Mechanical energy storage device

Abstract

To provide a mechanical power storage device capable of minimizing damage even if an accident such as disconnection of cooperation between an elastic body and a power generation facility side occurs.SOLUTION: Sliders 6 are slidably housed on both sides in the longitudinal direction in a cylindrical casing 4, coil springs 2 (resilient bodies) expandable and contractible in the longitudinal direction of the casing 4 are housed between fixed walls 5 closing both end faces in the longitudinal direction of the casing 4 and the respective sliders 6, the respective coil springs 2 are compressed by attracting the respective sliders 6 to the respective fixed walls 5, converted into physical energy and stored, and power is generated by kinetic energy when the respective coil springs 2 are released and restored to an initial state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanical electricity storage device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, research and development into renewable energy sources such as sunlight, wind, and biomass fuels has been progressing. However, this type of renewable energy is known to have large fluctuations when output as electricity via generators, etc., and does not necessarily correspond to electricity demand. Therefore, it is essential to take some measures to temporarily store surplus electricity during periods of low demand.

[0003] Until now, when such temporary storage of electricity was desired, chemical batteries such as lithium ion batteries have been used, and prior art documents relating to the power generation systems using renewable energy as described above, such as Patent Document 1 below, are already well known.

[0004] Chemical batteries such as the aforementioned lithium-ion batteries have problems such as being prone to deterioration in a short period of time and being difficult to recycle after deterioration, and there is a demand for new means of storing electricity that are different from existing chemical batteries.

[0005] More specifically, a mechanical energy storage device is being considered that uses surplus electricity to maintain a resilient body in a compressed or extended state, converts the electricity into physical energy known as the resilience of the resilient body, and temporarily stores it, and then drives a generator with the kinetic energy generated when the resilient body is released and returns to its initial state, thereby enabling electricity to be extracted. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-105667 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, when attempting to convert practically sufficient electricity into physical energy and temporarily store it, it is necessary to firmly fix one end of a relatively large and long elastic body while maintaining the large restoring force generated by pushing in the other end to compress the elastic body or pulling to extend the elastic body. Therefore, if an accident occurs in which the connection between the elastic body and the power generation equipment is severed, there is a concern that the elastic body will become free and attempt to suddenly restore itself, causing damage to the entire equipment.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a mechanical energy storage device that can minimize damage even if an accident occurs in which the connection between the spring body and the power generation equipment is severed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to a mechanical electricity storage device characterized in that sliders are slidably housed on both sides of the longitudinal direction within a cylindrical casing, and springs that can expand and contract in the longitudinal direction of the casing are housed between each slider and fixed walls that close both longitudinal end faces of the casing, and the sliders are pulled toward the fixed walls to compress the springs, thereby converting them into physical energy for storage, and electricity is generated by the kinetic energy generated when the springs are released and restored to their initial state.

[0010] In this case, when each slider is pulled toward each fixed wall and each spring is held in a compressed state, electricity is temporarily stored in the form of physical energy converted into the restoring force of each spring, and when each spring is released from this stored state, electricity is generated by the kinetic energy of each spring as it returns to its initial state, and the stored electricity is extracted.

[0011] In such a mechanical energy storage device, if an accident occurs that causes the connection between the spring and the power generation equipment to be severed, the spring, which has become free and attempts to rapidly restore itself, will push each slider toward the longitudinal center of the casing, and the sliders will converge by colliding at the longitudinal center of the casing.As a result, the restoring force of each spring does not extend to the outside, and damage caused by the accident is limited to a localized area, preventing a situation in which damage would extend to the entire equipment.

[0012] Furthermore, in order to implement the present invention more specifically, it is preferable to provide a drum that winds up a cable-like body that is respectively arranged between each slider and each fixed wall, thereby drawing each slider toward the fixed wall and compressing each elastic body, a motor generator that is connected to the drum via a speed reducer so as to be able to transmit torque, and a brake mechanism that locks the axial rotation of the motor generator.

