US4251040A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wind driven apparatus for power generation
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1978-12-11
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Granted: 1981-02-17
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Expires: 1998-12-11
Abstract
Abstract Wind driven apparatus for the production of power at a ground location includes an aerodynamic lift generating vehicle capable of maintaining a stable airborne orientation, a tether linking the vehicle to a ground location, mechanical power generating equipment carried by the vehicle and responsive to relative motion between the air and the vehicle, apparatus for converting the generated power to reciprocating motion and structure for transmitting the reciprocating motion along the tether to the ground.
Inventors
- 👤 Miles L. Loyd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:02
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64U; B64U10/00; B64U10/50; B64U10/60; B64U30/00; B64U30/10; B64U60/00; B64U60/40; B64U70/00; B64U70/70; F; F03; F03D; F03D13/00; F03D13/20; F03D15/00; F03D15/10; F03D15/15; F03D5/00; F03D80/00; F03D80/70; B64U2101/00; B64U2101/10; F05; F05B; F05B2240/00; F05B2240/90; F05B2240/92; F05B2240/921; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/70; Y02E10/72; Y02E10/728
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
Wind driven apparatus for the production of power at a ground location comprising vehicle means responsive to the motion of surrounding air for generating lift and maintaining a stable airborne orientation, said orientation comprising periodic oscillations through the air; means carried by said vehicle and responsive to the relative motion between the air and said oscillating vehicle means for extracting mechanical power therefrom; means carried by said vehicle for converting said extracted power to reciprocating motion; and tether means linking said vehicle means to a ground location and defining the maximum radius of said oscillations, said tether means including for both bearing the entire tensile stress imparted by said vehicle means on said tether means and for transmitting said reciprocating motion along said tether means to said ground location said means for bearing said tensile stress and for transmitting said reciprocating motion comprising a plurality of members connected between said vehicle means and said ground location and mounted for reciprocation along said tether means, each said reciprocating member having a phase relation with respect to said reciprocating motion which is different from that of any other said reciprocating member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
Wind driven apparatus for the production of power at a ground location comprising vehicle means responsive to the motion of surrounding air for generating lift and maintaining a stable airborne orientation, said orientation comprising periodic oscillations through the air; means carried by said vehicle and responsive to the relative motion between the air and said oscillating vehicle means for extracting mechanical power therefrom; means carried by said vehicle for converting said extracted power to reciprocating motion; and tether means linking said vehicle means to a ground location and defining the maximum radius of said oscillations, said tether means including for both bearing the entire tensile stress imparted by said vehicle means on said tether means and for transmitting said reciprocating motion along said tether means to said ground location said means for bearing said tensile stress and for transmitting said reciprocating motion comprising a plurality of members connected between said vehicle means and said ground location and mounted for reciprocation along said tether means, each said reciprocating member having a phase relation with respect to said reciprocating motion which is different from that of any other said reciprocating member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means at said ground location for converting said reciprocating motion into rotary motion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising vehicle tracking means associated with said ground motion converting means for maintaining said ground motion converting means oriented in a predetermined direction relative to the radial direction of said vehicle from said ground location.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tether comprises a first portion restrained against any reciprocating motion longitudinally thereof and a second portion reciprocatingly movable relative to said first porion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said tether second portion is internal to said tether first portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said tether first portion comprises a streamlined shroud for said tether second portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a tether base at said ground location for anchoring said tether to the ground, said tether base including means for maintaining said streamlined shroud at a predetermined angle of attack with respect to the air moving over said tether.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said tether first portion includes acoustic damping means for attenuating noise generated by reciprocating movement of said tether second portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for converting said extracted power to reciprocating motion includes means for selectively adjusting the magnitude of the stroke of said reciprocating motion, whereby stress resulting from standing waves created by the long tether length compared to the acoustic wave length may be attenuated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vehicle comprises an aerodynamic lifting vehicle and wherein said apparatus further comprises means for accelerating said vehicle through the air in an arcuate path defined by said tether to achieve said airborne orientation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising landing gear affixed to said vehicle for supporting said vehicle upon the ground when not in said airborne orientation, and guide means affixed to the ground and cooperating with said landing gear for restraining movement of said vehicle, while in contact with the ground, to said arcuate path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said periodic oscillations comprise a closed path, all points of which are spaced from said ground location a distance defined by said tether.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
118 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said vehicle comprises an aerodynamic winged vehicle, and wherein said closed path comprises a generally circular path with one wing of said vehicle extending generally radially inwardly of said circular path and another wing extending generally radially outwardly of said circular path, and wherein said respectively inwardly and outwardly extending wings are of asymmetric configuration such that each said wing provides substantially equal aerrodynamic lift to said vehicle during its movement along said path, whereby the lift produced by the lower speed movement of the inwardly extending wing through the air may be substantially balanced with the lift produced by the higher speed movement of the outwardly extending wing through the air.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-02-17 | 1984-08-18 | 1985-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-02-17 | 1988-08-18 | 1989-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-02-17 | 1992-08-18 | 1993-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |