The present invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a device is known in the art.

The known device only provides a linear transmission. The power that is fed at one side, is extracted at the other side. By rotating the arm around a pivot axis at a position in between said shafts and placing said position closer to the one than to the other shaft, the torque extracted at the other shaft can be con ^¬ trolled. Further adaptations are not possible.

This known device according to the state of the art is there ^¬ fore limited in effectiveness.

The invention aims at providing an improved device of the kind mentioned in the preamble.

The invention especially aims at providing such device that has a wider field of application.

The invention also aims at providing an improved device wherein the power that is delivered by the second, other shaft can be changed with respect to the power delivered by the first shaft.

So as to obtain at least one of these aims, and the corre ^¬ sponding advantages, according to a first embodiment the invention provides a device for generating a rotary motion, comprising a ro- tatable shaft that is coupled to a driving unit and with a body, and at least an arm that is coupled to said rotatable shaft for extracting energy wherein the center of gravity of said shaft's body is positioned outside a rotation axis so as to provide an im ^¬ balance of said shaft, such that at a predetermined rotational speed of said shaft, the shaft and the associated body exhibit circular oscillation. The term "rotatable shaft" relates to a shaft around which where the said body is positioned. As a matter of fact, the shaft itself does not rotate, but for ease of under ^¬ standing this term is used. The term "rotation axis" relates to the imaginary axis about which the body rotates in a circular os ^¬ cillatory movement. For example, the body may be driven by a hub motor of which the body that is placed around the shaft, rotates.

This device has the advantage that an oscillating rotation of the shaft is specifically used for obtaining a larger rotational amplitude of the shaft and the body than can be obtained with a carefully aligned shaft exhibiting no oscillation. As a conse ^¬ quence, the amplitude of the axis has a value that is larger than 0 (zero), whereas the amplitude without oscillation would be equal to 0 (zero) . As a result, the power supplied by the shaft and that will be delivered by the arm will be larger than would be the case at a rotational speed that is different from a critical rotational speed where no oscillation is obtained. According to the present invention, the shaft should be rotated at a speed above the criti ^¬ cal rotational speed. This is in contradiction to classical me ^¬ chanics, where a rotational speed in which oscillation occurs is to be avoided at all times.

According to an especially preferred embodiment, the inven ^¬ tion most preferably relates to a device wherein the drive unit, the shaft and the body are coupled to a mutual housing, said hous ^¬ ing being displaceable coupled with respect to a base, and wherein the at least one arm comprises en an arm that is coupled to the housing and that is coupled to the base by means of at least one generator, such that a movement of the housing with respect to the base generates an electrical current in the generator. Preferably the shaft, the drive unit and the body are embodied in a housing or in a frame that serves as a housing. As a consequence, the housing will make an circulating oscillating movement that is identical to the oscillating movement of the body that is in im ^¬ balance. Only the body rotates inside the housing when the device is in use. An advantage thereof is that a stable coupling between the oscillating rotating mass and the base is obtained, adding to an efficient way of energy production.

An efficient device is especially obtained when the at least one generator is a linear electrical generator. Due to the cylindrical oscillating movement the arm that is connected to the hous ^¬ ing, in a direction perpendicular to the shaft, will make a linear movement with respect to the base, wherein said movement can be broken apart in an X-axis and an Y-axis. The arm therefore can be preferably coupled to two linear generators that are positioned substantially perpendicular with respect to each other and that are both positioned perpendicular with respect to the shaft.

As a consequence, it is preferred that in the device accord ^¬ ing to the invention, the housing is coupled to the base by means of at least two, preferably at least four, more preferably at least eight generators.

It is especially preferred that the shaft comprises a body, for example with one or more flywheels (hereinafter also referred to as rotor plate or rotor disk) with an adjustable imbalance. Such provides the possibility to create an imbalance at a large range of rotational speeds of the first shaft. More in particular, it is preferred to choose the rotational speed such that the am ^¬ plitude is maximal.

