Variable-blade wind turbine

Abstract

This invention provides a novel wind turbine structure that can rotate regardless of wind direction. [Solution] The device has a vertical rotating shaft 4 and a blade support 11 mounted on the vertical rotating shaft 4, which supports multiple identical blades 12 and 13 at multiple equally spaced locations in the circumferential direction in a cantilevered manner so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis. Each blade 12 and 13 is plate-shaped along a vertical plane, with one end edge extending vertically supported by the blade support 11 and the other end edge extending vertically acting as a rotating edge that can rotate in the horizontal plane. The blade support 11 is provided with a limiting means for each blade 12 and 13 to limit the range of rotation of the blade.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a windmill, and more particularly to a variable blade type windmill that can be used for power generation using wind power and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, global warming caused by the massive consumption of fossil fuels has led to serious problems such as desertification, wildfires, and floods, and it has become an urgent task to expand the use of natural energy such as solar power, wind power, and geothermal energy. In the case of a wind power generation device that uses wind power, for example, a horizontal rotation axis is installed near the top of a tower built on a windy land, and a plurality of blades are radially attached to the rotation axis. When a rotational force acts on the blades due to wind, the rotation axis rotates, and the generator installed at the top of the tower is driven via a transmission mechanism.

[0003] However, the rotation axis of the wind power generation device is fixed in the horizontal plane. When the wind is facing the blades, the efficiency is good, but when the wind direction is along the plane including the radially arranged blades, the rotation stops and power generation stops.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a variable blade type windmill that can rotate regardless of the wind direction.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In the invention described in claim 1, a vertical rotation axis, and a blade support body that is equipped on the vertical rotation axis and supports a plurality of blades that are identical to each other at a plurality of locations equally spaced in the circumferential direction in a cantilever manner so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis, each blade is plate-shaped along a vertical plane, one end edge side that extends vertically is pivotally supported by the blade support body, and the other end edge side that extends vertically is a rotation end edge and can rotate in a horizontal plane, The blade support is provided with a limiting mechanism for each blade that restricts the range of rotation of each blade. Each restrictive measure is: The direction in which the rotating edge of the vane corresponding to the limiting mechanism faces the axis of rotation is defined as the first direction, and the direction in which the rotating edge is rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the first direction in a plan view is defined as the second direction. It includes a first contact portion that contacts when the vane corresponding to the limiting means is facing near the first direction, and a second contact portion that contacts when the vane corresponding to the limiting means is facing near the second direction. It is characterized by the following. In the invention described in claim 2, Each restrictive measure is: The direction in which the rotating edge of the vane corresponding to the limiting mechanism faces the axis of rotation is defined as the first direction, and the direction in which the rotating edge is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the first direction in a plan view is defined as the second direction. It includes a first contact portion that contacts when the vane corresponding to the limiting means is facing near the first direction, and a second contact portion that contacts when the vane corresponding to the limiting means is facing near the second direction. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, a novel wind turbine structure can be realized that rotates regardless of wind direction, using blades with a simple shape. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a partially broken front view of a wind turbine power generation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the variable-blade wind turbine shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a side view of Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a variable-blade wind turbine. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a variable-blade wind turbine. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a variable-blade wind turbine. [Figure 7] This is a plan view showing a modified example of a variable-blade wind turbine. [Figure 8] This is a plan view showing another variation of a variable-blade wind turbine. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below using examples.

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention, a wind turbine-type power generation device, will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a partially cutaway front view of the wind turbine-type power generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the variable-blade wind turbine in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a side view of the variable-blade wind turbine. In these diagrams, 1 is a vertical-axis wind turbine power generator, 2 is a tower erected on the ground, 3 is a thrust bearing located at the top of tower 2, 4 is a vertical rotating shaft rotatably supported by thrust bearing 3, and 5 is a generator driven by the rotation of the rotating shaft 4.

[0010] The top 4a of the rotating shaft 4 is exposed to the outside of the tower 2. 10 is a variable-blade wind turbine (hereinafter referred to as "wind turbine") attached to the top 4a of the rotating shaft 4, which can rotate the rotating shaft 4 using wind power regardless of wind direction. In this embodiment, an example of a two-blade wind turbine is shown.

