The Propulsion Super-turbine evolved from its predecessor the “turbine motor”. The turbine motor powered by the natural current forces of wind or water is the feature of Grigg's U.S. Ser. No. 12/657,136. Unlike the earlier invention the Propulsion Turbine, the subject of this application, is a winged propeller or fan powered by a manmade force to create thrust or current, to move it and/or its attached assembly through air or water, or to be used as a fan to create fluid current.
The Propulsion Turbine is an evolutionary relative of its predecessor the wind and water turbine Generator/motor, henceforth referred to as turbine motor, as described in Charles Grigg's previous provisional and utility U.S. Provisional patent application, including Provisional 61/382,346 dated Sep. 13, 2010 and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/657,136, dated Jan. 13, 2010, and PCT Application, and shares many of the same parts and mechanical features. The evolutionary nature of the research of this classification of turbines with hinged articulating wings has produced a variety of both turbine motors that are moved by natural wind and water currents and propulsion turbines and fans that are powered by motors. They share a version of many of the same part and many of the same movement dynamics having such common features as articulating opposing wings rotatable about their respective pivot axis from a drive position in which said wing/s extend to a position transverse to the ambient fluid or current to maximally impinge with said fluid or current, and pivot back to a glide feathered parallel position of least resistance assuming a minimum contact profile of minimum drag resistance.
Adapting the turbine motor that is driven by the natural forces of wind and water to a motorized propulsion system with winged propeller fans that move wind or water and/or it, and its attachments through the natural elements of air or water presented one major design problem, specifically creating a machine that keeps the drive stop assembly from blocking the
The Turbine Motor: As a natural consequence of 180° of rotation into its glide position the drive stop of each wing of the turbine motor naturally changes sides relative to the incident current assuming a position between the wing and the current, thereby allowing the wing to collapse closed in glide to a profile of least resistance in the oncoming current.
A propulsion turbine that moves current instead of being moved by current pushes the ambient fluid with its drive stops behind the wing bracing the wing. If it were to rotate 180° its relationship to that side of the wing would be unchanged thereby blocking the wing from freely pivoting down to a position of least resistance in glide. The solution to this problem led to the propulsion turbine of this application which features an interplanetary positioning assembly that holds a plurality of evenly spaced independent rotating planetary turbines that rotate once around their main shaft as the interplanetary positioning assembly counter-rotates once around the propulsion turbine's central driveshaft keeping all its drive wings and planetary turbines always facing forward in a fixed orientation relative to the displacement of fluids and always in an opposite facing orientation relative to created thrust, with its drive stops always behind their respective wings bracing the wing in drive and always in an unchanged position relative to the wing letting each wing freely fall away into their glide position of least resistance.
The propulsion turbine is comprised of an outer frame superstructure joined concentrically to a rotating central drive shaft that is joined to an interplanetary hub assembly that secures in an evenly spaced manner a plurality of orbiting planetary turbines each with pivoting opposed wings that open and close. The orientation of the wing's pivot axis within its planetary turbine relative to the propulsion turbine's central drive shaft defines the type of a planetary turbine.
In this document four such types are featured:
Type one—The opposed wings of each of the two pivot axes are centrally placed within to the interior space of the planetary turbine with said pivot axes perpendicular to the propulsion turbine's central drive shaft.
Type two—The opposed wing of each of the two pivot axes are decentralized within the interior space of the planetary turbine with said pivot axes perpendicular to the propulsion turbine's central drive shaft.
Type three—The opposed wings of each of the two pivot axes are centrally placed within the interior space of the planetary turbine with said pivot axes parallel to the propulsion turbine's central drive shaft.
Type four—The opposed wings of each of the two pivot axis are decentralized in the interior space of the planetary turbine with said axes parallel to the propulsion turbine's central drive shaft.
There are also two classes of propulsion turbines featured as design examples in this application. The relationship of the wings concentric sweep vector relative to the direction of created current or crafts trajectory determines the classification of propulsion turbines:
Class “A” propulsion turbine with planetary turbines having their wing's concentric sweep vector perpendicular to the created current or the craft's trajectory.
Class “B” propulsion turbines with planetary turbines having their wing's concentric sweep vector parallel to the created current or the crafts trajectory.
The present invention generally comprises a current or thrust producing turbine designed to maximizes the frontal contact area and displace a large fraction of the ambient fluid, air or water, in its operating space, converting the resistance of that fluid into current or thrust. The unique construction of the propulsion turbine thus yields a more efficient turbine thruster or fan that is adaptable to many uses some of which will be described below.
Note that although this initial description relates to propulsion turbines it applies equally as a device used to create current when used in the capacity of a fan or as a pump or propeller when used in or under water.
This propulsion turbine is comprised of a plurality of planetary turbines that orbit around a stationary sun gear in side of the unobstructed sweep area provided within the turbine's superstructure. The propulsion turbine includes an outer framed super structure joined concentrically to the inter-stationary drive shaft housing assembly and central sun gear. The outer frame super structure includes a pair of end disk assemblies extending parallel and spaced apart along the central axis of said central driveshaft housing and sun gear creating a defined interior space for the operation of the orbiting planetary turbines within.
Joined at the center of each of the super structure's two disk assemblies is a stationary central bearing housing that holds, by bearing means, a central drive shaft joined to an interplanetary hub assembly that rotates about the propulsion turbine's central axis between the super structure's two end disc assemblies. The rotatable interplanetary hub assembly is comprised of two opposing hub structures each joined concentrically to said drive shaft, each said hub structure extending parallel to the other each spaced apart on the central axis of said central driveshaft.
Each opposing hub structure often has spoke-like arms that radiate out from said central drive shaft, each extending parallel to the other and each arm arranged concentrically at evenly spaced intervals around the circumference containing each hub structure. At the extension of each opposing arm of each opposed hub structure is a bearing housing and bearing in mutual vertical alignment with the opposing hub structure, this relationship thereby defining the central axis of the respective planetary turbine about which a planetary turbine will rotate. The arms of each opposing hub structure are concentrically and cylindrically aligned, with said bearings and bearing housings corresponding to said defined planetary turbine axis.
Between each pair of the hub's opposing arms is secured, by bearing means, a rotatable planetary turbine, concentrically arranged and held apart from one another, by opposing arms of the interplanetary hub assembly, the interplanetary hub assembly holding each rotating planetary turbine in an evenly spaced manner, allowing each planetary turbine to rotate independent of the other, in its own operating space provided within the propulsion turbine's superstructure. The interplanetary assembly includes the propulsion turbine's central driveshaft at its center. The central drive shaft rotates on main bearings held within the bearing housings joined to the center of each of the superstructure's two opposing stationary end disk assemblies. Fixed to each stationary opposing disk assembly arranged concentrically around the central drive shaft bearing housing and central axis is a ring shaped stationary sun gear.
The planetary turbine includes an outer frame structure joined concentrically to a shaft rotatable by bearing means about a through axle or split upper and lower axle serving as the planetary turbine's central axis, the outer frame structure including a pair of end assemblies extending parallel and spaced longitudinally apart along said planetary turbine's axis, axle and/or central shaft. Each planetary turbine also having an identically pair of matching opposing ring gears, of the identical size, pitch, angle, shape and inter-meshing characteristics as said ring shaped sun gear. Each planetary turbine's ring gear is joined concentrically to a central outer portion of its respective planetary turbine's end assembly. Each of the planetary turbine's ring gears are aligned and in a position corresponding to said sun gears, each planetary turbine ring gear is positioned on the same virtual plain as the opposed stationary sun gear that is joined to the inside central portion surrounding the central axis, and drive shaft bearing housing of each of the said superstructure's two opposing end disk assemblies.
The interplanetary hub assembly includes a pair of opposing hub structures. Each hub structure often having evenly spaced spoke like arms, each arms arm strengthen and reinforced with a cross braced members joined between each arm at its extremity reinforcing each hub structure into a cross braced assembly. Mounted on each hub structure's arm between the central hub portion of the arm hub structure and the structure's arm's extremity is joined a bearing and housing, with corresponding axle bearing that secures a rotatable interjacent reversing gear.
The reversing gear is aligned in between the sun gear and each planetary turbine's ring gear positioned on the same virtual plain, intermeshing with and between the adjacent stationary sun gear and its corresponding planetary turbine's outer ring gear, the rotatable interjacent reversing gear having identical pitch, tooth angle and intermeshing characteristics as the sun gear and planetary ring gear. This gear relationship with this gearing ratio is an important embodiment of the propulsion turbine's overall design, for with this gearing relationship the planetary turbine will rotate once around its main shaft and central axis as the driveshaft and joined interplanetary turbine assembly holding the planetary turbines counter-rotates once around the propulsion turbine's central axis. The net result of this gearing ratio keeps each rotating planetary turbine and its drive wings in a fixed position relative to the direction of created fluid current or the crafts trajectory and thrust.
The invention introduces the use of a plurality of planetary turbines, each usually with two opposing wings mounted on pivot shafts. Each pivot shaft enables its respective wing to rotate cyclically from a current engaging orientation (drive position) in which the wing presents a flat surface approximately transverse to the direction of travel or created current in the drive side of the sweep vector, to a minimum drag feathered glide position of least resistance in the remaining approximately 180° glide vector with minimum energy loss until it returns into the drive vector and repeats the cycle and rotates the pivot shaft and moves into the drive position once again. Each wing is oriented so that the axis of the pivot shaft lies in the virtual plane that contains the wing.
The paired relationship of the pivot shafts of the opposing wings cause the wing of one shaft to be adjacent to the wing of the other shaft. Assuming the pivot shafts are in a horizontal position, the wing of the upper pivot shaft is disposed so that it rotates cyclically between extending upwardly vertically in the drive position to a neutral glide feather position in glide. The wing of the lower shaft is disposed so that it rotates cyclically between extending downwardly vertically in the drive position, to a neutral glide position. Thus the upper and lower shafts cyclically and repeatedly rotate their wing into the drive position, the former rotating upwardly and the latter rotating downwardly, so that the entire concentric drive vector is swept by the opposing wings having a combined frontal contact surface matching the cross section of the drive vector. Thus the wings are fully deployed to completely and repeatedly impinge on the fluid in their drive vector creating fluid current or thrust to do useful work.
The invention also provides a support structure for each pair of opposed pivoting wings. Each pivot shaft and wing assembly is supported in a journal on bearings attached to the support structure; the preferred embodiment provides two pivot shafts for a total of two pivot shafts and two wings. Each wing can be made of one panel or separated into multiple panels still arranged on the same virtual plane in a series with each panel and tubular pivot shaft independently rotatable about a common pivot axle. Each Pair of opposing wings or series of multiple pairs of opposing wings can be geared to one another to operate in tandem or to operate independent of the other pairs. With this arrangement each opposing wing becomes counter-balanced with the other.
