WIND AND HYDROKINETIC TURBINES

[001] This application claims the right of priority to and is a continuation-in-part of U. S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/233,365 filed December 27, 2018; is a continuation-in-part of U. S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/691,145 filed December 11, 2019; and is a continuation-in-part of U. S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/701,741 filed December 3, 2019; all patent applications being of the same inventor and incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[002] The technical field of the invention relates to providing a method and apparatus for controlling the harnessing of renewable wind and water flow energy to a constant power value and constant frequency with a wind turbine or a marine hydrokinetic (MHK) river or a tidal or an ocean wave turbine or an ocean current turbine, and, more particularly, to the field of wind and water flow turbines which utilize a speed converter herein called a Hummingbird speed converter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[003] A wind or water flow turbine for generating constant alternating current frequency electricity may comprise three components: a harnessing module, a controlling module and a generating module. A typical harnessing module comprises a wind propeller which turns a shaft of an electricity generator or a water flow or wave turbine which captures water flow energy that likewise turns the shaft of an alternating current electricity generator. Three known renewable energy harnessing modules are shown in Figures 5A-5C of U. S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/701,741 filed December 3, 2019 entitled“Concentric Wing Turbines” of the same inventor and incorporated by reference into the present application in its entirety. A problem with known turbines is their inefficiency in obtaining a constant electric frequency such as 60 Hz (US) or 50 Hz (European) and their reliance on periods of variable wind and water flow. For example, water flows over a dam and there may be a drought requiring the turbines to shut down or there may not be sufficient wind to turn a propeller-driven turbine. For example, in a conventional wind turbine, an electrical power converter is used to produce a constant frequency electrical alternating current when the wind is blowing sufficiently. This power converter converts alternating current of variable frequency to direct current and then back to constant frequency alternating current electricity. This power conversion is very inefficient and, also, the electronics of the known power converter are known to fail.

[004] Hydroelectric and wind energy are two major sources of so-called renewable energy. In the U.S.A. in 2016 (E1A), 33.0% or one-third of all electric energy is produced by steam generation using coal. A third source of renewable energy comes from the sun (only 1.0%). A first renewable energy source comes from water (hydro amounts to 6.0% according to the E1A). Water flows at variable speed and so does wind; (ocean waves vary with the strength of winds over the ocean). The sun is only bright enough during daytime hours for conversion to electrical energy by known solar panels. An advantage of water flow over wind is the mass/density, inertia or power that may be generated by the flow of water compared with the flow of wind (wind amounts to 6.0% of generated electricity) where wind must be harnessed by large wind-driven propellers or rotor blades. Also, for example, river water typically flows at all hours of the day and night at a relatively constant rate of flow.

[005] Natural gas provides, in the same year, about 34.0% of U. S. electric energy, and nuclear energy now provides about 20.0%, for example, via steam turbine generation. Petroleum, such as oil, is used to produce only about 1% of U. S. electric energy. Coal, natural gas, biomass (2.0%) and petroleum are carbon-based and when burned produce emissions which can be costly to mitigate or, if not mitigated, can be dangerous or at least increase the so-called carbon footprint in the earth’s atmosphere. Non-renewable carbon-based systems and can cause undesirable emissions. The supply of coal, gas and petroleum is also limited. Nuclear energy generation, unless handled with extreme care, is dangerous, and the spent nuclear fuel becomes a hazard to the world.

[006] Consequently, the hope of electrical energy generation for the future is in so-called renewables which include, but are not limited to, the air (wind power), the sun (solar power) and water (hydroelectric and marine hydrokinetic, MHK, energy via river or tidal and ocean wave and ocean current water turbine) sources. The Grand Coulee dam, Hoover dam and the Tennessee Valley Authority are exemplary of projects started in the early 20 ^th century in the United States for generating hydroelectric power, but these require large dams to build potential energy for turning electric turbine generators. Large hydroelectric generators in such dams on rivers in the United States are now being replaced with more efficient and larger capacity generators. But the number and utility of dam-based hydroelectric power is limited, and the dams block migrating fish and commercial river traffic on navigable rivers. The dams back up a river to form a lake which can take away valuable land resources that could be used to grow food or permit animals to feed. On the other hand, the created lakes provide water control and recreational use for boating, fishing and the like. Nevertheless, there remains a need for wind and water driven electricity generators and control that may save the cost of building a dam, permit the marine hydrokinetic (MHK) generation of electricity and use the high inertia flow of a river or tidal estuary flow of ocean currents and tides to produce constant power in comparison with wind. And, notwithstanding the variable nature of renewable sources of energy, there is a need for a stand-alone control system or distributed generation for assuring constant power at constant frequency, voltage and current without needing grid connections so as to be a dependable source for small villages, for example, in developing nations of Africa and other continents and to conform to world standards.

[007] While hydroelectric energy amounts to the next greatest renewable source at about 6.0%, it is believed that more can be done to efficiently utilize the rivers, ocean waves and tides and ocean currents in the United States and in developing nations, for example, in Africa than by hindering the flow of water commerce by the construction of dams.

[008] Other renewable sources include geothermal and solar energy. While these are“clean” sources, to date, their growth has been unimpressive. Only wind energy is supported by the Department of Energy, and wind energy is forecast to grow from 4.7% in 2015 to 20% of all US energy in approximately 20 years. Recently, offshore wind turbines have been considered for use off the Eastern Shore of the United States mounted on platforms for generating power for the mainland coastal states.

[009] A mechanical meshed gear gearbox used in renewable energy systems is known to have a failure rate of approximately 5%. Electronics used in a wind turbine have the highest potential failure rate of 26%. Control units generally exhibit a failure rate of 11%. Sensors exhibit approximately a 10% failure rate. The failure rate of a variable frequency converter or variable power converter (conventional wind turbines) may be on the order of 26% failure rate (electronics) according to an ongoing consortium’s study of drive train dynamics at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. According to published information, the mean time between failures of a 1.5 megawatt wind turbine, for example, may be only two years on average (but the real failure rate is an industrial secret); and the replacement cost may be over $50,000 (for example, $50,000 to $100,000 US) per variable frequency to constant power converter. A failure rate of the variable speed generator of a known turbine is on the order of 4.5%. Consequently, problems related to known wind, water (river, ocean wave and tidal) turbines relate closely to the failure rate of gearboxes, generators, variable frequency converters dr variable power converters and associated electronics and inefficiencies of operation.

[0010] A solution to the identified problems is to provide a constant rotational velocity as an input to the constant speed electric generator so that an electricity generator in turn can produce a constant alternating current frequency output and deliver a constant voltage and constant current (power) directly to an electric grid. Transmissions or speed converters, for example, have been developed or are under development by the following entities: IQWind, Fallbrook and Voith Wind (Voith Turbo) to provide a constant output from a variable input. US Patent No. 7,081,689, (the‘689 patent) assigned to Voith Turbo of Germany is exemplary of an overall system control design providing three levels of generator control. Voith provides a so-called power split gear. A hydrodynamic Fottinger speed converter or transformer may be connected between a rotor and gear assembly and a synchronous generator may output power to a grid, for example, at 50 Hz (European).

[0011] A recent development in the art of gearboxes is a magnetic gear which relies on permanent magnets and avoids meshed gears. Magnetic gears, for example, developed by and available from Magnomatics, Sheffield, UK, have an air gap between sheath and shaft and so there is no meshing of gears in a gearbox. Alternating north and south poled permanent magnets may slip with a burst of water or wind energy with a magnetic gear that might break a meshed gear gearbox. A magnetic gear yields when a large burst of water/wind energy or a tidal or wave burst of water energy turns a gearbox input while a meshed gear may break or cause considerable wear to a meshed gear of the gearbox.

[0012] Known marine hydrokinetic (MHK) turbines such as run-of-the-river, tidal, and hydrokinetic river turbines have problems. There is the problem of having to convert a harnessed variable rotational speed to a constant alternating current frequency and so provide a dependable constant power output. On the other hand, there are many advantages for harnessing marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy: the density (mass or inertia) of water is much greater than that of wind and its speed is not as variable as wind speed especially when used in a relatively constant flowing river or steam which flows continuously in the same direction (such as the Mississippi River of the United States). Tides are reversible (high tide to low tide flowing toward the ocean and low tide to high tide flowing in from the ocean) and associated known turbines may be limited to generating power in one direction of water flow (during changing high to low tide or low to high tide) and generate maximum power at only low and high tides during a day. Resultant output power is sinusoidal in nature (water flowing in to a maximum and then reversing and flowing out to a maximum during a day/night high tide/low tide cycle).

[0013] A concept for improving turbines is use of a direct drive in which a rotor and a shaft drive a generator. Such a direct drive may be used to directly drive an electric generator without using a gearbox, i.e. directly driving the generator. The failure and efficiency problems of gearboxes may be eliminated by eliminating the gearbox and substituting direct drive. One may increase the number of poles by fifty times, for example, use power converters or frequency converters and so result in reduced down time for gearbox repairs at the expense of increased cost due to the bigger generators. A speed converter to convert variable speed to constant speed is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 8,388,481 of Kyung Soo Han, incorporated by reference as to its entire contents. The speed converter is entirely mechanical and so scalable and improves upon the high failure rate, reliability and efficiency of known electrical/mechanical systems. Speed converters under development are also frequency converters and are shown in this and other patent applications and patents of Kyung Soo Han and may be referred to as infinitely variable motion control devices (TVMC) and have named the principle“motionics” which may comprise speed converter gear assemblies such that rotational speed may be changed to a constant speed for driving an electricity generator at this constant rotational speed so that the generator produces a constant desired electrical frequency output.

[0014] Traction drive infinitely variable transmissions are known produced by Torotrak and Fallbrook. The Fallhrook device may be described by U. S. Patent No. 8,133,149. A 2004 report, NREL/TP-500-36371, concluded that the Fallbrook device is not scalable. Further speed converters are described by FIG.’s 10 and 11 of U. S. Patent No. 8,641,570 of Differential Dynamics Corp. (also known as DDMotion), also incorporated by reference as to its entire contents. The DDMotion speed converters are differentiated from those of Torotrak and Fallbrook by their gear drives (no toroids, pulleys or belts) and that they are scalable.

[0015] A turbine was produced by Hydrovolts, Inc. The apparatus may comprise a waterwheel and may comprise a gear and belt drive inside which may, because of the belt, be susceptible to slippage. At their web site, a 15 kW waterfall turbine is described for use at a waterfall such as at spillways or outflows in industrial plants. Hydrovolts also produces a 12 kW zero-head canal turbine that allegedly can capture the energy in moving water. Reference may be made to U. S. Published Patent Application 2010/0237626 of Hammer published September 23, 2010, which appears to comprise a waterwheel construction. Hydrovolts’ rotating (hinged) blades may control some of the water flow speed, but it is urged that the exposed rotating blades may be susceptible to damage.

[0016] A river turbine is known which may be attributed to Free Flow Power Corp. and may have been lowered to the bottom of the Mississippi River or attached to a piling. It is believed that such a device may be very similar to a turbine engine of an airplane but below water level and the water, at velocity, drives a turbine propeller (blades). Due to lowering prices of natural gas, the project became economically unviable (according to their press release in 2012).

[0017] New Energy Corp, Inc. of Calgary, AB, Canada in collaboration with the present inventor and Differential Dynamics Corporation has recently announced a hydrokinetic turbine that may operate at five kilowatts. This small river turbine may comprise a turbine on a floating platform in a river having an underwater harnessing module that may come in sizes from five kilowatts to one hundred kilowatts in the future. An installation of a five kilowatt EnviroGen plant has been used by the First Nation communities on the Winnipeg River, requires no dams and may comprise a platform anchored in the river with an underwater harnessing module, for example, on the river bottom and the turbine may be located at another appropriate location. The plant may require no fuel, run twenty-four hours a day from river flow, and there may be no need for a large battery bank power back-up in dry spells. The underwater water energy harnessing module may comprise propellers or waterwheels that appear to be vertical to face the river water flow of approximately two meters per second at some locations or over three meters per second at other locations on the river.

[0018] It is generally known in the art to utilize devices that look much like wind turbines to capture water energy'. A tidal and/or river current turbine is known from FIG. 1 of U. S. Pub. Patent App. 2009/0041584 (Verdant Power) published February 12, 2009. Verdant Power is now producing a fifth-generation propeller turbine that may be mounted on a triangular frame under water. The diagram provides the labels, showing direction of water flow“A” (from right to left). Note that the turbine rotates on a pole so that rotor blade 150 captures the water as it passes in any direction. Tocardo of the Netherlands produces a rotor blade that rotates to reverse direction for, for example, tidal flow capture. See Tocardo U. S. Published Patent App. 2019/031301A1.

