Gravity-assisted torque generation system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gravity-assisted torque generation system comprising: - a rotary vertical wheel; and - a drive shaft arranged at the centre of the vertical wheel and which runs along a horizontal direction; and further provided with: - a plurality of rollers, configured to fall by gravity from an upper position to a lower position and provided with a secondary horizontal shaft; - a plurality of buckets, wherein the number of buckets is equal to the number of rollers and said buckets are arranged at identical distances from one another along the outer diameter of the vertical wheel, each bucket further being configured for the secondary shaft of a roller to engage therein; and - a lifting assembly, provided with an auxiliary electric motor, wherein the lifting assembly is configured to lift the rollers from the lower position to the upper position and the movement of the lifting assembly is further synchronised with the rotation of the vertical wheel.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Torque generation system, assisted by the action of gravity.

[0003] Technical field

[0004] The present invention belongs mainly to the technical field of power generation.

[0005] More specifically, the object of the invention is a torque generating system provided with rollers that, when successively and cyclically falling due to gravity, induce the rotation of a drive shaft. The system according to the present invention is specifically designed to take full advantage of the action of gravitational force and use it to generate a rotational movement on said drive shaft.

[0006] Background

[0007] Various mechanisms are known, such as motors and power generating systems, that use non-polluting energy sources to induce rotational motion on a drive shaft.

[0008] For example, hydraulic or water mills take advantage of the gravitational force and potential energy of a mass of water to move a drive shaft.

[0009] These mills consist of a wheel fitted with buckets along its entire external diameter and a drive shaft in its center. The mills also comprise a conduit (or bucket) through which a flow of water circulates until it exits through an opening (or snout) located above the wheel. This mass of water falls directly onto the bucket of the wheel that is closest to the snout at that moment, pushing it downward and generating a rotational movement of the wheel that causes the next bucket to be positioned immediately below the snout. This process is repeated, imparting a rotational movement to the wheel and, consequently, to the drive shaft located in its center. In most hydraulic mills, the drive shaft is kinematically connected to a millstone used to grind grain.However, other applications are known in which the rotation of the drive shaft is used for different purposes, for example, generating power by driving the rotor of an alternator.

[0010] Despite these advances, the industry still needs to develop new torque generation systems that can take full advantage of the action of gravity and thus optimize performance.

[0011] Summary description of the invention

[0012] In order to address the above problems and disadvantages, the present invention relates to a torque generating system, assisted by the action of gravity, comprising:

[0013] - a rotating vertical wheel; and

[0014] - a drive axle arranged in the center of the vertical wheel and extending along a horizontal direction; said system being characterized in that it is also provided with:

[0015] - a plurality of rollers, each roller being configured to fall by gravity from an upper position to a lower position and each roller being provided with a horizontal secondary axis;

[0016] - a plurality of buckets, the number of buckets being equal to the number of rollers and said buckets being arranged at identical distances from each other along the outer diameter of the vertical wheel, each bucket being further configured to engage the secondary shaft of a roller, from when said roller is in the upper position, until said roller reaches the lower position, in which the secondary shaft of the roller is released from said bucket; and

[0017] - a lifting assembly, provided with an auxiliary electric motor, the lifting assembly being configured to raise the rollers from the lower position to the upper position and the movement of the lifting assembly being further synchronized with the rotation of the vertical wheel, such that the time taken by the lifting assembly to raise a roller from the lower position to the upper position is equal to the time taken by the wheel to rotate until its bucket reaches the upper position. The operation of the system of the invention will be described below, with respect to an embodiment of the invention provided with three different rollers, being however extrapolated to other embodiments of the invention with a different number of rollers: at a given time, a third roller (shown with the reference 3c in Fig. 1 described below) which is in the lower position (or point 180 e) is raised by the auxiliary electric motor until it reaches the upper position (or point 0 e -360 e ). When this occurs, a free space is left which is occupied by a second roller (shown with reference 3b in Fig. 1 ) which in turn leaves its space free to be occupied by a first roller (reference 3a in Fig. 1 ) which has left its space free to be occupied by the third roller upon completing its elevation. Since the horizontal secondary axis of said first roller is housed in one of the buckets of the wheel, the fall of the first roller induces a rotation of the vertical wheel. On the other hand, since the drive shaft is in turn integrally connected to said vertical wheel, the movement of said vertical wheel induces a torque on the drive shaft.

