not provide a means for increasing the efficiency of the wave motor and, by extension, its practicality, as the present invention does.

Other advantages of the invention will be understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

A device for converting periodic waves in the water surface into electrical energy is indicated generally at 10 in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 includes a support structure indicated generally at 12, which support structure is mounted in a substantially fixed position relative to the water surface 14 and A substantial distance has been extended. The support structure is of the usual type used for supporting structures such as offshore drilling rigs and comprises a beam 16 extending upwardly from a base 17 suitably secured to the sea bed. ing. Beam 16 supports a platform 18 which supports a generator housing 20 and a rig platform 21. The frame structure 23 is of the same design as an oil drilling rig and is supported on the generator housing 20 by a rig platform 21. It should be noted that the above structure is shown schematically and can be applied to various environments by appropriately modifying the structure.

Float member 22 includes a hollow internal cavity 24 that can be selectively filled and drained with water and, when unfilled, guide track 26.
can move vertically along the A guide track 26 extends longitudinally along the support structure 12 and is secured to the support structure. The float member includes a frame portion 28 to which rollers 30 are mounted. The roller 30 is connected to the guide track 2
6, so that the float member 22 can move vertically up and down relative to the guide track 26 between the solid line position and the broken line position in FIG. This guide means
Other configurations for guiding the vertical movement of the float member 22 are also possible. For example, the guide track may be structured to control the vertical movement of the float member and may be structurally completely independent of the support structure.

The vertical movement of the float member 22 is converted into rotational movement by the nut and lead screw assembly. Natsuto・
The lead screw assembly is comprised of a helically threaded screw member 32 and an internally helically threaded nut member 34, as shown in FIG. A ball bearing 36 is disposed between the threads of the threaded member 32 and the threads of the nut member 34. Ball bearings 36 have balls that circulate within a ball screw and nut assembly as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,426 to GHDabringhaus, the inventor of the present invention. Briefly, the ball screw and nut assembly includes a ball return extending axially within the nut assembly 34 to allow the balls of the ball bearing 36 to circulate along and between the threads of the nut and threaded member. It has a passage 38. This mechanism provides highly efficient linear to rotational motion conversion from threaded member 32 to nut member 34.

Threaded member 32 and nut member 34 are capable of axial movement and rotational movement relative to each other. Threaded member 32 includes a first threaded member operatively connected to frame 28 of float member 22 at 40.
There is a terminal part. The coupling portion 40 is of a type that permits slight lateral or pivoting movement between the threaded member 32 and the frame 28 but prevents rotational movement of the threaded member 32. Threaded member 32 is vertically movable in response to vertical movement of float member 22. Even though the movement of the float member 22 and threaded member 32 is substantially perpendicular, the coupling portion 40
and threaded member 32 with respect to each other.

The upper end 42 of the threaded member 32 moves up and down within the rig 23, which provides a vertical protective guiding structure for the threaded member 32. The support structure 16 further includes safety stops 44 for limiting the upward movement of the float member 22 in response to wave motions in the water surface 14.

The generator is shown schematically at 46 in FIG. 2 and is mounted on the platform 18 of the housing 20 above the water surface 14. The generator is of general construction and is shown schematically in the accompanying drawings as being of a "pancake" type. Generator 46 includes first and second annular generator members 48 and 50, respectively. First generator member 48 is suitably operatively secured to support structure 12 . The second generator member 50 includes the support structure 12 and the first generator member 48
The clutch ring 51 is suitably operatively secured to an annular clutch ring 51 having an annular flange supported by suitable bearings 52 in the housing 20 for rotation relative to the housing 20 to generate electrical energy. In particular, the second generator member 50 includes a clutch ring 51
Electricity is also generated in a conventional manner by rotating relative to a stationary first generator member 48 .

An annular clutch plate 54 is suitably secured to nut member 34 by screws 56. The nut member 34 is supported in a suitable bearing 58 disposed within the support member 60 and
0 is suitably secured to support platform 18 by screws 62. As will be described later, the support member 60 and the bearing 58 support the nut member so as to allow the nut member to rotate while allowing a slight vertical movement of the nut member that substantially accompanies the threaded member when the threaded member moves up and down. There is. Clutch ring 51 includes a recessed cavity having an annular frusto-conical clutch inner surface 53 for selective cooperating clutch engagement and disengagement with an annular frusto-conical outer clutch surface 55 around the clutch plate 54.