[0019] A rotating ring device including a rotating ring is known which is available from Oceana Energy Company. FIG. 1 of U. S. Published Patent Application 2012/0211990 of August 23, 2012, of Oceana Energy allegedly comprises hydrofoils both external and internal to the rotating ring.

[0020] Perhaps the most like a wind turbine in appearance is the known tidal energy turbine of ScottishPower Renewables, a division of Iberdrola. According to press releases, this tidal device with its propeller (rotor blades) is capable of generating approximately 10 MW of power as an “array” perhaps of twelve or more such devices at less than 1 MW each.

[0021] Most maps of the United States show the major rivers which include the Ohio, the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Snake River and the Pecos and Brazos Rivers of Texas. As can be seen from such a map, there is a great potential to harness the water energy of these rivers in the United States and to power, for example, the entire area covered by the Mississippi River and its tributaries including the Missouri, the Platte and the Red Rivers. Using Hams across these rivers to generate electricity would be costly and hinder river traffic and marine lives. It may be that only Free Flow Power has developed a device for use on such a river as die Mississippi, (but Free Flow Power abandoned the Mississippi project in 2012).

[0022] Similarly, a map of the world shows the major rivers of the world, further highlighting the potential to harness water energy in rivers world-wide. (Predictable ocean tides cause water to flow upstream in ocean tributaries at low to high tide transitions and downstream in ocean tributaries at low tide and may be more widely used for electric power generation.)

[0023] A typical hydroelectric power plant is mounted within a dam of a river. A first step in harnessing water energy is to build the dam to create a pressure head that is proportional to the depth of the water backed up by the dam. The backed-up water is represented by a reservoir or lake. At the base of the dam, there may be intake gates which allow water that has been compressed by the head to flow at a predetermined flow rate through a penstock to a powerhouse which is one of many such powerhouses that may be constructed along the width of a large dam. One powerhouse may comprise a generator and a turbine which outputs electric power to long distance power lines. Once the water passes through the turbine, it is returned to the river downstream via a tailrace.

[0024] A variable torque generator (VTG) (called a VPG when varying power output) has been described in U. S. Patent No.’s 8,338,481; 8,485,933; and 8,702,552 as well as PCTAJS2010/042519 published as WO2011/011358 of Kyung Soo Han, incorporated by reference as to their entire contents. The variable torque or variable overlap generator (VOG) has one of an axially moveable rotor and/or stator with respect to its stationary or moveable counterpart stator or rotor so as to vary the amount of overlap by the stator with respect to the rotor from a minimum when the stator is displaced from the rotor to a maximum value when the stator and rotor are proximate to or overlap one another. When used in a power generating module to regulate flow of power, the VTG is referred to as a variable power generator or VPG. When used in a torque generator and a power generator to regulate torque and flow of power, the generator is referred to as a variable torque and power generator or VT&PG. Torque and/or power are at a maximum when there is a maximum rotor/stator overlap.

[0025] In particular, there is described in, for example. WO2011/011358 or U. S. Patent No. 8,338,481 (the U. S,‘481 patent), the concept of measuring torque/rpm on an output shaft of a system such as a river/tidal/ocean wave/ocean current turbine (which may be referred to herein as a marine hydrokinetic (MHK) turbine) for providing a constant output from a variable flow input. The measured torque/rpm value may be compared with a torque/rpm value stored in a memory and, if the measured torque/rpm is high in comparison, then, the moveable rotor or stator of a variable torque generator may be moved axially to a position more in keeping with the high measured torque/rpm value, i.e. such that the stator is moved away from the rotor axially under motor control through a feedback loop. When the measured torque/rpm is low in comparison with an expected value, the moveable rotor or stator may be moved axially toward one another to match a low value of torque/rpm so that the speed of the output shaft may increase with increasing wind or water flow and vice versa. This variable torque generator (VTG) process continues so as to maintain a relationship between speed of input (such as speed of wind or water flow (river/tide/ocean wave/ocean current) to match a desired rotational speed of output shaft and to maintain output shaft speed, for example, if used as an electric power generator, to produce, for example, more electricity (more current or amperes) of 60 Hz U. S. electric frequency or in Europe 50 Hz European frequency electric power. [0026] Differential Dynamics Corporation has also proposed a variable to constant speed generator including the concept of an infinitely variable torque generator, meaning that the one of the moveable rotor or the stator may be moved, for example, by a servo motor, not shown, to any position of proximity to or distance from one another or such that their respective magnetic flux fields are located far away from one another so as to not couple with one another, for example, to have an effect to cause a coupling of rotor and stator and a magnetic force field tending to cause the rotor to be stationary with the stator or move with the stator. The rotor and stator of the variable power generator are shown such that the rotor may be directly coupled to the shaft. When the stator parts are moved away from rotor, a minimum input torque results. The operation of a control may be as follows via measuring a torque value stored in memory proximate to the maximum torque that a given rotor shaft may receive (a maximum allowable torque value), the stator parts may be moved by a motor to be in removed torque position or a position in between maximum and minimum torque positions whereby a close-to-maximum torque position may be achieved in relation to the measured torque and the maximum allowable torque(/rpm) value or value stored in memory.

[0027] Most of today’s water/electric conversion is directed to hydroelectric dams, tidal influences and small rivers or canals. According to www.mecometer.com, the potential for development of electricity for large rivers is on the order of over one million megawatts in the USA alone. Also, the capacity for generating electricity using rivers in China is 1.1 million megawatts and that of the entire world over five million megawatts. So, river and tidal water turbines are not only economically viable, they represent viable renewable energy sources for powering the world without hydrocarbons, high cost and with low maintenance.

[0028] A harnessing module may comprise concentric wings, waterwheels, paddle wheels and the like. A concentric wing harnessing module is described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/701,741 filed December 3, 2019, of the same inventor (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) which is demonstrative of a concentric wing or blade of a helicopter or plane used for vertical take-off and horizontal flight. This concentric wing harnessing module may have a set of concentric blades which rotate in the same directions (or two sets of harnessing modules rotating in opposite directions) from a centrally geared shaft at equal speed and create greater torque than other forms of harnessing modules such as waterwheels. Concentric wings, which may be attached to a shaft which is in-line with the flow of wind or water, may be the most efficient harnessing module without counter-active forces.

[0029] Consequently, there remains a need in the art to provide applications of a harnessing module (harnessing wind or water energy), a control module and a power generating module to provide a constant value of power at constant electric frequency. A renewable energy generating module including a variable speed to constant speed converter assembly such as wind, river/ocean current and tidal devices, that is, a wind turbine or a marine hydrokinetic river or tidal turbine electric power turbine among other possible applications for generating electric power at constant alternating current frequency and voltage for an electric power grid may be used, for example, by a small community, (for example, in developing countries) or in a small industrial plant Several MHK turbines may be placed serially or in parallel and power the entire Mississippi river basin. A river turbine may be designed to comprise a hydrokinetic river turbine that may, for example, comprise a specially designed harnessing module, a control module and a constant power generating module for controlling the output power generated to a constant power level, for example, fifty kW and at constant frequency such as 50 or 60 Hz.

SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Two units of three variable Transgear™ gear assemblies (spur gear, bevel/miter gear and ring gear) may be assembled in various configurations as a so-called Hummingbird™ controlling module, for example, such that two spur/helical gear Transgear gear assemblies, two bevel/miter gear assemblies or two ring gear/spur gear assemblies may have an adjustment device serially connect them to automatically assure constant speed rotary output from a variable rotary speed input from a harnessing module capturing wind and water renewable energy. The Hummingbird speed converter module may have an input, an output, and a control and may comprise a constant speed control motor. The control motor may convert variable renewable input energy (for example, river and tidal water energy) into constant electrical energy at constant frequency. The control motor may provide a constant rotational speed output to the Hummingbird speed converter for generating an electrical advantage at a generator output module of constant frequency (fifty Hertz European or sixty Hertz U.S.), for example, at a desired value of kilowatts of power for output to a power grid. Hie so-constructed wind, river or tidal turbine may be used in river or tidal estuary applications having a harnessing module designed for a particular location on the river or tidal estuary sufficient to supply, for example, fifty kW of power to an electric grid or for local distribution.

[0031] Embedments of control systems for renewable energy electric power generation at constant frequency may involve the combination of first and second spur/helical gear assemblies called Transgear gear assemblies as a Hummingbird control module, the Hummingbird control having a constant speed control motor and an adjustment device, the Hummingbird control for converting variable rotational speed input to constant electrical frequency. A proper adjustment gear assembly, for example, for a spur gear Hummingbird assembly is from negative one times the variation in rotational speed to positive one-half times the variation in rotational speed of the input comprising a constant desired speed plus the variation. The mathematical logic for an adjustment gear assembly is based on a feedback control requirement: the output of the second spur gear assembly should be constant X (+ or -) without the“delta" variable speed D of the Input #1 shown in Figure 9 where the renewable energy variable water or wind flow input is harnessed by a harnessing module (not shown) as X + D. This delta or variation in rotational speed over and above a desired constant rotational speed X should be eliminated from the desired output constant rotational speed from a variable input rotational speed harnessed by a harnessing module, the constant portion plus the variable“delta” portion of the input rotational speed. Each speed converter assembly is unique for assigning functions to variables, determining rotational speeds, type of Transgear assembly, etc. As will be discussed herein, two spur gear assemblies or two miter/bevel gear assemblies or two ring gear assemblies, each with an adjustment gear may serve to provide constant rotational speed output from variable rotational input rotational speed from a harnessing module.

[0032] A water flow power harnessing module may comprise a rotor rotating about a stator or a stator rotating about a rotor in the form of a waterwheel, paddle wheel, concentric rotating wing harnessing module or other module designed to harness energy and generate electrical energy at the same time for use, for example, to power a control motor of a Hummingbird speed converter. In one embodiment, the combined harnessing module/generator may also power an input motor and a control motor to a Hummingbird speed converter as will be described herein.

[0033] A Hummingbird speed converter design is guided by the conceptual design of a transistor to have three variables and switch or amplify an electrical (mechanical) signal input. A further principle discovered during development of a Hummingbird speed converter control module comprising first and second Transgear assemblies (spur gear, miter/bevel gear and ring gear; see FIG.'s lOA through IOC) is an analogy between Pascal’s Principle applicable to a closed hydraulic system having force = pressure x area where the control force is exceeded by the useable force to what may be referred to as Kyung Soo Han’s principle of rotary motion control or“motionics” (analogous to Pascal’s principle of hydraulics), also in a closed (or torque balanced) electro/mechanical system or three variable control system, where mechanical power in or electric power out yields the same equation: power = torque x speed where a control motor power is exceeded by the output power as applied to a harnessing module to achieve an electrical advantage at the output

[0034] The controlling module comprising a controlled input or constant speed motor useful, for example, in wind and river/tidal/ocean wave/ocean current (MHK) turbines along with the use of spur/helical gear assemblies of sun gears, sets of planetary gears and carrier gears or discs referred to herein as Transgear gear assemblies or Hummingbird three variable speed converter modules or simply Hummingbird speed converters may be controlled by a known direct current constant speed motor or an alternating current constant speed control motor. Hatch control of a waterwheel, a paddle wheel, a concentric wing rotating propeller module (harnessing module) or other known renewable energy harnessing module (water) (or pitch (wind) control for wind turbines) may be needed in tidal estuaries for two directions of water flow or for other purposes.

[0035] A river turbine (river flow being relatively constant in one direction) or a tidal turbine (river flow changing with the tides) may comprise a harnessing module, a controlling module and a generating module. It is suggested herein to measure waterwheel rotational speeds and developed torque over a period of a month or more at a specific river location (for example, where the current is swift and the depth of the river is greater than, for example, four feet,) with a generator load (for example, fifty kilowatts baseline power output) in order to design a harnessing module, control module, generating module closed system that may balance torque and variable speed sufficient to turn a generator so as to produce a constant value of power at an electrical advantage, for example, fifty kilowatts. As will be described herein, location on a given river having a narrow or wide width or greater depth than a rocky stream may impede the power output and so the system including the harnessing module must be carefully designed.

[0036] In river and tidal MHK turbines, a mechanical speed or frequency converter (the Hummingbird speed converter) may be used for the purposes of adjusting the harnessed rotational speed of the input which may be slow or fast depending on the rate of river flow. The harnessed input power of wind or water flow must exceed the sum of an applied control power from a control motor and the generated output power. When the output power exceeds the applied control power, there is an electrical advantage.