Positioning the Pivot Shaft and Wing Assembly:
Each single or multi paneled opposed pair of wings is supported within the perimeter operating space of the planetary turbine's structure. Although wing position vary in different designs, it is always essential that the opposed wings pivoting orientation is transverse to the direction of travel, thrust or created current. In some designs this objective is achieved by supporting the opposed pivot shaft and pivoting wings vertically or horizontally from the center of the operating space within the planetary turbine structure. In other designs this objective can be achieved by having the opposed wings decentralized pivoting inward from the perimeter edges that define the interior operating space of the planetary turbines structure. The varying support placement of the pair of opposed wing and pivot shafts relative to the operating space within the planetary turbine, determines the various types of planetary turbine designs.
Each support surface within the planetary turbine is rotatable about a centralized axis by bearing means. The complete winged assembly attached to the support structure forms an orbiting planetary turbine as will be further described below. Each end of each pivot shaft is secured in a bushing or by bearing means within the frame structure, so that the pivot shaft portion where each wing is attached is supported at its end by bearing means within the perimeter of the planetary turbine's hub assembly.
Each support frame or end assembly can include a drive stop positioned to support and brace the wing in its drive position. Each drive stop is often defined by shallow side walls and having a shock absorbing material lining to be impinged upon by all or part of the periphery of the respective wing as the wing is urged to rotate into the drive position, and/or the wing instead can have opposing magnets placed along all or part of its perimeter to be repelled by the opposed magnet lining the drive stop/s. The drive stop are significant in that they receive the majority of the current or thrust force on the wing in the drive position, and transfer that force evenly to the planetary turbine's outer frame and throughout the propulsions turbine's entire rotating assemblies thus unloading many potential stresses from the pivot shafts and their attachment to their wings.
A drive stop or pair of drive stops serving some portion of the perimeter of the wing instead of being attached to the frame structure in a fixed stationary position adjacent to the perimeter of the wing in its deployed drive position instead pivots, on the same radius as the wing supporting the wing at any angle of drive engagement. The drive stop frame structure that serves some portion of the perimeter of the wing is fixed to a pivot point adjacent to the juncture of the wing's pivot shaft and wing connection thereby pivoting on the same pivot radius as the wing. The activating arm attached to the drive stop frame limits the pitch of the wing's drive engagement thereby becoming an accelerator that increases or decreases the blade angle of attack into the drive quadrants to increase or decrease the production of fluid flow or thrust. The drive stop accelerator will be described in more detail below.
In some designs, in addition to serve as a support structure for the drive stop or drive- stop accelerator the planetary turbine support frame can be covered and also serve as a wing side fairing increasing fluid loading on the wings in drive. The support structures can have tear dropped shaped leading and trailing edges to reduce drag in glide. The side support structure can be lengthened with stabilizing fairing that serve to further increase wing loading of fluid current capture. The stabilizers also function to stabilize each rotating planetary turbine absorbing the impact of its trans-drive wings contacting their drive stops, working in concert with the other planetary turbines that are in their trans-glide, glide and drive cycle to help stabilize the entire interplanetary assembly. The thin profile are aerodynamically shaped and oriented forward and parallel to the direction of created fluid flow or the crafts trajectory, aerodynamically shaped to create the least drag resistance while inhibiting the lateral escape and maximizing wing loading in drive. Because the wing planetary turbine's side structure, side fairing and/or stabilizer is always in a fixed position facing the direction of created fluid flow or thrust equal and balanced pressure from forward movement is always exerted to each side of its narrow forward facing symmetrical tear dropped profile, creating little sideways drag in its lateral movement across the sweep vector. Wing side fairing and stabilizer fairings will be explained in more detail in the Detailed Description below.
In further development of the invention, a pair of propulsion turbines may be provided, one the mirror image of the other and arrange to rotate in opposite directions held within the same common superstructure. The twin turbine arrangement permits the torque of one turbine to be neutralized by the torque of the other so that there is a net zero torque exerted on their common housing. The pair may be disposed in adjacent side by side relationship whereby either the two drive sides or the two glide sides are adjacent creating symmetrically balanced discharge. Because one propulsion turbine mirrors it's twin the counter motions within both become dynamically counter-balanced within their common housing structure, with each having symmetric discharge current or thrust and trajectory dynamically balanced.
The counter rotating central drive shafts of the two propulsion turbines or fans in a side by side orientation may be mechanically connected to gears chains pulley or similar mechanism known in the art to be synchronized to perform useful work. In similar adaptation a pair of propulsion turbine's or fans may be connected end-to-end in axial alignment with the central drive shaft aligned and so connected to do useful work. The two turbines counter rotate so that the net torque on the assembly remains effectively zero.
When used as a pump or fan for fluid displacement the propulsion turbine can be placed on a rotatable platform that will rotate the housing and discharge opening thereby directing created current as desired.
The propulsion turbine when used as a craft may have ailerons, rudder or the like that will rotate the housing discharge openings thereby directing the discharge fluid currents or thrust and trajectory as desired. When used to propel a craft, steering and acceleration can also be achieved by trimming the wing angle of the wing's drive stops of one or the other propulsion turbine as above described and/or by increasing or diminishing the rotational RPM of either turbine.
Because of the frontal contact of the wings engage a high fraction of the surface discharge area, it is believed that as a propulsion devise this machine by virtue of this efficient use of surface area, will retain traction in thin atmospheres better than propeller devices.
