"A system with orbiting shaft for converting energy"

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The present invention relates to a system with orbiting shaft for converting energy.

In particular, the present invention relates to a system with orbiting shaft for converting energy, of the type based on operating fluid both as a driving machine and as a operating machine.

As it is known, a system for converting energy of the fluid-type can convert the energy possessed by a fluid into mechanical energy or vice versa. Such a system, more commonly called "fluid machine", can be either of the driving or the operating type or with horizontal axis or with vertical axis. The operating fluid machines perform the function of increasing the energy content of the fluid which are treating through the use of other forms of energy. For example, the network electricity can be converted by an electric motor into mechanical energy and then be made available to a hydraulic pump, or to a fluid machine which in turn transmits it to the fluid itself, by means of the mechanical blades, at the time when the fluid laps them. Instead, the drive fluid machines, such as any type of turbines (hydraulic, wind, etc.) are able to make available mechanical energy at the expense of the processed fluid. These machines, in fact, through the particular shape and geometry of the mechanical members, or blades, in contact with the fluid extrapolate the energy possessed by the fluid and convert it into mechanical energy.

However, such machines suffer of the problem do not have a high efficiency due to the configuration of the blades that are not automatically adjustable in the direction of the fluid current, and to have a limited range and to rotate with respect to a single horizontal or vertical axis.

Scope of the present invention is to provide a system with orbiting shaft for converting energy of simple and economical construction which is able to accumulate and reuse energy in the direction of the fluid current, thus having characteristics such as to overcome the limits which still affect the systems for converting energy previously described with reference to the known art. In particular the aim of the present invention is to provide a system with orbiting axis for converting energy working simultaneously on two mutually perpendicular axes, equal in every embodiment . According to the present invention, a system with orbiting shaft for converting energy is provided, as defined in claim 1.

For a better understanding of the present invention a preferred embodiment is now described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- figure 1 shows a schematic bi-dimensional view of a first embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy, according to the invention;

- figure 2 shows a detailed schematic bi-dimensional view of the first embodiment of a system with orbiting shaft for converting energy, according to the invention;

- figure 3 shows a schematic top view of a group for synchronization and transmission of the movement of the first embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy, according to the invention;

- figure 4 shows a schematic a bi-dimensional view along the section A-A of the first embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy comprising mechanical transmission members, according to the invention; - figure 5 shows a schematic lateral view of the first embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy, according to the invention;

- figure 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy and of an enlarged view of the group for synchronization and transmission of the movement of the second embodiment, according to the invention;

- Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy and of an enlarged view of the group for synchronization and transmission of the movement of the third embodiment, according to the invention;

- Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy and of an enlarged view of the group for synchronization and transmission of the movement of the fourth embodiment, according to the invention;

- Figures 9A-9B show a perspective view of the operating steps of the fourth embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy, according to the invention .

With reference to these figures and, in particular, to figures 1-5, a first embodiment of a system with orbiting shaft for converting energy is shown, according to the invention. More in details, system with orbiting shaft for converting energy 100 comprises an inner transmission shaft with internal toothing 101; an inner transmission shaft with external toothing 102; a motion synchronization and transmission group 103; an output transmission shaft 104; two sectorial blades 105, one vertical blade 105 and a one horizontal blade 105, connected to the motion synchronization and transmission group 103 by means of supporting structures or elements 106, each pivoting around one of the transmission shafts 101 and 102 by means of hinges 107 and 108; an interconnection device 109 for interconnecting the sectorial blades 105, for example a rod able to oscillate.

According to an aspect of the invention, a first end of the transmission shaft with internal toothing 101 is interconnected at a first end of the transmission shaft with external toothing 102 in such a way as to form a single drive shaft which determines a simultaneous motion of the blades 105 connected to them by means of the supporting structures 106. Moreover, motion synchronization and transmission group 103 comprises toothed conical gears 111a and 111b respectively keyed on the shafts 101 and 104 and which act as organs of synchronization and transmission of motion. The output transmission shaft 104 comprises, at an upper end connected to the synchronization and transmission group of motion 103, the toothed conical gear 111b which is rigidly connected to the conical gear 111a coupled, in turn, to a first end of the transmission shaft 101. In this way, the output transmission shaft 104 is rigidly connected to the transmission shafts 101 and 102.

