Wave-Powered Generator With Bidirectional Toothed-Rail Drive
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies have not effectively harnessed wave energy to generate electricity, lacking a viable solution for converting bidirectional wave motion into unidirectional or bidirectional rotary movement.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a housing, a float body with a neck, a toothed rail, and a generator, where the neck moves vertically within a drive housing, driving rail gears through toothed rails to rotate a ratio gear and drive gear, generating electricity via bidirectional motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional wave energy devices are used, then wave energy can be harnessed, but they fail to effectively convert bidirectional wave motion into continuous rotary movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by using a float body that moves with waves bidirectionally, rather than trying to convert bidirectional motion into unidirectional motion through complex mechanisms. The float body's natural bidirectional floating motion directly drives the toothed rail back and forth, which in turn rotates the gear and shaft continuously in one direction, simplifying the conversion mechanism while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the periodic nature of wave motion by designing the toothed rail and gear mechanism to convert the periodic bidirectional movement of the float body into continuous periodic rotation of the shaft. The toothed rail moves back and forth periodically with each wave cycle, and the gear converts this periodic linear motion into periodic rotary motion, ensuring continuous electricity generation that matches the wave rhythm.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex conversion mechanisms are used to convert bidirectional wave motion, then motion conversion may be achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary intermediate conversion mechanisms from conventional designs. Instead of using multiple stages of motion conversion (e.g., linear to rotary, bidirectional to unidirectional through complex linkages), the invention directly couples the float body's bidirectional motion to the toothed rail, which naturally converts it to continuous rotary motion through its engagement with the gear, significantly simplifying the overall mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The toothed rail serves multiple functions simultaneously: it converts bidirectional linear motion to unidirectional rotary motion, acts as a guide for the float body movement, and provides mechanical advantage through its gear engagement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining adaptability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If float body movement is constrained within drive housing, then structural stability is improved, but movement freedom is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The drive housing provides localized constraints only where necessary - guiding the float body's vertical movement and positioning the toothed rail - while leaving the float body free to move bidirectionally within the housing. The guide walls and support structures create stable local boundaries that maintain positioning stability without overly restricting the float body's natural wave-following motion, allowing sufficient movement range for effective energy capture.
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 system efficiently converts wave energy into electricity by utilizing a float body and toothed rails to drive a generator, ensuring continuous rotation and power generation in both upward and downward wave motions.
Implementation Method 1
The float body is made of a material that permits the float body to float in water
Data Source
AI summary
The wave powered generator device and system provides a system for generating electricity using wave energy. The force exerted on the float body by the waves moves the float body in two directions, up and down. The float body aligns toothed rails with rail gears that drive the PTO. The toothed rails secured to the float body travel vertically in relation to the rail gears. The vertical motion of the neck and the float body moves the toothed rails in relation to the rail gears. Such vertical motion of the toothed rails rotates the rail gears to drive the generator to generate electricity. The toothed rails are located on opposite sides of the rail gears to generate electricity during bi-directional movement of the neck, the float body, and the rail gears.