Although the Propulsion turbine above described uses mechanical gears as the means of power transmission these designs can alternatively incorporate electro-magnetic suspension and electro dynamic suspension Maglev technology to rotate and power the turbine with computerized regulators keeping the crucial one to one counter rotating ratio between assembly A101 and A102 around their respective axis. Although the invention is described above with reference to the creation of air current or thrust it may be appreciated that this propulsion turbine or fan can operated as a propulsion device or pump in any fluid environment and may be ideally used to propel a ship.
FIG. 1A—Perspective view of the propulsion turbine A100 type one.
FIG. 1B—Perspective view of the stationary superstructure A103, sun gear and bearing housing 8.
FIG. 2A—Top view of an example of an A100 propulsion turbine with pullout of A101.
FIG. 2B—Upper image is a detail of an interplanetary hub assembly A102 without cover 43. Lower image is interplanetary hub assembly with cover 43.
FIG. 2F—A perspective view of A102 showing the placement of gears 3, 2, and 6.
FIG. 3—Detail of a type 1 planetary turbine A101 with duplicated cut away of pivot axle 11 and side structure 20.
FIG. 4A—Detail perspective view of a consolidated pivot shaft and wing ass. A105.
FIG. 5—Detail perspective drawing of a parallel geared pivot shaft wing assembly A107.
FIG. 6A—Detail of pivot shaft and wing assembly A106.
FIG. 6B—Exploded detail of nose ass. 108 on A106 of
FIG. 7—Pie chart of the cyclical duration of the quadrants trans-drive, drive, trans-glide and glide.
FIG. 8—Top view of the expanded radius turbine by enlarging the diameter of the reversing gear 2.
FIG. 9—Perspective view of an A101 with a recessed drive stop in the end ass. 25
FIG. 10A—Side view of the unobstructed glide sweep area with the removal of vertical drive stops.
FIG. 10C—Top view of A101 showing stabilizers 27 robust structural braced drive stop in end ass.
FIG. 10D—Concept drawing of the drive stop accelerator part 40.
FIG. 11—Top view showing mini fairings 24.
FIG. 12—Top view of a twin 200 showing glide and drive quadrants.
FIG. 13—Top view of a twin 200 showing glide and drive quadrants.
FIG. 14—Top view of two A200 Twin with drive and glide quadrants reversed.
FIG. 15—Conceptual illustration of a high altitude solar powered Biplane A203.
FIG. 16A—Compressor turbines arrayed in series with high pressure discharge vent 68.
FIG. 16B—Perspective view of A200 twin propulsion turbine.
FIG. 17—Top view of an A100 with a serpentine flat belt drive in place of reversing gears 2.
FIG. 18—Is a top view of A101 showing contoured end assembly 101.
FIG. 19A—Parts detail of electromagnetic inter-stationary multi track rim 32, electromagnetic multi track interface 33 and planetary multi track magnetic rim 31.
FIG. 20—Matching electromagnetic multi track “U” rail 32 and magnetic multi track “T” rail 31 of A100 on the right side
FIG. 21—Perspective view of A100 with Type “two” planetary turbines A101.
FIG. 22—Is a side view of
FIG. 23—Perspective view of type “four” A100 propulsion turbine.
FIG. 24—Perspective view of a type “three” A100 propulsion turbine.
FIG. 25—Perspective view of exceptional design that has the two end disc assemblies of super structure 103 adjacent and side by side forming superstructure A103 in the center of the turbines operating space with wings pivoting out from their corresponding side of superstructure 103.
FIG. 26—Perspective view of two A100. One type one class B propulsion turbine A100 without high pressure vent and one equipped with high pressure vent 68.
With regard to
An example of a planetary turbine A101 is exclusively featured in
Each planetary turbine assembly A101 is made to counter rotate once around its axis (axle 4), as the central drive shaft 7 joined to the interplanetary hub assembly A102 that holds the planetary turbines, counter rotates in the opposite direction once around the propulsion turbines central sun gear and axis thereby maintaining the wings of the planetary turbines crucial broadside 90 degree orientation to the direction of current creation or forward movement. The counter rotating assemblies A101 and A102 will be each explained in detail below.
In the example seen in
The present invention generally comprises a propulsion turbine that when powered by a man made power source is designed to maximize the frontal contact surface area and resulting created fluid current displacement in its ambient fluid environment. The propulsion turbine can be used to propel a craft through water or space or as a fan to propel the displacement of fluid in its environment. The propulsion turbine is constructed as a modular assembly having a central axis about which its central drive shaft rotates. The propulsion turbine, henceforth can also be referred to as A 100, as seen in
The propulsion turbine is comprised of an outer frame superstructure housing a rotating central driveshaft that is joined to an interplanetary assembly that secures, in an evenly spaced manner, a plurality of orbiting planetary turbines, each independently rotating within the superstructure, with pivoting opposed wings that open to a position of maximum fluid displacement when fully deploy in drive and close to a position of least drag resistance, when retracted in glide. The orientation of the planetary turbine's wing's pivot axis within the interior operating space provided by planetary turbine relative to the propulsion turbine's central driveshaft defines the type of a planetary turbine.
