High-efficiency high-power uninterrupted power system

Claim 1

An uninterrupted power supply system (UPS) for providing electrical power when a primary electrical power source is not functioning normally, said UPS having an electric dynamo and a flywheel, and comprising: a differential having a first shaft connected with said flywheel and a second shaft connected with said dynamo, for transmitting power between said flywheel and said dynamo, and having provision for drivable connection with a differential gear element of said differential; first transmission means having a variable ratio of input and output speeds, connected with one of (a) said flywheel and (b) said dynamo, and drivably connected with said differential gear element, for controlling the ratio of the speed of said dynamo to the speed of said flywheel; auxiliary transmission means having a variable ratio of input and output speeds, drivably connected with said differential gear element and with one of (a) said flywheel and (b) said dynamo, for transmitting power drawn from said flywheel, said auxiliary transmission means comprising at least one auxiliary transmission; interdiction means for interrupting power flow through said auxiliary transmission means to said differential gear element in response to a control signal; sensing means for sensing conditions of the power system and for, in response to said conditions, providing said control signal to said interdiction means to interrupt said power when said primary power source is functioning normally, and to transmit said power when said primary power source is not functioning normally; ratio-control means for controlling said variable speed ratios to control the speed of said flywheel during normal operation of said primary source and to control the speed of said dynamo when said primary source is not functioning normally.

Claim 12

A method for exchanging power between an electric dynamo and a flywheel when a main electrical power source is operating normally, and for providing power from the rotating flywheel to the dynamo when said main source is not functioning normally, said method comprising: sensing whether or not said main source is in a normal power condition; (a) during a normal condition of said main source, exchanging power between said flywheel and said dynamo, using a differential drivably disposed between said dynamo and said flywheel, said differential having a first principal shaft coupled with said dynamo, a second principal shaft coupled with said flywheel, and provision for drivable connection to a differential gear element of said differential; drivably connecting said differential gear element with one end of at least one primary variable transmission whose other end is drivably connected with one of (i) said dynamo and (ii) said flywheel; sensing and controlling the speed of said flywheel during said normal condition by controlling the speed ratio of said primary transmission; (b) upon start of an abnormal condition of said main source, connecting at least one auxiliary variable transmission to assist said primary transmission in driving said carrier even at low flywheel speeds, said auxiliary transmissions being connected in schematic parallel when more than one auxiliary transmission is used; sensing and controlling the speed of said dynamo by controlling the speed ratios of said primary and auxiliary transmissions to control the speed of said dynamo while said primary source is not functioning normally.

Claim 13

A method for exchanging power between an electric dynamo and a flywheel when a main electrical power source is operating normally, and for providing power from the rotating flywheel to the dynamo when said main source is not functioning normally, said method comprising: sensing whether or not said main source is in a normal power condition; (a) during a normal condition of said main source, exchanging power between said flywheel and said dynamo, using a differential drivably disposed between said dynamo and said flywheel, said differential having a first principal shaft coupled with said dynamo, a second principal shaft coupled with said flywheel, and provision for drivable connection to a differential gear element of said differential; drivably connecting said differential gear element with one end of at least one primary variable transmission whose other end is drivably connected with one of (i) said dynamo and (ii) said flywheel; sensing and controlling the speed of said flywheel during said normal condition by controlling the speed ratio of said primary transmission; (b) upon start of an abnormal condition of said main source, connecting at least one auxiliary variable transmission to assist said primary transmission in driving said carrier even at low flywheel speeds, said auxiliary transmissions being connected in schematic parallel when more than one auxiliary transmission is used; sensing and controlling the speed of said dynamo by controlling the speed ratios of said primary and auxiliary transmissions to control the speed of said dynamo while said primary source is not functioning normally.