BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration showing a conventional blade assembly for wind power generation;
FIGS. 2
a and 2b are schematic illustrations showing a blade unit according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic illustrations showing assembling adjacent blade units together according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 5 to 7 are schematic illustrations showing blade units according to other embodiments of the invention;
FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic illustrations showing a blade unit assembly according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration showing another blade unit assembly according to the embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration showing a wind power generating apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements.
Referring to FIGS. 2a and 2b, a blade unit 2 according to the embodiment of the invention includes a central portion 21 and at least one blade set. The blade set has two blades 22 connected to of the central portion 21. In addition, a first positioning structure 212 and a second positioning structure 213 are disposed on two opposite end faces 214 and 215, respectively. The first and second positioning structures 212, 213 can fit together with each other and have, for example, complementary shapes. The first positioning structure 212 is connected to the second positioning structure 213 of another adjacent blade unit.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the blade unit 2 is adjacent to another blade unit 2′. The blade unit 2′ has the same components and functions as those of the blade unit 2, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. The blade units 2 and 2′ are combined with each other through the adjacent first and second positioning structures 212 and 213 by way of engaging, screwing or adhering. In this embodiment, the first positioning structure 212 of the blade unit 2 and the second positioning structure 213 of the blade unit 2′ are combined with each other. The first positioning structure 212 includes at least one concave portion, and the second positioning structure 213 includes at least one convex portion. The concave portion and the convex portion have the same dimension and shape to combine therewith. The complementary concave portion and convex portion enable the blade units 2 and 2′ to be combined with each other.
FIGS. 5 to 7 are schematic illustrations showing blade units according to other embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the blades 22 of the blade unit 3 are symmetrically disposed along the central portion 21. In addition, the blade 22 further includes a reinforcing rib 221 connected to the central portion 21 to increase the structural integrity of the blade 22.
As shown in FIG. 6, the curvature of the blade 22A of the blade unit 4 is different from that of the blade unit 3 shown in FIG. 5, and the blade 22A further includes a plurality of through holes 222 formed near the central portion 21. Because the work generated by the portion of the blade 22A near the central portion 21 is smaller so that the work can be omitted. The through holes 222 disposed near the central portion 21 can reduce the weight of the blade 22. The blade can also be a spoon-like shape, as the blade 22B of the blade unit 5 shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the blade set and the central portion 21 are formed into a monolithic piece, and the blade has a curved, spoon-like, flat or wing-like shape.
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a blade unit assembly 6 of this embodiment includes a plurality of blade units 3 combined together. The blade unit 3 is the same as the blade unit shown in FIG. 5. Two opposite end faces 214 and 215 of the central portion 21 are respectively formed with a first and second positioning structures 212, 213. The blade set 3 has two blades 22 connected to the central portion 21. It should be noted that the blade unit assembly can also be constituted by a plurality of the blade unit shown in FIG. 3, 6, or 7.
As shown in FIG. 8, after the blade units 3 are combined therewith, an angle is formed between the blades 22 of two adjacent blade sets. These angles between the blades of any two adjacent blade sets can be the same as or different from each other. The angle between the blades 22 of the two adjacent blade sets is formed because the first and second positioning structures 212, 213 of the blade unit 3 are axially projected onto different positions. That is, two adjacent blade units must relatively rotate an angle so that the first positioning structure of one blade unit and the second positioning structure of the adjacent blade unit can be combined with each other. So, when the blade units 3 are being combined therewith, the blades 22 of the two adjacent blade sets naturally form an angle. In this embodiment, because the blade units 3 have the same structure, the same angle is formed between the blades 312 of two adjacent blade sets.
In addition, the blade unit assembly 6 may further include a base 32 connected to the bottommost blade unit 3 by way of engaging, screwing or adhering. It is to be noted that the connection aspect between the blade unit 3 and the base 32 may be different from that between the two adjacent blade units 3 in the middle of the assembly 6. In addition, the bottommost blade unit 31 and the base 32 can be formed as a monolithic piece. Furthermore, the topmost blade unit 31 may also be connected to another device in a connection aspect slightly different from that between the adjacent blade units 31 in the middle of the assembly 6.
As shown in FIG. 9, the central portion 21 of the blade unit 3 further includes two axial holes 3116 respectively formed on the two opposite end faces 214 and 215, and the blade unit assembly 6 further includes a plurality of shafts 33 passing through two adjacent axial holes 3116 to increase the connection intensity between two adjacent blade units 3. In addition to the above-mentioned aspects, this embodiment may have another aspect, as shown in FIG. 10, in which the central portion 21 of the blade unit assembly 6A is formed with an axial hole 3116A penetrating through the end faces 214 and 215 of each of the central portions 21. In this case, the blade unit assembly 6A further includes a shaft 33A penetrating through the axial holes 3116A to connect all the blade units 3 together.
As shown in FIG. 11, the blade unit assembly 6 of the invention can be combined with a power generating device 42 to form a wind power generating apparatus 7. The blade unit assembly 6 has been shown in the FIGS. 8 and 9. The power generating principle is that the kinetic energy of the wind drives the blade unit assembly 41 to rotate, such that the kinetic energy can be converted into mechanical energy, after which the power generating device 42 converts the mechanical energy into the electrical energy. Because the power generating structure and function of the power generating device 42 are not the features of the invention, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.
In summary, the blade unit assembly and the wind power generating apparatus according to the invention are formed by connecting a plurality of blade units. Compared with the prior art, when any one of the blade units is damaged, only the damaged blade unit has to be replaced. Thus, the blade unit assembly may be easily manufactured, assembled and maintained, and the cost thereof may be reduced. In addition, disposing a plurality of blade sets of the blade units alternately to form an angle between two adjacent blade sets enables wind coming from any direction to rotate the overall blade unit assembly more easily. Thus, no rotating dead angle exists, and the overall efficiency can be enhanced.
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention.
Patent Application
20070269312
