Rollover prevention device of base unit for flying kite

Abstract

To prevent upset or falling caused by tension from a kite in a base unit for flying the kite from above the water or from the ground.SOLUTION: A rollover prevention device (1) of a base unit (100) includes: a position restriction unit (2) for restricting pay-out / take-in positions from the base unit of a tether (102) to which a kite (101) is attached; and a cancelling unit (3) attached to the base unit for at least partially cancelling a moment generated by tension received from the tether with the position restriction unit as a power point.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an anti-capsize device that prevents capsizing or tipping due to tension from a kite in a floating unit such as a yacht that floats on the water, or a base unit that is constructed as a ground unit that runs / stops on the ground or on land, which constitutes various systems such as a tethered wind power generation system, observation system, transportation system, and communication system that utilizes a kite launched from the water or land. [Background technology]

[0002] As this type of floating unit, various types of sail-equipped boats that hoist kites have been proposed (see Patent Document 1). With these technologies, even if the wind force on the sail or tension from the kite is generated in response to the wind, it is expected that the boat will not capsize so easily thanks to traditional ballast and other technologies that stabilize the boat's position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2007-532408 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, according to the background art described above, the direction and strength of the tension that the floating unit or the ground unit receives from the kite via the tether changes depending on the wind direction and speed, as well as the sailing direction and speed. This tension from the kite causes the floating unit to tilt to a greater or lesser extent, and if no countermeasures are taken, it may capsize or sink. While traditional yachts and other vessels with ballast extending from the bottom of the vessel toward the seabed can withstand the wind force on the sail, they have the technical problem of not being sufficient to counter the tension, the direction and strength of which change from the kite, which moves freely from side to side. Furthermore, for example, a ground unit such as a dedicated vehicle that hoists a kite while traveling or stopping on land can also capsize or tip over due to the tension from the kite, and this presents the same technical problem as the floating unit described above.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-capsize device that can prevent capsizing or tipping over due to tension from a kite, for example, in a base unit that launches a kite from water or land. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the anti-capsize device for a base unit for hoisting a kite according to the present invention is an anti-capsize device that prevents the base unit for hoisting a kite from capsizing, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and is equipped with a position determination unit that determines the payout / receive position of a tether to the tip of which the kite is attached from the base unit, and a cancellation unit that is attached to the base unit and at least partially cancels out the moment generated by the tension received from the tether with the position determination unit as the force point. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the anti-capsize device according to one aspect of the present invention, when a kite moves around in the wind, tension from the tether attached to the tip of the kite generates a moment with the position determining part as the force point and the center of gravity of the base unit as the fulcrum. However, by further providing a counteracting part, it is possible to cancel this generated moment to some extent, or ideally completely.

[0008] Such effects of the present invention will become more apparent from the embodiments of the invention described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the anti-capsize device provided in the floating body unit according to the first embodiment, together with its main parts. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic partial side view partially showing the configuration of an anti-capsize device provided in a floating body unit according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] First, a capsizing prevention device provided on a floating body unit that hoists kites according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. In this embodiment, a floating body unit or an offshore unit such as a yacht, together with a kite unit including kites to be hoisted from the floating body unit, constitutes a tethered wind power generation system.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the floating body unit 100 according to this embodiment constitutes an example of a "base unit" and includes an anti-capsize device 1, a mast 10, a sail 11, hulls 12a and 12b, and a deck 13 on which the mast 10 is erected and mounted on the hulls 12a and 12b. The floating body unit 100 also includes equipment necessary for tether-type wind power generation, such as a winch (not shown). This winch is configured to perform a winding / releasing operation to reel in / out the tether 102 via a movable pulley 2 when hoisting the kite 101, and also to function as a motor generator for wind power generation.