[0011] Of the wind turbine 10, 11 is a rigid blade support integrally attached to the top 4a of the rotating shaft 4, and 12 and 13 are rigid blades of the same shape. The blade support 11 is cantilevered at multiple n equally spaced points in the circumferential direction, supporting multiple n blades of the same shape so that they can rotate around a vertical axis (here, the case of n=2 is shown, but n may be an integer of 3 or more).

[0012] The blade support 11 consists of two arms 14 and 15 that extend horizontally in 180-degree opposite directions radially outward, and bearings 16 and 17 that are vertically mounted on the tips of the arms 14 and 15.

[0013] The blades 12 and 13 are rectangular plate-shaped along the vertical plane here. Note that the blades may be in the shape of a track-shaped plate or the like. The blades 12 and 13 are provided with rotation shafts 12a and 13a on one end edge side extending vertically, and the rotation shafts 12a and 13a are pivotally supported in a cantilever manner by bearings 16 and 17 of the blade support 11 so as to be rotatable. The other end edge sides of the blades 12 and 13 extending vertically are rotatable edges 12b and 13b and can rotate within the horizontal plane around the bearings 16 and 17.

[0014] On the blade support 11, for each of the blades 12 and 13, limiting means 20 and 30 for restricting the rotation range around the rotation shafts 12a and 13a of the blades 12 and 13 are attached. The limiting means 20 defines the direction in which the rotating edge 12b of the corresponding blade 12 faces the rotating shaft 4 as the first direction, and the direction in which the rotating edge 12b rotates 90 degrees clockwise from the first direction in plan view as the second direction. When the blade 12 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 2 and faces near the first direction, it includes a first abutting portion 21 that abuts, and when the blade 12 rotates clockwise in FIG. 2 and faces near the second direction, it includes a second abutting portion 22 that abuts. The first abutting portion 21 is composed of a vertically rod-shaped member mounted in the middle of the arm 14. The second abutting portion 22 is composed of a T-shaped member extending perpendicularly downward (rightward in FIG. 3) from the bearing 16 at the tip of the arm 14 in the horizontal plane.

[0015] The limiting means 30 defines the direction in which the rotating edge 13b of the corresponding blade 13 faces the rotating shaft 4 as the first direction, and the direction in which the rotating edge 13b rotates 90 degrees clockwise from the first direction in plan view as the second direction. When the blade 13 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 2 and faces near the first direction, it includes a first abutting portion 21 that abuts, and when the blade 12 rotates clockwise in FIG. 2 and faces near the second direction, it includes a second abutting portion 22 that abuts. The first abutting portion 31 is composed of a vertically rod-shaped member mounted in the middle of the arm 15. The second abutting portion 32 is composed of a T-shaped member extending perpendicularly upward (leftward in FIG. 3) from the bearing 17 at the tip of the arm 15 in the horizontal plane.

[0016] The arm 14, the bearing 16, the blade 12, the restricting means 20, and the arm 15, the bearing 17, the blade 13, the restricting means 30 are provided symmetrically with respect to a point in the horizontal plane as viewed from the rotating shaft 4.

[0017] Next, the operation of the windmill 10 described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. For example, assuming that the wind is blowing horizontally from the bottom to the top in FIGS. 4 to 6, in the blade 12 on the left side in the horizontal plane as viewed from the rotating shaft 4, the blade 12 pushed by the wind rotates counterclockwise about the rotation axis 12a in the horizontal plane, making it easier for the wind to hit. Therefore, a large force in the wind direction is applied to the first contact portion 21 when the bearing 16 and the blade 12 come into contact, generating a large clockwise moment on the arm 14.