[0037] An embodiment of a variable speed converter has been constructed and samples are considered having three variables and different“Hummingbird” varieties of simpler and more complex forms constructed and tested. These Hummingbird control varieties of variable to constant rotational speed to constant electrical frequency generator output and voltage control all provide mechanical synchronization of variable input to constant output and efficient mechanical control of speed to electrical frequency, for example, output rotational speed operating at a multiple of 50 Hz (European) or 60 Hz (US) to generate constant voltage and constant power at constant alternating current frequency and the like.

[0038] As the three-variable spur/helical gear assembly called a Transgear gear assembly has developed over time, the two Hummingbird Transgear assemblies may be reduced in complexity to a single mechanical assembly with few moving parts as samples have been constructed and simplified. On the other hand, in this application, it is suggested that two spur gear Transgear gear assemblies be joined by an adjustment gear assembly including components c through g of the Hummingbird speed converter embodiment of Figure 11 A to adjust the output rotational speed of the first Transgear assembly to be the control for the second Transgear assembly and eliminate the variation in input rotational speed to be only its constant speed component. It is important to note that since a speed converter converts variable speed to constant speed and converts constant speed to constant frequency, the variable to constant speed converters of Differential Dynamics may be called a mechanical frequency converter or a“rotary frequency converter” as is called in the industry to differentiate from an electronically controlled variable power converter or variable frequency converter (VFC) or variable frequency drive (VFD) which are less efficient and less power rated.

[0039] A control gear assembly for controlling variable rotational speed input such that an output of the control assembly provides a constant speed output from the variable rotational speed input, the control gear assembly for outputting a predetermined value of electric energy is disclosed herein. The control gear assembly comprises an energy harnessing module designed to harness renewable energy from the flow of wind or water, the harnessing module requiring sufficient wind or a depth and speed of water flow, to capture a predetermined value of constant electric energy for delivery to a load. The control gear assembly comprises a first and a second Transgear gear assembly, each Transgear gear assembly comprising an input shaft for receiving harnessed mechanical energy from the energy harnessing module. The first and second Transgear gear assemblies comprise one of first and second spur/helical gear assemblies, first and second bevel/miter gear assemblies and first and second ring gear assemblies. An input shaft from the energy harnessing module to the control gear assembly receives a variable rotational speed input from one of wind and water flow energy as the control gear assembly outputs a constant rotational speed to an electricity generator.

[0040] The input shaft of the first Transgear assembly and an input shaft of the second Transgear assembly may have a left or right gear for receiving an input and a right or left gear for outputting a constant rotational speed. The left or right gear mesh with a planetary gear or a set of planetary gears that has a width greater than that of an input shaft left sun gear, and a control gear and adjustment gear assembly for controlling the input with .respect to the output by eliminating a variable rotational speed from the input rotational speed resulting in a constant output rotational speed. The control gear assembly may comprise a carrier gear of the first and second Transgear assemblies including pins for supporting at least first and second planetary gears meshing with the input gear and the output gear respectively. The first input gear of the first Transgear assembly connects to a control gear and an adjustment gear assembly connect the first and second Transgear assemblies. The output gear of the second Transgear assembly automatically produces a constant rotational output speed from the variable input speed by eliminating the variable component of the input rotational speed, the first and second Transgear assemblies forming a Hummingbird speed converter. The adjustment gear assembly may be located between the first and second Transgear assemblies and determines a difference between a variable input rotational speed and a desired constant output rotational speed of the Hummingbird speed converter. As will be discussed herein, a control power line graph is crossed by an output electric power line graph such that, if the output rotational torque and power exceeds that of the control power line graph related to a graph of input power, an electrical advantage is achieved greater than a baseline value of electric output power.

[0041] A renewable energy harnessing module for harnessing one of wind and water flow energy may generate electricity at variable alternating current frequency simultaneously with providing variable rotational speed via one of a shall and a sleeve. The energy harnessing module comprises one of a permanent magnet rotor having a shaft rotating within a stator coil and a permanent magnet rotor having a sleeve external to a stator coil mounted to a shaft, the sleeve rotating about the stator coil shaft.

[0042] These and other embodiments will be described with respect to the drawings, a brief description of which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] There follows below a brief description of the drawings comprising Figures 1 through 30. The brief description of the drawings is followed by a Detailed Description.

[0044] Figure 1 is a depiction of the concept of a rotary frequency converter showing constant rotational speed motor 102 connected by a constant rotational speed shaft for turning an alternating current generator 104 to output a desired electrical frequency in Hertz such as 50 Hz (European), 60 Hz (US) and 400 Hz (used, for example, to power equipment in airplanes and ships). A certain constant motor rotational speed X, Y or Z driving an alternating current generator provides a certain constant alternating current frequency output.

[0045] Figure 2 shows a number of different means for producing a constant mechanical speed and a constant electrical frequency output. Figure 2 shows a comparison among Hummingbird speed converters for wind or water flow turbines 210, 216, 220, 226, 230 according to the present invention and known rotary frequency converters from hydroelectric dams, coal fueled turbines, natural gas fueled turbines and nuclear fueled turbines 200, 212, 214, 218, 224, 230 which do not utilize renewable energy sources (except hydroelectric dams) and rotary frequency converter 202, 230. The outputs of turbine 224, speed converter 226, and motor 202 are the constant rotational speed providers to electricity generator 230.

[0046] Figure 3A describes a known transistor and is defined as“a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical signal power, It is composed of semiconductor material usually with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit.” The transistor is analogous to the definition of a Transgear assembly comprising spur gears, bevel/miter gears or ring gears per Figures 5A-5C discussed further herein.

[0047] Figure 3B describes the change in definition of a known transistor of Figure 3A to a definition of the operation of a mechanical Transgear assembly as“a mechanical device used to amplify or switch rotary motion and mechanical power. It is consisted of gears usually with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit”, for example, a generator for generating electrical power.

[0048] Figures 3C and 3D show a perspective view and a cut view schematic of a basic spur/helical gear Transgear assembly comprising three variables, a left sun gear first variable 302, carrier gears 306-1, 306-2 comprising a second variable, the carrier gears having pins for rotating planetary gears 308-1, 308-2 and a third variable comprising the right sun gear 304. The planetary gears are seen meshed together in perspective view Figure 3C. The number of planetary gear sets are more than one.

[0049] Figures 4A through 4C show how input, output and control functions may be differently assigned to the three variables shown in Figures 3C and 3D. Referring to Figure 4A, the input function may be assigned to carriers 406-1. Referring to Figure 4B, the input may be assigned to right sun gear 404-2. Referring to Figure AC, the input may be also assigned to right sun gear 404-3, but notice that, between Fig. 4B ad Fig. 4C, the functions of control and output are reversed, control from left sun gear 402-2 to carrier gears/discs 406-3 and output from carriers 406-2 to left sun gear/sleeve 402-3. Also, Fig. 4C may be reversed and assigned oppositely such that left sun gear 402-3 is assigned as the input and right sun gear 404-3 is assigned as output while the control remains the same, assigned to carriers 406-3.

[0050] Fig. 5A through 5C show three different Transgear gear assemblies, each having three variables, left and right sun gears (Fig.’s 5A and 5C) and carrier gears or sun gear, ring gear, and carrier gears/discs (Fig, 5C). Fig. 5A of a spur/helical gear Transgear assembly has already been introduced in Figures 3C and 3D and Figures 4A through 4C. The function assignment to variables is shown and described in Figures 4A through 4C. Fig. 5B shows a bevel/miter gear Transgear assembly comprising left sun gear 502-2, carrier gear 506-2 and right sun gear 504-2. Fig. 5C shows an embodiment of a ring (internal gear) and spur/helical gear Transgear assembly comprising a ring gear 502-3 (integral or connected to a shaft), carrier gear/disc 506-3 and a sun gear sleeve 504-3. Planetary gears shown in each Transgear assembly are idle gears and are supported by pins in the Transgear assemblies of spur gear assembly Fig. 5A and ring gear assembly Fig. 5C. Figures 5A through 5C show idle planetary gears show idle gears. An idle gear (or idler) may be defined as“a gear wheel that is inserted between two or more other gear wheels”. The purpose of an idle gear (idler) can be two-fold. Firstly, one idle gear insertion will change the direction of rotation of the output shaft in relation to an input rotation direction. Secondly, an idle gear can assist to reduce the size of the input/output gears while maintaining the spacing of the input and output function shaft or gear assignments. A ring gear assembly which is used, for example, for automotive transmissions has a sun gear and planetary' gears that rotate around a sun gear. A spur/helical gear assembly which has two sun gears and at least a set of planetary gears similarly rotates around sun gears. A bevel/miter gear assembly has two sun gears, but the planetary gears are rotating in different orbits. Instead of identifying idle gears as planetary gears, it would be simpler if we say Transgear assemblies have idle gears referred to herein as planetary gears.

[0051] Figures 6A through 6C show various methods of modifying a mechanical input to output ratio, for example, by changing diameters of gears assigned to input and output functions in two of the three different spur gear Transgear assemblies shown. In Fig. 6A, the diameters of the left sun gear 602-1 and the right sun gear 604-1 are the same and may be assigned input and output functions respectively. Fig.’s 6B and 6C show how input to output ratios may be changed by modifying the diameter of the left sun gear. Fig. 6B shows an enlarged left sun gear 602-2 (compared with left sun gear 602-1 of Fig. 6A) having a diameter larger than the right sun gear of sun gear/sleeve/sun gear 604-2 and changing the input to output ratio by relocating the pin 610-2a and supported planetary gear 608-2a. Planetary gear 608-2b meshes with the right sun gear 604-2 and planetary gear 608-2a meshes with the upper (first) planetary gear 608-2a. Planetary gear 608-2b and the pin 610-2b are remained the same as in Fig 6A. Fig. 6C also shows that the diameter of the left sun gear 602-3 is larger than the diameter of the right sun gear/sleeve/sun gear 604-3. But the input to output ratio may also be changed further by modifying the structure of the lower (second) planetary gear 608-3b that meshes with the upper (first) planetary gear 608-3a. The planetary gear 608-3b has two different diameters. A left side diameter of planetary gear 608-3b is smaller than a right-side diameter of planetary gear 608-3b, and the pin 610-3b is relocated so that planetary gear 608-3b can be meshed to the right sun gear 604-3. The smaller left side diameter of planetary gear 608-3b meshes with the upper planetary gear 608-3a. The larger right-side diameter of planetary gear 608-3b meshes with the right sun gear 604-3. The diameters of the right sun gear are kept the same in all three figures to clarify the comparisons.

[0052] Figures 7A through 7C show various methods of modifying an input to output ratio of a bevel/miter gear Transgear assembly, for example, by changing the diameters of the left and right gears from having equal diameters in Fig. 7A (702-1 and 704-1) to having different diameters where the left gears 702-2, 702-3 have larger diameters than the right gears 704-2, 704-3 in Fig.’s 7B and 7C respectively. Fig’s. 7B and 7C show a further way of changing input to output ratio by changing the shape of planetary gears 708-2a and 708-3b of the assembly of Figs. 7B and 7B to being double tiered. Left gears 702-3 and 702-3 have also been modified to accommodate the two-tiered shape of the planetary gears 708-2a, 708-2b, 708-3a, and 708-3b. The diameters of right gears 704-1, 704-2 and 704-3 are the same in all three figures.

[0053] Figures 8A through 8C show various methods of modifying an input to output ratio of a ring gear Transgear assembly, for example, by enlarging the diameters of the planetary gears 808-2a/b, 808-3a/b of Fig.’s 8B and 8C in comparison with the planetary gears 808-la/b of Fig. 8A. The ring gear assembly of Fig. 8C more specifically shows modifying the planetary gear 808-3a/b by structuring the planetary gears to have different diameters (double-tiered gears) between left and right sides, the right side diameter meshing with sun gear 802-3 being larger than the left side diameter which meshes with the ring gear 804-3. The ring gear internal diameters of ring gears 804-2, 804-3 are increased in Fig’s 8B and 8C over the internal diameter of ring gear 804-1 in Fig. 8A because the meshing diameters of planetary gears 808-2a/b of Fig, 8B and 808 3a/b of Fig. 8C have been increased compared with the smaller diameters of planetary gears 808-la/b of Fig. 8A. The diameters of the right sun gear are kept the same in all three figures.