In this document four such planetary turbines (A101) types are featured. An example of each of the four A101 types is seen in
Type one—A101 (Assembly 101): In type one the wing's pivot axis is centrally placed within the perimeter defining the operating space within the planetary turbine with said pivot axis perpendicular to the propulsion turbine's central axis and drive shaft. An example of this type one configuration is seen in
Type two—A101: In type two each wing's pivot axis is decentralized, placed on opposing surfaces within the perimeter defining the operating space within the planetary turbine with said pivot axis perpendicular to the propulsion turbine's central drive shaft. An example of this configuration is seen in
Type three—A101: In type three the wing's pivot axis is centralized within the perimeter defining the operating space of within the planetary turbine with said pivot axis parallel to the propulsion turbine's central drive shaft as seen in
Type four—A101: In type four the wing's pivot axis is decentralized placed on opposing surfaces within the perimeter defining the operating space within the planetary turbine, with said pivot axis parallel to the propulsion turbine's central drive shaft. An example is seen in
There are also two classes of propulsion turbines featured as design examples in this document. The relationship of the wing's concentric sweep vector relative to the direction of created current or crafts trajectory determines the class of the propulsion turbines that determines, wing design, landing gear, and other vertical or horizontally oriented equipment.
Class “A” propulsion turbines: The class “A” propulsion turbine's have planetary turbines having their wing's sweep vector perpendicular to the created current or the craft's trajectory. An example of a turbine so configured (when A102's rotational orientation is horizontal to the earth) is seen in
Class “B” propulsion turbines: Class “B” propulsion turbines have planetary turbines having their wing's sweep vector parallel to the created current or the crafts trajectory. An example of a turbine so configured (when A102 is vertical to the earth) is seen in
The propulsion turbine includes a pair of opposed outer framed end disk structures 103 joined concentrically to the drive shaft bearing housing 8 and central sun gear 6 with each end disk structure joined by side structure 1 forming superstructure A103 (assembly 103). Super structure A103 is seen in
The wings of each A100's planetary turbines, although rotating on its axis, always stay in a fixed position facing transverse, crosswise to the direction of created current and/or forward movement. The natural consequence of this design allows the wing's drive stop assembly 26, seen in
The wings of the propulsion turbine create current or thrust by pushing against the ambient air or water surrounding it. Thus the propulsion turbine as a propeller is useful for creating current as a fan or creating thrust that can propel it and its attachment in the opposite direction, through space in much in the same manner as the engaged paddles of a canoe propel a canoe and its rider through the water. The craft may increase its forward movement until the power source driving it can no longer exceed its created thrust or the material integrity of the craft can no longer exceed the resistance of it ambient atmosphere or environment. Attached at the center of each of the super structure's two disk assemblies 103 is a stationary central drive shaft bearing housing 8 that holds, central drive shaft bearing 22 that serves as the rotation bearing for the central drive shaft 7 that is joined to the interplanetary hub assembly A102 that rotates about the propulsion turbine's central axis between the super structure's A103 two end disc assemblies 103.
In one design possibility seen in the example in
In
Between each pair of the hub's opposing arms is secured, by bearing means, a rotatable planetary turbine A101, each A101 concentrically arranged and held apart from one another, by each pair of opposed arms 45 in bearing and bearing housing 13 of the interplanetary hub assembly A102, the interplanetary hub assembly holding each rotating planetary turbine in an evenly spaced manner, allowing each planetary turbine to rotate independent of the other, in its own operating space provided within the propulsion turbine's superstructure A103.
The top view of an A100 in
It should be noted that throughout this document often the upper and lower end disk structures 103, the upper and lower hub structure 102 and the upper and lower planetary turbine end assemblies 25 are shown without covers to expose their internal structure for viewing purposes. In operation these assemblies may have any portion of their surfaces covered to aerodynamically enhance their performance structural integrity and/or efficiency.
The interplanetary hub assembly A102 includes the propulsion turbine's central driveshaft 7 at its center. The central drive shaft rotates on main bearings 22 held within the main bearing housings 8 that is joined to the center of each of the superstructure's two opposing stationary end disk assemblies 103. Also joined to each stationary opposing side of each disk assembly 103 arranged concentrically around joined bearing housing 8 and the central axis is a ring shaped stationary sun gear 6 as seen in side view
Each opposing hub structure 102 of the interplanetary hub assembly A102 additionally is joined with a cross braced structure with one member of that structure braces 46 extending between the extremity of each two extended hub arms 45 reinforcing and further unifying the fixed position of each arm's extremity and its respective planetary turbine bearing and bearing housings 13. Each hub structure 102 extend parallel and are spaced apart along the central axis of A 103. Hub structure 102 are often joined by axle 4 as seen in
On each hub structure's 102 arm 45, in between the hub portion of the arm and the arm's extremity and adjacent to cross brace 47 is joined a bearing housing with bearing and axle 48, around which rotates an interjacent reversing gear 2. An interjacent reversing gear 2 is align in between the sun gear 6 and each planetary turbine's ring gear 3 positioned to intermesh on the same virtual plane, having identical pitch, tooth angle and intermeshing characteristics as the stationary sun gear 6 and planetary turbine's rotating outer ring gear 3. An example of these three intermeshing gears and hub assembly A102 and their relationship with one another is seen in
This gear relationship with the one to one counter rotating gearing ratio is an important embodiment of the propulsion turbine's overall design, for with this gear-train each planetary turbine main shaft 5 will rotate once around its axle 4 and central axis as the interplanetary turbine assembly holding the planetary turbines and joined central drive shaft 7 counter-rotates within the propulsion turbine's superstructure A103, and central main bearing housing 8 and around sun gear 6 and the propulsion turbine's central axis. The net result of this one to one counter rotating gearing ratio keeps each rotating planetary turbine's wings and components in a fixed transverse position relative to the direction of created fluid current or thrust.
