Rotor With Elastic Vanes Reducing Wear And Assembly Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional rotors for power driving using wind, water flows, or tides have a short service life due to wear and a complex structure with many parts, leading to time-consuming assembly and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A rotor design featuring fixed elastic vanes that are rotatable and elastically bendable relative to fixed jibs, eliminating the need for barrier members and reducing wear, with vanes made of elastic or rigid materials and elastic connecting members to facilitate recovery after external forces are removed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If moveable vanes are used in traditional rotors, then the rotor can rotate and convert wind energy to mechanical energy, but the moveable vanes wear easily and require frequent maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional design by making the vanes fixed instead of moveable, and the holders moveable instead of fixed. This inversion eliminates the wear problem associated with moveable vanes rotating relative to holders, while maintaining the rotor's ability to convert wind energy to mechanical energy through the rotation of the entire rotor assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the barrier member component from the traditional rotor design. By extracting this component, the design simplifies the structure and eliminates potential wear points while maintaining the functional integrity of the rotor through the elastic connection between vanes and holders.
2Power
If traditional rotors include multiple components (hub, holders, moveable vanes, barrier members), then the rotor can function, but the structure becomes complicated and assembly time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple components into a simplified structure. The fixed vane is directly connected to the moveable holder through an elastic connection, combining the functions of the vane, holder, and barrier member into an integrated assembly that reduces the total number of parts while maintaining energy conversion functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the barrier member from the traditional rotor design. This extraction simplifies the structure by eliminating unnecessary components, reducing assembly complexity, and decreasing the total number of parts while preserving the rotor's functional capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If moveable vanes rotate relative to holders, then the rotor can operate, but the wear from rotary movements increases maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional design by making the vanes fixed relative to the holders, eliminating the rotary movement between these components. The entire rotor assembly rotates on the shaft instead, which reduces wear at the vane-holder interface and significantly decreases maintenance requirements while preserving operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic connection between the fixed vane and moveable holder allows the structure to self-accommodate rotational forces without mechanical wear. The elastic deformation absorbs the stress of rotation, enabling the rotor to operate smoothly without requiring frequent maintenance or repair of worn components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design simplifies the structure, extends the service life of vanes, and reduces assembly complexity while maintaining effective energy conversion from fluid sources to mechanical energy for electricity generation.
Implementation Method 1
Each inner vane is elastically fixed at a corresponding first fixed jib and extends outwardly from an outer surface of the corresponding first fixed jib in a direction parallel to the plane of rotation when not acted upon by external forces such that the plurality of inner vanes, when acted upon by the external forces, make no rotary movement but are elastically bendable relative to the plurality of first fixed jibs and can rebound after removal of the external forces
Implementation Method 2
The hub is adapted to be coupled with a mechanical shaft which is driven by winds, water flows or tides as driving sources
Data Source
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AI summary
A rotor (10) for power driving includes a hub (12), a plurality of fixed jibs (14), and a plurality of vanes (16). The hub (12) is adapted to be coupled with a mechanical shaft (24) which is driven by winds, water flows or tides as driving sources. The fixed jibs (14) are arranged around the hub (12) circumferentially and spaced from one another. Each fixed jib (14) extends in a radial direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the shaft (24). Each vane (16) is elastically fixed at one of the fixed jibs (14) such that the vanes (16) on which external forces act are elastically movable relative to the fixed jibs (14) and rebound after removal of the external forces.