Solar sail folding and unfolding device

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of sailing ship navigation assistance, and discloses a solar sail folding and releasing device, comprising a base, a bracket mounted on the base for horizontal rotation, and a sail assembly mounted on the bracket for vertical rotation. The sail assembly has a horizontal sail folding position and a vertical sail folding position during rotation. The bracket comprises a rotating seat and a lifting shaft. The sail assembly is rotatably mounted on the lifting shaft. The lifting shaft has an entry position for driving the sail assembly into the rotating seat during lifting. The rotating seat has a rotating space for the sail assembly to rotate. The sail assembly rotates to the horizontal sail folding position, and the sail is retracted to maintain the stability of the hull; the lifting shaft moves up and down on the rotating seat to the entry position, and the sail assembly can rotate around the lifting shaft in the rotating space. The base can drive the rotating seat to rotate horizontally, so that the sail assembly can be flexibly rotated in three-dimensional space to receive sunlight, thereby improving the utilization rate of solar energy after the sail is folded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of sailboat navigation assistance, and in particular to a solar sail folding and releasing device. Background Art

[0002] Nowadays, energy and environmental issues are becoming increasingly prominent, and people are paying more and more attention to the research on energy-saving technology on ships. Under the strategic background of calling for energy conservation and emission reduction, the shipbuilding industry, which has a huge proportion of energy consumption, is in urgent need of improvement, and sail-aided navigation technology is a breakthrough. As the public's call for the use of environmentally friendly energy increases, we have to focus on clean energy. Solar energy and wind energy are the main representatives of clean energy, and these two energy sources are valued in the application of energy substitution. Wind energy has been applied to ship technology for a long time.

[0003] By using both wind and solar energy on a sail, energy conservation and environmental protection can be achieved. The method is to place solar panels on the sail and use solar energy to generate electricity. The solar panels embedded on the sail need to be oriented in the direction of the strongest sunlight to maximize the efficiency of solar energy conversion. The angle of sunlight reception can be adjusted by rotating the sail.

[0004] In the actual sailing process, the wind is uncertain. In order to make the sail-aided navigation achieve the best effect, it is necessary to control the sail angle to always be at the best windward angle according to the wind direction and the heading of the ship during sailing. Usually, a self-adjusting angle of attack device is installed at the lower end of the sail's support pole to rotate the sail surface to adjust the best windward angle. The self-adjusting angle of attack device is an existing general device and will not be described in detail.

[0005] However, in severe weather conditions or when the wind speed is too high, a sail-furling device is required to perform sail-furling and sail-retracting operations to ensure the stability of the ship. The sail-furling and sail-retracting device requires the sail to be able to flexibly adjust the attitude angle on different planes. However, the current sail-furling and sail-retracting device has a relatively complex structure for adjusting the angle of the sail. At the same time, the sail cannot be adjusted to receive sunlight after being retracted, which affects the utilization effect of solar energy after the sail is folded. Summary of the invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solar sail folding and releasing device to solve the problem that the device structure for adjusting the sail angle in the prior art is relatively complex, and the sail cannot be adjusted to receive sunlight after being retracted, which affects the utilization effect of solar energy after the sail is folded and released.

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a solar sail folding and launching device, comprising a base, a bracket horizontally rotatably mounted on the base, and a sail assembly vertically rotatably mounted on the bracket, the sail assembly having a sail-folding position for rotating to a horizontal state and a sail-floating position for rotating to a vertical state during rotation, the bracket comprising a swivel seat rotatably mounted on the base and a lifting shaft arranged on the swivel seat for lifting and lowering in a vertical direction, the sail assembly being rotatably mounted on the lifting shaft, the lifting shaft having an entry position for driving the sail assembly to enter the swivel seat during lifting and lowering, and the swivel seat having a rotation space for the sail assembly to rotate around the lifting shaft in the swivel seat.

[0008] Preferably, the swivel seat includes a rotating shaft rotatably mounted on the base and a U-shaped frame fixed on the rotating shaft, the U-shaped frame includes a lower support rod connected to the rotating shaft and side support rods vertically arranged at both ends of the lower support rod, both ends of the lifting shaft are vertically slidably mounted on the two side support rods, and the interval between the lifting shaft and the lower support rod defines the rotating space.

[0009] Preferably, the lowest lifting point of the lifting shaft is not lower than the midpoint of the side support rod.

[0010] Preferably, hydraulic telescopic rods are respectively arranged in the two side support rods, and both ends of the lifting shaft are respectively fixed on the two hydraulic telescopic rods. The side support rods are provided with sliding grooves for the lifting shaft to pass through.

[0011] Preferably, the sail assembly includes a fixing frame rotatably mounted on the lifting shaft, a solar sail fixed on the fixing frame, and a driving member driving the fixing frame to rotate around the lifting shaft, and a limiting mechanism for limiting the rotational travel of the fixing frame is arranged between the fixing frame and the lifting shaft.

[0012] Preferably, the fixing frame comprises a sleeve sleeved on the lifting shaft and a fixing rod fixed on the sleeve, there are two fixing rods, the two fixing rods are cross-arranged in an X shape, and the solar sail is fixed on the fixing rods.

[0013] Preferably, a positioning block is fixed on the inner side of the sleeve, and a positioning groove for the positioning block to be embedded in is opened on the lifting shaft. The positioning groove extends along the circumference of the lifting shaft, and the positioning block and the positioning groove form the limiting mechanism.

[0014] Preferably, the positioning groove is a quarter arc groove.

[0015] Preferably, the driving member is a hydraulic motor arranged on the lifting rod, and the hydraulic motor is drivingly connected to the sleeve.

[0016] Preferably, bearings are arranged at both axial ends of the sleeve, and the bearings are fixedly sleeved on the lifting shaft.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the solar sail folding and releasing device according to the embodiment of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the sail assembly is assembled on the lifting shaft in a vertical direction, and when the sail needs to be folded under severe weather conditions or special circumstances such as excessive wind speed, the sail assembly is rotated to a horizontal folding position, at which time the sail is retracted to maintain the stability of the hull; at the same time, the lifting shaft moves up and down on the rotating seat to an entry position, and the sail assembly enters the rotating seat with the lifting shaft, and the rotating seat has a rotating space, and the sail assembly can rotate around the lifting shaft in the rotating space, and at the same time, the base can drive the rotating seat to rotate horizontally, so that the sail assembly can flexibly rotate in three-dimensional space to receive sunlight, thereby improving the utilization rate of solar energy after the sail is folded. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the solar sail folding and unfolding device of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the assembly of the sleeve and the lifting shaft of the solar sail retracting and launching device;

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the side support rods of the solar sail retracting and launching device;

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the solar sail retracting and launching device in the retracted sail position.

[0022] In the figure, 1, base; 2, self-adjusting angle of attack device; 3, bracket; 31, swivel seat; 32, lifting shaft; 33, rotating shaft; 34, U-shaped frame; 341, lower support rod; 342, side support rod; 35, slide groove; 4, sail assembly; 41, solar sail; 42, fixing frame; 421, sleeve; 422, fixing rod; 43, hydraulic motor; 44, positioning block; 45, positioning groove; 5, hydraulic controller; 6, detection sensor; 7, hydraulic telescopic rod; 8, telescopic rod oil tank; 9, motor oil tank; 10, bearing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The specific implementation of the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0024] A preferred embodiment of a solar sail folding and unfolding device of the present invention is as follows: Figures 1 to 4As shown, the solar sail folding and launching device includes a base 1, a self-adjusting angle of attack device 2, a bracket 3, a sail assembly 4 and a hydraulic control device. The bracket 3 is horizontally rotatably mounted on the base 1, that is, the bracket 3 can rotate in a horizontal plane, and the sail assembly 4 is vertically rotatably mounted on the bracket 3, that is, the sail assembly 4 can rotate around the bracket 3 in a vertical plane.

[0025] The self-adjusting angle of attack device 2 is used to control the rotation angle of the bracket 3 in the horizontal plane. A detection sensor 6 for detecting wind speed and wind direction is fixed on the sail assembly 4. The detection sensor 6 is connected to the signal of the self-adjusting angle of attack device 2. The detection sensor 6 transmits the wind speed and wind direction signals to the self-adjusting angle of attack device 2. The self-adjusting angle of attack device 2 adjusts the horizontal rotation of the bracket 3 on the base 1 according to the wind speed and wind direction signals to adjust the windward angle of the sail surface. The self-adjusting angle of attack device 2 is an existing structure and will not be described in detail here.

[0026] The bracket 3 includes a rotating seat 31 and a lifting shaft 32. The rotating seat 31 is rotatably assembled on the base 1. The rotating seat 31 includes a rotating shaft 33 and a U-shaped frame 34. The rotating shaft 33 is rotatably assembled on the base 1 through a bearing 10. The bearing 10 can reduce the resistance between the rotating shaft 33 and the base 1. The central axis of the rotating shaft 33 extends in the vertical direction. The U-shaped frame 34 includes a lower support rod 341 and a side support rod 342. The lower support rod 341 extends in the horizontal direction. The lower support rod 341 is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 33. The side support rod 342 is vertically arranged on the lower support rod 341. There are two side support rods 342, and the two side support rods 342 are respectively fixed at both ends of the lower support rod 341. According to the real-time wind conditions at sea, the self-adjusting angle of attack device 2 drives the rotating shaft 33 to rotate according to the signal of the detection sensor 6. When the rotating shaft 33 rotates, the U-shaped frame 34 is driven to rotate 360 ​​degrees in the horizontal plane through the lower support rod 341, thereby adjusting the windward angle of the sail component 4 to the maximum angle of attack, so that the sail component 4 can bring the maximum propulsion force to the ship, maximize the propulsion efficiency, and at the same time improve the adaptability of the ship.

[0027] The lifting shaft 32 is arranged on the U-shaped frame 34 for lifting, and the lifting shaft 32 extends in the horizontal direction. The side support rod 342 is provided with a slide groove 35 extending in the vertical direction, and the two ends of the lifting shaft 32 pass through the slide groove 35 and are guided and assembled in the slide groove 35. The two side support rods 342 are respectively fixed with hydraulic telescopic rods 7, and the piston rods of the hydraulic telescopic rods 7 are respectively fixedly connected to the axial ends of the lifting shaft 32. When the piston rods of the hydraulic telescopic rods 7 are extended and retracted, the lifting shaft 32 is driven to rise and fall in the vertical direction.

[0028] The bottom end of the chute 35 is located at the axial midpoint of the side support rod 342. The lowest point of the lifting shaft 32 during lifting is the midpoint of the side support rod 342. When the lifting shaft 32 falls to the lowest point, the lifting shaft 32 drives the sail assembly 4 to move into the U-shaped frame 34. At this time, the lifting shaft 32 is in the entry position into the rotating seat 31. The chute 35 has a positioning effect on the lifting shaft 32, so that there is a gap between the lifting shaft 32 and the lower support rod 341. The gap forms a rotation space for the sail assembly 4 to rotate around the lifting shaft 32, ensuring that the sail assembly 4 can also rotate vertically when it is in the sail-retracting position. With the rotation of the rotating seat 31 in the horizontal plane, the sail assembly 4 can rotate in three-dimensional space, adjust the solar panel to the best angle of incidence of sunlight, facilitate the reception of sunlight, maximize the utilization of solar energy, improve the utilization rate of wind energy and solar energy, and reduce the energy consumption of the ship.

[0029] The sail assembly 4 is vertically rotatably assembled on the lifting shaft 32 of the bracket 3. The sail assembly 4 includes a fixing frame 42, a solar sail 41 and a driving member. The detection sensor 6 is fixed on the top of the solar sail 41. The solar sail 41 is a symmetrically arranged wing-shaped sail embedded with solar panels. The wing-shaped sail has a rectangular structure as a whole. The wing-shaped sail is made of hard material, has a simple shape, and has better aerodynamic performance and stability than a traditional soft sail.

[0030] The fixing frame 42 includes a sleeve 421 and a fixing rod 422. The sleeve 421 is sleeved on the lifting shaft 32. Both ends of the sleeve 421 are rotatably assembled with the lifting shaft 32 through bearings 10. The solar sail 41 is fixedly assembled on the fixing rod 422. The fixing rod 422 is fixedly assembled on the sleeve 421. When the sleeve 421 rotates on the lifting shaft 32, it can drive the fixing rod 422 to rotate, thereby driving the solar sail 41 to rotate around the lifting shaft 32 in the vertical plane. There are two fixing rods 422, and the two fixing rods 422 are arranged in an X-shape. The intersection of the two fixing rods 422 is fixedly connected to the sleeve 421. Both the sleeve 421 and the fixing rod 422 are metal structures. The sleeve 421 and the fixing rod 422 are welded and fixed. The cross-arranged fixing rods 422 form a multi-point fixation for the solar sail 41, which can ensure the stability of the solar sail 41.

[0031] The driving member is a hydraulic motor 43 arranged in the lifting shaft 32. The hydraulic motor 43 is fixed in the middle of the lifting shaft 32. The hydraulic motor 43 is connected to the sleeve 421 in a transmission manner. The hydraulic motor 43 drives the sleeve 421 to rotate on the lifting shaft 32. A positioning block 44 is fixed on the inner side of the sleeve 421. A positioning groove 45 is provided on the lifting shaft 32. A portion of the positioning block 44 exceeds the inner wall of the sleeve 421 and is embedded in the positioning groove 45. When the hydraulic motor 43 drives the sleeve 421 to rotate on the lifting shaft 32, the positioning block 44 rotates in the positioning groove 45. The positioning groove 45 positions the rotation angle of the lifting shaft 32 through the positioning block 44. The positioning groove 45 is a quarter arc groove extending along the circumference of the lifting shaft 32. The two ends of the positioning groove 45 are respectively at the top and the middle of the lifting shaft 32. The positioning hole can rotate within the range of 0 to 90 degrees in the positioning groove 45, driving the sail assembly 4 to rotate within the range of 0 to 90 degrees.

[0032] The hydraulic motor 43 drives the metal sleeve 421 to rotate on the lifting shaft 32. When the positioning block 44 rotates to the top of the positioning slot 45 and contacts the positioning slot 45, the fixing frame 42 rotates to the extreme position, and the solar sail 41 is in a vertical state. At this time, the sail assembly 4 is in the sail-release position, and the windward surface of the solar sail 41 is the largest; when the positioning hole rotates to the bottom of the positioning slot 45 and contacts the positioning slot 45, the fixing frame 42 rotates to another extreme position, and the solar sail 41 is in a horizontal state. At this time, the sail assembly 4 is in the sail-retracting position, and the windward surface of the solar sail 41 is the smallest, which is suitable for keeping the hull stable in bad weather.

[0033] The hydraulic control device includes a telescopic rod oil tank 8, a motor oil tank 9 and a hydraulic controller 5. The hydraulic controller 5 is a shipboard computer of the ship. Pipelines are provided in the rotating shaft 33, the lower support rod 341, the side support rod 342 and the lifting shaft 32. The telescopic rod oil tank 8 and the hydraulic telescopic rod 7, and the motor oil tank 9 and the hydraulic motor 43 are connected through pipelines. The telescopic rod oil tank 8 and the motor oil tank 9 are both provided on the base 1. The hydraulic controller 5 is connected to them through pipelines. The hydraulic controller 5 is used to automatically distribute the hydraulic oil circuits of the telescopic rod oil tank 8, the motor oil tank 9 and the self-adjusting angle of attack device 2, and then control the hydraulic telescopic rod 7, the hydraulic motor 43 and the self-adjusting angle of attack device 2 to work in coordination.

[0034] The working principle of the solar sail folding and unfolding device of the present invention is:

[0035] The cross section of the solar sail 41 is two symmetrical thin airfoils. According to the Bernoulli principle of "increased flow velocity and reduced pressure", when a sailboat is hit by wind with a certain angle of attack, its force acting on the side will be relatively reduced. That is to say, the greater the gas flow velocity, the greater the dynamic pressure and the smaller the static pressure. The smaller the flow velocity, the smaller the dynamic pressure and the greater the static pressure. Since the airflow in front of the sail has to travel a longer distance to meet the airflow behind the sail, the flow velocity is accelerated, so that the airflow in front of the sail and behind the sail have different flow velocities, and also produce a pressure difference. The pressure difference between the front and rear surfaces produces lift on the sail surface, and the resultant force is the thrust generated by the solar sail 41.

[0036] Since the force on the sail surface is different at different attack angles, the generated transverse drift force is also different. By optimizing the sail attack angle and optimizing the sail cross-section force, not only can the sail receive the maximum propulsion force at the optimal attack angle, but also the transverse drift force can offset and reduce the torque of the bracket 3 and the base 1. The symmetrical sail surface has a certain regularity within the circumference, and according to this regularity, the rotation angle of the self-adjusting attack angle device 2 can be reduced, and the flexibility of the entire device can be increased.

[0037] Since solar panels are light and can be laid along the sail surface and have little effect on the force on the sail, a certain number of solar panels are embedded on the sail surface to absorb sunlight and convert solar radiation energy directly or indirectly into electrical energy through photoelectric effect or photochemical effect. The power generation power of solar panels is affected by the intensity of light. This device can adjust the incident angle of sunlight through the above operation to ensure that the solar panels can receive the strongest sunlight during operation and obtain the maximum power generation efficiency.

[0038] The working process of the present invention is as follows: when the ship is sailing normally, the hydraulic controller 5 controls the hydraulic motor 43 to rotate and keep the solar sail 41 in a vertical state, the sail assembly 4 is in the sail-release position, and the wind condition information detected by the detection sensor 6 is transmitted to the self-adjusting angle of attack device 2, the self-adjusting angle of attack device 2 automatically calculates the deflection angle of the sail, and at the same time transmits the signal to the hydraulic controller 5, the hydraulic controller 5 controls the distribution of hydraulic oil to make the self-adjusting angle of attack device 2 control the bracket 3 to rotate horizontally, drive the sail assembly 4 to rotate horizontally, and then adjust to the optimal angle of attack of the sail;

[0039] When encountering special circumstances such as bad weather and needing to retract the sails, the hydraulic controller 5 controls the hydraulic oil in the motor oil tank 9 to pass through the pipeline to the hydraulic motor 43, the hydraulic motor 43 drives the sleeve 421 to rotate and drives the positioning block 44 to rotate in the positioning groove 45, the sleeve 421 drives the fixing frame 42 and the solar sail 41 to rotate between 0 and 90 degrees, when the positioning block 44 rotates to the bottom limit of the positioning groove 45, the solar sail 41 is horizontal, and the sail assembly 4 is in the sail-retracting position; the hydraulic control controls the hydraulic telescopic rod 7 to start contracting, the lifting shaft 32 drives the sail assembly 4 to move downward, when the lifting shaft 32 moves to the lowest position, the sail assembly 4 enters the rotating seat 31 to achieve sail retraction; after the sail is retracted, according to the incident direction of the sun's rays, the hydraulic motor 43 can control the sail assembly 4 to rotate in the rotating space, so that the solar panel always obtains the strongest light, thereby maximizing the utilization rate of solar energy.

[0040] In summary, an embodiment of the present invention provides a solar sail folding and releasing device, wherein a sail assembly is rotatably mounted on a lifting shaft in a vertical direction. When the sail needs to be folded under severe weather conditions or special circumstances such as excessive wind speed, the sail assembly rotates to a horizontal folding position. At this time, the sail is retracted to maintain the stability of the hull. At the same time, the lifting shaft moves up and down on the rotating seat to an entry position, and the sail assembly enters the rotating seat with the lifting shaft. The rotating seat has a rotating space, and the sail assembly can rotate around the lifting shaft in the rotating space. At the same time, the base drives the rotating seat to rotate horizontally, so that the sail assembly can flexibly rotate in three-dimensional space to receive sunlight, thereby improving the utilization rate of solar energy after the sail is folded.

[0041] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and substitutions should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A solar sail folding and unfolding device, characterized in that: The sail assembly comprises a base, a bracket mounted on the base for horizontal rotation, and a sail assembly mounted on the bracket for vertical rotation, wherein the sail assembly has a position for retracting the sail when rotating to a horizontal state and a position for releasing the sail when rotating to a vertical state, the bracket comprises a swivel seat mounted on the base for rotation and a lifting shaft arranged on the swivel seat for lifting and lowering in a vertical direction, the sail assembly is swivel mounted on the lifting shaft, the lifting shaft has an entry position for driving the sail assembly into the swivel seat during lifting and lowering, the swivel seat has a rotation space for the sail assembly to rotate around the lifting shaft in the swivel seat, the sail assembly comprises a fixing frame mounted on the lifting shaft for rotation, a sunshade fixed on the fixing frame The solar sail is provided with a driving member for driving the fixed frame to rotate around the lifting shaft, a limiting mechanism for limiting the rotation stroke of the fixed frame is arranged between the fixed frame and the lifting shaft, the fixed frame comprises a sleeve sleeved on the lifting shaft and a fixing rod fixed on the sleeve, there are two fixing rods, and the two fixing rods are arranged crosswise in an X shape, the solar sail is fixed on the fixing rod, a positioning block is fixed on the inner side of the sleeve, a positioning groove for the positioning block to be embedded in the lifting shaft is provided on the lifting shaft, the positioning groove extends along the circumference of the lifting shaft, the positioning block and the positioning groove form the limiting mechanism, the driving member is a hydraulic motor arranged on the lifting shaft, and the hydraulic motor is drivingly connected to the sleeve.

2. The solar sail folding and releasing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The swivel seat includes a rotating shaft rotatably mounted on the base and a U-shaped frame fixed on the rotating shaft, the U-shaped frame includes a lower support rod connected to the rotating shaft and side support rods vertically arranged at both ends of the lower support rod, the two ends of the lifting shaft are vertically slidably mounted on the two side support rods, and the interval between the lifting shaft and the lower support rod forms the rotating space.

3. The solar sail folding and releasing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lowest lifting point of the lifting shaft is not lower than the midpoint of the side support rod.

4. The solar sail folding and releasing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: Hydraulic telescopic rods are arranged in the two side support rods respectively, and the two ends of the lifting shaft are respectively fixed on the two hydraulic telescopic rods. The side support rods are provided with sliding grooves for the lifting shaft to pass through.

5. The solar sail folding and releasing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The positioning groove is a quarter arc groove.

6. The solar sail folding and releasing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Bearings are arranged at both axial ends of the sleeve, and the bearings are fixedly sleeved on the lifting shaft.

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