Patent Application
20140228164
The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:
This disclosure relates to the generation of circular motion on wheels, generated by the controlled linear tangential displacement of weight or sprung mass.
Although rotational movement has many applications, water pumps, conveyors, etc. the most common use is in electricity generation, to provide the relative motion between magnets and conductor coils.
The present invention relates to a method to gather rotational movement, from the relative location of two different free wheels of equal or different diameters, and parallel axis. Both wheels rotating in contact with each other on their perimeter, where the first wheel is mounted in a fix column and the second wheel is mounted on a suspension mechanism or sliding column.
In accordance with one embodiment an originator of rotational movement comprises a first free wheel, able to rotate in any direction—mounted in a fixed column—; and a second wheel mounted on a suspension column and rolling on the periphery of the first wheel, its center, located offset from the vertical central line or dead points. The smaller or second wheel is allowed to move only in the vertical direction, and allowed to follow the contour of the larger wheel while rotating freely.
The base or frame holds the predetermined proper dimensions for the separation between the center points of both wheels. In other words: the distance between the fix column and the suspension column is maintained by the rigid frame or base.
The simultaneous rotation is originated by the natural propensity of the weight on the suspension column to move downward. However, the large free rotating wheel is precisely located in the direction of such downward weight force. The larger wheel is placed in such a way that the weight does not fall in the “vertical dead diametrical line”, but almost tangential to the larger wheel.
The very same dimensional arrangement can be improved by providing a larger tangential force on the first wheel. Such larger tangential force does not come only from the weight of the smaller suspended wheel but from spring force. Sprung mass can be added to the second wheel by way of the suspension column, in order to provide a major tangential force and speed rotation on the first wheel.
A spring mechanism is mounted on the suspension arm, and attached to the second wheel mounted on the sliding column, to provide the increased tangential force over the first wheel.
The invention can use the weight of the external device or previous invention, requiring the rotational input, generator or pump, to provide the weight that the smaller wheel requires to rotate in the periphery of the larger wheel.
The invention can also use springs attached to the base holding the smaller second wheel to keep the wheel in contact with the perimeter of the first base wheel.
The invention can use the intrinsic weight of the smaller wheel, or augmented wheel weight of the smaller wheel, to rotate in the periphery of the larger wheel, and generate the rotational output required by a third device.
The rotational energy is to be used by other devices, or previous inventions, that require rotational movement input, such as: pumps, electric generator, conveyor or pulleys, but not limited to those.
The invention can have a multiplicity of magnets and coils, known as an electricity generator, mounted on the very same wheels that are being forced to rotate by the weight and sprung mass; avoiding the need for the third piece known as the electricity generator.
However, the present design is presented in order to take advantage of the availability of out of the shelf standard industrial components, which due to mass production can be of lower cost.
In the other hand when the multiplicity of magnets and coils are imbedded in the very same wheels, the efficiency could be higher since relative movement between magnets and coils can be increased by having a parallel arrangement, rotating in opposing directions, and therefore adding up the relative speed of the wheels with respect to each other, instead of the relative speed when one wheel is a rotor, and the other an stator.
Accordingly several advantages of one or more aspects are as follows: to provide rotational movement to third devices requiring rotational input.
Devices requiring rotational input can be water pumps, conveyor belts or electricity generators. The ratio of diameters between wheels and weight and size of the third device—generator—are inputs that determine the amount of rotational momentum. The embodiment is more efficient when the weight of the third device helps to increase the weight of the hamster smaller wheel or the suspension column.
The generation of electricity, is accomplished by coupling, a generator to the smaller hamster wheel mounted on the suspension column, as shown in
Other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent from consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. The optimal geometry, frictionless bearings, frictionless column, and maximum tangential force transmission between gears by means of précised machined gears, produces an electricity output from the collector of rotational movement.