[0013] In this case, the drum may be placed in the longitudinal center of the casing, and the cord-like members arranged from each slider toward each fixed wall may be folded back at each fixed wall and wound up on the drum, or the drum may be placed outside the casing, and the cord-like members arranged from each slider toward each fixed wall may be folded back at each fixed wall and led from the longitudinal center of the casing to the outside of the casing and wound up on the drum. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the mechanical energy storage device of the present invention, even if an accident occurs in which the connection between the springs and the power generation equipment is severed, each slider is pushed by each spring toward the longitudinal center of the casing and converges by colliding with each other, thereby preventing damage to the entire equipment and achieving the excellent effect of minimizing damage caused by the accident. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the wire rope has been completely wound onto the drum of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the wire rope has been completely wound onto the drum of FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] 1 and 2 are plan views showing a first embodiment of the mechanical electricity storage device of the present invention. The mechanical electricity storage device 1 shown here is configured to store electricity by compressing a coil spring 2 (resilient body) by pulling it when a wire rope 3 (cord-like body) is wound up, converting the energy into physical energy, and then generating electricity using the kinetic energy generated when the coil spring 2 is released and restored to its initial state.

[0018] More specifically, sliders 6 are housed slidably on both sides of the longitudinal direction within the cylindrical casing 4, and fixed walls 5 that close both longitudinal end faces of the casing 4, and coil springs 2 that can expand and contract in the longitudinal direction of the casing 4 are housed between each fixed wall 5 and each slider 6.

[0019] In addition, a drum 7 is located in the longitudinal center of the casing 4, which winds up the wire rope 3 arranged between each fixed wall 5 and each slider 6, thereby pulling each slider 6 toward each fixed wall 5 and compressing each coil spring 2.

[0020] That is, the wire rope 3 arranged from each slider 6 toward each fixed wall 5 is folded back at each fixed wall 5 via a pulley 8 and wound up on the drum 7, and this drum 7 has winding portions for each wire rope 3 on both sides of its axial direction, so that each wire rope 3 folded back at each fixed wall 5 via a pulley 8 can be wound up simultaneously by the rotation of the drum 7.

[0021] The pulley 8 is supported by a bracket 5a installed on the outer surface of each fixed wall 5 so as to straddle an opening 9, and the wire rope 3 is folded back through the opening 9.

[0022] In addition, one axial end of the drum 7 is rotatably supported by a plumber 10 (a bearing unit that stores a rolling bearing inside) outside the casing 4, and the other end is connected to a motor generator 12, also outside the casing 4, via a speed increase / reduction gear 11 so as to be able to transmit torque, and the axial rotation of the motor generator 12 is locked by a brake mechanism 13.

[0023] Here, the sides of each fixed wall 5 and each slider 6 facing each other are provided with a convex shape so that they can fit into the ends of each coil spring 2 and hold those ends, and a resin outer skin is attached to the body of the slider 6 so that it can slide smoothly with low friction against the inner surface of the casing 4.

[0024] It should be noted that the illustrations in Figures 1 and 2 are merely schematic illustrations for the convenience of explaining the invention, and the scale of the coil spring 2, drum 7, etc. does not necessarily correspond to the actual equipment, and it goes without saying that the casing 4 may be laid out not only horizontally but also vertically, for example.

[0025] In this case, when the motor generator 12 is driven by electricity to wind the wire rope 3 onto the drum 7, and the state shown in Figure 1 is changed to the state shown in Figure 2 by pulling each slider 6 against each fixed wall 5 to compress each coil spring 2, and the axial rotation of the motor generator 12 is locked by the brake mechanism 13, electricity is temporarily stored in the form of physical energy converted into the restoring force of each coil spring 2, and when the brake mechanism 13 is unlocked from this stored state, the kinetic energy generated when each coil spring 2 is released and restored to its initial state (the state shown in Figure 1) causes the wire rope 3 to be unwound from the drum 7, and the motor generator 12, which is connected to the drum 7 so as to be able to transmit torque via the speed reducer 11, is driven as a generator and electricity is extracted.

[0026] In such a mechanical energy storage device 1, if an accident occurs in which the connection between the coil spring 2 and the power generation equipment is severed due to, for example, the wire rope 3 being cut, the coil spring 2, which has become free and attempts to rapidly restore itself, will push each slider 6 towards the longitudinal center of the casing 4, and the sliders 6 will converge by colliding with each other at the longitudinal center of the casing 4, so the restoring force of each coil spring 2 will not extend to the outside, and damage due to the accident will be limited to a localized area, preventing a situation in which damage will extend to the entire equipment.

[0027] As described above, according to the above embodiment, even if an accident occurs in which the connection between the coil spring 2 and the power generation equipment is severed due to, for example, the wire rope 3 being cut, each slider 6 is pushed toward the longitudinal center of the casing 4 by each coil spring 2 and converges by colliding with each other, thereby making it possible to prevent damage to the entire equipment and minimize damage caused by the accident.