[0018] On the other hand, in the blade 13 on the right side in the horizontal plane as viewed from the rotating shaft 4, the blade 13 pushed by the wind rotates clockwise about the rotation axis 13a in the horizontal plane, making it easier for the wind to escape. Therefore, the force applied to the bearing 17 and the force applied to the second contact portion 32 when the blade 13 comes into contact are weak, and the counterclockwise moment acting on the arm 15 is small. As a result, the windmill 10 rotates in the clockwise direction in FIGS. 4 to 6. When the blade 13 comes to the left side of the rotating shaft 4, a large clockwise moment is generated on the arm 15 in the same manner as the blade 12 in FIGS. 4 to 6, and when the blade 12 comes to the right side of the rotating shaft 4, the counterclockwise moment acting on the arm 14 is small in the same manner as the blade 13 in FIGS. 4 to 6. As a result, the windmill 10 continues to rotate in the clockwise direction in FIGS. 4 to 6. Even if the wind direction changes, the windmill 10 continues to rotate in the clockwise direction in the same manner as in the case of FIGS. 4 to 6.

[0019] If it is desired to rotate the windmill in the reverse direction, it may be configured like the windmill 100 in FIG. 7, which is a deformation of the windmill in FIG. 2 symmetrically with respect to the upper and lower lines.

[0020] According to this embodiment, a new structure of a windmill that rotates regardless of the wind direction can be realized by using the simple rectangular plate-shaped blades 12 and 13.

[0021] In addition to being rectangular, the blades may also be disc-shaped, elliptical, polygonal, or other shapes. Furthermore, the number of blades is not limited to two; three or more may be provided. Essentially, multiple identical blades are supported on the blade support at multiple points equally spaced in the circumferential direction, and can rotate freely around a vertical axis in a cantilevered manner. Figure 8 shows an example with four blades. In the wind turbine 200 shown in Figure 8, the blade support 201 consists of four arms 202 to 205 that extend horizontally radially outward at 90-degree intervals, and bearings 206 to 209 that are vertically mounted at the ends of these arms. 210 to 213 are blades, which are rectangular plates aligned with a vertical plane. Each blade 210 to 213 has a pivot shaft 210a to 213a on one end edge that extends vertically, and these pivot shafts 210a to 213a are cantilevered and supported by the bearings 206 to 209 of the blade support 201. Each blade 210 to 213 is provided with a limiting means 220 to 250 that restricts the range of rotation of the blade 210 to 213 around its pivot shaft 210a to 213a.

[0022] In the example in Figure 8, when the blade is on the left side of the axis of rotation in the horizontal plane, a large clockwise moment is generated in the arm, similar to blade 12 in Figures 4 to 6. When the blade is on the right side of the axis of rotation, the counterclockwise moment acting on the arm is small, similar to blade 13 in Figures 4 to 6, so the windmill rotates clockwise. [Industrial applicability]

[0023] This invention can be applied to power generation devices, power devices, ornaments, toys, and the like that which utilize wind power. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0024] 1. Wind power generation equipment 4 rotation axes 10 Variable-blade wind turbines 11-wing support 12, 13 feathers 14, 15 Arms 16, 17 Bearings 20, 30 Restrictive measures

Claims

1. A vertical axis of rotation, It has a blade support mounted on a vertical axis of rotation, which supports multiple identical blades in a cantilevered manner at multiple equally spaced locations in the circumferential direction, allowing them to rotate freely around the vertical axis. Each blade is plate-shaped along a vertical plane, with one end edge extending vertically supported by a blade support, and the other end edge extending vertically acting as a pivot edge that can rotate in the horizontal plane. The blade support is provided with a limiting mechanism for each blade that restricts the range of rotation of each blade. Each restrictive measure is: The direction in which the rotating edge of the vane corresponding to the limiting mechanism faces the axis of rotation is defined as the first direction, and the direction in which the rotating edge is rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the first direction in a plan view is defined as the second direction. It includes a first contact portion that contacts when the wing corresponding to the limiting means is facing near the first direction, and a second contact portion that contacts when the wing corresponding to the limiting means is facing near the second direction. A variable-blade wind turbine characterized by [feature].

2. The first direction is defined as the direction in which the rotating edge of the blade corresponding to the limiting means faces the axis of rotation, and the second direction is defined as the direction in which the rotating edge is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the first direction in a plan view. A variable-blade wind turbine according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

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