The operation of the assembly described so far will now be explained. Assume that the float member 22 is at the lowest position, which is the trough of the waves, as indicated by the solid line in FIG. In this position, the clutch plate 54 and nut member 34 are attached to the clutch ring 51.
located some distance below the clutch face 5
3 and 55 are dissociated. Wave float member 22
1, the float member 22 rises toward the position indicated by the broken line in FIG. When the float member rises, the threaded member 32 rises correspondingly;
On the other hand, the connecting portion 40 prevents the screw member 32 from rotating. When the threaded member is initially raised, due to manufacturing tolerances in the nut and the respective threads of the threaded member and the intervening bearing elements 36, and also because the nut member 34 is substantially unloaded. ,
There is almost no rotation of the nut member 34. In other words, during this initial movement, the nut member 34 and the clutch plate 54 secured thereto move upwardly substantially together with the nut member 32 so that the clutch surface 55 of the clutch plate engages the clutch ring 51.
to a first position in which the clutch engages the clutch surface 53 of the clutch. At this time, further axial or upward movement of the nut member is prevented, so that
As the threaded member 32 continues to rise, the nut member and clutch plate 54 rotate relative to the threaded member 32. Thus, the second generator member 50 is rotationally driven to generate electricity.

The opposite operation occurs when float member 22 begins to descend. In particular, after the float member 22 crests the wave and begins to fall, the load previously applied to the nut member 34 is released substantially instantaneously, causing the nut member to substantially tighten the threaded member 32. moves downwardly within bearing 58 by a small distance with the downward movement of. As a result, clutch plate 5
4 is the clutch surface 53 of the clutch ring 51, and the second generator member 50 is separated from the second generator member 50.
Go down to the position. Thus, float member 2
The upward linear movement of the second generator member 50 is converted into a rotational movement of the generator member 50, while the downward movement of the float member disengages the nut member from the second generator member 50.

The windings of the generator are closed respectively when the screw member is raised and lowered so that the load on the generator is applied and electricity is generated only when the screw member is raised, and the load is removed during the downward stroke of the screw member. Means are provided for selectively energizing and deenergizing. This means comprises a microswitch 64 placed within the recessed cavity of the clutch ring 51 as schematically shown in FIG. It has an arm 65 that can be released. Thus, when the screw member 32 is raised and the clutch plate 54 engages the clutch ring 51 as shown in FIG. 2, the microswitch is actuated to energize the generator windings and generate electricity. . As previously mentioned, when the screw member 32 initially begins to descend and move the clutch plate 54 to the second position disengaged from the clutch ring 51, the microswitch 64 is activated.
acts to de-energize the generator windings. Therefore,
When the screw member 32 is raised, the generator is driven to rotate in one direction to energize its windings and generate electricity, but when the screw member 32 is lowered, the generator windings are deenergized.

In this regard, when the threaded member 32 is lowered, the second generator member 50 and the clutch ring 51
It should be noted that these act as flywheels, that is, they continue to rotate, albeit at a progressively slower rate of rotation. The threaded member 32 then begins the next cycle of upward movement and the clutch plate 54
When the clutch ring 51 and the clutch ring 51 are engaged, the second
The inertial energy stored in the generator member 50 and clutch ring 51 can be used to reduce the load that would be placed on the screw and nut assembly at the start of yet another generation cycle. can be reduced.