[0018] In other words, the first roller returns, after moving rotating from point 360 e to point 0 eequivalent to the upper position, thus closing the cyclic movement described by said roller. In addition, thanks to the fact that the movement of the lifting assembly is synchronized with the rotation of the vertical wheel, the third roller can be reinserted into the bucket at point 360 e from which it had previously separated upon reaching point 180 e . In addition, while the third roller rises from the lower position to the upper position, the second roller which at that moment was in the intermediate position 120 e descends simultaneously until reaching a position displaced 180 e . In this way, the second reel begins to describe a movement similar to that of the third reel.

[0019] As described in the previous paragraph, the remaining rollers will follow a movement identical to that of the third roller, only displaced in time with respect to it, thus inducing a continuous rotational movement in the wheel and, consequently, in the drive shaft.

[0020] The torque generation system of the present invention is designed to take advantage of the action of gravitational force as much as possible and optimize the generation of torque on the drive axle, thereby maximizing performance.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the torque generation system further comprises: - a transmission element that connects the drive shaft to an alternator, such that at least a part of the rotation of the drive shaft is transmitted to the alternator to generate electrical energy, and

[0022] - a battery, configured to store the electrical energy generated by the alternator and, in turn, power the auxiliary electric motor of the lifting assembly.

[0023] The fact that the drive axle is kinematically connected to the alternator by means of a transmission element has the additional advantage that at least part of the rotation of the main shaft is transmitted to the alternator to generate electrical energy. This electrical energy is stored in the battery and, in turn, is used to power an auxiliary electric motor for the lifting assembly.

[0024] Preferably, the rotating vertical wheel comprises arms arranged radially so as to form equal angles to each other. In other words, in a possible embodiment of the invention, the wheel consists of three arms forming 120 e with each other. In another embodiment, the wheel is provided with four arms, the adjacent arms being at 90° ewith each other. And so on. Even more preferably, the number of arms corresponds to the number of buckets provided on the wheel, each arm being arranged below a respective bucket. This embodiment has the advantage that the arms act as reinforcements and thus provide the wheel with greater mechanical strength.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, compatible with the other embodiments thereof, the torque generation system further comprises a rotation guide provided with a rail, intended to house one of the ends of the horizontal axes of the rollers and guide them throughout their movement. The shape of said rail preferably coincides with the arc of the circumference described by the secondary axes of the rollers when they fall from the upper position to the lower position.

[0026] Even more preferably, the rail is provided with a straight section adjacent to the lower position and a lowered section adjacent to the upper position. This particular rail shape is advantageous because the straight section allows the secondary axis of the roller to exit the corresponding bucket when it reaches the lower position and to move horizontally. The lowered section, in turn, allows the ends of the horizontal axis of the rollers to be inserted into the rail when they reach the upper position, thanks to the action of the lifting assembly. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lifting assembly, compatible with the other embodiments thereof, is provided with:

[0027] - at least one actuator, driven by means of the auxiliary electric motor, said linear actuator being arranged vertically between the lower position and the upper position, and

[0028] - at least one bar configured to fit with the rollers that are in the lower position, the bar also being configured to move vertically by means of said linear actuator when it is actuated by the auxiliary electric motor.

[0029] Preferably, the bar is also provided with a horizontal displacement assembly to horizontally displace the rollers as they rise, using the lifting assembly, from the lower position to the upper position. Thus, said horizontal displacement assembly may comprise, for example, a toothed pulley, configured to horizontally displace the bar (and, consequently, the rollers whose diameter is fitted into the bar).

[0030] The actuator of the lifting assembly may be a linear actuator. Alternatively, said actuator may also be an accordion-shaped extensible element, connected by a first end to the rod and by a second end to a crankshaft. This configuration allows, as the crankshaft rotates, said rotation to be transmitted to the accordion-shaped extensible element as a linear motion, successively extending and closing it periodically, with a frequency related to the rotation speed of the crankshaft.

[0031] In one embodiment of the invention, compatible with the remaining embodiments thereof, the lifting assembly is provided with four linear actuators that act simultaneously in pairs. Thus, when two of said linear actuators are extended and raise the bars and rollers from the lower position to the upper position, the other two lower at the same time. Furthermore, each of said linear actuators is provided with a bar that is, in turn, provided with a horizontal displacement assembly with a toothed pulley, configured to horizontally move the corresponding bar.

[0032] Alternatively, in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the lifting assembly is provided with four extendable accordion-shaped elements, which act simultaneously in pairs. Furthermore, each of said four extendable accordion-shaped elements is provided with a bar, which in turn is provided with a horizontal displacement assembly with a toothed pulley, configured to horizontally displace the corresponding bar.

