Windmill and method to use same to generate electricity, pumped air or rotational shaft energy

[0002] This application claims benefit of provisional No. 60/139,000 filed Jun. 14, 1999.

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] This invention is a lower cost more efficient windmill which operates over a wider spectrum of wind speeds than existing windmills, thereby placing energy production within the reach of individuals.

[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0006] Horizontal axis windmills have not basically changed for about a thousand years. Such windmills still consist of a group of sails (now called blades) affixed radially to a rotating shaft. No economically feasible structure has been implemented to dramatically increase efficiency. Present windmills are not economically feasible unless placed in the few mountain passes or ridge locations where high winds blow much of the time. Even in those few high wind locations the windmills must be of very large diameter, therefore expensive, heavy and high maintenance, and must be stopped to avoid damage in winds above approximately 35 mph. The above shortcomings of prior art windmills have kept wind power from furnishing a substantial portion of energy needs.

[0007] The windmill according to this invention includes a support arm horizontally pivoting from one of its ends upon a vertical axis bearing atop a mounting mast, the other end of the support arm fixedly supporting a stator providing both windmill stator functions and generating mechanism stator functions. The stator also supports airflow straightening fins extending radially from the stator close in front of the windmill blades, the outer end of the fins supporting a shroud band encircling the fan just outside the tips of the rotating blades. The stator mounts a coaxial horizontal axis dual function rotor which furnishes windmill blade rotor function as well as energy generating rotor functions, whether for electricity, air pumping or rotating shaft energy.

[0008] The objects of this invention follow:

[0009] Eliminate efficiency loss from vortex generation at each blade tip.

[0010] Eliminate efficiency loss due to induced spiral flow in front of the blade disk.

[0011] Eliminate weight, cost and efficiency penalties by providing a single simple low cost support arm which performs the five functions of supporting the windmill, aligning it into the wind, elevating it downwind above mounting mast turbulence, contribute to the elimination of induced spiral air circulation in front of the blade disk, and provide a conduit for transmitting the energy produced to the mounting mast.

[0012] Eliminate weight and cost penalties by providing a single dual function stator which provides both windmill stator functions and energy producing mechanism stator functions.

[0013] Eliminate weight and cost penalties by providing a single dual function rotor which provides both windmill rotor functions and energy generation rotor functions.

[0014] Eliminate energy loss by not using a separate transmission device such as shafts, bearings and gears, between the windmill rotor and the energy generating device.

[0015] Eliminate weight and cost penalties, by not needing any device to stop the windmill from operating in any high wind.

[0016] Gain efficiency by being able to harvest more low velocity winds as well as all high velocity winds.

[0017] Eliminate energy loss by having the windmill less sensitive to the effects of wind gusts.

[0018] All or most of the above-named inefficiencies and penalties are inherent in present state-of-the-art windmills now being manufactured and used.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of this invention with part of shroud band cut away to show changeable angle of attack of blades.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of stator and rotor along the axis of rotor rotation, showing one preferred installation of electrical generator parts within the dual function stator and dual function rotor.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section of stator and rotor along the axis of rotor rotation, showing one preferred installation of air pumping parts within the dual function stator and dual function rotor.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section of stator and rotor along the axis of rotor rotation, showing one preferred installation of rotating shaft energy parts within the dual function stator and dual function rotor.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, the windmill according to this invention swivels with the wind direction horizontally around vertical support mast 1 by being affixed to rotatable mounting 2.

[0024] Support arm 3 extends outward and upward to support stator 4 above wind turbulence from mast 1. In this embodiment, support arm 3 is widened vertically as it extends away from its rotatable mounting 2 so that the lower downwind portion of support arm 3 also serves as a support for shroud band 6. Shroud band 6 is also supported in this embodiment by the three fins 5 which get their support from stator 4. Shroud band 6 encircles a disk defined by the tips of the rotating blades 8. Rotor 7 coaxially mounts to the downwind side of stator 4. Rotor 7 mounts fairing 7ain order to facilitate air flow through the windmill. Shroud band 6 is partially cut away to show more fully one of the windmill blades 8 along with a change of angle of attack under high wind pressure as shown by phantom dotted outline. Such change of angle of attack may obviously be accomplished by various known conventional spring and pivot mechanisms not shown.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a vertical cross section of the stator 4, and rotor 7 and fairing 7aassembled by means of bearing 9. A lower fragmentary portion of vertical fin 5 is shown where it attaches to stator 4.

[0026] A fragmentary portion of the downwind portion of support arm 3 is shown where it supports stator 4. The conduit 10 is a cylindrical bore passing through support arm 3 and stator 4 in order to carry cable 13 with wires 13ato conduct electricity to and through rotatable mounting 2 by way of conventional slip rings not shown, and thence down vertical mast 1 to ground usage.

[0027] A plurality of windings 11 are shown supported by stator 4. A plurality of magnets 12 are shown supported by rotor 7. The electricity generated within the windings 11 is conducted away from the generator by cable 13, having in this embodiment two wire conductors 13a.

[0028] Since there is no vertically oriented blade 8 in FIG. 1, no blade is shown in FIG. 2 which is vertical cross section of the windmill as shown in FIG. 1. However, various conventional means of blade attachment are available, and are not subject of this invention and are not shown.

[0029] FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 except instead of electrical generation parts, FIG. 3 shows an air pump 14 mounted upon stator 4 and a pump drive shaft 14bdriven by rotor 7, with air or vacuum delivery tube 14atraversing through conduit 10.

[0030] FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 except instead of showing electrical generating or air pumping parts, FIG. 4 shows rotating shaft power transmitting parts, namely flexible coupling 15 driven by rotor 7, thence driving shaft 15asupported in conduit 10 by bearing 15b.