The device of the present invention further includes means for selectively submerging or floating the float member 22 in water as required. For example, during a hurricane or other severe storm, it may be desirable to substantially reduce the normal vertical oscillatory travel of threaded member 32 to a predetermined range, or to substantially cease it. . It is also desirable to do so for reasons of maintenance of one or more parts of the assembly. To this end, cavity 24 of float member 22 cooperates with appropriate ports within float member 22.
Valve means 67 for controlling the admission and withdrawal of water from the tank are shown schematically in FIG. The valve means 67 is controlled by a control station, schematically shown at 68, which is operatively connected to the valve means 67, as shown schematically at 69. The valve means 67 may be of any desired general type, such as, for example, a solenoid operated valve where the actuating connection 69 is an electrical circuit. Since the float member 22 actually used is extremely large in size, naturally a large number of valve means 67 are used. The valve means 67 is connected to the cavity 2 of the float member.
4 and allows water to drain from the cavity 24 of the float member, as described below, and a closed position, schematically shown in FIG. 1, to seal the cavity.

Thus, if a storm or other condition occurs and it is desirable to significantly reduce the buoyancy of the float member 22 for the purposes described above, the control station 6
8 opens the valve means 67 to allow water to enter the cavity of the float member 22 to partially or substantially completely submerge the float member.

After the conditions described above that required the injection of water into the cavity of the float member have passed, means are provided for draining water from the cavity to restore the buoyancy of the float member 22. This drainage mechanism is shown in Figure 1 at 6.
It includes a source of pressurized air, shown generally and schematically at 6. As shown in a cutaway cross-sectional view in FIG. 2, threaded member 32 has a hollow core 70. As shown in FIG. The hollow core 70 reduces the weight of the threaded member 32 and also serves as a conduit for pressurized air, as will be discussed below.
A first conduit 72 is selectively operatively coupled between the source of pressurized air 66 and the upper end of the hollow core 70 of the threaded member 32 . End member 74 is securely secured to the upper end of screw member 32. A seal 76 is provided between end member 74 and threaded member 32 to provide a complete seal therebetween. As shown schematically in the drawings, the conduit 72 takes the form of a telescoping hose having a quick connect/disconnect coupling member 78 for connection and disconnection with an end member 74. The second conduit 80 is connected to the hollow core 70 of the screw member 32.
The other end is operatively connected to the internal cavity 24 of the float member 22.

During operation, it is assumed that the internal cavity of the float member 22 is filled with water as described above, and it is desired to release this water from the cavity of the float member to restore the buoyancy of the float member 22. The quick connect coupling member 78 of the conduit 72 is connected to the end member 74 at the upper end of the hollow core of the threaded member 32 and the valve means 67 is opened. The pressurized air source 66 is activated to supply pressurized air to the conduit 72, the hollow core 70 of the threaded member 32,
and through the conduit 80 to the internal cavity 2 of the float member.
4 and causes the water to be released through the opened valve means 67. Closing the valve means 67 when the water is released causes the float member 22 to float again and become fully wave responsive. Therefore, the conduit 72 is removed from the terminal member 74 and stored.