[0033] This particular, particularly preferred embodiment of the invention allows the pair of accordion-shaped extensible elements that, at a given time, are raising a roller, holding their corresponding bars to one side, and the pair of accordion-shaped extensible elements that at that same time are lowering to the lower position (in order to raise a new roller there), to move their corresponding bars to the opposite side. This prevents potential interference between the two pairs of actuators.

[0034] Brief description of the figures

[0035] The above and other advantages and characteristics will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of some embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, which should be considered as illustrative and not limiting, in which:

[0036] Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a first embodiment of a torque generation system, according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2A is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a torque generating system according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2B is a side perspective view of the torque generating system of Figure 2A;

[0039] Figure 2C is a front view of the rotating vertical wheel of the torque generating system of Figure 2A;

[0040] Figure 2D is a front view of the rotation guide of the torque generating system of Figure 2A;

[0041] Figure 2E is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating how the secondary shafts of the rollers are housed in the vertical wheel and the rotation guide, in the torque generating system of Figure 2A; Figure 3 is an elevation view of a detail of a possible embodiment of a lifting assembly.

[0042] Figure references

[0043] 1 Rotating vertical wheel;

[0044] 2 Drive axle;

[0045] 3rd First Roller

[0046] 3b Second roller;

[0047] 3c Third roller;

[0048] 4 Horizontal secondary axis (of the rollers);

[0049] 5 Bucket;

[0050] 5a First (straight) wall of the bucket;

[0051] 5b Second wall, (inclined) straight from the bucket;

[0052] 6 Auxiliary electric motor (of the lifting assembly);

[0053] 7 Linear actuator (of the lifting assembly);

[0054] 7' Accordion-shaped extendable element (of the lifting assembly);

[0055] 7'a First end of the accordion-shaped extensible element (of the lifting assembly);

[0056] 7'b Second end of the accordion-shaped extensible element (of the lifting assembly);

[0057] 8 Bar (of the lifting assembly);

[0058] 9 Alternator;

[0059] 10 Battery;

[0060] 11 Arms (of the vertical wheel);

[0061] 12 Rotation guide;

[0062] 13 Rail (of the rotation guide);

[0063] 13a Lane entry section (from the rotation guide);

[0064] 13b Straight section of the rail (of the rotation guide);

[0065] 14 Support bracket;

[0066] 15 Cover (drive axle);

[0067] 16 Through hole (of the wheel);

[0068] 17 Through hole (of rotation guide);

[0069] 18 Secondary shaft axial bearing (of the rollers);

[0070] 19 Secondary shaft bushing (of the rollers);

[0071] 20 Transmission element;

[0072] 21 Crankshaft; S Upper position (of the rollers);

[0073] M Intermediate position (of the rollers);

[0074] I Lower position (of the rollers).

[0075] D Distance between the extended position and the folded position of the extendable element.

[0076] Detailed description of an embodiment

[0077] A detailed description of two preferred embodiments of a torque generating system according to the present invention is provided below, using the aforementioned attached Figures 1 to 3. Throughout these figures, elements with identical or similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0078] Figure 1 shows a purely schematic first embodiment of a torque generation system according to the present invention.

[0079] As can be seen in this figure, the rotating vertical wheel 1 consists of three buckets 5 arranged on its outer diameter and is attached to a horizontal drive shaft 2, which passes through its center. Furthermore, in this particular case, the vertical wheel 1 is provided with three arms 11 that form 120 eeach other. Each of the arms 11 is arranged immediately below a bucket 5, acting as reinforcement for it.

[0080] The system also comprises three rollers 3a, 3b and 3c that can fall freely from an upper position S to a lower position I (or point 0). e , taking as reference the rotation of the vertical wheel 1 ). However, at any given instant, only two of said rollers 3a and 3b fall simultaneously, exerting torque, since the third, remaining roller 3c is lifted simultaneously by the lifting assembly as will be described later. Each of said rollers 3a, 3b and 3c comprises a secondary shaft 4 arranged horizontally and configured to fit into a bucket 5 when the roller reaches the upper position S and to remain fitted there until it reaches the lower position I.

[0081] Once said rollers 3a, 3b have reached the lower position I (or point 180e ), it separates from the corresponding bucket 5, releasing itself from the vertical wheel 1 and inserting itself into a bar (not visible in the embodiment of Figure 1 , but shown in Figure 3 ) of the lifting assembly which is mounted on an actuator. In this embodiment of the invention, said actuator of the lifting assembly is a linear actuator 7; however, Figure 3 includes another possible embodiment in which the actuators are extendable elements in the form of an accordion.