[0054] Figures 8D1 and 8D2 show a typical ring gear Transgear assembly having a ring gear, a carrier gear/disc and a sun gear in Figure 8D1 and a nomenclature table showing variables of rotational speed of the gears S, R, C in RPM and diameter of the gears s, r, c with formulae for calculating speed of each of the three gears where carrier speed sun gear speed and ring gear speed Planetary gears (not labeled) are idle gears and do not impact input to output speed ratio directly; however, by changing the size of planetary gear diameter, the ring gear diameter will be varied accordingly and modifying the input to output speed ratio indirectly.

[0055] Figure 9 shows a spur/helical gear Hummingbird speed converter assembly of two spur/helical gear Transgear assemblies and calculations for the input to the first Transgear assembly through the output of the second Transgear assembly including a calculation for adjustment gear assembly 940 according to a basic spur gear Transgear assembly role where C is a carrier gear, L is a left sun gear and R is a right sun gear: C = (L + R) / 2 or L = 2C - R or R = 2C - L. Let us assume that the input 910 to the first spur gear Transgear assembly is Input #1 = X + D where X is a constant rotational input speed X and D represents the variable change in speed of shaft rotation from constant value X of the shaft to some increased value (for example when wind or water flow speed increases turning a harnessing module at a faster rotational speed) and left sun gear of the first spur gear assembly, connected to or integral with the input shaft rotates at X + D also. The control carrier 920 speed of the first (left) spur gear Transgear assembly is Control #1 = X / 2 or half the constant input rotational speed X. The right sun gear sleeve output taken at right output sun gear is output to an adjustment 940 based on an adjustment gear assembly to be discussed later herein. The Output #1 930 or output of the first spur gear Transgear assembly is calculated as Output #1 = 2 (X / 2) - (X + D) = - D which is passed to the Adjustment gear assembly 940. In other words, the first Transgear has eliminated the constant speed component at 930 and changed the direction of D to - D of Input #1. The adjustment 940 must adjust the Output #1 by - D to D / 2. In other words, it must change the negative variable speed D which was output by the first spur gear Transgear assembly to + D / 2 and pass D / 2 to the carrier 950 Control #2 of the second spur gear Transgear assembly. The input 960 to the second spur gear Transgear assembly is equal to the input to the first spur gear Transgear assembly in Figure 9 or Input #2 = X + D. The output 970 of the second spur gear Transgear assembly is calculated as Output #2 = 2 (D / 2) - (X + D) = - X. So what we have proven is that a constant speed plus a variable speed input 910, 960 of X + D has been remedied to be a constant rotational speed output of -X (where it does not matter that the output is rotating in the opposite direction from the input). The constant rotational speed output of Transgear #2 of -X has no variable component D and may be input to a generator (not shown). The generator may have an input shaft rotating at - X constant rotational speed and produce a constant electrical frequency output such as 50 Hz (European) or 60 Hz (US) or 400 Hz or any desirable output electrical frequency.

[0056] Figures 10A through IOC show three variations of a mechanical Hummingbird variable to constant speed converter each having an adjustment gear assembly 1060-1, 1060-2, 1060-3 between first and second Transgear gear assemblies. Fig. 10A shows first and second spur/helical Transgear gear assemblies where first Transgear Assembly #1 1020-1 comprises variable speed input 1010-1 (including a constant rotational speed component), control 1040-1 input to carrier/ disc (unnumbered but cross-hatched in a similar manner throughout), and an unlabeled output to adjustment 1060-1 as input to Transgear #2 1030-1 which provides constant rotational output speed at output 1050-1. The input shaft 1010-2 is input to both left sun gears of Transgear #1 1020-1 and Transgear #2 1030-1. Fig. 10B shows first and second bevel/miter Transgear gear assemblies Transgear #1 1020-2 and Transgear #2 1030-2 joined by adjustment 1060-2, Transgear #1 1020-2 has a variable speed Input 1010-2 (including a desired constant rotational speed component), a carrier control 1040-2 and Transgear #2 1030-2 provides a desired constant rotational speed output 1050-2. As in Fig. 10A, the input 1010-2 shaft is connected to both bevel/miter gear assemblies 1020-2 and 1030-2 Fig. IOC shows first and second ring gear Transgear assemblies: Transgear #1 1020-3 and Transgear #2 1030-3. Ring Transgear #1 has a variable input rotational speed at Input 1010-3 (including a constant rotational speed component) and a control of ring gear 1040-3 whose output to adjustment 1060- 3 is received at unlabeled second, right ring gear. The same constant plus variable rotational speed Input 1010-3 is provided to both ring gear Transgear assemblies 1020-3 and 1030-3 by common shaft 1010-3. A desired constant output rotational speed is provided at Output 1050-3 with the input variation in input rotational speed eliminated. The purpose of any adjustment gear assembly is to automatically make the“D” (variation from a desired constant rotational speed X) zero so that output is constant X (or -X). Refer again to Figure 9 for the exemplary calculations for an adjustment between output of the first spur gear assembly and control #2 assigned to carrier of the second, right spur gear assembly. This means, the output can generate 50 Hz, 60 Hz, 400 Hz or other desirable electrical frequency. Also keep in mind that in an alternative embodiment that the X can vary from zero to a designed maximum if the control rotational speeds vary accordingly: thus, the output can be varied from zero to the designed maximum when a Hummingbird speed converter is used, for example, for infinitely variable transmissions (IVTs) and infinitely variable compressors (A/Cs and Refrigerators).

[0057] Figures 11 A and 1 I B respectively provide a schematic diagram of a mechanical dual spur gear Transgear Hummingbird speed converter and a table showing names of components“a” through“i” labeled in Figure 11A. Figure 11 A shows variable rotational speed input provided at Input 1110, a Control 1120 and 1160 as Output given an Adjustment gear assembly 1140 comprising components“c”,“d”,“e”,“f \“g” for adjusting or removing variations in input rotational speed from variable input rotational speed 1110 by the second Transgear. (Component “c” is the same right sun gear as component“d” which points to the output gear of right sun gear #1 of the first spur/helical gear assembly of the first Transgear gear assembly which meshes with component“e” Note that in Figure 11 A a common shaft connects the two spur gear Transgear assemblies together so that left sun gear #1 labeled“a” shares the common input shaft 1110 with left sun gear #2 labeled“h”.

[0058] Figure 12 shows the mathematics behind converting a variable rotational speed input comprising a constant speed X plus a variable rotational speed D to a desired constant rotational speed output -X so as to eliminate the variable speed portion D of the input at a of X + D. These calculations are made just for three selected speeds of variable rotational input 1225, but the output i is constant X (+ or -) between the variable inputs 1225 1,800 rpm and 3,600 rpm with D automatically eliminated for all variable input speeds 1225 from 1,800 rpm to 3,600 rpm.

[0059] Figure 13 shows a reverse of the mathematics of Figure 12 where an input of a constant rotational speed X, where X, for example, may be a constant 1,800 rpm that may produce output as a variable output rotational speed anywhere between 0 rpm and -1,800 rpm by changing the Control variable b of the first spur gear Transgear assembly at any rotational speed between 0 and 900 rpm (450 rpm also shown). These are just three speeds: -0, -900 and -1,800 rpm, but the variable output speed i may be infinitely variable (IV) between 0 and -1,800 rpm, for example, for infinitely variable transmissions (IVTs) and infinitely variable compressors.

[0060] Figure 14 assumes that a variable input speed motor 1410 (varying in speed, for example, between 800 and 1,600 rpm) turns a shaft of a dual Transgear gear assembly having an adjustment gear assembly. There is also provided a control motor 1420 connected to the Hummingbird speed converter assembly for providing an approximately constant rotational speed input as a Control. The rotational output of the Hummingbird speed converter is assumed to be connected to an electricity generator 1430 which outputs an approximately constant 60 Hz (US), for example, with no load as the input speed varies from 800 to 1,600 rpm. If the control motor/generator speed is set to 1,200 rpm when the load 1450 is zero or no load, the electric output will be at a constant frequency 1440 of 60.0 Hz (US).

[0061] Figure 15 is a similar figure to Figure 14 as to showing components of a variable input speed motor 1510 turning an input shaft of a Hummingbird speed converter as if the variable speed motor were the output of a harnessing module such as the propeller of a wind turbine or the waterwheel of a water flow turbine. A variable input 1510 from 800 to 1,600 rpm is shown varying with an output load 1550 between 0 and 120 watts. A first step is that the variable load 1550 has an impact on the electricity generator 1530 rotational speed which in step 2 can cause the frequency 1540 of the electricity generator 1530 to vary between 60 Hz at no load to 59.3 Hz at a 120 watt load. Note that the generator rotational speed is the same as that of a control motor providing a control speed input that is likewise a constant 1,200 rpm at no load and the generator outputs electricity at 60 Hz frequency 1540. The output is related to two variables: the input speed and the system load.

[0062] Figure 16 continues the example of a variable input and variable load providing a constant output frequency of an electricity generator 1630. When a control motor 1620 is used with speed control, there results a constant electrical frequency output 1640 of generator 1630 even when there is varying input speed from motor 1610 and variable load 1650. The control motor speed 1620, for example, in no load conditions is 1,200 rpm and produces a constant 60 Hz frequency, but also with varying input speed and load, a control motor speed of 1,204 rpm may be corrected to 1 ,200 rpm as may a control motor speed of 1,208 rpm. Constant electric frequency 1640 can be produced if the control motor speed is adjusted to 1,200 rpm when both input speed in rpm and load in watts are variable,

[0063] Figure 17 is a schematic of a Hummingbird speed converter assembly built and tested as a sample #4D having an input 1760 of a constant rotational speed 1,800 rpm + a variable speed D rpm. The Input is translated to a central shaft (unnumbered) of the Hummingbird speed converter comprising first and second spur gear assemblies Transgear #1 1780 and Transgear #2 1785. A control motor (not shown) provides a control input 1765 of constant 1,800 rpm. The adjustment 1770 between the two assemblies (Transgears) is the same 1 to - 1/2 as Figure 9. The output rotational speed is recovered by an output shaft 1775 by gears meshed with the output at right sleeve sun gear (not numbered) of Transgear #2 1785.

[0064] Figure 18 shows a table of test data #16H taken from the sample Hummingbird assembly #4D of Figure 17. At left 1806A is seen a variable load starting at 0 load and increasing incrementally by 295 Watts for three increments to a sum of 885 watts and then by 180 watts for two increments to a sum of 1245 Watts and a further 69 watts to 1314 Watts. Meanwhile, at no load, speed 1808 of Input 1808A, Control 1808B and Output 1808C are shown as 2012, 1782 and 3564 rpm respectively. Torque 1812 in Newton meters is shown input 1812A, control 1812B and output 1812C as 0.96, 2.16 and 0.68 Nm respectively. Power 1814 in kilo Watts is shown for input 1814A, control 1814B and output 1814C respectively as 0.393, 0.279 and 0 kW. Electricity frequency output 1816 by a generator is measured as 60.3 Hz and the voltage output 1818 at no load is 119.7 volts (just less than 120 volts, the US standard voltage). As the variable load 1806 increases, the frequency 1816 decreases.

[0065] Figure 19 shows a graph of three variables from Figure 18 and sample speed converter #4D, input power 1814A, control power 1814B, and output power 1814C: input power 1814A provided by a harnessing module or simulated by a motor running at variable speeds and producing input power of simulated renewable energy of between 0.5 and over 1.5 kW related to the operation of the sample #4D, Figures 17 and 18. The input power 1960 collected by a harnessing module will be greater than that output as output power by an electricity generator as output power 1975. Control power applied by a control motor 1965 is shown linearly increasing until there is a crossing of control power 1965 and output power 1975. The line crossing occurs at approximately a load of 740 Watts. From the respective level of input power 1960 on to the end of the graph, there is an electrical advantage whenever output power exceeds control power. Referring back to Figure 18, the variable load 1806 reached a maximum of 1,314 Watts. At that level, there is an electrical advantage of output power in kW of approximately 1.133 kW versus control power of about 0.950 kW. This results in a mechanical relationship to a closed three variable hydraulic system and Pascal’s principle as will be seen in Figure 20A. As the power rating of the system increases, the electrical advantage increases.

