Patent Application
20160230744
The present invention relates generally to wind turbines. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wind turbine having a pair of blade assemblies that rotate independently of each other.
Green energy trends have been on the rise in recent years and, subsequently, so has the demand for consumer grade wind turbines for harvesting wind energy. Specifically, interest in wind turbines that can be utilized to provide power for individual homes and small businesses has increased greatly over recent years. However, individual home and business owners often face challenges that operators of large scale “wind farms” typically do not encounter. For example, because the wind turbine is necessarily located at the home or business to which energy is supplied, the amount of space that is available to operate the wind turbine may be limited. As well, the environmental conditions at the desired location may not provide the wind speeds that are required for efficient and reliable operation of traditional wind turbines. For example, the prevailing wind speeds of the desired location may be lower than the target wind speeds required for turbine cut-in with traditional wind turbines, cut-in referring to the wind speed at which the turbine blades begin to rotate and, therefore, generate energy. As well, low wind speeds are known to reduce the ability of existing wind turbines to approach the 59.3% limit of converting wind energy to electrical energy suggested by the Betz Limit.
The present invention recognizes and addresses considerations of prior art constructions and methods.
One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wind turbine having a housing, a generator including a field magnet and an armature, the generator being rotatably disposed within the housing, a first blade assembly non-rotatably fixed to one of the field magnet and the armature of the generator, and a second blade assembly non-rotatably fixed to the other of the field magnet and the armature of the generator, wherein the first blade assembly rotates in a first direction with respect to the housing and the second blade assembly rotates in an opposite second direction with respect to the housing.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wind turbine having a housing, an electrical generation unit including a field magnet and an armature, the electrical generation unit being rotatably disposed within the housing, a first blade assembly non-rotatably fixed to one of the field magnet and the armature of the electrical generation unit, and a second blade assembly non-rotatably fixed to the other of the field magnet and the armature of the electrical generation unit.
Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wind turbine having a housing, an electrical generation unit including a field magnet and an armature, the field magnet and the armature each being rotatably disposed within the housing, a first blade assembly fixed to one of the field magnet and the armature of the electrical generation unit, and a second blade assembly fixed to the other of the field magnet and the armature of the electrical generation unit, wherein the field magnet and the armature are rotatable independently of each other.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention according to the disclosure.
Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation, not limitation, of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
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Referring additionally to
Similarly to front blade assembly 150, rear blade assembly 160 includes a plurality of blades 161 that extend radially outwardly from its hub 162. Additionally, each blade 161 is secured to hub 162 by a plurality of fasteners (not shown) that pass through corresponding blade recesses 166. As with front blade assembly, the pitch of each blade 161 may be altered, as is known in the art, to maximize the speed of rotation of front blade assembly 160 for the prevailing wind speed. Hub 162 further includes an axially extending annular wall 164 that is non-rotatably fixed to a body 122 of electrical generation unit 120. As such, in the preferred embodiment shown, rear blade assembly 160 is non-rotatably fixed to the magnetic portion, or field magnet 124, of electrical generation unit 120, whereas front blade assembly 150 is non-rotatably fixed to the windings, or armature 126, of electrical generation unit 120, as best seen in
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While one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are described above, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. It is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.