Preferably, an eccentrical mass is coupled to the shaft, such that the distance from the mass with respect to the rotation axis is adjustable for controlling the oscillation amplitude.

A simple use of the device according to the invention may be obtained when the shaft is operably connected to an electromotor that serves as a drive. An electromotor provides a constant rota ^¬ tional speed in an easy way with the result that the device can be driven efficiently. In such embodiment, the drive unit is an elec ^¬ tromotor.

A simple generation of energy can be obtained when the arm is operably connected with a device for generating energy at a posi ^¬ tion that is directed away from the shaft.

Therefore, the device is preferably embodied for rotation at a rotational speed where an amount of power fed to the shaft is less than the amount of power extracted from the device due to os ^¬ cillation .

Similarly, the device according to the invention therefore is embodied for rotation at a rotational speed wherein a power input to be provided by the drive unit is less than a power output de ^¬ livered by the at least one generator due to oscillation.

Similarly, it is preferred that the power to be delivered by the drive unit to the shaft is electronically controllable. For then, the amount of power to be delivered by the generators can be controlled as well.

So as to obtain a stable construction that nevertheless is freely connected to the base, it is preferred that in the device according to the invention, the shaft is fixedly connected to the housing, wherein said housing on the one hand is coupled by means of the at least one arm to the base with some translational free ^¬ dom, and wherein the housing near the shaft is resiliently coupled to the base. This embodiment will be further exemplified in the drawing .

A simple build of the device according to the invention is obtained when the shaft for example comprises a disk like around the shaft that is connected substantially perpendicular to said shaft and wherein the arm is positioned parallel to the body and substantially perpendicular to the shaft. So as to be able to have the shaft oscillate is it preferred that the shaft is hung mova- bly, wherein the movability is directed perpendicular to said shaft, defining a so-called "plane of freedom". Thus, the arm is positioned parallelly with respect to the plane of freedom. The first arm may rotate, or pivot, around a fixed point of rotation or pivot point.

So as to be able to adjust the center of gravity of the body, at a low rotational speed close to the shaft in order to be able to easily increase speed and at a higher rotational speed further away from the axis in order to obtain a stronger oscillation with a higher amplitude, it is preferred that the body is comprised of a rotary body that comprises a hollow space with a displaceable mass, said hollow space being provided over an arc of rotation segment which comprises less than 50% of the body.

The displaceable mass preferably comprises spherical bodies, preferably metallic spherical bodies.

Hereinafter the invention will be described with reference to a drawing. The drawing shows in:

Fig. 1 a graph wherein the power of the drive unit and the generator are plotted against the rotational speed,

Fig. 2 a schematic side view of the device according to the invention,

Fig. 3 a schematic top view of the device according to Fig. 2 , and

Fig. 4a, 4b and 4c a preferred embodiment of the device.

In the figures, the same parts are denoted by means of the same reference numerals. However, for ease of understanding the drawing, not all elements that are required for a practical embod ^¬ iment, are shown in the drawing.

Fig. 1 shows a graph wherein the power is plotted against the rotational speed ω. The graph specifically shows the used power of the drive unit P ₀ p at a tipping point (to be defined hereafter) and the power delivered by the generator P _AF at a rotational speed ω _Α . The rotational speed, and thus the oscillation velocity, can be controlled by the electromotor that drives the rotary shaft (here also referred to as "first shaft" or "first axis") . The rotational speed is mathematically connected to the centrifugal force in ac-

2

cordance with the formula: F = m- ω -r. The rotational speed thus has a quadratic influence on the generated power. Since the power is proportional with generated force, the power will also increase quadratically with increasing rotational speed. In order to show this proportionality in the graph, the term "F" is used, like F _L regarding the Lorentz power and F _M regarding the power generated by the device) . The surprising effect consists of the power F _L that is required to generate a rotational movement, for example with an electromotor, and that linearly increases with increasing rotational speed. The rotational speed (ω) also increases linearly. However, the oscillation power to be extracted increases quadrati ^¬ cally, providing the power increase as indicated above.