As shown in figure 4, according to the first embodiment the blades 105 rotate and oscillate and the synchronization takes place by means of the transmission shafts 101 and 102.

Each transmission shaft 101 and 102 is interconnected to one of the structures 106, respectively by means of hinges 107 and 108. Each hinge 107 and 108 is, at a first end, rigidly connected with one of the supporting structures 106 and, at a second end, to one of the transmission shafts 101 and 102 by means of pins 112. In particular, the second end of the hinge 107 is connected to the transmission shaft 101 and the second end of the hinge 108 is connected to the transmission shaft 102. Thanks to the hinges 107 and 108, the sectorial blades 105 can rotate respectively about the axes of the transmission shafts 101 and 102. Advantageously according to the invention, each sectorial blade 105 is rigidly connected to the corresponding supporting structure 106, constituting a single body with this.

According to an aspect of the invention, the sectorial blades 105 are rigidly interconnected by means of the interconnect device 109. In such a configuration of the system for converting energy 100, the motion synchronization and transmission group 103 has an element 110 acting as a fulcrum around which the oscillation of the interconnection rod 109 can occur, thus causing the oscillation of the blades 105.

As even better highlighted in the figure 5, the sectorial blades 105 with the respective supporting structures 106 are arranged with the respective axes at 90° one from the other and oriented with the normal of their surfaces at 90° one from the other, for example the normal of the vertical blade 105 oriented towards the left being perpendicular to that one of the horizontal blade 105 oriented downward. In particular, the figures 1-5 show that the sectorial blades 105 are to occupy and work in different spaces completely separated from each other, but contiguous. More precisely, considering the space divided into four quadrants, two of which are indicated with the letters A and B (respectively the left sector and the right sector) and two of which are indicated with the letters C and D (respectively the upper sector and the lower sector) that intersect at a central point 0 of the specific case reference system, the vertical blade 105 occupies the quadrant C-A of the space in which it is configured to operate, and in particular to oscillate, and the horizontal blade 105 occupies the quadrant C-B of the space in which it is configured to operate, in particular to oscillate. In this particular configuration of the system 100 the blades 105 are each in their own quadrant of the working area, each quadrant of a blade being distinguished and separated from the quadrant of the other blade, and, in their quadrant, the blades can both rotate, making one complete rotation around an axis X passing through the shafts 101 and 102, and oscillate around a Y-axis perpendicular to the axis X and passing through the pins 112.

According to an aspect of the invention, in order the rotation takes place correctly, the blades 105 must be arranged at 90° between them and at a predetermined distance from each other.

According to another aspect of the invention, the angle between the blades is 90° (that is the angle between their normal) . Advantageously according to the invention, the blades 105, being out of phase by 90°, are configured to receive the thrust of the fluid or vice versa to transmit it to the fluid for the entire angular range 0° - 90°.

Advantageously according to the invention, the number of the sectorial blades 105 and of the transmission and synchronization means, such as toothed conical gears 111a and 111b, is variable and can be a multiple of two. In this case, advantageously according to the invention, more sectorial blades can be moved with a rotary and oscillatory motion through further transmission organs.

Advantageously according to the invention, through the motion synchronization and transmission group 103, the transmission shafts 101, 102, the hinges 107 and 108 and the pins 112, the blades can perform an oscillating and rotational movement under the action of a fluid, such as air. This fluid can transmit energy to the blades or receive energy from the blades.

Figure 6 shows a second embodiment 200 of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy having multi- sectoral blades 205. The synchronization of each blade 205 is made by a group of three conical gears 210, 209d, 209e in the ratio 1:1 for each of the blades 205. In particular, the first conical gear 210 is installed on a transmission group 203 with the transmission shaft 202 coaxial and free to rotate, the other two 209d and 209e are rigidly connected within a hinge 207 positioned in the quadrant A- C, and within a hinge 208 positioned in the quadrant C-B. According to an aspect of the invention, the toothing of the fixed gears 210 is present only for half of the crown, the other half is smooth. The two side gears 209d and 209e mesh the fixed gear 210 every 180° alternately, thus achieving the synchronization of the movements between the blades 205. The two gears 209d and 209e form a single block with the supporting structure 206 on which the blade 205 is fixed, by means of the hinges 207 and 208, in turn coupled respectively with shafts 201 and 202 by means of the pins 212. In this embodiment the blades rotate and oscillate in the sectors C-A and C-B.

