Vertical axis wind engine
US6688842B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 2002 |
| Grant date | Feb 10, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S415/907
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vertical axis wind engine, also referred to as a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) includes a support structure, a rotor mounted rotatably on the support structure for rotation about a vertical axis, and at least one airfoil for causing the rotor to rotate about the vertical axis in response to wind passing the wind engine. The airfoil has vertically extending leading and trailing edges, an angle-of-attack axis extending horizontally through the leading and trailing edges, and a pivotal axis extending vertically intermediate the leading and trailing edges. The airfoil is mounted on the rotor for pivotal movement about the pivotal axis and the rotor includes components for limiting pivotal movement of the airfoil to first and second limits of pivotal movement. The airfoil is free to pivot about the pivotal axis intermediate the first and second limits of pivotal movement as the rotor rotates about the vertical axis in order to thereby enable the airfoil to align the angle-of-attack axis according to the wind. Preferably, the wind engine has more than one free-flying, self-positioning airfoil, and the rotor includes first and second stops for each airfoil that augment virtual stop …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.