[0066] Figure 20 represents Pascal’s Principle of hydraulics, and Figures 21A and 21B represent the inventor’s principle (Figure 21B) in comparison with Pascal’s principle (Figure 21 A). Figure 21 A shows that a mechanical advantage may be obtained in a closed hydraulic system such that a small input force Fi labeled original force in FIG. 20 is capable of lifting an automobile weighing F2 when the area A2 to which force Fi is applied is ten times the area Ai to which original force Fi is applied, for example. The inventor recognizes per Figure 21B an analogous principle that in a balanced rotary motion system that there is an electrical advantage when power P3 measured at the output of the system exceeds P2 when the harnessed renewable energy input power Pi exceeds the output power P3 which exceeds control power P2. Applicant has named this electrical advantage in a motion control system or“motionics” as Han’s Principle in comparison to“hydraulics” of Pascal’s Principle where there is mechanical rotary (creating electrical power) advantage. [0067] Figures 21C and 21D further distinguish Pascal’s Principle and the inventor’s principle. Fig. 21 C relates to hydraulic pressure and area while Fig. 21D relates to rotational torque on a shaft and rotational speed. Pascal’s Principle relates to hydraulic pressure (force) distributed over two different areas, A small control force Fz is applied in Figure 21C over a small area of a cylindrical portion and translated by a container receiving container force Fi to a larger area where an output force Fa is capable of lifting an automobile. The diagram of Pascal’s Principle shown in Figure 20 does not show the container force. Applicant added the container force Fi and renames the control force F ₂ and the output force F ₃ as shown such that: Fi > F2 + Fa and F2 Figure 21D for motionics or Han’s Principle of electrical advantage is represented by input power Pi > P2 + P ₃ and P2 < Pa, where P2 is control power and P ₃ is output power.

[0068] Figure 22 is a comparison of a two-variable system with a three variable system as to power ratio and efficiency. The Hummingbird speed converters described in this patent application comprise a three-variable system in which Input Power exceeds the summation of control power (provided by a control motor) for the speed converter and constant generated electric (output) power in an air or water flow renewable energy turbine. The power ratio in a three variable system is control (consumed) power divided by the constant generated (output) power by an electricity generator. The efficiency of a three variable control speed converter is measured by generated power less control (consumed) power divided by generated (output) power.

[0069] Figures 23A through 23C show diagrams of two separate modules of a harnessing module and a generating module (Figure 23A) while Figures 23B and 23C show two embodiments for combining a harnessing module and a generator into one unit A typical harnessing module comprises a water wheel or a large propeller that turns as water/air flows in a direction of flow causing the waterwheel/propeller to turn using any number of designs such as using paddle wheels, waterwheels, buckets to capture water/air flow as it flows by or through, propellers that turn with air/water flow, barrels or rotors comprising fins that are turned by the wind/water flow and the like. It is suggested by permanent magnet rotor and stator coil combinations 2305-1 and 2305-2 that the heart of each harnessing module may comprise electricity generators operating to generate electricity via the stator coils and the permanent magnet rotor coils that may be utilized, for example, to generate at least sufficient electricity to power an input motor and a control motor for a Hummingbird speed converter (see Fig. 26 for an embodiment). For example, fins or paddles or buckets and the like may be mounted on permanent magnet rotors in the assembly and may rotate as shown (Figure 23C) about a shaft or the permanent magnet rotors may be connected to the shaft by a sleeve (Figure 23B). For example, the permanent magnet rotor coil of Fig. 23B may be equipped with fins which capture wind/water flow through or over the permanent magnet rotor of combined modules 2505-1 and 2505-2. The rotor coil of module 2305 with shaft shown as wind/water flows through the permanent magnet rotor causing rotary motion and electricity generation through the shaft in the rotary direction shown by the arrow. A propeller for wind or water flow may be connected or integral with either combined module 2305-1 or 2305-2.

[0070] Figure 24 is a simple block diagram of a grid-powered electricity generating renewable energy turbine for air or water flow. The electric grid is used as a power source for powering the control motor 2430 for controlling the mechanical Hummingbird rotational speed converter 2420 where the harnessing module 2410 transmits more input rotational speed power than is required for operating the Hummingbird speed converter 2420 such that the electric generator 2440 generates electricity at a constant power to electric advantage (motionics) because the power taken from the grid to power control motor 2430 is less than that required to generate power to electric advantage, for example, as per Figure 19.

[0071] Figure 25 shows distributed generation of control motor power which is a useful alternative to Figure 24. One takes control power from harnessing module/generator 2505 for powering a control motor 2530 via a voltage generator 2515. Distributed generation of control power is generated by the combined harnessing module and generator 2505 (which may comprise either of Figures 23B or 23C). One uses one of a combined harnessing module and generator as per one of Figures 23B and 23C shown as combined module 2505 to generate control power via combined harnessing module/generator 2505 that may be regulated by a voltage regulator 2515 to provide a constant voltage to operate control motor 2530 in place of grid power (Figure 24). The mechanical Hummingbird rotational speed converter 2520 is rotated at the variable rotational speed output of combined module/generator 2505 to output variable rotational speed for generating electricity at generator 2540 at variable frequency power output. This concept is referred to herein as distributed generation of electric power output to a grid (not shown) where the control motor 2530 may be provided proximate to the combined harnessing module/generator 2505 rather than from the grid (Figure 24). [0072] Figure 26 shows a variation of the embodiment of Figure 25 where the combined harnessing module and generator 2605 need not be collocated with the remainder of the mechanical Hummingbird rotational speed converter 2620 and generator 2640. A flexible electric power cable carries variable frequency generated electricity from the combined submerged in water or wind flow harnessing module and generator 2605 to a remotely located input motor 2610 for turning the input of a mechanical Hummingbird rotational speed converter 2620 such that the flexible power cable also connects generated electricity output of the combined harnessing module and generator 2605 to a voltage regulator 2615 for delivering constant voltage power to a control motor 2630 for providing control power to the Hummingbird rotational speed converter to electrical advantage, for example, per Figure 19. The variable input rotational input speed from input motor 2610 is controlled to a constant output rotational speed. The Hummingbird speed converter 2620 receives variable frequency electric power from input motor 2610 and the Hummingbird variable to constant rotational speed converter 2620 outputs constant rotational speed for powering, for example, an electricity generator 2640 at 60 Hz (US) or 50 (Hz) European when the constant output power exceeds the control motor power to achieve an electrical advantage, for example, per Figure 19.

[0073] Figure 27 similarly to Figure 26 shows an embodiment of a plurality of three up to N, an integer greater than one, electrically parallel combined harnessing modules with generators 2705-1, 2705-2, 2705-3 which may be submerged in water or formed as wind turbines (in series or) preferably in parallel, for example, in a river whereby three flexible electrical cables may combine their respective power outputs for delivery to voltage regulator 2715 for outputting constant voltage to control motor 2730 and the bulk of generated electrical power may be carried by the flexible electric cable to variable speed input motor 2710, Hummingbird speed converter 2720 and electricity generator 2740 for delivery to constant power, constant frequency electricity generator 2740 and to an electric grid (not shown) or for local use (not shown).

[0074] Figure 28 is a block diagram of utilizing multiple known solar panels 2800-1, 2800-2 through 2800-3 comprising N solar panels (where N is an integer greater than 1) connected in parallel (or in series) to generate electricity in a similar manner as the generation of electricity in Figure 27 by way of a flexible power cable connecting the solar panels to voltage regulator 2815 and to input motor 2810. As described in Figure 27, the several solar panels may provide sufficient power to operate control motor 2830 at constant voltage and turn variable speed input motor 2810 to provide a variable speed input to mechanical Hummingbird speed converter which provides constant rotational speed for operating electricity generator 2840 because of the control motor 2830 constant input to electrical advantage, for example, per Figure 19. The sun shines only during the day so batteries, not shown, may be used to store electricity produced by the solar panels during the day for use after the sun goes down until input power by batteries falls below output power of the generator 2840.

[0075] Figure 29 is a mechanical schematic drawing of a grid-powered spur gear Hummingbird speed converter-controlled turbine for outputting a constant rotational speed for operating an electricity generator (not shown) via constant rotational speed output 2975 to turn the generator. An electric grid (not shown) powers control motor 2915 for delivering constant control power 2965, for example, per Figure 19 to electric advantage as control 2965 via a shaft and gears shown for meshing with a first of two spur gear assemblies. Output 2975 is a constant rotational output speed taken from the second of two depicted spur gear assemblies (unnumbered). The variable input speed 2960 may be received from a known renewable energy harnessing module (not shown).

[0076] Figure 30 is a mechanical schematic drawing of a self-powered spur gear Hummingbird- controlled turbine which is a stand-alone system or distributed generation because it may comprise a generator 3050 which generates variable power for powering control motor 3030 via a voltage regulator 3015 and extra power may be saved in battery 3045. Input 3060 of a variable rotational speed is received from a wind or water flow (renewable energy) harnessing module (not shovm). The control motor 3030 generates a constant rotational speed for rotating control shaft 3065. Voltage regulator 3015 regulates the voltage output by the generator 3050 which rotates as a result of the mechanically connected input rotational speed 3060 from a harnessing module (not shown).

[0077] Rather than use a combined harnessing module and generator, Figure 30 may show a self-powered spur gear Hummingbird turbine with distributed generation where a harnessing module delivers variable rotational speed to input 3060 and an internal generator 3050 generates variable output electric power to a voltage regulator 3015. The voltage regulator, in turn, may store constant voltage by charging a battery 3045 or operate a control motor to deliver constant control power to control motor 3030. Control motor 3030 delivers a control rotation 3065 to a control input of the first spur gear Transgear assembly of the Hummingbird speed converter and output 3075 is an output shaft from the second spur gear Transgear assembly to an electricity generator (not shown) that rotates at constant speed for generating, for example, constant power at 50 Hz (European) or 60 Hz (US).

[0078] Drawings of the present invention should not be considered to be drawn to scale and the respective size of components or shapes may be varied to suit a particular application such as for use in an ocean current a tidal estuary, a large river, a small mountain stream, as a wind turbine or other renewable energy turbine. These applications of variations and technologies of novel water and air flow turbines with respect to various embodiments will be further described in the detailed description of the drawings which follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0079] In the figures of the present embodiments of the invention comprising Figures 1 through 30, an effort has been made to follow a convention such that the first reference number for a drawing component such as 1XX indicates a figure number as the first digit where the element first appears; for example, motor 102 first appears in FIG. 1 and the motor component is given by 02. Motor 102 appears as motor 202 in Figure 2 as a component of a rotary frequency converter 228.

[0080] The principles of application of the several discussed embodiments of a structure and method of constructing same for, for example, providing a green renewable energy alternative to the burning of fuel such as coal, oil, using nuclear energy or other less environmentally friendly energy sources have been discussed above in the Background. A renewable energy water or air flow turbine may comprise a harnessing module specially designed and located to automatically produce at least a predetermined value of harnessed renewable energy to produce a constant amount of power to a load whether the source of renewable energy varies, for example, with the time of day or the weather or whether the load may vary from a maximum predetermined load to a minimum. A controlling module may use a pair of spur/helical gear, bevel/miter gear and ring gear assemblies where, for example, the spur/helical gear assemblies comprise sun gears, carrier gears and planetary gears constructed as a three-variable control of variable rotational speed input from a harnessing module to constant rotational speed (a Hummingbird speed converter) and an accompanying control motor or control assembly. The Hummingbird speed converter may be used to convert rotational harnessing module speed variation to constant frequency, for example, for use in a river or tidal MHK turbine electric power generator. There may be an automatic adjustment between first and second identical or different gear assemblies so that a variable portion of an input to the first gear assembly may be automatically eliminated by adding adjustment gears to eliminate the variable portion of the variable input to the first and second gear assemblies. The present embodiments used in conjunction with known flow energy turbine systems may be enhanced by using many known control systems for improved operation such as pitch and yaw control in wind turbines which are adaptable for use as propeller-driven river turbine harnessing modules, control responsive to power grid statistics and requirements and remote or automatic control responsive to predicted and actual weather conditions (river velocity from weather forecasts, an anemometer, water flow velocity from a water flow velocity meter, torque control via a torque meter, barometric reading and direction (rising or falling) and the like). A three variable to constant speed converter may be of the Hummingbird spur/helical gear, bevel/miter gear or ring gear type and include a constant speed control motor for controlling the output speed at a constant (constant frequency in Hertz) along in certain of the to-be described embodiments. Besides river and tidal water energy uses, applications of a Hummingbird control may also be found in the fields of combustion or electric vehicles or boats or airplanes, pumps and compressors and with solar renewable energy. These and other features of embodiments and aspects of a constant or variable energy flow input, constant or variable output system and method may come to mind from reading the above detailed description, and any claimed invention should be only deemed limited by the scope of the claims to follow. Moreover, the Abstract should not be considered limiting. Any patent applications, issued patents and citations to published articles mentioned herein should be considered incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