[0028] Figures 3 and 4 are plan views showing a second embodiment of the mechanical storage device 1 of the present invention. In the first embodiment described above, the drum 7 is arranged in the longitudinal center within the casing 4, and the wire rope 3 arranged from each slider 6 toward each fixed wall 5 is turned back at each fixed wall 5 and wound around the drum 7. However, in this embodiment, the drum 7 is arranged outside the casing 4, and the wire rope 3 arranged from each slider 6 toward each fixed wall 5 is turned back at each fixed wall 5 via pulley 8, and is led from the longitudinal center within the casing 4 to the outside of the casing 4 via further pulley 14 and pull-out window 15, and is wound around the drum 7. Parts with the same symbols as in Figures 1 and 2 represent the same objects.

[0029] Even in this case, when the motor generator 12 is driven with electricity to wind the wire rope 3 onto the drum 7, and the state shown in Figure 3 is changed to the state shown in Figure 4 by pulling each slider 6 against each fixed wall 5 to compress each coil spring 2, and the axial rotation of the motor generator 12 is locked by the brake mechanism 13, electricity is temporarily stored in the form of physical energy converted into the restoring force of each coil spring 2, and when the brake mechanism 13 is unlocked from this stored state, the kinetic energy generated when each coil spring 2 is released and restored to its initial state (the state shown in Figure 3) causes the wire rope 3 to be unwound from the drum 7, and the motor generator 12, which is connected to the drum 7 so as to be able to transmit torque via the speed reducer 11, is driven as a generator and electricity is extracted.

[0030] Furthermore, even in such a mechanical energy storage device 1, if an accident occurs in which the connection between the coil spring 2 and the power generation equipment is severed due to, for example, the wire rope 3 being cut, the coil spring 2, which has become free and attempts to rapidly restore itself, will push each slider 6 towards the longitudinal center of the casing 4, and the sliders 6 will converge by colliding with each other at the longitudinal center of the casing 4, so the restoring force of each coil spring 2 will not extend to the outside, and damage due to the accident will be limited to a localized area, preventing a situation in which damage will extend to the entire equipment.

[0031] As described above, in the above embodiment, even if an accident occurs in which the connection between the coil spring 2 and the power generation equipment is severed due to, for example, the wire rope 3 being cut, each slider 6 is pushed toward the longitudinal center of the casing 4 by each coil spring 2 and converges by colliding with each other, so that a situation in which damage to the entire equipment can be avoided and damage from the accident can be minimized.

[0032] It should be noted that the mechanical energy storage device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is possible to use a type of spring other than a coil spring for the resilient body, and a type of rope other than a wire rope for the cord-like body, and it is also possible to arrange the cord-like body so that it goes back and forth multiple times between each fixed wall and each slider via additional pulleys or the like before folding back toward the drum, and of course various other modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1 Mechanical energy storage device 2 Coil spring (spring) 3 Wire rope (cord) 4 Casing 5 Fixed wall 6 Slider 7. Drums 11 Speed ​​increase / reduction gear 12 Motor generator 13 Brake mechanism

Claims

1. A mechanical electricity storage device characterized in that sliders are slidably housed on both sides of the longitudinal direction within a cylindrical casing, and elastic bodies that can expand and contract in the longitudinal direction of the casing are housed between each slider and fixed walls that close both longitudinal end faces of the casing, and the sliders are pulled toward each fixed wall to compress each elastic body, thereby converting the energy into physical energy and storing it, and then generating electricity from the kinetic energy generated when each elastic body is released and restored to its initial state.

2. 2. The mechanical electricity storage device according to claim 1, further comprising: a drum that winds up a cable-like body that is respectively arranged between each slider and each fixed wall, thereby drawing each slider toward the corresponding fixed wall and compressing each elastic body; a motor generator that is connected to the drum via a speed increase / decrease gear so as to be able to transmit torque; and a brake mechanism that locks the axial rotation of the motor generator.

3. 3. The mechanical storage device according to claim 2, wherein the drum is disposed at the longitudinal center of the casing, and the cord-like bodies routed from each slider toward each fixed wall are folded back at each fixed wall and wound around the drum.

4. 3. The mechanical energy storage device according to claim 2, wherein a drum is disposed outside the casing, and a cord-like body arranged from each slider toward each fixed wall is folded back at each fixed wall and led out from the longitudinal center of the casing to the outside of the casing and wound up on the drum.

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