Although the present invention has been described above, it should be understood that the terms used are for descriptive purposes and are not necessarily limited thereto.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that variations and modifications may be made to the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as described.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway enlarged sectional view showing details of the power generating means and nut/lead screw assembly of the present invention. 10... Device of the present invention, 12... Support structure, 1
4... Water surface, 16... Beam, 17... Base, 1
8... Platform, 20... Generator housing, 21... Rig platform, 22... Float member, 23... Frame structure, 24... Hollow internal cavity, 26... Guide track, 28...
Frame, 30...roller, 32...screw member,
34... Nut member, 36... Roller bearing, 38... Bearing return path, 40... Connection portion, 44... Safety stop device, 46... Generator, 4
8, 50... Generator member, 51... Annular clutch ring, 53... Clutch surface of second generator member,
54...Clutch plate, 58...Bearing, 55...Clutch surface of clutch plate, 5
6, 62...Tightening screw, 60...Supporting member, 64
...Micro switch, 66...Air source, 65...
...Micro switch arm, 68...Valve means,
68... Control station, 70... Hollow core of threaded member, 72... First air conduit, 74... Upper end member of threaded member, 76... Seal, 78... Coupling, 80... Second air conduit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device for converting periodic wave motions of a fluid into energy, comprising: a support means adapted to be attached at a substantially fixed position with respect to a fluid surface; float means movable relative to the support means; energy generating means attached to the support means; a threaded screw member, a threaded nut member, and a bearing disposed between the threaded member and the nut member. a nut/lead screw assembly of the type including means for permitting relative axial movement and relative rotation of the screw and nut members; A connecting means, one of which is operatively connected to the float means and the other to the energy generating means, so that when the one member moves together with the float means, the other member and the energy generating means are driven,
including a clutch means attached to and movable with said other member of said nut and lead screw assembly, said clutch means being adapted to move said one member of said nut and lead screw assembly when said one member of said nut and lead screw assembly is raised; coupling means having a first position in which the one member engages with and drives the energy generating means to generate energy; and a second position in which the one member disengages from the energy generating means when the one member is lowered. A device characterized in that: 2. The energy generating means is a generator means,
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one member is the screw member and the other member is the nut member. 3 switch means disposed between said generator means and said clutch means, said switch means energizing said generator means when said clutch means is in said first position; 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said generator means is deenergized when in said second position. 4. The generator means includes first and second generator members, the first generator member being fixed relative to the support means, and the second generator member being fixed to the support means and the second generator member. said clutch means is adapted to rotate relative to said first generator member to generate electrical energy, said clutch means engaging said second generator member in said first position and said clutch means engaging said second generator member in said second position; 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the device is detachable from the machine member. 5. said clutch means includes a clutch plate having a frusto-conical annular outer surface, said second generator member being operatively secured to a clutch ring having a frusto-conical annular inner surface; 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the outer surface of the clutch plate engages the inner surface of the clutch ring when in position. 6. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 5, characterized in that the float means includes a hollow internal cavity adapted to be selectively filled or emptied with fluid. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said float means includes valve means having open and closed positions, said valve means being capable of controlling the passage of fluid into and out of said internal cavity. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 including fluid evacuation means for ejecting fluid from said internal cavity of said float means when said valve means is in an open position. 9 said fluid evacuation means includes a source of pressurized air and conduit means operatively connecting said source of pressurized air to said internal cavity of said float means, said source of pressurized air being pressurized through said conduit means; 9. Air is pumped into the internal cavity of the float means to expel fluid from the float means.
The device described. 10 a first conduit, the threaded member having a hollow inner core having a first end and a second end, the conduit means operatively connecting the source of pressurized air to the first end of the hollow core; 10. The apparatus of claim 9 including a second conduit operatively connecting said second end of said hollow core to said internal cavity of said float means. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said support means includes guide means for guiding vertical movement of said float means in response to fluid surface undulations. 12. said guide means includes a guide track extending longitudinally along said support means and fixed to said support means, said float means includes a frame portion mounted with rollers, said rollers extending longitudinally along said support means; 11. The float means is in rolling contact with the guide track to guide vertical movement of the float means relative to the guide track.
The device described. 13 a guide track extending longitudinally along said support means and fixed to said support means; and a frame portion of said float member fitted with rollers, said rollers being in rolling contact with said guide track; a frame portion configured to allow the float member to ascend vertically relative to the guide track in response to wave motions on the water surface; a pressurized air source; a first conduit operatively connected to the top of the wick;
a second conduit operatively connecting a lower portion of the hollow core of the threaded member to the internal cavity of the float member, wherein the source of pressurized air is connected to the first and second conduits and the inner cavity of the threaded member. fluid evacuation means for supplying pressurized air to the internal cavity of the float member through a hollow core and for ejecting fluid from the internal cavity of the float member when the valve is in an open position; disposed between a mechanical member and said clutch means for energizing said generator means when said clutch means is in said first position and for energizing said generator means when said clutch means is in said second position. and valve means having open and closed positions for controlling the passage of fluid into and out of the internal cavity of the float member, the float means selectively filling or discharging fluid. the threaded member of the nut and lead screw assembly has a hollow internal core and has one end actuated into the frame portion of the float member; connected and adapted to move vertically in response to vertical movement of the float member, the energy generating means including first and second generator members, the first generator a generator with a member fixed relative to the support means, the second generator member rotating relative to the support means and the first generator member to generate electrical energy; and the clutch means 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device engages the second generator member in the first position and disengages from the second generator member in the second position.