[0081] Figure 1 is a depiction of the concept of a rotary speed to frequency converter (a rotary frequency converter) showing motor 102 connected by a constant rotational speed shaft for turning an alternating current generator 104 to output an electricity output 106 at a desired electrical frequency in Hertz such as 50 Hz (European), 60 Hz (US) and 400 Hz (used, for example, to power equipment in airplanes and ships). A certain constant speed motor 102 having a constant rotational speed output shaft drives an alternating current generator 104 to provide a certain constant alternating current frequency at its output 106. A table shows that a constant speed motor 102 output at X rpm constant rotational speed drives an input shaft of an electricity generator 104 at the same input rotational speed. Given the same rotational speed input to the generator 104, motor speed X may deliver 50 Hz (European) constant frequency electricity output. If the motor is a one kilowatt motor, the output 106 of a generator should be one kilowatt output and operate a variable load (not shown) between 0 and one kilowatt (not considering efficiencies for simplicity). Thus, the concept of a rotary frequency converter is that a certain constant motor 102 outputs a constant rotational speed X plus a generator yields a certain constant electrical frequency at the output 106 where X rpm yields 50 Hz, Y rpm yields 60 Hz and Z rpm constant rotational speed yields 400 Hz at the output 106 of generator 104. 100821 Figure 2 shows a comparison among constant speed converters for wind flow or water flow (marine hydrokinetic or MHK) turbines 210, 216, 220, 226, 230 according to the present invention and known rotary frequency converters from hydroelectric dams, coal fueled turbines, natural gas fueled turbines and nuclear fueled turbines 200, 212, 214, 218, 224, 230 which do not utilize renewable energy sources (except hydroelectric power plants with dams) and rotary frequency converter 202, 230. First considering conventional renewable energy hydroelectric dams, non-renewable coal-fueled turbines, natural gas fueled turbines and man-produced nuclear fueled turbines 200, these all produce non-renewable and man-produced energy from fuel or, in the case of dams, harness energy from renewable water energy. Non-renewable and nuclear energy is less desirable. Coal, natural gas and nuclear fuel are energy sources. Dams, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy harness or produce variable energy 212. Per equation 214, variable energy output 212 plus an energy converter may produce constant energy output Per equation 218, constant energy input to a turbine may yield a constant turbine speed. Per equation 224, the turbine plus an electricity generator may yield a constant electrical frequency output. The outputs of turbine 224, speed converter 226, and motor 202 are the constant speed providers to generator 230.

[0083] According to the present invention, comprising a renewable energy wind flow or water (MHK) flow turbine 210, an object is to harness variable speed from these renewable sources - air and water 216. Wind and water (or MHK) turbines 210 use renewable energy flow at variable speed. It is desirable to harness variable air or water flow speed 216. Wind typically flows in varying directions, and a vane is typically attached to a wind propeller to harness variable wind speed from any direction. The same is true of a renewable wind/water energy turbine. A vane may turn the renewable water or wind flow turbine in any horizontal direction. In an ocean, there may be waves which cause water flow to be vertical or up and down. Renewable energy water flow turbines may harness up and down flowing ocean wave water flow. Per equation 220, a variable input rotational speed of a harnessing module for harnessing a renewable energy source plus a speed converter (converting variable speed to constant speed) yields a constant output rotational speed. According to equation 226 as translated to a rotary frequency converter of Figure 1, means that an electricity generator receives a constant rotational speed from a variable to constant speed converter that when applied to an electricity generator 230 yields a constant electrical frequency output. An emphasis of the present invention is to describe a mechanical speed converter called a Hummingbird speed converter having a control motor and using that speed converter 226 to generate electricity at electricity generator 230 at a constant desired frequency (and a constant desirable renewable power output).

[0084] Figure 3A describes a known transistor and is defined as“a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical signal power, It is composed of semiconductor material usually with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit.” The transistor is analogous to the definition of a Transgear assembly comprising spur/helical gears, bevel/miter gears or ring gears.

[0085] Figure 3B describes the change in definition of a known transistor of Figure 3A to a definition of the operation of a mechanical Transgear assembly as“a mechanical device used to amplify or switch rotary motion and mechanical power. It is consisted of gears usually with at least three terminals (mechanical) for connection to an external circuit”. For example, an electricity generator connected to an output shaft operating at constant rotational speed can generate constant electrical power at constant frequency.

[0086] Figures 3C and 3D show a perspective view and a cut view schematic of a basic spur/helical gear Transgear assembly comprising three variables, a left sun gear first variable 302, carrier gears 306-1, 306-2 comprising a second variable, the carrier gears having pins for rotating planetary gears 308-1, 308-2 which are meshed together and to the left and right sun gears respectively and a third variable comprising the right sun gear 304. The planetary gears 308-1, 308-2 (only one set of two planetary gears shown are numbered) are seen meshed together in perspective view Figure 3C. A central shaft reaches to the left sun gear 302. The left and right sun gears 302, 304 have the same diameters. Per Figure 3D, the left sun gear 302 connected to the shaft meshes with the upper planetary gear 308-1 of the carrier gears and pins 306-1, 306-2 which, in turn, meshes with the lower planetary gear 308-2 which meshes with the right sun gear/s I eeve/sun gear 304. The carrier gears 306-1, 306-2 support the planetary gears on unnumbered pins and may turn about the central shaft as may right sun gear/sleeve/sun gear 304 due to unnumbered rotatable bearings between the shaft and the respective carrier and right sun gear sleeve.

[0087] Figures 4A through 4C show how input, output and control functions may be differently assigned to the three variables shown in Figures 3C and 3D. In Figures 4A-4C, the central shaft is not attached to any gears as shown in Figure 3D and functions as a physical support shaft. The shaft is surrounded by unnumbered bearings and has no impact on the assignment of functions to variables. Referring to Figure 4A, the input function may be assigned to carriers 406-1. The control function is assigned to left sun gear/sleeve 402-1. The output function is assigned to right sun gear/sleeve 404-1. If the left sun gear control 402-1, for example, does not rotate or rotates at 0 rpm (torque balanced 0 rpm is not a neutral which is freewheeling) and the carrier gears may rotate, for example, one rotation clockwise, then the right sun gear assigned as output rotates two revolutions clockwise. Referring to Figure 4B, the input may be assigned to right sun gear 404-2 and may revolve one revolution clockwise. The left sun gear/sleeve 402-2 is assigned the control function and does not rotate, then the output assigned to the carrier gears 406-2 rotates one half revolution clockwise. Referring to Figure 4C, the input may be assigned to right sun gear 404-3 but notice that, between Fig. 4B and Fig. 4C, the functions of control and output are reversed, control from left sun gear 402-2 to carrier 406-3 and output from carriers 406-2 to left sun gear/sleeve 402-3. In Fig. 4C, the control (carrier gears) do not rotate and when the input right sun gear/sleeve 404-3 rotates one revolution clockwise, the output left sun gear/sleeve 402-3 rotates one revolution counterclockwise. Also, Fig. 4C may be reversed horizontally and assigned oppositely such that left sun gear 402-3 is assigned as the input and right sun gear 404-3 is assigned as output while the control remains the same, assigned to carriers 406-3. Note that while the input is 1 rpm CW in all figures, the output varies from (when the control is freewheeling, shown as 0) 2 rpm CW, 1/2 rpm CW, and 1 rpm CCW.

[0088] Fig.’s 5A through 5C show three different Transgear assemblies each having left and right sun gears (except the ring gear Transgear which has a ring gear 502-3 in place of a left sun gear), planetary (or idle) gears, and carrier gears (or discs). Fig. 5A of a spur/helical gear Transgear assembly has already been introduced in Figures 3C and 3D and Figures 4A through 4C. The planetary gears 508-1 a/b, 508-2a/b, and 508-3a/b of Fig.’s 5 A through 5C are idle gears supported by the carrier gears (or discs) 506-1/2/3. The upper planetary gear 508-la of Fig. 5A is meshed to left sun gear 502-1. The lower planetary gear 508- lb is meshed to the upper planetary gear 508-la and to the right sun gear 504-1 which is free to rotate about a shaft having or attached to left sun gear 502-1. Fig. 5B shows a bevel/miter gear Transgear assembly comprising left sun gear 502-2, carrier gear 506-2 and right sun gear 504-2. The left sun gear 502-2 is attached to a shaft and meshes with planetary gears 508-2a/b that in turn mesh with right sun gear 504-2. The carrier gear 506-2 (is attached to unnumbered carrier shafts) and the right sun gear are free to rotate about the shaft which is integral to or connected to left sun gear 502-2 (which does not rotate about the shaft). Planetary gears 508-2a/b rotate about the (unnumbered) shaft of carrier gear 506-2. The bevel/miter gear may have different functions assigned to its three gears as in the example of a spur/helical gear. Any of the left sun gear 502-2, carrier gear 506-2 and right sun gear 504-2 may be assigned input, control and output functions. When utilized as a Hummingbird variable to constant rotational speed converter, the bevel/miter gear assembly uses the left or right sun gears as either input or output and the carrier gear is assigned control. There are two planetary gears shown. The top planetary gear 508-2a surrounds the top carrier gear shaft (unnumbered) and the bottom planetary gear 508-2b surround the bottom carrier shaft (unnumbered). Fig. 5C shows a ring gear Transgear assembly comprising a ring gear (internal gear) 502-3, carrier gear 506-3 and a sun gear sleeve 504-3. Planetary gears shown in each Transgear assembly are idle gears and are supported by pins in the carrier gears (or discs). Any of the ring gear 502-3, carrier gear/disc 506-3 and sun gear 504-3 may be assigned input, control and output functions. When two ring gear assemblies per Fig. 5C are joined by an adjustment gear assembly, for example, the input is assigned to the shaft and ring gear 502-3, the control is assigned to carrier gear/disc 506-3 and the output is assigned to sun gear 504-3. The shaft extends to the second ring gear assembly. Planetary gears are shown supported by carrier pins of carrier gear/disc 506-3, may mesh with the ring gear 502-3 and the sun gear/sleeve 504-3 which surrounds the shaft and is free to rotate about the shaft as is carrier gear/disc 506-3 free to rotate about the shaft via bearings. As introduced above, an idle gear or planetary gear may be introduced into a mechanical system for the purpose of changing the direction of rotation of an output shaft. An idle gear may be of varying size or shape (such as a single or double-layered planetary gear) but is not commonly intended to have an impact on the speed changes of input to output rotational speed except, in a ring gear assembly, when the planetary gear size is changed, the interior ring gear diameter size changes respectively and the input to output speed ratio changes.

[0089] Figures 6A through 6C show various methods of modifying an input to output ratio, for example, by changing diameters of gears assigned to input and output functions in two of the three different spur/helical gear Transgear assemblies of Fig.’s 6B and 6C. In Fig. 6A, the diameters of the left sun gear 602-1 and the right sun gear 604-1 are the same and may be assigned input and output functions respectively. Fig.’s 6B and 6C show how input to output ratios may be changed by modifying the diameters of the left sun gears and, for example, while keeping the right sun gear unchanged, either by relocating the upper pins 610-2a/3a or doubling a single planetary gear to double-layered planetary gear 608-3b (Fig. 6C) to have two diameters for meshing with the upper planetary gear 608-3a and the right sun gear 604-3 that is smaller than left sun gear 602-3. Fig. 6B shows the planetary gear 608-2a meshing to the left sun gear 602-2 and lower planetary gear 608-2b. Fig. 6C also shows that the diameter of the left sun gear 602-3 is larger than the right sun gear 604-3 as in Fig. 6B. But the input to output ratio may also be changed by doubling the structure of the lower planetary gear 608-3b with two different diameters that one meshes with the upper planetary gear 608-3a and the other with the right sun gear/sleeve 604-3. Right sun gear 604-3 is free to rotate around the shaft connected to or integral with left sun gear 602-3. A left side diameter of the planetary gear 608-3b meshing with the upper planetary gear 608-3a may be smaller than a right-side diameter that meshes with the right sun gear/sleeve 604-3. The smaller left side diameter meshes with the upper planetary gear 608- 3a which is the same diameter as other planetary gear or same diameter as 608-2a. The larger right side diameter meshes with the right sun gear/sleeve 604-3. The right sun gear diameter is the same in all three figures for comparison purposes; however, the changing of the diameter of the output sun gear of each right sun gear 604-1, 604-2, 604-3 of each gear assembly will also modify the input to output ratio and, as will be discussed further herein will also impact the structure of an adjustment gear assembly (see, for example, FIG.’s 11 A and 1 IB.

