US20070296216A1

US20070296216A1 - Wind generator

Info

Publication number: US20070296216A1
Application number: US11/812,262
Authority: US
Inventors: Fu-Chang Liao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-26
Filing date: 2007-06-15
Publication date: 2007-12-27

Abstract

A wind generator has a post, a rail mounted on the post and a blade assembly mounted rotatably on a top of the post. The blade assembly includes multiple blades radially formed around a base. Each blade has multiple vents, a slat and multiple relief valves. The slat is controllable mounted to open or close the vents, so as to adjust a force of wind applied to the blades. The relief valves are mounted pivotally to selectively cover valve holes formed through the blades to prevent the wind resistance force applied to the blades. Therefore, the wind generator can work in both turbulent and with a low wind force without breaking.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a generator, and more particularly to a wind turbine that functions at low wind speeds, in turbulent air flows and without being broken at high wind speeds.
2. Description of Related Art
Wind generators are machines for converting kinetic energy from wind into electricity, and are developed into various types to adapt to different circumstances.
A wind generator comprises a post, a blade assembly and a generator. The post is mounted vertically. The generator is mounted on the post to generate electricity. The blade assembly is mounted rotatably on the generator and is rotated horizontally by the wind to allow the generator to function.
However, such kind of wind generators suffer from pulsating torque produced during each revolution and their efficiency is reduced by drag created when the blade rotates into the wind. The wind generators are also inappropriate to mount in high places, meaning they must operate at slower wind speeds near the ground, thereby causing inconvenience and resulting in lower energy extraction efficiency.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a wind generator to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a wind generator that can work in any turbulent or slow airflow condition.
Another objective, the wind generator has a blade assembly that automatically balances the loads of blades of the blade assembly, to prevent the wind generator from being damaged.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wind generator in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the wind generator in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the wind generator in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a blade assembly of the wind generator in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the blade assembly of the wind generator in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side view in partial section of the wind generator in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an operational side view of the blade assembly in FIG. 5, being pushed by a high wind speed;

FIG. 8 is an operational side view of the blade assembly in FIG. 5 being pushed by a low wind speed; and

FIG. 9 is an operational side view of the blade assembly in FIG. I moving against an air flow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the wind generator in accordance with present invention comprises a post (10), a rail (20), a blade assembly (30), a stay assembly (40), a generator assembly (60) and an optional accelerating motor (70).
The post (10) may be tubular, is securely mounted on a surface of a building, a ground or such like, and has a top and at least two support bars (11) perpendicularly attached diametrically near the top of the post (10).
The rail (20) is annular and is mounted on the support bars (11) of the post (10).
The blade assembly (30) is mounted rotatably on the top of the post (10), is pushed by the wind to rotate relative to the post (10) and has a base (31), a bearing (32) and multiple blades (33).
With further reference to FIG. 6, the base (31) is an open container, may be cylindrical and has a bottom opening (310). The bottom opening (310) is rotatably mounted around the top of the post (10) and has an inner surface and multiple inner teeth (311) formed around the inner surface of the bottom opening (310).
The bearing (32) is mounted in the bottom opening (310) of the base (31)and on the top of the post (10) to facilitate the rotation of the base (31).
With further reference to FIG. 5, the blades (33) radially protrude from the base (31) at a predetermined angle relative to each other, and each blade (33) has a control wing (34), a fixed wing (35), multiple relief valves (36) and a load equalizer (50). A preferred embodiment comprises four blades (33).
The control wing (34) has a distal end, a luff edge, a luff surface, a leech surface, multiple vents (340) and multiple slats (341). The vents (340) are formed through the control wing (34). The slats (341) are mounted pivotably on the luff surface, and corresponding to and controllably opening or closing the vents (340) to adjust the resistance of the corresponding blade (33). Each slat (341) has a leech surface and a plurality of valve holes (342) formed through the slat (341).
The fixed wing (35) is mounted along the luff edge of the control wing (34) at a predetermined angle and has a distal end, a luff surface, a leech surface, a leech edge, a plurality of valve holes (350), multiple telescopic struts (351), a wheel bracket (352) and a wheel (353).
The valve holes (350) are separately formed through the second leaf (35).
The telescopic struts (351) are pivotably mounted on the leech surface of the fixed wing (35) and each telescopic strut (351) has a shaft connected to the corresponding slat (341) and controllably opens or closes the corresponding slat (421) of the corresponding vent (340) of the control wing (34).
The wheel bracket (352) is mounted securely on the leech edge near the distal end of the fixed wing (35) and corresponds to the rail (20). The wheel (353) is mounted rotatably in the wheel bracket (352) to facilitate rotation of and stabilize the blade assembly (30). The relief valves (36) are mounted pivotally on the leech surfaces of the slats (341) and the fixed wing (35), and correspond to and selective cover the valve holes (342)(350). With further reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, When the wind direction is conflict with the rotation of the blade assembly (30), the relief valves (36) open the valve holes (342)(350) of the slats (341) and the fixed wing (35) to reduce the wind resistance. Otherwise, when the wind direction is according with the rotation of the blade assembly (30), the relief valves (36) close the valve holes (342)(350) of the slats (341) to increase the wind force applying in the blades (33).
Each load equalizer (50) comprises a sensor (51) and a track (52), a weight (521) and a threaded rod (522) and is mounted on each corresponding blade (33).
The sensor (51) is mounted in the wheel bracket (352) and detects the load of the wheel (353).
The track (52) is mounted securely on the leech surface of the fixed wing (35) of the blade (33).
The weight (521) is mounted movably on the track (520). The threaded rod (522) is rotatably mounted to the track (520) and through the weight (521), and is controlled by the sensor (51) to rotate and thereby adjust the position of the weight (521) on the track (520) to balance the loads on the wheels (353) of all blades (33).
The stay assembly (40) comprises multiple struts (41) and multiple windlasses (42).
The struts (41) are mounted securely to the top of the base (31) and form an apex. The windlasses (42) are mounted securely at the apex of the struts (41) and respectively correspond to the blades (33) of the blade assembly (30), and each windlass (41) has a string (420) connected to the distal end of the control wing (34) of the corresponding blade (33) and controllably pull the corresponding blade. Therefore, the distal ends of the blades (33) of the blade assembly (30) are supported to maintain an equal load on the wheels (353).
The generator assembly (60) comprises a translator (61), a generator (62) and at least one transmission pipe (63). The translator (61) is mounted securely on the post (10) near the top of the post (10) and has a rotatable gear wheel (610) engaged with the inner teeth (311) of the bottom opening (310) of the base (31) and rotates simultaneously with the blade assembly (30) to retrieve kinetic energy from wind. The generator (62) is mounted securely on the post (10) and is capable of converting the kinetic energy to electricity. The transmission pipe (63) connects the translator (61) to the generator (62) and may use oil pressure to transmit the energy from the translator (61) to the generator (62).
The accelerating motor (70) is mounted securely near the top of the post (10) and has an active gear (71) engaged with the inner teeth (311) of the bottom opening (310) of the base (31), such as to assist the rotation of the blade assembly (30) when wind velocity is too low.
Accordingly, the wind generator in accordance with present invention is less susceptible to breakage by pulsating torque produced during each revolution and drag created when the blade (33) rotates into the wind. The wind generator is stably operated in places with high air turbulence or slow airflow, and has a high energy extraction efficiency.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A wind generator comprising