The Planetary turbine A101 is similar to A103 in shape, both are individually coaxially constructed structures but A101 is much smaller, comprised of two end assemblies 101. Propulsion turbines can include 2 or more orbiting planetary turbines. The propulsion turbine in
There are 4 types of planetary turbines as stated above, the orientation of the wing's pivot axis within its planetary turbine relative to the propulsion turbine's central driveshaft defines the type of a planetary turbine. Each planetary turbine A101 includes a frame structure joined concentrically to a central main shaft 5 as seen in
Presuming the central axis is vertical the four types of planetary turbines A101 are described below. In type one the planetary turbine's opposed end assemblies 101 are parallel and spaced apart along the planetary turbine's vertical central axis, each end assembly centrally held by an upper or lower axle and a corresponding upper and lower shaft (split main shaft 5) bearing and bearing housing. Each opposed end assembly held apart at its perimeter by opposing side support structures 20, with wings pivot shaft and/or pivot axles extending from one support structure 20 to the other, centered between the end assemblies in a position transverse to the direction of created current or thrust in drive. An example of a type one planetary turbine is seen in
Type two planetary turbines are configured as type one, except each wing's opposed pivot shaft 16 is attached to the upper or lower end assembly 101 with upper pivot shaft serving wings that pivot down vertically from their end assemblies and lower pivot shaft serving opposed wing that pivot up vertically from their corresponding lower end assembly 101 to a position transverse to the created current or thrust when deployed drive. Examples of A 100 type two planetary turbine is seen in
In type three as seen in
In type four planetary turbines the turbine is configured like type one except each wing's pivot shaft 16 is supported on its corresponding axle 4 that also functions as A101 side support 20 or the pivot shaft is attached to stationary axle 4 adjacent side support 20 pivoting horizontally inward toward the planetary turbine's central axis to a position transverse to the created current or thrust when deployed in drive. Examples of A 100 with type four planetary turbines with pivot axis decentralized and parallel to A100's central axis can be seen in
Within each planetary turbine structure is held one or more pivoting wings and pivot shaft assembly that operates within each planetary turbines assemblies defined operating space, that pivot in the drive cycle to a position that is transverse to the created current or thrust. The purpose of the pivoting wing is to present a maximum contact surface profile in its 180 degree drive rotation and assume a minimum surface area, drag profile and resistance in the 180° of glide rotation. The axis of the pivot shaft and joined 90 degree pivoting wing or pair of opposed wings within the confines of each planetary turbines can be fixed to any diametric surface within the planetary turbine interior perimeter where said wing or said opposed pair of wings extend transverse to the created fluid current or direction of thrust to maximally impinge on said fluid current as illustrated above in the four type of planetary turbines.
Each planetary turbine can have a set of counterbalanced opposing wings, geared to one another, with wing gears 21, opening in the drive side of its sweep area to displace air or water in its environment and then close to a glide position of least resistance by the incident atmosphere or the oncoming current on the final glide half of its rotational cyclical excursion to again return into the drive quadrants to repeat the cycle. As a result air or water is displaced creating either current and/or thrust to do useful work.
There are a variety of pivoting wing assemblies A 104, A105, A106, and A 107. The difference in these assemblies will be described below. Each planetary turbine A101 go through four cycles, drive 50, trans-glide 55, glide 60 and trans-drive 65 every revolution they and their corresponding planetary turbine rotate around their corresponding central axis. In many of the Figures these wing positions are so described.
The invention introduces the use of a plurality of planetary turbines, each usually equipped with two opposing wings mounted on pivot shafts. Each pivot shaft enables its respective wing to rotate cyclically from a maximum current displacing drive position numerically designate as 50 in which the wing presents a opposed surface approximately transverse to the direction of travel or created current in the drive side of the sweep vector, transitioning into trans-glide numerically designated as 55 to a sleek drag profile of minimum drag resistance of glide numerically designated as 60 thereby rotating with minimum energy loss until returning to trans-drive numerically designated as 65 completing the rotation and moving into drive 50 once again to repeat the four cycles. Each wing is oriented so that the axis of the pivot shaft lies in the virtual plane that contains the wing.
Assuming the pivot shafts 16 are in a horizontal position, the wing of the upper pivot shaft are disposed so that it rotates cyclically between extending upwardly vertically in the drive position to extend to a neutral glide feather position in glide. The wing of the lower shaft is disposed so that it rotates cyclically between extending downwardly vertically in the drive position, to a neutral glide position. Thus the upper and lower shafts cyclically and repeatedly rotate their wing into the drive position, the former rotating upwardly and the latter rotating downwardly, so that the entire concentric drive vector is swept by the transverse positioned wing rotating through the drive quadrants. Thus the wings are fully deployed to completely and repeatedly impinge on the fluid in its ambient environment creating fluid current or thrust to do useful work.
The top view of
It is possible for a propulsion turbine to have a single pivoting wing assembly spanning diametrically across the concentric drive vector. The preferred embodiment however are wing assemblies with at least two opposed wings each with a respective pivot shaft. There
A-104 is an opposed two winged unit with consolidated pivot shafts. A105 is a wing assembly consisting of multiple two winged assemblies in series with consolidated pivot shafts with gear box A109 as seen in (
Each wing can be made of one panel, usually a elongated rectangular version of
A100 wings used in aircraft or water craft can in their concentric sweep vector both be made to operate parallel to the created current or the crafts trajectory and also transition and operate where the wings in their concentric sweep vector cut across the direction of created fluid flow or thrust. With techniques of prior art these machines can be mechanically or magnetically regulated to transition with multiple opposed wing units arranged in series deploying and detracting independently, one at a time, and/or the series of independent wing units can be locked together to retract and deploy in unison.