[0012] The mast 10 and sail 11 are configured to enable the floating unit 100 to sail as a yacht. The hulls 12a and 12b are attached to the deck 13 facing the water surface and are used to float the floating unit 100 on the water by their buoyancy, and may also function as ballast by adjusting the amount of water stored inside. In this way, the floating unit 100 is constructed as a catamaran with excellent sailing performance and stability. Such a floating unit 100 may be floated on any type of water, such as on the sea or ocean, or on a lake, river, etc.

[0013] The anti-capsize device 1 includes a movable pulley 2, which constitutes an example of a "position determining unit," a guide arm 3, and a counterweight 4, which constitutes an example of a "counterbalancing unit." The movable pulley 2 is attached to one end of the guide arm 3, and the counterweight 4 is attached to the other end. The guide arm 3 is configured to be able to passively rotate in a horizontal plane by being pulled around the mast 10 by a tether 102, or to be able to actively rotate in a horizontal plane by a rotary motor (not shown) or the like.

[0014] The movable pulley 2 determines the position for letting out / retracting the tether 102 at a position where the tether 102 and kite 101 do not interfere with the mast 10 and sail 11 or other parts or structures of the floating body unit 100. The movable pulley 2 is configured so that, at this position, the letting out / retracting of the tether 102 is performed via the movable pulley 2 by the rotational drive of a winch (not shown).

[0015] The kites 101 may be configured so that the area of ​​the kites 101 is reduced when the kites 101 are retrieved or stored in the floating unit 100 by retracting the tethers 102, which preferably reduces the air resistance of the kites 101 when the floating unit 100 is sailing or anchoring. For this purpose, existing technologies such as a folding or inflatable structure may be adopted for the kites 101.

[0016] Since the first embodiment is configured as described above in detail, even if the kites 101 fly around in various directions and the tether 102 moves around in various directions accordingly, the movable pulley 2 can prevent the tether 102 or the kites 101 from interfering with structures on the floating body unit 100, such as the sail 11. In this case, due to the constraint of not interfering, the movable pulley 2 is arranged more or less distant in the horizontal direction from the center of gravity of the floating body unit 100, depending on the size and arrangement of the structures on the floating body unit 100, such as the sail 11. By the amount of this distance, the moment generated by the tension from the tether 102 with the movable pulley 2 as the point of force or point of action, mainly with the center of gravity of the floating body unit 100 as the fulcrum, is inevitably larger.

[0017] However, by further providing a counterweight 4, it is possible to cancel such a moment to some extent, or ideally completely. Here, the counterweight 4 may be a counterweight that exerts gravity, or a float that exerts buoyancy (i.e., a float that exerts buoyancy by being submerged in the sea or water). In this way, interference between the tether 102 or kite 101 and the sail 11, etc. is reliably prevented, and at the same time, the counterweight 4 can reliably and relatively easily reduce or prevent any extra moment that may be generated as a result and contribute to capsizing.

[0018] Next, a capsize prevention device provided on a floating body unit for hoisting a kite according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the relative positional relationship between the counterweight 4 and the center of gravity of the floating body unit 100 or the attachment position of the movable pulley 2 (in other words, the position of the force point where the tension of the tether 102 acts, or the position where gravity or buoyancy due to the counterweight 4 is applied) can be changed in the horizontal or vertical direction, i.e., the guide arm 3 can be actively moved in the horizontal or vertical direction. In other respects, the second embodiment is generally similar to the first embodiment. Note that in Figures 3 and 4, the same components as those in the first embodiment described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0019] 3 and 4, in the second embodiment, the anti-rollover device 1 further includes a movement device 6 that can move the guide arm 3 in the horizontal direction as shown by arrow A1 and in the vertical direction as shown by arrow A2. The movement device 6 includes, for example, an electric, electromagnetic, mechanical, or other actuator or motor, and a control unit that controls the drive of such actuator or motor by computer, and is configured to be able to move the guide arm 3 to the side that has the greatest effect of counteracting the moment caused by the tension of the tether 102 described above.

[0020] Since the second embodiment is configured as described above in detail, by moving the counterweight 4 together with or on the guide arm 3 in the horizontal direction along the guide arm 3 or in the vertical direction intersecting the guide arm 3, it is possible to relatively quickly and easily cancel out the moment that may contribute to capsizing. Furthermore, even if capsizing does not occur, it is possible to reduce or prevent the floating body unit 100 from swinging or tilting due to the moment caused by the tension of the kites 101. Note that "large canceling effect" here means that the moment generated by the counterweight 4 is nearly equal in magnitude to the moment caused by the tension of the tether 102 in the opposite direction, and needless to say, does not mean that "the moment generated by the counterweight 4 is large."

[0021] As a modification of the second embodiment, the counterweight 4 may be configured to at least partially cancel (I) the resultant moment of (I) the moment and (II) the wind-induced moment generated around the center of gravity with the sail 11 as the point of force, instead of the moment. With this configuration, the counterweight 4 can more or less (ideally completely) cancel out both the moment generated by wind blowing on the sail 11 for navigation in the floating body unit 100 and the moment generated by the tension of the tether 102. This reduces the possibility of capsizing, even taking into account gusts and strong winds blowing on the sail 11. This modification is particularly effective when the moment caused by the wind blowing on the sail 11 is larger than the moment generated by the tension of the kite 101, i.e., when the wind blowing on the sail 11 is dominant or cannot be ignored as a moment that may contribute to capsizing.

[0022] In each of the above-described embodiments, the counterweight 4 may be configured to include at least a part of a storage device (battery, etc.) that stores energy generated by wind power generation and that constitutes the floating body unit 100. The weight of storage devices such as batteries, hydrogen storage alloys, etc., which are generally heavy, can be used as part or all of the weight of the counterweight 4. As a result, this is extremely advantageous in practice from the viewpoint of reducing the number of parts and from the viewpoint of reducing the weight or simplifying the structure of the entire floating body unit 100.

[0023] Additional notes The following additional notes are provided regarding the above-described embodiment.

[0024] [Appendix 1] The anti-capsize device for a base unit for hoisting a kite, as described in Appendix 1 of the present invention, comprises a position determining section that determines the payout / receiving position of a tether to the tip of which the kite is attached from the base unit, and a counteracting section that is attached to the base unit and at least partially counteracts the moment generated by the tension received from the tether with the position determining section as the force point.

[0025] According to the anti-capsize device of the present invention, the positioning unit prevents the tether or kite from interfering with structures on the base unit, such as a sail, even when the kite flies in various directions and the tether moves in various directions accordingly. The positioning unit is positioned horizontally at a greater or lesser distance from the center of gravity of the base unit depending on the size and location of the structures on the base unit, such as a sail. This distance inevitably increases the moment generated by the tension from the tether, with the positioning unit acting as the force point and the center of gravity of the base unit as the fulcrum. However, by further providing a counteracting unit, this moment can be somewhat, or ideally, completely, counteracted. Thus, the positioning unit reliably prevents interference between the tether or kite and structures, such as a sail. At the same time, the resulting extra moment, which may contribute to capsizing, can be reliably and relatively easily reduced or prevented by a counteracting unit, such as a counterweight or float.

[0026] [Appendix 2] The anti-capsize device for a base unit for raising a kite described in Appendix 2 of the present invention is the anti-capsize device described in Appendix 1, characterized in that the counteracting part is configured to counteract the moment by at least one of gravity and buoyancy.

[0027] According to the capsize prevention device of the present invention described in Appendix 2, the moment generated by the tension from the tether with the position determining part as the point of force can be counteracted by gravity or buoyancy due to the counteracting part. That is, the counteracting part may be a counterweight that exerts gravity or a float that exerts buoyancy (i.e., a float that exerts buoyancy by being submerged in the sea).