a post having a top and at least two support bars perpendicularly attached diametrically near the top of the post;

a rail being annular and being mounted on the support bars of the post;

a blade assembly being mounted rotatably on the top of the post, having

a base being an open container and having a bottom opening being rotatably mounted around the top of the post and having

an inner surface; and

multiple inner teeth formed around the inner surface of the bottom opening;

a bearing being mounted in the bottom opening of the base and on the top of the post to facilitate the rotation of the base; and

multiple blades radially protruding from the base at an angle and each blade having

a control wing having

a distal end;

a luff edge

a luff surface;

a leech surface;

multiple vents being formed through the control wing; and

multiple slats being mounted pivotably on the luff surface, respectively corresponding to and controllably covering the vents, and each slat having a leech surface; and

a plurality of valve holes formed through the slat;

a fixed wing mounted along the luff edge of the control wing at an angle and having

a distal end;

a luff surface;

a leech surface;

a leech edge; and

a plurality of valve holes being separately formed through the fixed wing; and

multiple relief valves being mounted pivotally on the leech surfaces of the slats and the fixed wing, and corresponding to and selective cover the valve holes of the slats and the fixed wing;

a stay assembly comprising

multiple struts being mounted securely to the top of the base to form an apex; and

multiple windlasses being mounted securely in the apex of the struts and corresponding respectively to the blades of the blade assembly, and

each windlass having a string connected to the distal end of the control wing of the corresponding blade and controllably pull the corresponding blade; and

a generator assembly comprising

a translator being mounted securely on the post near the top of the post and having a rotatable gear wheel engaging with the inner teeth of the bottom opening of the base and rotating simultaneously with the blade assembly to retrieve kinetic energy from wind;

a generator being mounted securely on the post and being capable of converting the kinetic energy to electricity; and

at least one transmission pipe connecting the translator to the generator and transmitting the kinetic energy from the translator to the generator for conversion.

2. The wind generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed wing of each blade further has multiple telescopic struts being pivotably mounted on the leech surface of the fixed wing and corresponding to the slats respectively, and each telescopic strut having a shaft connected to a corresponding slat and controllably opening or closing the corresponding slat.

3. The wind generator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixed wing of each blade further has

a wheel bracket being mounted securely on the leech edge near the distal end of the fixed wing and corresponding to the rail; and

a wheel being mounted rotatably in the wheel bracket to facilitate rotation of and stabilize the blade assembly.

4. The wind generator as claimed in claim 3, wherein each blade further has a load equalizer comprising

a sensor being mounted in the wheel bracket of the blade and detecting a load on the wheel of the blade;

a track being mounted securely on the leech surface of the fixed wing of the blade;

a weight being mounted slidably on the track; and

a threaded rod being rotatably mounted on the track and through the weight, and being controlled by the sensor to rotate and thereby adjust the position of the weight on the track.

5. The wind generator as claimed in claim 1 further has an accelerating motor being mounted securely near the top of the post and having an active gear engaging with the inner teeth of the bottom opening of the base to assist the rotation of the blade assembly.

6. The wind generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the post is tubular.

7. The wind generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base is cylindrical.

8. The wind generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blade assembly comprises four blades.