Where applicable the transiting multiple paneled wing pairs tends to increase production by increasing the individual length of the drive stroke in each pair of wing's drive cycle while lessening drag resistance in the wing glide cycle. Propulsion Turbine's with wings comprised of multiple independently opposing wing assemblies have two short transitional segments of a few ° of trans-drive meaning the rotational transitional interval into drive and trans-glide meaning the rotational interval into glide leaving the benefit of two longer fixed segments of drive and glide, increasing productivity by lessening drag resistance in trans glide increasing productivity by lengthening the drive cycle.
This embodiment is illustrated in
Parallel Adjacent Pivots Shaft and Parallel and Consolidated Pivot Shafts:
Many models have pivot shaft running parallel and adjacent to one another as seen in
In the planetary turbine type 2 and type Four with decentralized pivot shaft as seen in type Two example seen in
A detail of the centralized pivot shaft models, both the parallel adjacent models and consolidated models are featured in
In this example the compound wing assembly 107 runs on two parallel stationary wing pivot axles 11 that span the diameter of the planetary turbine anchored at the middle of the planetary turbine's side structure 20 as illustrated in the moved out section on the right hand side of
Detail description of parallel two, winged pivot shaft models, units A 106 and compound A107 models are featured in
Regarding
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the wings approximate 170 plus degree segment of glide, the vessel's forward movement through its relatively still environment makes the wings immediately assume their sleek, streamlined glide posture of least resistance because the backstop assemblies are always in front of the wing's leading edge allowing the wings to drop away, always in fixed direction relative to the created current or the craft's forward movement as a natural consequence of this design. Because the inner portion of the opposing wings is never exposed to the glide side of the sweep area but shielded by the wing opposite smooth side in trans-glide, and concealed between the two opposing wings in glide, the texture of the drive side of the wing can be strengthened and reinforced with course cross ribbing as seen in
The planetary turbine assembly include an optional pair of pivoting drive stop accelerators 40 for each opposed wing as seen in
There are many design know prior mechanical art to regulate in incremental ° the wing's angle of attack. One possible design seen in
Note the image at the bottom of the Figure shows 4 multiple position 50, 55, 60, 65 super imposed, one on the other. Extracted from that drawing are those position shown separately for visual purposes.
The planetary turbine can include an on board electrical generator and storage cells and/or a compressor joined to the structure within the covered end assemblies or side support structure. This power can be used or gathered and stored as kinetic energy and converted into pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical energy to power the activator that rotate the drive stop accelerator to adjust the wing drive stop angle of attack in the drive side of the sweep area. A generator in the end assembly could be geared to the planetary turbines ring gear to generate power or an air inlet at the higher pressure area adjacent to the drive stops and drive wings could collect and store pressure either directly from the discharge pressure or from a compressor run off discharge pressure or vacuum.
Note: In some A100 models, due to one planetary turbine “shadowing” another, it may be desirable to have three instead of four planetary turbine. Although the examples in this document have four planetary turbines in every A100 it should be noted that working propulsion turbine and fluid current fans of this design can function with two or more planetary turbines.
The use of gears has been described above for engaging the intermediate reversing gears 2, 101 ring gear 3 and sun gear 6 to constantly maintain the transverse relationship of the rotating planetary and wing assembly 101 to the direction of created current or the crafts forward movement, or created thrust. This objective can also be achieved with the use of two of the four intermediate reversing gears or the elimination of the interjacent gear 2 all together by using flat-belts.
As seen in
Although the sun gear and planetary gears are necessarily the same size, the intermediate reversing gears 2 can be of variable size and still perform the primary function of maintaining the one to one counter rotational ratio of each planetary turbine rotating once around A100's central axis and stationary sun gear 6 as the planetary turbine A101 rotates once around its planetary axle 4 as shown in
One notable feature of this expanded radius design seen in the example in
Mini box fairing: As seen in
It is because of this structurally robust wing design that the vertical backstop assemblies serving the sides of the wings can be completely eliminated as illustrated in
As illustrated in the side view of
Note: in regard to
In this type 1 design with the removal of the wing side backstops and the removal of the obstruction of the entire upper and lower backstop structure by recessing them in the end assembly, the only obstruction in the glide side of the sweep area in between the side structure is the pointed or teardrop nose assembly A108 shielding the series of wing assembly A104, and A101's aerodynamically shaped end assemblies 25 as shown in front view
Since the upper and lower circular discs shaped end assembly 25 of the planetary turbine A101 never change their forward facing relationship with the direction of forward movement of the craft or created current, they also, like assembly A108, have a pointed or teardrop aerodynamically shaped leading edge 28 that surrounds the rim of the upper and lower disc as seen in
For example the likeness of this minimal resistance can be experienced by putting one's hand out of the window of a moving car and pointing ones fingers perpendicularly into the wind while moving the hand laterally keeping the fingers pointing into the moving direction of the vehicle. The stabilizing fairings 27 of each planetary turbine are always working in concert with the stabilizing fairings on the remaining three or so planetary turbines. These stabilizing fairings are especially useful in stabilizing the interplanetary assembly A102 in concert with each of the other A101 planetary turbines that have wings in drive or glide stabilizing the other planetary turbines that have transitioning wings going into drive or glide. Tests will show the size and productivity of the side structure and stabilizer/fairing relative to application and the radius of the Super turbine's sweep area.
