183results about "Kites" patented technology

A wind harnessing system using a plurality of self supporting airfoil kites 50 for production of useful power. The system comprising multiple airfoil kites 50 in tandem attached to a pivotal control housing 32 by control lines 58L and 58R and support lines 60L and 60R. Control lines 58L and 58R can change length with respect to the length of support lines 60L and 60R to control the airfoil kites' 50 angle-of-attack, pitch angle, direction of flight, and flight speed. The length of control lines 58L and 58R are controlled from ground station 30 by a movable pulley system in control housing 32 to adjust the airfoils' direction to follow a specific flight path 140. Control lines 58R and 58L and support lines 60R and 60L are also wound on a power shaft and pulley system in control housing 32. As the airfoil kites are propelled by the wind at very-high speed, the airfoils generate a powerful AXIAL force. The control lines 58L and 58R and support lines 60L and 60R are then reeled-out under this AXIAL tension causing the power shaft and pulley system in control housing 32 to turn a generator to generate electricity. After airfoil kites 50 have finished their reel-out power stroke 140a, the airfoil's pitch angle is made negative so they can be reeled-in by their control and support lines using a minimum of force along path 140b. Once the airfoils have been rewound to the proper distance, the airfoils are again angled for high-speed operation to generate powerful AXIAL force and reeled-out along 140c to provide another power stroke. The airfoil kites are then reeled-in again along path 140d and the entire process repeats starting with power stroke 140a. Since the force to rewind the airfoils is much less than the force generated during reel-out, there is net power generated.

A crosswind kite system adapted to operate in an alternate mode in high winds. The system may operate at reduced efficiency in high winds in order to moderate loading on the system during those high winds. The system may use multi-element airfoils which are actuated to reduce the coefficient of lift of the airfoils in order to moderate loading in high wind conditions. Other flight aspects may be controlled, including flying the crosswind kite in side slip to induce drag which may lower loading on the system.

An aerial power generation system includes a guide line supported by a support body. Wind driven elements are configured and shaped to provide maximum force from both lift and drag during the downwind phase of operation and minimum force during the upwind phase. The guide lines add stability to the system and provide better control over angular orientation and direction of motion. Power transfer is through one or more tow lines connected from the driven elements to power generation devices on the ground. Another embodiment of the aerial power generation system includes a revolving apparatus and two or more wind powered driven elements connected by tow lines to the revolving apparatus. The method includes changing the driven elements between high and low force configurations for downwind and upwind operation, and flying the driven elements in a selected pattern perpendicular to the tow line.

A tethered airborne electrical power generation system which may utilize a strutted frame structure with airfoils built into the frame to keep wind turbine driven generators which are within the structure airborne. The primary rotors utilize the prevailing wind to generate rotational velocity. Electrical power generated is returned to ground using a tether that is also adapted to fasten the flying system to the ground. The flying system is adapted to be able to use electrical energy to provide power to the primary turbines which are used as motors to raise the system from the ground, or mounting support, into the air. The system may use an attachment mechanism for the tether adapted to move the tether attachment point relative to the flying craft.

A tethered airborne wind-driven power generation device providing, in various embodiments, a main tether and plurality of auxiliary tethers, feedback controls for continuously adjusting pitch, roll and yaw, and a Vee-shaped configuration for disposing rotors along the frame of the device. The auxiliary tethers avoid slack and resultant transient instability, and the Vee-shaped rotor disposition takes advantage of upwash or any other aerodynamic benefit from the rotors adjacent to it, to improve efficiency.

The author suggests a new method and a new inexpensive, large blade-rope type wind rotor, that will be suspended at high altitude and produce huge quantities of energy. The air installation embodiment includes (FIG. 25): propeller 220, wing 226, rope transmission 229, electric generator 12 located at ground. Water rotors can utilize energy of ocean and sea streams. The invention contains 11 projects: 6 for air, 1 for a river, 3 for the sea and ocean, and 1 for ships. They have a power capacity of up to 60 MgW (air), up to 200 MgW (water) for one unit. The suggested installations have the following advantages: 1. Huge power production capacity-up to 5000-10000 times more than conventional ground-based rotor designs. 2. The rotor operates at high altitude of 1-14 kilometers, where wind has high speed and high stability (permanent flows). 3. The installation is much less expensive compared to conventional currently-employed windmills, partly because no tower is necessary to fix the rotor in space. 4. Wind energy is free -environmentally friendly.