[0082] Next, the auxiliary electric motor 6 is actuated to move the bar 8 along the linear actuator 7, so that the roller 3 moves from the lower position I to the upper position S, completing its movement within the torque generation system. In addition, since the movement of the lifting assembly is synchronized with the rotation of the vertical wheel 1, while the roller 3c is raised from the lower position I to the upper position S and is reinserted into another bucket 5, the roller 3a which at that same instant was in the upper position S, falls by the action of gravity to the intermediate position M (in this particular case, at 120 e ).

[0083] As described above, the remaining rollers 3a and 3b will follow an identical movement, only shifted in time, thus inducing a continuous rotation movement in the vertical wheel 1 and, consequently, in the drive shaft 2.

[0084] Furthermore, the drive axle 2 is connected to an alternator 9 by means of a transmission element 20 (which in this particular case is a drive belt). In this way, the alternator 9 converts part of the rotational kinetic energy of the drive axle 2 into electrical energy, which is stored in a battery 10.

[0085] The battery 10, in turn, is electrically connected to the auxiliary electric motor 6, so that when said motor is in operation to raise a roller from the lower position I to the upper position S, the electrical energy stored in the battery 10 is used.

[0086] Figures 2A to 2E show a second embodiment of a torque generating system according to the present invention, similar to the first example of Fig. 1 . Therefore, the elements of the torque generating system that were already present in the first identical embodiment of the invention will not be described again in detail.

[0087] In fact, the only difference is that in this second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 2A to 2E, the torque generating system is provided with the following additional elements: a support bracket 14 (which, as its name suggests, is intended to support the system on the ground); a rotation guide 12 (which will be described in more detail in relation to Fig. 2D), and a cover 15 of the drive shaft 2, intended to protect said element.

[0088] Figure 2C shows the vertical wheel 1 belonging to the second embodiment of the torque generation system. As can be clearly seen in said figure, in this particular case, the vertical wheel 1 also consists of three buckets 5 arranged on its outer diameter and three arms 11 arranged at 120°. e .

[0089] In this particular embodiment of the invention, each of the buckets 5 is delimited by two walls, 5a and 5b. The first wall 5a is straight, while the second wall is inclined. This particular configuration of the second wall is precisely what allows the secondary shaft of the roller 3 to exit the bucket 5 when it reaches the lower position I.

[0090] Furthermore, the central part of the wheel 1 is provided with a through hole 16 intended to accommodate both the drive axle 2 and its outer cover 15.

[0091] In Figure 2D, the rotation guide 12 with which the torque generation system of Fig. 2A is provided is shown. Said rotation guide 12 comprises a rail 13 intended to house one of the ends of the horizontal axes 4 of the rollers 3 and guide them along their movement. The rotation guide 12 also comprises a through hole 17, intended to house both the drive shaft 2 and its outer cover 15.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the invention, the shape of the rail 13 coincides with the arc of the circumference described by the secondary axes 4 of the rollers 3 when they fall from the upper position S to the lower position. Furthermore, the rail 13 is provided with a straight section 13b (adjacent to the lower position I) and a lowered section 13a (adjacent to the upper position S).

[0093] Additional details are given in Figure 2E about how the secondary shafts 4 of the rollers 3 are housed in the rotation guide and fit into the vertical wheel 1 . As can be seen in said drawing, in this particular case, each of the secondary shafts 4 is provided with an axial bearing 18 (intended to separate said secondary shaft 4 from the vertical wheel 1 ) and an external bushing 19.