As example
In
In
In regard to
In regard to
In regard to
Note: Because the A100 creates thrust or current predominantly on the drive side, approximately one half of its sweep area, if not tethered in place or coupled to another counter-rotating A100, the unbalanced discharge will spin the single un-tethered turbine out of control. Therefore when operating in the capacity of a fan the body of the fan must be grounded or tethered in place or have an identical A100 mirror its movement sharing a common frame. The same dynamic is true when the turbine is used to propel a craft. When two A100's working in tandem are attached to the same stationary assembly each A100 having opposing drive quadrants will obtain dynamic stability and balance, counter-balancing and neutralizing each propulsion turbine's torque to net zero.
The propulsion turbine A100 with its rotating centralized main shaft 7 naturally has one half of its sweep area on one side of the main shaft and one half on the other. One side becomes the 180° drive side and the other half becomes the 180° glide side, determined by which direction the propulsion turbine is rotating. As seen is
Because the wings of the propulsion turbine's planetary turbine A101 create the forward thrust exclusively on the drive side of the sweep area, as seen in
In
As previously stated, by reversing the rotation of each of the twin turbines counter rotating A100, the drive 50 and glide side sides 60 of the sweep area exchange places. Because of this feature each propulsion turbine A100 can have both of the drive sides together in the middle adjacent to one another or be switched having the drive sides on the outer side of the sweep area as illustrated in
Because the A100 is scalable and can be produced in a large range of sizes, and with the ability to direct the drive intake and discharge streams of each A100 they may be arranged in balanced arrays, in a series or in multiple groupings of many sizes and configuration to do useful work, such as, to serve as fluid current fans, compressors, propellers for water, water or air or watercraft or aircraft water pumps etc. Since the propulsion turbine can also be placed horizontal or vertical and created vacuum causing levitation from drive assembly is not a problem it offers many unique advantages in water over conventional screws.
The present invention maximizes the frontal contact area of the turbine's wings so a large fraction of the energy generated by the solar array is converted to thrust. Because of the large frontal contact surface of the wings it is believed that these propulsion turbines can maintain traction in the thin upper atmosphere better than propeller arrangement, and that the turbines can thus power the aircraft to higher altitudes. Note: that the twin turbines are counter-rotating, so that there is no net torque applied to the aircraft which would otherwise cause the aircraft to pitch up or down.
The aircraft is equipped with landing gear 205 for landing and taking off. Design for lightweight cargo A variety of fuselage 209 or cargo bay, part 206 could have many shapes and placements designed above and/or below the deck structure of A103. This example shows two cargo bay doors 206. A conventional style rear-mounted tail 202 and rudder 210 provides steering capability, vertical stability could be provided with conventional elevators flaps and/or ailerons (not shown) to control altitude. It should be noted however, that the turning radius of the twin craft can theoretically be achieved by slowing the R.P.M. s of one super turbine and/or increasing the R.P.M.s of the other/s. Tests may show that propulsion system may have maneuverability advantages over other forms of propulsion.
The applications for this technology are diverse. Because the wings contact ratio to the sweep many times that of traditional propeller air and watercraft engine it's efficiently and thrust may also prove to be greater. Consequently this “green energy” technology may lower the cost of transportation time and fuel consumption.
A100 is powered by a manmade source. The onboard power source powering the A100 and A200 in the example above have been centrally transmitted to the central driveshaft 7 rotating the joined interplanetary hub assembly A102 around A103's inter-stationary sun gear 6. The power transfer thus described focuses almost exclusively on using conventional mechanical gearing and flat belts to rotate the central drive shaft 7 and joined interplanetary hub assembly 102.
Alternatively the power transfer could be transmitted inwardly from concentric drive rims surrounding A100's circular sweep area using the electromagnetic suspension or electro dynamic suspension of maglev techniques to drive electromagnets, linear motors, servo, or related electromagnetic (E.M.S.) and electronic-dynamic technologies (E.D.S) and mechanism known in prior art with transmitted power often controlled with computerized positioning regulator.
In
In the design seen in the cross section seen in
An alternative design is seen in
With the advances in mechatronics and electromagnetic and electro dynamic suspension frictionless bearing can be incorporated in the pivot shafts and the wing and it drive and glide stops positioned on the frame or drive-stop accelerator 40 can limit and stop pivot rotation using electromagnetic suspension techniques creating nearly frictionless machines with all moving parts suspended and all centrifugal forces of rotation and trajectory counter opposed.
In
Using method of cooled electromagnetic transmission there is little if any technological limitations related to heat or friction. With the use of super conductivity technology, very fast revolving and efficient machines may be produced. For example the transmission power source driving the turbines could be monitored and controlled by onboard computerized regulating positioning technologies and transferred electro magnetically inward by electro magnets as described above or used to regulate and power servo motors.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the invention. The embodiment described is selected to best explain the principle of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable another skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modification as suited to the particular purpose contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.
This application claims the priority date benefit of the U.S. provisional application No. 61/539,471, submitted Sep. 26, 2011, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/628,064, filed Sep. 27, 2012.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13628064 | Sep 2012 | US |
Child | 13854100 | US |