A control system for a power generation apparatus and method may fly a rotorcraft rotary wing at an altitude above the nap of the earth. A tether, suitably strong and flexible, connected to the rotorcraft framing is pulled with a force generated by the rotary wing. The force is transmitted to a ground station that converts the comparatively linear motion of the tether being pulled upward with a lifting force. The linear motion may be transferred to a rotary motion in the ground station to rotate and electrical generator. The tether may be retrieved and re-coiled by controlling the rotorcraft aircraft to basically fly down at a speed and lift force to support recovery of the rotorcraft at a substantially reduced force compared to the larger lifting force in effect during the power-developing payout of the tether. Moreover, the duty cycle of such a system is substantially increased over any terrestrially based or tower-mounted wind turbine mechanisms.

A complete fully-automated airborne wind energy generation system with three major components; a ground-based energy trailer anchored to the ground containing a reel, motor / generator, motor controller with regenerative braking, a low-friction capstan, and a microcontroller; an ‘aerie’ elevated launch and landing platform free to weathervane in the wind, with a tether flag deployment and collection device; a statically and dynamically stable rotor-glider with variable pitch rotor blades enabling jump-launch, on-board weather and load sensors, microcontroller, and cell or satellite phone data connections to a centralized database; and a high-strength low-weight tether connecting all the components together.

The invention relates to an aerodynamic profile element for energy production using traction force, in particular for driving watercraft. The invention further relates to a launch and retrieval arrangement for a profile element, and a drive arrangement for a watercraft including the profile element and the launch and retrieval arrangement.

A kite is disclosed. The kite comprises a first control element coupled to the kite in a first tether-force configuration, wherein the first control element is used to maintain controlled flight of the kite in the first tether-force configuration during a power generating phase. The kite further comprises a second control element coupled to the kite in a second tether-force configuration, wherein the second control element is used to maintain controlled flight of the kite in the second tether-force configuration during a recovery phase, and wherein during the recovery phase a tether force associated with the second tether-force configuration is reduced as compared to the tether force associated with the first tether-force configuration during the power generating phase

An airborne surveillance platform supporting optoelectronic and electronic sensors, including level sensors, is automatically stabilized in a horizontal plane by varying the length of two tethers out of three. Error signals from the level sensors are transmitted over a wireless link to control components on a rotating platform on the host vehicle, which automatically vary the length of tethers. Applications include images of the surrounding terrain generated by a video camera and a thermal imager in military, police and civil emergency operations.

A motor pylon system adapted for use with an airborne power generations system is disclosed. The pylons may support turbine driven generators for wind based electrical power generation which also function as electric motors in some aspects. The pylons may be designed to provide side force useful for turning a tethered flying wing flying in a circular cross wind flight path. The pylons may be designed to minimize air flow disruptions over the main wing.

A tethered airborne electrical power generation system which may utilize a strutted frame structure with airfoils built into the frame to keep wind turbine driven generators which are within the structure airborne. The primary rotors utilize the prevailing wind to generate rotational velocity. Electrical power generated is returned to ground using a tether that is also adapted to fasten the flying system to the ground. The flying system is adapted to be able to use electrical energy to provide power to the primary turbines which are used as motors to raise the system from the ground, or mounting support, into the air. The system may then be raised into a prevailing wind and use airfoils in the system to provide lift while the system is tethered to the ground. The motors may then resume operation as turbines for electrical power generation. The system may be somewhat planar in that many turbines may have their rotors substantially in one or more planes or planar regions. The system may also be adapted to be assembled of modular components such that a variety of different numbers of turbines may be flown, yet the system may be substantially constructed from multiple similar members.

The invention is a device that push releasably retains one end of a rope (111) abutting against an intermediate part of the rope (103) to form a push releasable loop.

Airborne wind energy conversion system a with flying wing, using a cable or belt to transmit motion to a rotor of a ground based electrical generator with high velocity, achieving high aerodynamic efficiency of the wings and high power for a given torque.

Embodiments of an unmanned gyrokite for use in conjunction with a tether are provided. In one embodiment, the unmanned gyrokite includes an airframe configured to be attached to the tether, an autogyro rotor assembly mounted to the airframe and configured to generate lift when deployed in winds aloft, and a generator mechanically coupled to the autogyro rotor assembly and configured to be driven thereby. An electronic system coupled to the airframe is configured to be powered by the generator.

A launch and recovery system for a tethered airborne element is provided that launches and retrieves the tethered airborne element in a completely unattended manner. The system is comprised of a protective shroud for storing a tethered airborne element, a winch module for releasing the airborne element to fly into the air or retrieving the element from the air, and a bearing for enabling the control of launch and recovery. Optionally, the system is also comprised of a slip ring assembly for providing external power and / or control signals to the winch module. The system can also be equipped with instrumentation modules on the tether line to provide a radio link and high altitude weather information. These modules may also contain other sensors and actuators which will help stabilize the airborne element.