[0028] [Appendix 3] The anti-capsize device for a base unit for hoisting a kite, described in Appendix 3 of the present invention, is an anti-capsize device described in Appendix 1 or 2, characterized in that the position determining portion is provided on one end side of a guide arm that rotates in accordance with the tension, and the counteracting portion is provided on the other end side of the guide arm.

[0029] According to the anti-capsize device of the present invention described in Appendix 3, by adopting a relatively simple configuration of a guide arm with a position determining part on one end and a counteracting part on the other end, it is possible to prevent the tether or kite from interfering with the sail and to counteract the moment that may contribute to capsizing. The position determining part may be configured to rotate horizontally or diagonally off-horizontally depending on the range of motion of the guide arm.

[0030] [Appendix 4] The anti-capsize device for a base unit for raising a kite described in Appendix 4 of the present invention is a floating body side unit described in any one of Appendixes 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises a moving device that can move the counteracting section to a side that has a greater effect of counteracting the moment.

[0031] According to the capsize prevention device of the present invention described in Appendix 4, by moving the counteracting part on the guide arm using, for example, a moving device equipped with an actuator, it is possible to relatively quickly and easily counteract the moment that may contribute to capsize. Furthermore, even if capsize does not occur, it is possible to reduce or prevent the floating body unit from swaying or tilting due to the moment caused by the tension of the kite.

[0032] [Appendix 5] The anti-capsize device for a base unit for raising a kite described in Appendix 5 of the present invention is an anti-capsize device described in any one of Appendixes 1 to 4, characterized in that the base unit is constructed as a floating body unit having a sail, and the canceling part at least partially cancels out the resultant moment of (I) the moment and (II) the moment generated around the center of gravity due to wind with the sail as the force point, instead of the moment.

[0033] According to the capsize prevention device of the present invention described in Appendix 5, both the moment generated by the wind hitting the sail for navigation in the floating body unit and the moment generated by the tension of the tether can be more or less canceled out by the canceling part, making it possible to reduce the possibility of capsize even when gusts or strong winds hitting the sail are taken into consideration.

[0034] [Appendix 6] The anti-overturn device for a base unit for raising a kite, described in Appendix 6 of the present invention, is an anti-overturn device described in any one of Appendixes 1 to 4, characterized in that the counteracting section includes at least a part of a storage device that accumulates energy generated by wind power that constitutes the base unit.

[0035] According to the anti-capsize device of the present invention described in Appendix 6, the weight of storage devices such as batteries and hydrogen storage alloys, which are generally heavy, can be used as a counteracting part, which is extremely advantageous in practice from the standpoint of reducing the number of parts and from the standpoint of reducing the weight of the entire floating body unit or simplifying the structure.

[0036] [Appendix 7] The floating body unit according to the present invention as described in Supplementary Note 7 includes the anti-toppling device as described in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6.

[0037] According to the floating body unit of the present invention described in Appendix 7, the anti-capsize device described in any one of Appendixes 1 to 6 above reliably prevents interference between the tether or kite and structures such as a sail, while at the same time, any extra moment that may be generated as a result and contribute to capsizing can be reliably and relatively easily reduced or prevented by a counterweight or float or other counteracting part.

[0038] The present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope that does not contradict the gist or concept of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and the base unit capsize prevention device or floating body unit that involves such modifications are also included in the technical concept of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] Anti-rollover device...1 Mobile pulley...2 Guide arm...3 Counterweight (counterweight)...4 Mobile device...6 Must: 10 Sail...11 Hal...12a, 12b Floating unit: 100 Kite...101 Tether...102

Claims

[Claim 1] An anti-capsize device for preventing the capsizing of a base unit that hoists a kite, characterized in that it comprises a position determining section that determines the payout / retraction position of a tether to the tip of which the kite is attached from the base unit, and a counteracting section that is attached to the base unit and at least partially counteracts the moment generated by the tension received from the tether with the position determining section as the force point.

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