The novel features and believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
One embodiment of the “Collector of rotational movement” is illustrated in
Components of the embodiment are better shown in
The base or support can consist of at least two columns, but not limited to. One fix column 104 supports a larger wheel 108. The column is fixed in place and the wheel is freely rotating in either direction—clockwise or counters clockwise—. The second column or suspension arm 204 can slide up or down but not in the horizontal direction, and holds the free rotating wheel 208 at the desired distance 303. Column 204 is a mechanism that allows displacement in only the vertical direction but not in any other direction.
The distances between centers of wheels is a variable component, and is shown in
The shaft of the smaller wheel while horizontal and parallel to the shaft of the larger wheel is never located at vertical line 101 formed by the center, top, and bottom of the larger or first wheel 108.
The principle of the invention is similar to the effect that a pet hamster has in a rotating wheel in its cage. The challenge is: the way to keep the weight of the hamster at a point around 60 to 89 grades from the vertical central line of the first wheel, instead of the hamster lying at the bottom of the wheel. As shown in drawings 5A and 5B.
The free rotational movement of the larger wheel is allowed by low friction bearings or any other low friction hub system at the center of the wheel. The larger wheel stands vertically, and the shaft stands horizontal in the illustration, but the embodiment is not limited to it. The shafts or axis of the larger wheel 108 and smaller wheel 208 are parallel and horizontal.
An enhanced tangential force, as shown in
The heavy piece—electricity generator-shaft and smaller wheel are called the “hamster wheel” and it's mounted on the suspension column, which allows vertical displacement in the direction of the weight, but does not allow horizontal displacement. The shaft of the smaller wheel is allowed to rotate freely in either direction—clockwise or counter clockwise-, depending on the relative location of the smaller wheel 208 with respect to the axis location of the larger wheel 108.
Both wheels can be manufactured as matching gears. Or they can also be manufactured as a wheel with a friction surface that helps the rotational movement of the smaller wheel
The base 301, columns 104 and 204 and wheels 108 and 208 are manufactured of material strong enough to sustain the relative positions, weight, and forces in the device. While steel metal is the most common construction method, new composite material might be used as well.
Bearings or friction reduction devices are used at the center of wheel 108. In a similar way, spacing and friction reduction surfaces are used in the suspension mechanism or sliding column 204, to allow the easy vertical displacement of the sliding mechanism of such column.
While the invention is shown in only a couple of its forms, it is not thus limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As shown in
The most optimal ways of using the device is: Electricity generation. By selecting a properly sized electric generator 202, and attaching a wheel or gear 208 at the end of the generators shaft, as shown in
The highest tangential force and most optimal arrangement is when wheel 208 is close to the 90 degree position from dead line 101, as shown in
The arrangements shown here were designed to use off the shelf parts and components, such as pinion gears and electric generators.
The plurality of magnets and coils that form an electric generator could also be embedded within wheel 108; providing the relative motion required between magnets and copper windings to generate electricity.
Spring loaded forces can also be of help in instances where the arrangement is not in the perfect vertical position, and provides help when the embodiment is tilted, as is the case in the soft swing motion inside a sea ship, and described by
Adding weight on the sliding column to increase tangential force in also a mean to increase rotational output, similarly the base and columns must also sustain the new added weight force.
From the description above, a number of advantages of some embodiments of my collector of rotational movement become evident.
Accordingly the reader will see that the “Collectors of Rotational Movement” of the various embodiments can be used to pump water, or generate electricity and replace fossil fuels, by properly sizing the pumps and generators to the specific rpm's of the embodiment. Most of the times the pumps and generators might need be resized since rpm's are dependent on the diameter ratios of the wheels of the embodiment, and the quality of its parts, such as bearings and friction minimizing columns, which will affect rpm's output.
It permits the production of electricity without fossil fuels in hotels and commercial shopping plazas, which have the highest consumption and cost rates in the economy. It allows the production of electricity without fossil fuels in sea vessels, either cargo or passenger cruise, the largest consumers of fossil fuel motors.
It provides remotely located communities off the electrical grid, access to electricity. It provides an option to large damns being built on rivers to generate electricity, avoiding the destruction of forests.
Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiment but as merely providing illustration of some of several embodiments, since several arrangements are possible but the inner concept the same.