A wing for a traction kite, etc comprises a plurality of cells formed by chordwise-extending ribs (3), valved openings (6) to the cells allowing ram air to inflate the wing. By changing the initial cut-out of the material forming the cells near wing tips (7, 8), compared with that of the cells central to the wing, it is possible to alter the aerodynamic forces at wing tips (7, 8). This allows attachment of flying lines (9, 10) to wing tips (7, 8) only, despite the wing having no framing to maintain its spanwise shape under the loading of flying lines (9, 10). The increased aerodynamic forces at wing tips (7, 8) are achieved by making the aerofoil profiles of the cells progressively more reflexive towards wing tips (7, 8), by giving wing tips (7, 8) a residual twist increasing their angle of incidence, by placing the centres of pressure of the cells near wing tips (7, 8) somewhat forward of the pivot line of the wing, etc.

Aerodynamic wing to propel a broad range of transport means, principally sail craft. The wing provides a single layer kite structure capable of flying without surface discontinuity, bridles, or rigid or semi-rigid structure. All stresses within the wing are converted into pure tension and transferred through the wing surface outward to attachment lines. The wing shape defines a large diameter self-supporting rolled over leading edge of an airfoil and the wing profile approaching the trailing edge exhibits increasing convexity. The wing is useful to propel, or supplement propulsion to, transportation means.

A deployable airborne surveillance kite for flying in a wind over a surface includes a wing, a tail, and a spar coupling the wing to the tail. The kite further includes a thrust rotor mounted to the kite in a vertical orientation for providing vertical lift to the kite. A tether assembly extends from the kite to the surface and couples the kite to the surface providing downward resistance in opposition to the vertical lift provided by the thrust rotor.

A kite safety device for a kite having an airfoil with leading and trailing edges, at least two control lines attached to the airfoil and a control flying bar attached to at least two of the control lines. The device features a trim line having a hollow central passageway, sized and shaped to fit slidably through a central opening in the control flying bar. A safety flying line is attached at its first end to a first point adjacent a midpoint along a centerline extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and attached through said passageway at its second end to a fixture providing a point for attachment of the flying line to a harness. When the control flying bar is released a user may rotate beneath the kite and when the safety flying line is tensioned, the kite will begin to stall and the kite will descend.

A multiple-tethered kite extracts power from wind. Systems having three or more tethers coupled to a single kite are contemplated, as are systems having multiple kites coupled to a given pair of tethers. Commercially useful tethers would most likely have a length of at least 1000 meters, and would be fixed at least 100 meters apart. During a given cycle the distance between each of the bases and the kite would likely vary by at least 50 meters. Motion of the tethers can be converted to useful energy in any commercially viable manner, for example by driving an electric generator or a water pump.

A launch and recovery system for a tethered airborne element is provided that launches and retrieves the tethered airborne element in a completely unattended manner. The system is comprised of a protective shroud for storing a tethered airborne element, a winch module for releasing the airborne element to fly into the air or retrieving the element from the air, and a bearing for enabling the control of launch and recovery. Optionally, the system is also comprised of a slip ring assembly for providing external power and / or control signals to the winch module. The system can also be equipped with instrumentation modules on the tether line to provide a radio link and high altitude weather information. These modules may also contain other sensors and actuators which will help stabilize the airborne element.

A kite safety, control, and depowering device for a kite having an airfoil with leading and trailing edges, at least two control lines attached to the airfoil and a control flying bar attached to at least two of the control lines. The device features a continuous trim and safety flying line disposed at their lower ends over a rapid depowering apparatus. The depowering apparatus includes means for capturing and rapidly releasing an expansion disposed on the trim line, such that when rapid depowering is required, a simply release mechanism may be actuated to change the angle of attack of the airfoil rapidly.

A kite system with a ground station adapted for airborne power generation. The kite system may include a kite which includes one or more airfoils which have mounted thereon a plurality of turbine driven generators. The turbine driven generators may also function as motor driven propellers in a powered flight mode, which may be used during take-off, which may include aspects of vertical take-off and landing. A perch adapted to facilitate the take-off and landing may be used as part of the system. The perch may pivot such that the pivot is oriented towards the tension direction of the tether.

A bladderless inflatable kite usable to propel humans, wherein the kite foregoes some or all conventional bladder structures. A bladderless or partially bladderless inflatable kite reduces the weight, and reduces problems associated with rubbing between the bladders and the outside layer, or the like. A bladderless kite structure is formed of a material that comprises a laminated mix of carbon and polymer filaments into a laminant structure wherein unidirectional prepreg tapes of in-line plasma treated fibers are spread to mono-filament level films and bonded with a UV absorbing titanium resin.