[0090] Figures 7A through 7C show various methods of modifying an input to output ratio of a bevel/miter gear Transgear assembly, for example, by changing the diameters of the left and right sun gears in FIG. 7A from having equal diameters in Fig. 7A (702-1 and 704-1) to having different diameters in Fig.’s 7B and 7C where the left sun gears 702-2, 702-3 have larger diameters than right sun gears 704-2, 704-3 in Fig.’s 7B and 7C respectively. Fig. 7C shows a further way of changing input to output ratio by changing the planetary gears 708-3a, 708-3b of the assembly of Fig. 7B. In Fig 7B, the left sun gear 702-2 is meshing the larger bevel/miter gear of the double-tiered planetary gear 708-2a/b and right sun gear 704-2 is meshing the smaller bevel/miter gear of the planetary gear 708-2a/b. In Fig 7C, the planetary gears 708-3a/b are double-tiered, but both gears have the same pitch diameter. See, for example, planetary gear 708- 3a/b having two tiers/layers. Carrier gears 706-2, 706-3 and right gear 704-2, 704-3 are free to rotate about shaft connected to left sun gears 702-2, 702-3. The right sun gear diameter is the same for all three figures of a bevel/miter gear Transgear assembly for comparison purposes.

[0091] Figures 8A through 8C show various methods of modifying an input to output ratio of a ring gear Transgear assembly, for example, by enlarging the diameters of the planetary gears

808-2a, 808-2b of Fig. 8B in comparison with the planetary gears 808-la and 808-lb of Fig. 8A respectively. Notice that the ring gear assembly shaft 810-1, 810-2, and 810-3 in all embodiments of Fig.’s 8A through 8C are connected to or integral with the carrier gear/disc 806- 1, 806-2 and 806-3. Carrier gears (or discs) 806-1, 806-2 and 806-3 may be assigned as input. In all of Fig.’s 8A, 8B and 8C, the ring gears 804-1, 804-2 and 804-3 and sun gears 802-1, 802-2 and 802-3 are free to rotate about the shafts 810-1, 810-2 and 810-3 integral with the carrier gears 806-1, 806-2 and 806-3. Consequently, in Fig. 8A the carrier gear 806-1 may be assigned input. The ring gear 804-1 may be assigned as control. The sun gear/sleeve/sun gear 802-1 may be assigned as output. In Fig. 8B, the ring gear assembly comprises a ring gear 804-2 that may cause a modified input to output ratio by enlarging the ring gear inner diameter (pitch diameter) by increasing the planetary gear 808-2a and 808-2b diameters. The ring gear assembly of Fig. 8C has been modified by further enlarging the ring gear diameter of ring gear 804-3 in the same way as in Figure 8B but the planetary gears 808-3a and 808-3b are double-tiered gears 808-3a and 3b with different diameters, making them planetary gears of different diameters (doubled gears) between left and right sides of the planetary gears with the right side diameter larger than the left side diameter. The right-side diameter meshes with a sun gear of sun gear/sleeve/sun gear 802-3 and the left side diameter which meshes with the ring gear 804-3. The right sun gear diameter for right sun gears 802-1, 802-2 and 802-3 is the same in all three figures for comparison purposes.

[0092] Figures 8D1 and 8D2 show a typical ring gear Transgear assembly shown in Figure 8D1 similar to the one shown in FIGs. 8A and 8B having a ring gear, a carrier gear and a sun gear. Figure 8D2 shows a table showing variables of speed of the S, R and C gears in RPM and diameter of the gears s, r, and c with formulae for calculating speed of each of the three gears where carrier gear or disc speed sun gear speed may be

Rr] / s; and ring gear speed Planetary gears are idle gears and do not impact speed directly except the ring gear is enlarged to accommodate larger planetary gears. If three diameters and two speeds are known, the third speed can be calculated.

[0093] Figure 9 shows a spur gear Hummingbird speed converter assembly of two identical basic spur gear Transgear assemblies to show the algorithm and calculations for the input to the first Transgear assembly through the output of the second Transgear assembly including a calculation for adjustment 940 which may be an assembly of gears according to a basic spur gear Transgear assembly rule where C is a rotational speed of carrier gear, L is a speed of left sun gear and R is a speed of right sun gear: and Let us

assume that the input 910 to the first spur gear Transgear assembly is Input #1 = X + D where X is a constant value and D represents the variable change in speed of rotation of the shaft and left sun gear of the first assembly. The carrier 920 speed of the first spur gear Transgear assembly is Control #1 = X / 2 or half the constant input rotational speed. The right sun gear sleeve output taken at right sun gear is output and an input to an adjustment gear assembly 940. The Output #1 or output of the first spur gear Transgear assembly is calculated as Output #1 = R = 2C - L = 2 (C / 2) - (C + D) = - D which is passed to the Adjustment gear assembly 940. The adjustment gear 940 must adjust the Output #1 from - D to D / 2, In other words, it must change the negative variable speed D which was output by the first spur gear Transgear assembly to + D / 2 and pass D / 2 to the carrier 950 Control #2 of the second spur gear Transgear assembly. The input 960 to the second spur gear Transgear assembly is equal to the input to the first spur gear Transgear assembly or Input The output 970 of the second spur gear Transgear assembly is calculated as Output So what we have

proven is that a constant speed plus a variable speed has been remedied to be a constant rotational speed output. The constant rotational speed output may be input to a generator (not shown) having a shaft rotating at - X constant speed and produce a constant electrical frequency output such as 50 Hz (European) or 60 Hz (US).

[0094] Figures 10A through IOC show three variations of a mechanical Hummingbird variable to constant speed converter each having an adjustment gear assembly 1060-1, 1060-2, 1060-3 between first and second gear assemblies of each of the embodiments of Fig.’s 10A, 10B and IOC. Fig. 10A show's first and second spur/helical Transgear gear assemblies where first Transgear Assembly #1 1020-1 comprises variable speed input 1010-1, control 1040-1, and an unlabeled output to adjustment gear 1060-1 as input to Transgear #2 1030-1 which provides constant rotational output speed at output 1050-1. Fig, 10B shows first and second bevel/miter Transgear gear assemblies Transgear #1 1020-2 and Transgear #2 1030-2 joined by adjustment 1060-2. Transgear #1 has a variable speed Input 1010-2, a carrier control 1040-2 and Transgear #2 1030-2 provides a constant rotational speed output 1050-2. Fig. IOC shows first and second ring gear Transgear assemblies: Transgear #1 1020-3 and Transgear #2 1030-3. Ring Transgear #1 has a variable input rotational speed at Input 1010-3 and a control of ring gear 1040-3 whose output to adjustment gear 1060-3 is received at unlabeled second, right ring gear. A constant output rotational speed is provided at Output 1050-3. Referring briefly to Figure 12, the purpose of having an adjustment gear assembly 1060-1, 1060-2, 1060-3 is eliminating the variable rotational speed D from the input 1110 at a, X + D, so that the output 1160“i”, Output i = 2g - h = -X, is constant or -X. The calculation shows the output rotational speed being -X but being the opposite rotational direction from the input rotational speed X is not an issue; what is important is that the variation in rotational speed input D is automatically eliminated by an adjustment gear assembly 1060-1, 1060-2 1060-3, which may comprise adjusting diameter of unnumbered output gears of Transgear gear assembly #1 and unnumbered input carrier gears of Transgear gear assembly #2 (see, for example, Figures 11 A and 1 IB).

[0095] Figures 11 A and 1 IB respectively provide a schematic diagram of a mechanical dual basic spur gear Transgear Hummingbird speed converter with adjustment gears c through g and a table showing names/descriptions of components“a” through“i” labeled in Figure 11 A, Figure 11 A shows variable rotational speed input provided at Input 1110, a Control 1120 (both for a first Transgear gear assembly (unnumbered) and 1160 as Output of unnumbered Transgear gear assembly #2 given an Adjustment gear assembly 1140“c” through“g” for removing variations in input rotational speed from input 1110. Note that in Figure 11 A a common shaft connects the two spur gear Transgear assemblies together so that left sun gear of left Transgear #1 labeled“a” shares the common input shaft 1110 with left sun gear of right Transgear #2 labeled“h”.

[0096] Figure 12 shows the mathematics behind converting a variable rotational speed input comprising a constant speed X plus a variable rotational speed D to a constant speed output so as to eliminate the variable speed portion D of the input X + D. Description table 1215 shows formulae for components: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h and i. The variable input 1225 is between 1,800 and 3,600 rpm The constant output is -1,800 ipm which is -X from the input at a of X + D. The speed variation D from, for example, a constant X = 1,800 rpm has been eliminated. There are shown just three examples of variable input rotational speed 1225, but the constant output speed may be constant -X (-1,800 rpm) through the input from 1,800 rpm to 3,600 rpm.

[0097] Figure 13 shows a reverse of the mathematics of Figure 12 where an input of a constant rotational speed X (where X, for example, may be a constant 1,800 rpm) may be output as a variable output rotational speed anywhere between 0 rpm and -1,800 rpm by changing the Control variable“b” of the first spur/helical gear Transgear assembly between 0 and 900 rpm. These are just three examples of speed but the variable output speed may be infinitely variable between -Orpm and to a maximum -1800 rpm.

[0098] Figure 14 assumes that a variable speed input motor 1410 (varying in speed, for example, between 800 and 1,600 rpm) turns a shaft of a dual Transgear gear assembly having an adjustment gear assembly. There is also provided a control motor 1420 connected to the Hummingbird mechanical speed converter assembly for providing variable rotational speed input as a Control 1420. The Hummingbird speed converter is assumed to be connected to an electricity generator 1430 which outputs 1440 with the load 1450 is none or zero load. This experiment shows that when the input speed 1410 is variable, for example, between 800 and 1,600 rpm, and the load is zero, regardless of the input rotational speed 1410, if the control speed 1420 is 1,200 rpm, the generator 1430 attached to the motor is rotating at 1,200 rpm generates a constant 60.0 Hz frequency 1440 per arrow 1460.

[0099] Figure 15 is a similar figure to Figure 14 as to showing components of a variable speed input motor turning an input shaft of a Hummingbird speed converter as if the variable speed motor were the output of a harnessing module such as the propeller of a wind turbine or the waterwheel of a water flow turbine. A variable input 1510 from 800 to 1,600 rpm is shown varying with an output load 1550 between 0 and 120 watts. A step #1 is that the variable load has an impact on the electricity generator rotational speed which in step #2 can cause the frequency 1540 of the electricity generator 1530 to vary between 60 Hz at no load to 59.3 Hz at a 120 watt load. Note that the generator rotational speed is the same as that of a control motor providing a control speed input that is likewise a constant 1,200 rpm at no load. This experiment shows that the electrical frequency output of the generator 1530 is related to both the variable input speed and variable electrical output load 1550.

[00100] Figure 16 continues the example of a variable input providing a constant output frequency of an electricity generator. When a control motor 1620 is used with speed control, there results a constant electrical frequency output even when there is varying input speed from motor 1610 and variable load 1650, the control motor speed, for example, in no load conditions is a constant 60 Hz but also with varying input speed and load, a control motor speed of 1204 rpm may be corrected to 1,200 rpm as may a control motor speed of 1,208 rpm. This experiment shows that a constant frequency 60 Hz can be produced if the control motor 1620 is adjusted to 1,200 rpm when both the input speed 1610 and electrical load 1650 are variable.

[00101] Figure 17 is a schematic of a Hummingbird assembly built and tested as an engineering sample Hummingbird #4D having an input 1760 of 1,800 rpm + a variable speed D rpm from a harnessing module. The Input is translated to a central shaft (unnumbered) of the Hummingbird speed converter comprising first and second spur gear assemblies 1780 and 1785 with the first transgear output meshed to the second transgear control. See adjustment 1770 of 1 to -1/2 (the diameter of right sun gear of Transgear #1 is 1/2 of the diameter of carrier gear of Transgear #2). A control motor (not shown) provides a control input of constant 1 ,800 rpm. The adjustment 1760 between the two assemblies is the same 1 to - 1/2. The output is recovered by an output shaft 1775 by gears meshed with the output at right sleeve sun gear (not numbered).

[00102] Figure 18 shows a table of test data #16H taken from the sample Hummingbird assembly #4D. At left is seen variable load starting at 0 load and increasing incrementally by 295 Watts for three times to a sum of 885 watts and then by 180 watts for two times to a sum of 1245 watts and finally by a single increment of 69 watts to a total of 1314 watts. Referring to the bold black box at 0 Watts load 1806, then, rotational Speeds 1808 of Input, Control and Output with 0 load are shown as 2012 rpm, 1782 rpm and 3564 rpm respectively. Torque 1812 in Newton meters is shown for input, control and output as 0.96, 2.16 and 0.68 respectively. Power 1814 in kilo Watts is shown for input, control and output respectively as 0.393, 0.279 and 0. Electricity frequency output 1816 by a generator is measured as 60.3 Hz and the voltage output 1818 at no load is 119.7 volts (just less than 120 volts, the US standard voltage. This experiment shows that the frequency 1816 is decreasing as the variable load 1806 increases. [00103] Figure 19 shows a graph of load 1806 from Figure 18 versus power 1814 of the table in Fig 18 for the sample spur/helical gear Hummingbird speed converter #4D of Figure 17. Going back to power 1814 of Figure 18, input power 1814A is provided by a harnessing module or simulated by a motor running at variable speeds and producing input power of simulated renewable energy of between 0.393 and 1.317 kW at maximum load 1,314 Watts. Referring briefly to Figure 18, the input power harnessed 1814A by a harnessing module shall be greater than the summation of control power used 1814B and output power generated 1814C. Control power used by a control motor 1814B is shown linearly increasing but greater than the output power or generated power 1814C which is also linearly increasing until there is a crossing of control power 1814B and output power 1814C. Output power 1814C is linearly increasing at a greater rate than control power increases. The line crossing was simulated to occur at approximately a load of 740 Watts. From the respective level of input power on there is an electrical advantage such that output power exceeds control power. Referring back to Figure 19, control power 1965 crosses output power 1975 at line crossing 1970. After the crossing point, there is an electrical advantage of output power over the control power. When the system rating increases to a designed maximum, the electrical advantage will reach to the highest designed efficiency. These results will be compared to a closed three variable hydraulic system or Pascal’s Principle as will be seen in Figures 20A and 20B.

[00104] Figure 20 is a pictorial view of Pascal’s Principle showing that (closed hydraulic system). If the area Ai of the left cylinder where original

force Fi is applied is multiplied by ten to become Ai x 10, then, Fi and a small original force can lift an automobile following Pascal’s Principle. Figure 21 A also shows Pascal’s Principle and the nine steps to achieving a mechanical advantage. Figure 21B representing the inventor’s principle shoves that an electrical advantage may be obtained in a torque balanced system such that a small input power Pi is capable of an electrical advantage at output power P3 if P3 exceeds control power Pz. The inventor recognizes per Figure 21 B an analogous principle that in a torque balanced rotary motion system that there is an electrical advantage when P3 measured at the output of the system exceeds Pz when the input power Pi exceeds the summation of the output power P3 and control power Pz.

[00105] Figures 21A and 21B distinguish Pascal’s Principle and the inventor’s principle depicted as Han’s Principle. Pascal’s Principle relates to hydraulic pressure (force) distributed over two different areas to achieve a mechanical advantage per Fig. 21 A. Figure 21B shows a Hummingbird speed converter (taken from Figure 17) where power equals torque on the shaft times rotational speed. An electrical advantage is achieved in a mechanical system referred to as “motionics” versus hydraulics.

[00106] Figures 21C and 21D further distinguish Pascal from Han. Fig. 21C relates to hydraulic pressure and area while Fig. 21D relates to rotational torque on a shaft and rotational speed. Pascal’s principle relates to hydraulic pressure (force) distributed over two different areas. It is obvious that the Pascal’s Principle did not include the container force; therefore, in this patent, the container force F _t is added and the small control force becomes F2 and the output force becomes F ₃ . The conditional relationship among the forces are: Fi > F2 + F ₃ and F2 < F3. A small control force F2 is applied in Figure 21C over a small area of a cylindrical portion and translated by a container receiving container force Fi to the entire container inner surface area where an output force F3 is capable of lifting an automobile. Again, Fi > F2 + F3 and F2 < F ₃ . Figure 21 D for“motionics" or Han’s Principle of electrical advantage is represented by input power Pi > P2 + P3 and P2 < P3, where P2 is control power and P3 is output power.

[00107] Figure 22 is a comparison of a two-variable system with a three variable system as to power ratio and efficiency. A two variable system comprises only two variables: input power and output power. Power ratio and efficiency are simply output power divided by input power. The Hummingbird speed converters described in this patent application comprise a three-variable system in which Input Power exceeds Control Power (provided to a control motor for inputting control rotational speed to the speed converter). The speed converter provides rotational speed to a generator of electric power in a water flow turbine for converting input rotation speed of an output shaft of the second Transgear gear assembly via an adjustment into electricity at a desired frequency. The power ratio is control power divided by the constant generated power by an electricity generator. The efficiency of a three variable control speed converter is measured by generated power less control power divided by generated power.

[00108] Figures 23A through 23C show in Figure 23A, a harnessing module and a generator module as separate units while Figures 23B and 23C show two embodiments for combining a harnessing module and a generator into one unit. A separate typical harnessing module which may comprises a water wheel that turns as wind or water flows in a direction of flow causing the waterwheel to turn using any number of designs such as using paddle wheels, waterwheels, buckets and propellers to capture wind or water as it flows by, propellers that turn with wind or water flow, barrels comprising fins that are turned by the wind or water flow and the like. It is suggested by permanent magnet rotor and stator coil combinations 2305-1 and 2305-2 that the heart of each harnessing module may comprise electricity generators operating to generate electricity via the permanent magnet rotors (in Fig. 23B and 23C) via rotating one of a rotating sleeve and a shaft when permanent magnet rotor (in Fig. 23C) may be utilized, for example, to generate at least sufficient electricity to power a control motor for a Hummingbird speed converter by rotating a shaft as well as provide electricity for other purposes. In Figure 23B, the combined harnessing module unit 2305-1 comprises a permanent magnet rotor outside and rotating as a sleeve which rotated about a shaft while a stator coil is not rotating. In Figure 23C, the permanent magnet rotor having a shaft is inside a stator coil that is not rotating. For example, the fins or paddles or buckets and the like may have permanent magnets in the assembly and may rotate as shown about a sleeve where the sleeve is free to rotate about the shaft. For example, the permanent magnet rotor coil of Fig. 23B may be equipped with fins which capture wind/water flow via a harnessing module turning with the sleeve or over the permanent magnet rotor of combined modules 2305-1. The rotor coil of module 2305-2 with shaft shown as wind/water flows around the sleeve or the permanent magnet rotor causing rotary motion and electricity generation through the shaft in the rotary direction shown by the arrow. In other words, the harnessing module 2310 may comprise a portion of the combined harnessing module and generating module assembly so that the sleeve of 2305-1 may be used to provide power and rotational speed. Similarly, 2305-2 may provide both rotational output speed and generate electricity via the shaft which turns with the permanent magnet rotor.

[00109] Figure 24 is a simple block diagram of a grid-powered electricity generating renewable energy turbine for air or water flow. The electric grid is used as a power source for powering the control motor for controlling the mechanical Hummingbird speed converter where the harnessing module 2410 transmits more input rotational speed power than is required for operating the Hummingbird speed converter 2420 such that the electric generator 2440 generates electricity at a constant power to electric advantage because the power taken from the grid is less than that required to generate power to electric advantage as per Figure 19.

[00110] Figure 25 shows a useful alternative to Figure 24 where one takes control power from the combined harnessing module and generator. Instead of a grid, one uses one of a combined harnessing module and generator as per Figures 23B and 23C to generate control power via combined harnessing module 2505 that may be regulated by a voltage regulator 2515 to provide a constant voltage to operate control motor 2530 in place of using grid power. The mechanical Hummingbird speed converter is rotated at the rotational speed output of combined module/generator 2505 to output constant rotational speed for generating electricity at generator 2540 at constant power output via speed converter control gear assembly 2520 (Hummingbird 2520). This concept is referred to herein as distributed generation of electric power output to a grid (not shown) where the control motor 2530 is provided internally to the combined harnessing module/generator rather than from the grid.

[00111] Figure 26 shows a variation of the embedment of Figure 25 where the combined harnessing module and generator 2605 need not be collocated with the remainder of the mechanical Hummingbird speed converter 2620. A flexible electric power cable (unnumbered) carries generated electricity from the submerged water flow harnessing module and generator (or from a wind propeller) to a remotely located input motor 2610 for turning the input of a mechanical Hummingbird rotational speed converter 2620 at variable rotational speed such that the flexible power cable also connects generated electricity output of the combined harnessing module and generator 2605 to a voltage regulator 2615 for delivering constant voltage power to a control motor 2630 for providing control power to the Hummingbird speed converter 2620 to electrical advantage per Figure 19. Note that, in Figures 26, 27 and 28, the combined harnessing module and generators provide electric power to both power the control motors and the input motors in each drawing. The respective input motors 2610, 2710 and 2810 receive a constant power plus a variable power or X + D. The control motors 2630, 2730 and 2830 respectively receive control power 1965, for example, as seen in Figure 19. The Hummingbird speed converter 2620 receives variable frequency electric power from input motor 2610 and the Hummingbird speed converter 2620 outputs constant rotational speed for turning, for example, an input shaft of an electricity generator 2640 to produce electricity at a constant frequency at its output, for example, at 60 Hz (US) or 50 (Hz) European when the input harnessing module power exceeds the summation of control power and output power per Figure 19 at an electrical advantage.

[00112] Figure 27 similarly to Figure 26 shows an embodiment of a plurality of combined harnessing modules with generators that may be submerged in series or in parallel, for example, in a river whereby three flexible electrical cables may combine their respective power outputs for delivery to voltage regulator 2715 for outputting constant voltage to control motor 2730 and the bulk of generated electrical power may be carried by the flexible electric cable to variable speed input motor 2710, Hummingbird speed converter 2720 and electricity generator 2740 for delivery to constant power electricity generator 2740 and to an electric grid or for local use (not shown).

[00113] Figure 28 is a block diagram of utilizing multiple known solar panels 2800-1, 2800-2 through 2800-N to generate electricity in a similar manner as the generation of electricity in Figures 26 and 27 by way of a flexible power cable connecting the solar panels to voltage regulator 2815 and input motor 2810. As described in Figure 27, the several solar panels may provide sufficient power to operate control motor 2830 at constant voltage and turn variable speed input motor 2810 to provide a variable speed input to mechanical Hummingbird speed converter which provides constant rotational speed for operating electricity generator 2840 to electrical advantage per Figure 19. The sun shines only during the day so batteries, not shown, may be used to store electricity produced by the solar panels during the day for use after the sun goes down until input power by batteries falls below output power of the generator 2840.

[00114] Figure 29 is a mechanical schematic drawing of a grid-powered spur/helical gear Hummingbird speed converter turbine for outputting a constant rotational speed for operating an electricity generator not shown via output 2975. An electric grid (not shown) powers control motor 2915 for delivering control power per Figure 19 to electric advantage as control 2965 via a shaft and gears shown for meshing with a first spur/helical gear assembly. The input 2960 may be received by a harnessing module or a combined harnessing module and generator (neither of which are shown).

[00115] Figure 30 is a mechanical schematic drawing of a self-powered spur/helical gear Hummingbird turbine which is a stand-alone system because it comprises a combined harnessing module and generator 3050 which generates power for powering control motor 3015. Input 3060 is received from a harnessing module. The control motor 3015 generates a constant rotational speed for rotating control shaft 3065. Voltage regulator 3015 regulates the voltage output by the generator 3050 which rotates as a result of the mechanically connected input rotational speed from a harnessing module (not shown). [00116] Rather than use a combined harnessing module and generator, Figure 30 shows a self-powered spur gear Hummingbird turbine with distributed generation where a harnessing module delivers variable rotational speed to input 3060 and an internal generator 3050 generates variable output electric power to a voltage regulator 3015. The voltage regulator, in turn, may store constant voltage by charging a battery 3045 or operate a control motor to deliver control power to control motor 3015. Control motor 3015 delivers a control rotation to a shaft of the Hummingbird speed converter and output 3075 is an output shaft to an electricity generator that rotates at constant speed for generating, for example, constant power at 50 Hz (European) or 60 Hz (US).

[00117] The purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the relevant art(s) who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of this technical disclosure. The Abstract is not intended to be limiting as to the scope of the present invention in any way.