Advantageously according to the invention, the blades of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy are in configuration such as to always work in the direction of the fluid, regardless of whether they are used for receiving energy or for providing energy.

Advantageously according to the invention, the transmission group is provided with appropriate inputs on three sides, such as to enable the inputs / outputs of the transmission shafts and is configured in a way that allows the sectorial blades to move in the direction of the fluid flow impinging on the blades.

During operation, therefore, the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy, according to the invention, receives energy from a moving fluid. For example, the system is configured to receive wind power from the wind or, alternatively, to receive energy from marine or rivers water currents. At the same time, for the principle of reverse operation, the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy is able to act as a driving member for generating energy, in particular by supplying energy to the blades by means of, for example, an electric motor connected to the transmission shafts. Therefore, the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy performs the task of an intermediary organ capable of transferring to a shaft the kinetic energy possessed by a fluid or, conversely, to transfer to a fluid the mechanical energy possessed by a tree .

More precisely, using the first embodiment of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy, the first blade that is in engaged with the fluid and which, therefore, receives or transmits the thrust useful for the purposes of the motion, isn't influenced by the other blade. In fact, since the second blade is out of phase of 90° respect to the first blade, the second blade is located in a direction parallel to the fluid and, therefore, it neither receives nor transmits thrust, namely it is discharged. When the first blade has rotated up to be in a direction parallel to the fluid, the second blade becomes perpendicular to the fluid and enter into the working step and becomes ready for charging.

Basically, due to the increased arc of use 0° - 90° of each blade and to the non-interaction between the blades themselves, each of them is subject to a greater flow of fluid and, consequently, the system has a higher efficiency .

A third embodiment 300 of the system having multi- sectorial blades 305 is shown in Figure 7. The supporting structures 306 supporting a first vertical blade 305 in the quadrant C-A and a second horizontal blade 305 in the quadrant C-B are coupled, respectively by means of the seats 309da and 309ea, for example screwed, to the conical gear 309d of the quadrant C-A of the system 300 and to the conical gear 309e of the quadrant C-B of the system 300. In this configuration, the axes Yl of the pins 312, coincident with the axes of the gears 309d and 309e, are phase-shifted by 90°, for example the axis Yl in the quadrant C-B arranged vertically and the axis Yl in the quadrant C-A arranged horizontally and entering in the sheet .

During operation, considering the system 300 having the horizontal axis X of the synchronization group 303, the blades 305 occupy only the upper half space, passing, each, from the quadrant C-A to the quadrant C-B doing an orbital motion. In fact, each blade 305 rotates with respect to the axis Yl integral with the gear 309d or 309e rotating, in turn, on the gear 310 and around the axis of the shaft 302, which coincides with the axis X by means of the connecting pin 312. If the X axis was vertical, then the blades 305 would be only in the right half-space B or in the left half space A. This causes each blade 305 is always subject to a fluid current greater than the fluid current to which the current systems for converting energy is subject.

Advantageously according to the invention, the blades 305 are configured to receive the thrust of the fluid or vice versa to transmit it to the fluid for the entire angular range 0° - 180°.

According to an aspect of the invention, the system may comprise a single sectorial blade 305, for example connected to the gear 309e in the right half-space B by means of the ends threaded to the seats 309ea, and a counterweight placed at 90° with respect to the blade 305 in the left half-space A and located on the axis Yl .

The figure 8 shows a fourth embodiment 400 in which the supporting structures 406 supporting a first upper blade 405 and a second lower blade 405 are rigidly connected, for example by means of the ends threaded to the seats 409da of the conical gear 409d.

The blades 405 are arranged so as they have the supporting structures 406 shifted each other of 180° and having the normal to the surface at 90° one from the other, for example one directed to the left and one outgoing from the sheet, one being arranged in the half-space C-A and the other in the half-space D-A.

