Patent US4735382A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4735382A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Space craft cellular energy generating and storage device

Assignee: Boeing Co
•
Filing: 1986-01-15
•
Granted: 1988-04-05
•
Expires: 2006-01-15
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A space craft cellular energy generating and storage device for generating electrical power in space and storing the power for extended periods of time. The space craft generating and storage device characterized by having a pair of annular rotating housings having a plurality of individual compartments therein. The compartments receiving material which is compartmentalized to accurately control the mass distribution during the rotation of the housing for maintaining speed as energy is withdrawn or generated.

Inventors

  • 👤 George T. Pinson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 20:53
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64G; B64G1/00; B64G1/22; B64G1/42; B64G1/425; B64G1/426; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/21; Y10T74/2117

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 188 words
A variable inertia electrical power generating and kinetic energy storage device for generating electrical power and for storing kinetic energy for extending periods of time, the device comprising: an annular upper housing rotatably mounted on a central support shaft; an annular lower housing rotatably mounted on the central support shaft and disposed in spaced relationship below the upper housing; a plurality of upper coil windings mounted on the bottom of the upper rotating housing and a plurality of lower coil windings mounted on the top of the lower rotating housing, the upper and lower coil windings being disposed adjacent to each other and being disposed for rotation with the respective upper and lower housings in opposite directions for generating electrical power; a plurality of individual storage compartments in the upper and lower housings for holding a movable material therein; means for removing the material in the compartments as enery is used and for filling the compartments as energy is stored; and auxiliary power means for initially rotating the upper and lower housings to a predetermined speed and for periodically maintaining the pre-determined speed as the need is required.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 188 words
A variable inertia electrical power generating and kinetic energy storage device for generating electrical power and for storing kinetic energy for extending periods of time, the device comprising: an annular upper housing rotatably mounted on a central support shaft; an annular lower housing rotatably mounted on the central support shaft and disposed in spaced relationship below the upper housing; a plurality of upper coil windings mounted on the bottom of the upper rotating housing and a plurality of lower coil windings mounted on the top of the lower rotating housing, the upper and lower coil windings being disposed adjacent to each other and being disposed for rotation with the respective upper and lower housings in opposite directions for generating electrical power; a plurality of individual storage compartments in the upper and lower housings for holding a movable material therein; means for removing the material in the compartments as enery is used and for filling the compartments as energy is stored; and auxiliary power means for initially rotating the upper and lower housings to a predetermined speed and for periodically maintaining the pre-determined speed as the need is required.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
The device as described in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary power means is a plurality of solar cells mounted on top of the central support.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
The device as described in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary power means is radioactive thermal units mounted on the central support shaft or in the upper or lower rotating housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 40 words
The device as described in claim 1 wherein the means for removing and filling the compartments in the upper and lower housings is a support pump connected to individual fill and drain lines leading to each compartment in the housings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 305 words
A variable inertia electric power generating and kinetic energy storage device for generating electric power and for storing kinetic energy for extended periods of time, the device comprising: a first annular upper housing rotatably mounted on a central support shaft; a first annular lower housing rotatably on the central support shaft and disposed in spaced relationship below the first upper housing; a plurality of upper coil windings mounted on the bottom of the first upper housing and a plurality of lower coil windings mounted in the top of the first lower housing, the upper coil windings being disposed in a spaced relationship adjacent the lower coil windings for generating electric power, the first upper housing being disposed for rotation in one direction and the first lower housing being disposed for rotation in an opposite direction; a plurality of individual storage compartments in the first upper and lower housings for holding movable material therein; means for removing the material in the compartments as energy is used and for filling the compartments as energy is stored; a second annular upper housing rotatably mounted on the central support shaft; a second annular lower housing rotatably mounted on the central support shaft, the second lower housing disposed in a spaced relationship below the bottom of the second upper housing; a plurality of coil windings mounted in the bottom of the second upper housing and in the top of the second lower housing, the lower coil winding being disposed in a spaced relationship adjacent the upper coil windings for generating electrical power, the second upper and lower housings being disposed for rotation in opposite directions, the second upper and lower housings providing auxiliary power means for initially rotating the first upper and lower housings to a predetermined speed and for periodically maintaining the predetermined speed as the need is required.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 305 words
A variable inertia electric power generating and kinetic energy storage device for generating electric power and for storing kinetic energy for extended periods of time, the device comprising: a first annular upper housing rotatably mounted on a central support shaft; a first annular lower housing rotatably on the central support shaft and disposed in spaced relationship below the first upper housing; a plurality of upper coil windings mounted on the bottom of the first upper housing and a plurality of lower coil windings mounted in the top of the first lower housing, the upper coil windings being disposed in a spaced relationship adjacent the lower coil windings for generating electric power, the first upper housing being disposed for rotation in one direction and the first lower housing being disposed for rotation in an opposite direction; a plurality of individual storage compartments in the first upper and lower housings for holding movable material therein; means for removing the material in the compartments as energy is used and for filling the compartments as energy is stored; a second annular upper housing rotatably mounted on the central support shaft; a second annular lower housing rotatably mounted on the central support shaft, the second lower housing disposed in a spaced relationship below the bottom of the second upper housing; a plurality of coil windings mounted in the bottom of the second upper housing and in the top of the second lower housing, the lower coil winding being disposed in a spaced relationship adjacent the upper coil windings for generating electrical power, the second upper and lower housings being disposed for rotation in opposite directions, the second upper and lower housings providing auxiliary power means for initially rotating the first upper and lower housings to a predetermined speed and for periodically maintaining the predetermined speed as the need is required.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 46 words
The device as described in claim 5 wherein solar cells are mounted on top of the central support shaft for providing power to the second rotating housings during initial start up of the housings and periodically maintaining power to the housings as the need is required.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 37 words
The device as described in claim 5 wherein rocket engines or the like are mounted on the second rotating housings to provide rotational energy and for periodically maintaining power to the housings as the need is required.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2153523A Cited
US3144219A Cited
US3248967A Cited
US3526795A Cited
US3697765A Cited
US3970917A Cited
US4546264A Cited
US4509006A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-04-05 1991-10-05 1992-04-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-04-05 1995-10-05 1996-04-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-04-05 1999-10-05 2000-04-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag