Flywheel Assembly

Abstract

1. A flywheel assembly comprising: a plurality of stacked plates, a first end plate of the plurality of plates defining a first end of a rotor and a second end plate of the plurality of plates defining a second end of the rotor; and a pair of shafts, each extending from a respective one of the first and second ends of the rotor along an axis of rotation of the rotor, the outer periphery of each of the first and second end plates exhibiting a respective plurality of teeth.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from Israeli patent application S / N 289441, filed on December 27, 2021, and entitled “FLYWHEEL ASSEMBLY.”

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of energy storage, and more particularly to flywheel assemblies. [Background technology]

[0003] The flywheel can be spun to mechanically store energy, which can then be released when desired, for example, by generating electricity with a generator coupled to the flywheel. To operate properly, the flywheel must be balanced, otherwise high speed rotation can cause the flywheel to break. Summary of the Invention

[0004] It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to overcome at least some of the shortcomings of prior art flywheel assemblies by providing a flywheel assembly including a plurality of stacked plates, a first end plate of the plurality of plates defining a first end of a rotor and a second end plate of the plurality of plates defining a second end of the rotor; and a pair of shafts, each extending from a respective one of the first and second ends of the rotor along an axis of rotation of the rotor, wherein an outer periphery of each of the first and second end plates exhibits a respective plurality of teeth.

[0005] In some examples, for each of the first and second end plates, each of the respective plurality of teeth exhibits a respective hole. In some examples, each of the first and second end plates exhibits an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface of the first end plate facing the inner surface of the second end plate, and for each of the first and second end plates, the respective hole extends from the respective outer surface into each of the first and second end plates.

[0006] In some examples, the flywheel assembly further includes a pair of fixing members, each of the pair of fixing members secured to an outer surface of each of the first and second end plates, and each of the pair of shafts secured to each of the pair of fixing members.

[0007] In some examples, the volume of the respective bore for each of the first and second end plates is defined such that the center of mass of the flywheel assembly is located on an axis of rotation extending through the pair of shafts.

[0008] In some examples, the plurality of stacked plates includes a first stack of end plates, a second stack of end plates, and a plurality of stacks of intermediate plates stacked between the first and second stacks of end plates, where the first stack of end plates includes a first end plate and the second stack of end plates includes a second end plate, and an outer periphery of each plate of the first and second stacks of end plates includes a respective plurality of teeth, and each tooth of each plate of the first stack of end plates is aligned with a respective tooth of each of the remainder of the plates of the first stack of end plates, and each tooth of each plate of the second stack of end plates is aligned with a respective tooth of each of the remainder of the plates of the second stack of end plates.

[0009] In some examples, one or more of the holes in the first end plate extend through the first stack of end plates and / or one or more of the holes in the second end plate extend through the second stack of end plates.

[0010] In some examples, the axis of rotation is an axis of symmetry. In some examples, for each of the first and second end plates, each of the respective plurality of teeth does not extend beyond the circumference of each of the plurality of stacked plates.

[0011] In some examples, each of the plurality of stacked plates is circular, and the radii of the plurality of stacked plates are equal to one another. In some examples, the flywheel assembly further includes a filler material, and a respective predetermined amount of the filler material is deposited between each adjacent pair of the plurality of stacked plates.

[0012] In some examples, the respective predetermined amounts of filler are determined so that each pair of adjacent plates are parallel to one another, hi some examples, the filler is an adhesive material.

[0013] In certain examples, the flywheel assembly further includes a plurality of rods, the rotor including a plurality of channels, each channel extending through the plurality of stacked plates from a first end of the rotor to a second end of the rotor, and each of the plurality of rods being inserted into a respective one of the plurality of channels.

[0014] In one separate example, a method for manufacturing a flywheel assembly is provided, the method including: for each of a plurality of stacks of plates, applying a respective quantity of adhesive filler between each pair of adjacent plates; for each of the plurality of stacks of plates, fixing each stack of plates between two parallel reference plates; stacking the plurality of stacks of plates to define a rotor; fixing the stacked stacks of plates to each other; and fixing each of a pair of shafts to respective ends of the rotor.

[0015] In some examples, the multiple stacks of plates include a first stack of end plates, a second stack of end plates, and a stack of multiple intermediate plates stacked between the first and second stacks of end plates, each of the first stack of end plates including a plurality of teeth on its periphery, each tooth of each plate of the first stack of end plates being aligned with a respective tooth of each of the remainder of the plates of the first stack of end plates, each of the second stack of end plates including a plurality of teeth on its periphery, each tooth of each plate of the second stack of end plates being aligned with a respective tooth of each of the remainder of the plates of the second stack of end plates, each tooth of at least one of the first stack of end plates including a respective hole therein, and each tooth of at least one of the second stack of end plates including a respective hole therein, and the method further includes determining a location of a center of mass of the flywheel assembly, and in response to the determined location, enlarging one or more of the plurality of holes such that the center of mass of the flywheel assembly is located on an axis of rotation extending through the pair of shafts.

[0016] In some examples, the method further includes, after solidification of the filler material, forming a plurality of channels in each of the plurality of stacks of plates and inserting a plurality of rods through the formed channels of the plurality of stacks of plates, wherein fixing the stacked stacks of plates to one another is responsive to the inserted rods.

[0017] Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description.

[0018] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. In case of conflict, the present patent specification, including definitions, will control. As used herein, the articles "a" and "an" mean "at least one" or "one or more" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, "and / or" means any one or more of the items in the list joined by "and / or". As an example, "x and / or y" means any element of a three-element stack {(x), (y), (x, y)}. In other words, "x and / or y" means "x, y, or both x and y". As some examples, "x, y, and / or z" means any element of a seven-element stack {(x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}.

[0019] Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, condition A or B is satisfied by any of the following: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist), A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists), and both A and B are true (or exist).

[0020] Additionally, the use of "a" or "an" is employed to describe elements and components of examples of the instant inventive concept. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the inventive concept, and "a" and "an" are intended to include one or at least one, unless otherwise clearly meant, and the singular also includes the plural.

[0021] As used herein, the term "about," when referring to a measurable value such as an amount, temporal duration, etc., is meant to encompass variations of ±10%, more preferably ±5%, even more preferably ±1%, and even more preferably ±0.1% from the specified value, such variations being appropriate for carrying out the disclosed devices and / or methods.

[0022] The following examples and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools, and methods that are intended to be exemplary and explanatory, but not limiting in scope. In various examples, one or more of the problems discussed above are reduced or eliminated, and other examples are directed to other advantages or improvements.

[0023] For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference is now made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate corresponding sections or elements throughout.

[0024] Referring now specifically to the drawings in detail, it is emphasized that the particulars shown are presented by way of example and merely for the purpose of an explanatory discussion of preferred embodiments of the invention, with the objective of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, and the description, read in conjunction with the drawings, will make apparent to those skilled in the art how some forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1A-1C show high-level perspective views of various components of a flywheel assembly, according to some examples. [Diagram 2] 1 depicts a high level flowchart of a method for manufacturing a flywheel assembly, according to some examples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] In the following description, various aspects of the present disclosure are described. For the purpose of explanation, specific configurations and details are piled up so that different aspects of the present disclosure can be fully understood. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be practiced without specific details being presented herein. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified so as not to obscure the present disclosure. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. To avoid undue confusion due to too many reference numerals and leads on a particular drawing, some components are introduced through one or more drawings and are not explicitly identified in all subsequent drawings that include the components.

[0027] FIG. 1A shows a high level perspective view of a flywheel assembly 10. The flywheel assembly 10 includes a plurality of stacked plates 20, each of which exhibits an outer surface 21, an inner surface 22, and an outer periphery 23, and a pair of shafts 30. In some examples, each plate 20 includes a plurality of holes 25, each of which extends from the outer surface 21 to the inner surface 22. In such examples, the holes 25 of each plate 20 align with the holes 25 of adjacent plates 20 to form a plurality of channels 27. The term "channels" as used herein means passages and is not limited to a particular shape and size. The stacked plates 20 define a rotor 40 that extends from a first end 41 to a second end 42. In some examples, a first end plate 20, designated 20A, defines the first end 41 of the rotor 40, and a second end plate 20, designated 20B, defines the second end 41 of the rotor 40.

[0028] In some examples, the flywheel assembly 10 further includes a filler material 45. A respective predetermined amount of the filler material 45 is deposited between each adjacent pair of plates 20. In one further example, the respective predetermined amount of the filler material 45 is defined such that each pair of adjacent plates 20 are parallel to each other. In particular, the outer surface 21 and the inner surface 22 of the plates 20 are not necessarily perfectly straight, which may cause the plates 20 to not be perfectly parallel to each other. Typically, there is a deviation of generally 1-2% in the thickness of each plate 20. This may cause an imbalance in the flywheel assembly 10. For example, for a plate 20 having a thickness of 3 mm, there may be a deviation of 0.03-0.06 mm between the outer surface 21 of each plate 20 and the inner surface 22 of the adjacent plate 20. If the rotor 40 includes 100 plates to obtain a rotor height of 300 mm, the overall deviation error from balance is: e = SQRT(100) * 0.06 = 0.6 mm EQ.1 , which is a significant deviation error that can cause significant imbalance during rotation. Thus, the use of filler material 45 allows the flywheel assembly 10 to be constructed from stacked plates 20 while maintaining its balance. In particular, keeping the plates 20 parallel to one another allows for alignment of the shaft 30 along the axis of rotation 35.

[0029] The filler material 45 pushes each plate 20 parallel to one another. Additionally, due to non-linear surfaces, spaces may form between adjacent plates 20, which may cause the plates 20 to shift and create an imbalance in the flywheel assembly 10. The filler material 45 fills these spaces between adjacent plates 20. In some examples, the filler material 45 is an adhesive material, such as an adhesive.

[0030] As used herein, the term "outer surface" refers to the surface of each plate 20 that faces away from the center point of the rotor 40, which is defined along the length of the rotor 40 measured from the first end 41 to the second end 42. As used herein, the term "inner surface" refers to the surface of each plate 20 that faces toward the center point of the rotor 40.

[0031] In some examples, each plate 20 is circular. In some examples, the thickness of each plate 20, i.e., the distance between the outer surface 21 and the inner surface 22, is about 3 mm. The term "perimeter" as used herein means the area of ​​each plate 20 that surrounds the respective plate 20 and is a distance from the center of the respective plate 20. For example, if the plates 20 are circular, the perimeter is the outer ring of the circle. In one further example, the radii of the plates 20 are equal to each other. The term "shaft" as used herein is not meant to be limited to a particular configuration and shape.

[0032] In some examples, the stacked plates 20 include a plurality of stacks 50 of stacked plates 20. Figure IB shows a high level perspective view of an example of a stack 50 of stacked plates 20, and Figure 1C shows a high level perspective view of an example of a single plate 20. Figure 1C shows a plate 20 without holes 25, but this is not intended to be limiting in any way. In such examples, end plate 20A and end plate 20B each define one end of a respective stack 50 of end plates.

[0033] In some examples, the flywheel assembly 10 further includes a pair of fixing members 60. In one further example, each fixing member 60 includes a plurality of holes 65. In such examples, the holes 65 of each fixing member 60 are aligned with the holes 25 of the respective adjacent plates 20. In some examples, each fixing member 60 exhibits a plurality of arms 67, each arm 67 extending toward a respective hole 25, and each hole 65 being positioned at an end of the respective arm 67. In some examples, the flywheel assembly 10 further includes a plurality of rods 70. As used herein, the term "rod" is meant to include any suitable elongated shape.

[0034] Each shaft 30 extends from each of the first plate 20A and the second plate 20B. In some examples, each fixed member 60 faces the outer surface 21 of each of the first plate 20A and the second plate 20B, and each shaft 30 is fixed to and extends from the respective fixed member 60. The shafts 30 extend along a rotation axis 35 of the rotor 40. The term "rotation axis" as used herein means the axis about which the rotor 40 rotates. In some examples, the rotation axis 35 of the rotor 40 is an axis of symmetry. The term "symmetry axis" as used herein means that each cross-section of the rotor 40 along which the rotation axis 35 extends is symmetrical, and the rotation axis 35 is the line of symmetry of each cross-section.

[0035] In some examples, each rod 70 extends through hole 25 in plate 20, from first end 41 to second end 42 of rotor 40, i.e., through channel 27, and through hole 65 in stationary member 60. In some examples, each rod 70 is secured within its respective hole 65 by a respective screw fastening mechanism.

[0036] In some examples, the perimeter 23 of the first plate 20A exhibits a respective plurality of teeth 80. Similarly, in some examples, the perimeter 23 of the second plate 20B exhibits a respective plurality of teeth 80. The term "teeth" as used herein means that the respective perimeter 23 exhibits a plurality of consecutive sections, each section exhibiting a respective empty section and a respective tooth 80. In some examples, the teeth 80 do not extend beyond the perimeter of the respective plate 20 adjacent thereto. In examples where the plates 20A and 20B each define a respective end of a respective stack 50 of end plates 20, the perimeter 23 of each plate 20 of each stack 50 of end plates 20 includes a respective plurality of teeth 80. Each tooth 80 of each plate 20 of the first stack 50 of end plates 20 is aligned with each respective tooth 80 of the remaining plates 20 of the first stack 50 of end plates 20. The term "remaining" as used herein means all other plates 20. Similarly, each tooth 80 of each plate 20 in the second stack 50 of end plates 20 is aligned with a respective tooth 80 of each of the remaining plates 20 in the second stack 50 of end plates 20. As used herein, the term "aligned" means positioned one above the other such that aligned teeth 80 form a single tooth.

[0037] In some examples, each tooth 80 of the first plate 20A and the second plate 20B exhibits a respective hole 90 extending from the respective outer surface 21 into the respective plate 20. In some examples, some of the teeth 80 do not exhibit a respective hole 90. In some examples, where the plates 20A and 20B define respective ends of a stack 50 of end plates 20, one or more holes 90 extend through the teeth 80 of multiple end plates 20. In some examples, the volume of each hole 90 is defined such that the center of mass of the flywheel assembly 10 is located on the axis of rotation 35, i.e., the axis of rotation 35 and the center of mass intersect at the same point in three-dimensional space. Thus, the holes 90 are utilized to correct any irregularities in the flywheel assembly 10 that cause the center of mass to not be at its center of gravity. It should be noted that the shape of each hole 90 need not be uniform and may exhibit multiple cross-sections of different shapes and / or diameters.

[0038] In operation, the shaft 30 is secured to a respective rotating assembly (not shown) which allows the flywheel assembly 10 to rotate about an axis of rotation 35. Advantageously, because the flywheel assembly 10 is formed from stacked plates 20, if the plates 20 are subjected to a force which would cause structural damage, the entire rotor 40 will not fracture, as would be the case with a flywheel assembly formed from a single rotatable unit. Further advantageously, the flywheel assembly 10 is balanced, thereby providing efficient and safe rotation.

[0039] 2 shows a high level flow chart of a method for manufacturing a flywheel assembly, according to some embodiments. In some examples, the method of FIG. 2 is for manufacturing a flywheel assembly 10, but is not intended to be limiting in any way. In step 1000, a stack of plates is selected and a respective amount of adhesive filler material is applied between each pair of adjacent plates.