The surprising effect of the invention is situated in the fact that the centrifugal force in the device according to the in ^¬ vention can be used to generate energy by means of an electrical generator. By using this oscillation effect that is obtained by means of an imbalance in a drive shaft the oscillation and thus the available centrifugal force, can be controlled. By increasing the oscillation this force is "resonant risable". The oscillation effect increases with increasing centrifugal force.

This effect is a huge surprise, since the power delivered or fed to the first shaft, for example by means of an electromotor for rotating the first shaft, does not increase when the oscilla ^¬ tion effect occurs. The required power for is generated electri ^¬ cally and can be controlled simply. This electrical power will hereinafter be referred to as Lorentz-power F _L . The Lorentz-power increases proportionally with increasing rotational speed.

This yields a surprising effect when considering the result ^¬ ing generated power. The graph sows that the generated centrifugal force F _M at a certain rotational speed ω _κ (beyond the tipping point "KP") is larger than the Lorentz-power F _L . From that point on, the generated power F _M due to oscillation is larger than the power F _L that is consumed by the electromotor (the electromotor is identi ^¬ fied as "EM" in the other figures) . For that reason, the power P _AF generated by the generator will be larger than the power P _0P that is fed into the system by means of the electromotor for rotating the system. It is remarked that the indication P _0P in Figure 1 is identified at the tipping point and the indication P _AF is identi ^¬ fied at a higher rotational speed; these indications may vary, de ^¬ pendent upon the rotational speed.

The F _L increases linearly with increase of the rotational speed of the body of the first shaft. Due to the oscillating body on the first shaft, the power F _M increases quadratically with in ^¬ creasing rotational speed ω . As a consequence, a larger force and power can be extracted from the device than is fed into it. When F is larger than F _L , which is the case from a certain rotational speed co _k , the so-called tipping-rotational speed, the device ac ^¬ cording to the invention will yield a resonant rise in power and thus yield a power profit.

The invention can be implemented in many ways. For example, the device according to the invention may convert any rotational movement so as to obtain a power increase.

Fig. 2 shows a schematical side view of the device according to Fig. 1 according to the invention. By means of a drive shaft 2, being the rotational shaft 2, a rotor 4 with a mass 3 is rotated. The rotor 4 has a center of gravity that is positioned outside the drive shaft 2. The shaft 2 and the rotor 4 with mass 3 are embod ^¬ ied in a housing 10. The housing 10 is placed within a base 5. Since the center of gravity of rotor 4 is placed outside the rota ^¬ tional shaft 2, the rotor 4 will start an oscillating movement at predetermined frequencies, such that the rotational shaft 2 will make a oscillating circular motion with respect to the base 5. 5 The rotor 4 is hung resiliently 6 in the base 5. Also, a

guiding system 7 (according to an optional embodiment also identi ^¬ fied as a suspension construction 17, 18 in Fig. 3) has been provided that ensures that the movement of rotor 4 is controlled in a horizontal plane (shown as a top view in Fig. 3) . The oscillating

10 movement of rotor 4 will be passed on to arm 8. In Fig. 2 two arms 8 are shown, in Fig. 3 four arms 8 are shown for increased stabil ^¬ ity. Via the at least one arm 8 the oscillating movement can be extracted linearly.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of the suspension construction

15 17, 18 as guiding system 7 of rotor 4 in housing 10. The respective degrees of freedom in the X- and Y-axis are clearly indicat ^¬ ed. As shown in Fig. 3 the suspension 17 performed in duplicate ensures a guidance in the direction of both the X-axis and the Y- axis whereas the suspension construction 18, also performed in du-

20 plicate, provides a guidance in the direction of both the X-axis and the Y-axis. The construction 17, 18 is an alternative embodi ^¬ ment of the guiding system 7 according to Fig. 2. Rotor 4 is ro- tatably connected to rotor plates 19, 20 (see Fig. 2) that are connected to the suspension construction 17, 18 through the hous-

25 ing. As a consequence, rotor 4 is able to oscillate together with rotor plates 19, 20. In such embodiment, rotor 4 rotates and rotor plates 19, 20 are statically positioned with respect to base 5. By providing generators in the suspension 17, 18, oscillation energy from rotor 4 can be extracted from the device 1. The rotor plates

30 19, 20 can be mutually connected providing a rigid construction.

In addition to that, it is preferred for the weight of the rotor plates 19, 20 to be as low as possible in order to obtain an opti ^¬ mal oscillation. Preferably, the rotor plates 19, 20 may be manu ^¬ factured from carbon or a light weight metal, for example aluminum

35 or magnesium alloy.

The suspension constructions 17 comprise two guiding shafts 21, 22. Shaft 21 provides for guidance in the Y direction whereas shaft 22 provides for guidance in the X direction. Around each shaft a linear generator is provided in guiding bodies 23, 23' .

The suspension constructions 18 comprise two guiding shafts 24, 25. Shaft 24 provides for guidance in the Y direction whereas shaft 25 provides for guidance in the X direction. Around each shaft a linear generator is provided in guiding bodies 26', 26.

The suspension constructions 17, 18 are embodied with guiding bodies 23, 23' ; 26, 26' that are each mutually coupled. The guid ^¬ ing body 23 of suspension construction 17 is guided along shaft 21, whereas guiding body 23' is fixedly coupled to guiding body 23 and is guided along shaft 22. By embodying the shafts and the guiding bodies that are guided along same as generator, electrical energy can be simply extracted from the generators upon oscilla ^¬ tion of rotor 4. Due to the oscillating rotation of rotor 4 the rotor plates 19, 20 will oscillate as well. In a similar fashion the guiding body 26 of suspension construction 18 is guided along shaft 24, whereas guiding body 26' is fixedly coupled to guiding body 26 and is guided along shaft 25.

The rotor plates 19, 20 are guided via housing 10 by means of guiding bodies 23, 23'; 26, 26' along guides 21, 22 and 24, 25, respectively. Upon oscillation of rotors 4, the rotor plates 19, 20 will be guided via housing 10 along guides 21; 24 and 22; 25. By providing generators in the guiding bodies 23, 23'; 26, 26' electrical energy can be extracted therefrom, said energy being the result of the generated centrifugal force F _M , more in particu ^¬ lar the oscillating centrifugal force F _M0 .

The center of gravity of rotor 4 is preferably as far away from the rotation axis 2 (i.e. the rotation shaft) as possible so as to yield a maximal centrifugal force. To that end, a solid mass 3 can be provided at an outer circumference of rotor 4, as shown in Fig. 3. According to an alternative embodiment, and as shown in Fig. 4a (top view), Fig. 4b (co rotational movement or at low ro ^¬ tational speed) and Fig. 4c (high rotational speed; also schemati ^¬ cally shown in Fig. 2), a rotor 4 can be provided with a hollow space 27, a displaceable mass being received in said hollow space, for example a plurality of steel spheres 28. Rotor 4 with hollow space is embodied as a lower rotor plate 19 and a top rotor plate 20, mutually connected by means of a wall at their outer circum ^¬ ference, such that an inner hollow space 27 is obtained. Upon ro ^¬ tation, the spheres will be displaced towards and against the out ^¬ er wall 29 of rotor 4, yielding a maximum force. By making the bottom 30 of the hollow space 27 rise upwardly from the rotation shaft 2 towards the outer wall 29, the spheres 27 will collect in a resting situation and at low rotational speed close to the rota ^¬ tional shaft 2 (Fig. 4b) , allowing an easy acceleration of rotor 4. Only when the spheres 27 are at a position near wall 29 at higher rotational speed (Fig. 4c) oscillation will occur. According to an alternative embodiment a mass may be received resilient- ly inside the hollow space such that in a resting situation the mass is close to the shaft and from a predetermined rotational speed near the wall 29.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments explicitly described above and as shown in the drawing. The invention is limited by the appending claims only.

The invention also embodies all combinations of features and measures that have been described independently from each other.