[0094] Finally, Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a detail of a possible embodiment of a lifting assembly. In this particular case, said assembly is provided with an extendable element 7' in the form of an accordion, connected by a first end 7'a to the horizontal bar 8, which is in turn provided with a horizontal movement motor and by a second end 7'b connected to a crankshaft 21. The crankshaft 24 is connected, in turn, to the auxiliary electric motor 6 horizontal (not visible in Figure 3). When said auxiliary electric motor 6 is actuated, a rotation of the crankshaft 24 is induced, which is transmitted to the extendable element 7' in the form of an accordion as a linear movement, extending and closing it vertically successively in a periodic manner, between a final extended position and a final folded position, indicated by broken lines in Figure 3 and separated from each other by a distance D.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 Torque generation system, assisted by the action of gravity, comprising: - a rotating vertical wheel (1); and - a drive axle (2) arranged in the centre of the vertical wheel (1) and running along a horizontal direction; said system being characterised in that it is also provided with: - a plurality of rollers (3), each roller (3) being configured to fall by gravity from an upper position (S) to a lower position (I) and each roller (3) being provided with a horizontal secondary axis (4); - a plurality of buckets (5), the number of buckets (5) being equal to the number of rollers (3) and said buckets (5) being arranged at identical distances from each other along the outer diameter of the vertical wheel (1), each bucket (5) being further configured to fit the secondary shaft (4) of a roller (3), from when said roller (3) is in the upper position (S), until said roller (3) reaches the lower position (I), in which the secondary shaft (4) of the roller (3) is released from said bucket (5); and - a lifting assembly (6, 7, 7', 8), provided with an auxiliary electric motor (6), the lifting assembly (6, 7, 7', 8) being configured to raise the rollers (3) from the lower position (I) to the upper position (S) and the movement of the lifting assembly (6, 7, 7', 8) being further synchronized with the rotation of the vertical wheel (1 ), such that the time taken by the lifting assembly (6, 7, 7', 8) to raise a roller (3) from the lower position (I) to the upper position (S), is equal to the time taken by the vertical wheel (1 ) to rotate until another bucket (5) reaches the upper position (S). 2.- Torque generation system, according to the first claim, which also comprises: - a transmission element (20) that connects the drive shaft (2) with an alternator (9), such that at least part of the rotation of the drive shaft (2) is transmitted to the alternator (9) to generate electrical energy, and - a battery (10), configured to store the electrical energy generated by the alternator (9) and, in turn, power the auxiliary electric motor (6) of the lifting assembly (5,6). 3.- Torque generation system, according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vertical wheel (1) comprises arms (11) arranged radially so that they form equal angles between them. 4.- Torque generation system, according to claim 3, wherein the number of arms (1 1 ) coincides with the number of buckets (5) that are provided in the vertical wheel (1 ), each arm (1 1 ) being arranged below a respective bucket (5). 5.- Torque generation system, according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting assembly (6, 7, 7', 8) is provided with: - at least one actuator (7, 7'), actuatable by means of the auxiliary electric motor (6), said actuator (7, 7') being arranged vertically between the lower position (I) and the upper position (S); and - at least one bar (8), configured to fit with the rollers (3) that are in the lower position (I), the bar (8) also being configured to move vertically by means of said linear actuator (7) when it is actuated by the auxiliary electric motor (6). 6.- Torque generation system, according to claim 5, wherein the bar (8) is also provided with a horizontal displacement assembly configured to horizontally displace the rollers (3) while they ascend by means of the lifting assembly (6, 7, 8), from the lower position (I), to the upper position (S). 7.- Torque generation system, according to claim 6, wherein the horizontal displacement assembly comprises a toothed pulley, configured to horizontally move the bar (8). 8.-. Torque generation system, according to claim 5, wherein the lifting assembly (6, 7, 8) is provided with at least one linear actuator (7). 9.- Torque generation system, according to claim 5, wherein the lifting assembly (6, 7', 8) is provided with at least one extendable element (7') in the form of an accordion, connected by a first end (7'a) to the bar (8) and by a second end (7'b) to a crankshaft (21). 10.- Torque generation system, according to claim 8, wherein the lifting assembly is provided with four linear actuators (7) that act in a coordinated manner in pairs, each of said linear actuators (7) being further provided with a bar (8) provided, in turn, with a horizontal displacement assembly with a toothed pulley, configured to horizontally move said bar (8). 11.- Torque generation system, according to claim 9, wherein the lifting assembly is provided with four extendable elements (7') in the form of an accordion that act in a coordinated manner in pairs, each of the extendable elements (7) being also provided with a bar (8) provided, in turn, with a horizontal displacement assembly with a toothed pulley, configured to horizontally move the corresponding bar. 12.- Torque generation system, according to any of the previous claims, which also comprises a rotation guide (12) provided with a rail (13) intended to house one of the ends of the horizontal axes (4) of the rollers (3) and guide them along their movement. 13.- Torque generation system, according to claim 12, wherein the shape of said rail (13) coincides with the circumference arc described by the secondary axes (4) of the rollers (3), when they fall from the upper position (S) to the lower position (I). 14.- Torque generation system, according to claim 13, wherein the rail (13) is also provided with a straight section (13b) adjacent to the lower position (I) and a lowered section (13a) adjacent to the upper position (S).

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