[0040] At step 1010, each stack of plates is clamped in a fixture between two parallel reference plates. As used herein, the term "fixture" refers to any device configured to hold a stack of plates in place. The two parallel plates are precisely measured plates and precisely positioned to be parallel to each other. An adhesive filler solidifies to maintain the parallel relationship between the plates of the stack.

[0041] In optional step 1020, after the adhesive filler has solidified, channels are formed in the plates of the stack to allow for the insertion of rods therein, as described above. In optional step 1030, a pair of stacks of end plates are provided, each end plate exhibiting a plurality of teeth on its periphery. Holes are formed in each tooth of at least one end plate of each stack of end plates. In some instances, the volumes of the holes are initially approximately equal to each other.

[0042] In stage 1040, the different stacks of plates are stacked and fixed to each other. Each stack of end plates is fixed to a respective end of the stack of stacked plates such that a stack of middle plates is stacked between two stacks of end plates to define a rotor. The term "middle plate" simply refers to the fact that a middle plate is between the stacks of end plates. In some examples, during the stacking of stage 1040, multiple measurements are taken to improve the accuracy of the stacking.

[0043] Further, each shaft is secured to the center of each end of the rotor. In some examples, the stack of plates is secured together by tie rods that are inserted into the holes created in step 1020. In some examples, the stack of plates is further secured together by applying respective amounts of adhesive filler therebetween.

[0044] In optional step 1050, the location of the center of mass of the constructed assembly of step 1040 is determined. The location of the center of mass is determined using a balancing machine, as known to those skilled in the art. In response to the determined location of the center of mass not being located on the axis of rotation extending through the pair of shafts, one or more of the tooth holes are enlarged accordingly to adjust the location of the center of mass until it is located on the axis of rotation of the shafts. As used herein, the term "enlarge" means to increase its volume. The volume of the hole can be increased by increasing the depth of the hole, i.e. the distance the hole extends into the rotor, and / or by increasing the diameter / width of the hole. It is noted that the diameter / width of the hole can be increased only along a portion of the length of the hole.

[0045] While the flywheel assembly 10 has been described above in examples including holes 90 and stacked plates 20 having filler 45 therebetween, this is not intended to be limiting in any way. Notably, in some examples, the flywheel assembly 10 is provided without filler 45 between its plates 20. In some examples, the flywheel assembly 10 is not formed from stacked plates 20, but rather from a single cylindrical element. In some examples, the holes 90 are not provided. In some examples, the end plates 20A and 20B having teeth 80 are not provided.

[0046] It will be appreciated that certain features of the invention that are, for clarity, described in the context of separate examples, can also be provided in combination in a single example. Conversely, various features of the invention that are, for brevity, described in the context of a single example, can also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.

[0047] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods are described herein.

[0048] All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

[0049] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein, but rather, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and subcombinations of the various features described herein, as well as variations and modifications thereof that will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

Claims

1. A flywheel assembly, comprising: a plurality of stacked plates, a first end plate of the plurality of plates defining a first end of a rotor and a second end plate of the plurality of plates defining a second end of the rotor; a pair of shafts, each shaft extending from a first end and a second end of the rotor along a rotational axis of the rotor; Including, a flywheel assembly, wherein the outer periphery of each of the first end plate and the second end plate exhibits a respective plurality of teeth;

2. 2. The flywheel assembly of claim 1, wherein for each of said first end plate and said second end plate, each of said respective plurality of teeth defines a respective hole.

3. each of the first end plate and the second end plate exhibits an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface of the first end plate facing the inner surface of the second end plate; 3. The flywheel assembly of claim 2, wherein for each of the first end plate and the second end plate, the respective holes extend from a respective outer surface into the respective first end plate and the respective second end plate.