The conical gear 409d, the conical gear 409e and the shaft 402, linked via the pin 412, rotate together with respect to an axis Y2 of the shaft 402, and at the same time the conical gears 409d and 409e rotate with respect to its own axis X2 on the conical gear 410 integral with the group 403. Therefore during operation, the pair of blades 405 placed at left of the shaft 402 occupies the right half space B orbiting in this, since the Y2 axis is vertical. If Y2 was horizontal then the blades 405 would occupy the upper half-space C or lower half-space D, depending on the case . According to an aspect of the invention, the system may comprise a single sectorial blade 405 in the upper half-space C, for example connected to the gear 409d in the left half-space A via the ends threaded to the seat 409da, and a counterweight placed at 180° with respect to the blade 405 in the lower half-space D, connected to the seat 409da of the gear 409d.

According to another aspect of the invention, the fourth embodiment comprises only one pair of left blades.

According to another aspect of the invention, the system 400 may comprise a pair of right blades and a pair of blades on the left of the shaft 402.

In more detail, as shown in Figures 9a-9b, the operation of the system 400 with a single pair of blades 405 can be schematized in 4 steps, for example, the step 1 is representative of a configuration in which the pair of blades 405 is placed on the left of the shaft 402 in a vertical position, with the first blade 405 positioned in the half-space C and oriented with the normal to the surface on the left, and the second blade 405 positioned in the half-space D and oriented with the normal to the surface outgoing from the sheet. A 90° rotation of the shaft 402 around axis Y2 involves the passage to the step 2 in which the pair of blades 405 is arranged horizontally with the first blade 405 on the right of the shaft in the half-space B and with the normal to the surface leaving the sheet and the second blade 405 on the left of the shaft 402 in the half-space A and with the normal to the surface facing downwards. It is also noted that during the transition from the step 1 to the step 2 the first blade 405 moves from the half-space A to the half-space B and the second blade 405 is positioned in the half-space A. From step 2 onwards, until the return to the starting condition, that is to step 1, the first blade 405 will move in the half-space B and the second blade 405 in the half-space A. A further 90° rotation of the shaft 402 around the axis Y2 involves the passage from the step 2 to the step 3. In the step 3, the pair of blades 405 returns to be vertical, with the second blade 405 in the half-space C having the normal to the surface outgoing from the sheet and the first blade 405 in the half-space D with the normal to the surface oriented towards the left. With a further rotation of 90° of the shaft 402 around the axis Y2, the system passes from step 3 to the step 4, in which the pair of blades 405 returns to the horizontal position. The first blade 405 in the half-space B on the right of the shaft 402 with the normal to the surface outgoing from the sheet, and the second blade 405 on the left of the shaft in the half-space A with the normal to the surface facing upward. By means of a further 90° rotation of the shaft 402 around to the axis Y2 the system passes from the step 4 to the step 1 with the restoration of the initial conditions of operation.

Also in this fourth embodiment the blades 405 are perpendicular (the two normal are at 90 degrees) .

Advantageously according to the invention, the axes X, X2 and Yl, Y2 may coincide respectively with the separation plans C-D and A-B .

Advantageously according to the invention, in all the embodiments of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy the blades and the transmission shafts have the same angular velocity during operation.

Advantageously according to the invention, in all the embodiments of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy the supporting structures can be contoured shape.

Advantageously according to the invention, the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy may also be used in mixing machines, industrial or domestic, allowing for more efficient mixing and amalgamation of mixture to prepare .

Therefore, the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy according to the invention allows to orient the sectorial blades alternately, each in its own allotted space, and in an automatic way in the direction of the fluid, thus maximizing energy efficiency, both in reception in transmission.

Another advantage of the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy according to the invention is the simplicity of construction and assembly.

Furthermore, the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy according to the invention is of low cost.

Finally, the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy according to the invention is versatile and reconfigurable , being able to vary the number of sectorial blades and of transmission and synchronization means.

Finally it is clear that the system with orbiting shaft for converting energy described and illustrated here can be modified and varied without departing from the protective scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.