4. The flywheel assembly further includes a pair of fixing members, each of which is fixed to an outer surface of each of the first end plate and the second end plate; The flywheel assembly according to claim 3 , wherein each of said pair of shafts is fixed to each of said pair of fixing members.

5. 3. The flywheel assembly of claim 2, wherein the volume of the respective hole in each of the first end plate and the second end plate is defined so that the center of mass of the flywheel assembly is located on an axis of rotation extending through the pair of shafts.

6. the plurality of stacked plates includes a first stack of end plates, a second stack of end plates, and a plurality of stacks of intermediate plates stacked between the first stack of end plates and the second stack of end plates; the first stack of end plates includes the first end plate, and the second stack of end plates includes the second end plate; 3. The flywheel assembly of claim 2, wherein the outer periphery of each plate in the first stack of end plates and the second stack of end plates includes a respective plurality of teeth, each tooth of each plate in the first stack of end plates aligned with a respective tooth of each remaining plate in the first stack of end plates, and each tooth of each plate in the second stack of end plates aligned with a respective tooth of each remaining plate in the second stack of end plates.

7. 7. The flywheel assembly of claim 6, wherein one or more of the holes in the first end plate extend through more than one of the first stack of end plates and / or one or more of the holes in the second end plate extend through more than one of the second stack of end plates.

8. 2. The flywheel assembly of claim 1, wherein said axis of rotation is an axis of symmetry.

9. 2. The flywheel assembly of claim 1, wherein for each of said first end plate and said second end plate, each of said respective plurality of teeth does not extend beyond the circumference of each of said plurality of stacked plates.

10. each of the plurality of stacked plates is circular; The flywheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the radii of the plurality of stacked plates are equal to one another.

11. A flywheel assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the flywheel assembly further includes a filler material, and a predetermined amount of each of the filler material is deposited between each adjacent pair of the plurality of stacked plates.

12. 12. The flywheel assembly of claim 11, wherein each respective predetermined amount of filler material is determined so that each pair of adjacent plates are parallel to one another.

13. The flywheel assembly of claim 11 , wherein the filler material is an adhesive material.

14. The flywheel assembly further comprising a plurality of rods; the rotor includes a plurality of channels, each channel extending through the plurality of stacked plates from a first end of the rotor to a second end of the rotor; The flywheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of rods is inserted into a respective one of said plurality of channels.

15. 1. A method for manufacturing a flywheel assembly, the method comprising: applying, for each of the plurality of stacks of plates, a respective predetermined amount of adhesive filler material between each pair of adjacent plates; for each of the plurality of stacks of plates, fixing the respective stack of plates between two parallel reference plates; stacking a plurality of stacks of said plates to define a rotor; fastening the stack of plates together; fixing a pair of shafts to respective ends of the rotor; A method comprising:

16. The plurality of stacks of plates comprises a first stack of end plates, a second stack of end plates, and a stack of a plurality of intermediate plates stacked between the first stack of end plates and the second stack of end plates; each of said first stack of end plates includes a plurality of teeth on its periphery, each tooth of each plate of said first stack of end plates being aligned with a respective tooth of each of the remainder of the plates of said first stack of end plates; each of said second stack of end plates includes a plurality of teeth on its periphery, each tooth of each plate of said second stack of end plates being aligned with a respective tooth of each of the remainder of the plates of said second stack of end plates; each tooth of at least one of the first stack of end plates includes a respective hole therein, and each tooth of at least one of the second stack of end plates includes a respective hole therein; The method comprises: determining a location of the center of mass of the flywheel assembly; enlarging one or more of the plurality of holes in response to the determined position such that a center of mass of the flywheel assembly is located on an axis of rotation extending through the pair of shafts; 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

17. forming a plurality of channels in each of the plurality of stacks of plates after the filler material has solidified; inserting a plurality of rods through formed channels of the plurality of stacks of plates, wherein securing the stacked stacks of plates to one another is responsive to the inserted rods; 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

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