Patents Examined by Julio Gonzalez R.
  • Patent number: 9745960
    Abstract: Architecture that harnesses energy from natural atmospheric wind and water currents and self-generated wind and water currents from moving vehicles and natural fluid flow found in nature for moving or stationary applications. The power generation system harnesses energy from natural atmospheric sources utilizing pneumatic and/or hydraulic turbines with compound nozzles, meteorological sensors, computer controlled harmonic resonance valves, a control system, and other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventor: Paul C. Dietzel
  • Patent number: 8994203
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic energy conversion system (HKECS) is provided, comprising design configurations suitable for efficient production of tidal or river in-stream kinetic energy into useful mechanical energy for tasks such as generating electricity or water pumping. The apparatus includes a set of blades with an airfoil cross sectional contour moving on a horizontal or vertical closed loop track, whereby the blades are propelled through the water by a net tangential lift force, rather than drag, to effectively convert the kinetic energy of flowing water to useful power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Nostrum Energy Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Nirmal Mulye, Shrikrishna Sane, Vijay Shukla, Osanan L. Barros Neto, Vinayak Manmadkar
  • Patent number: 8916983
    Abstract: A downhole tool for generating power is provided that includes a conductive fluid disposed downhole within a tubular member, an energy harvesting apparatus, and a pressure changing apparatus. The energy harvesting apparatus includes a magnet configured to generate a magnetic field and an electrical conductor configured to move with respect to the magnet. The pressure changing apparatus is configured to supply a differential pressure across the energy harvesting apparatus, such that the electrical conductor moves with respect to the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Manuel P. Marya, Gary L. Rytlewski
  • Patent number: 8698334
    Abstract: A wind park, a method of correcting voltage imbalances, and a wind turbine are provided. The wind park includes at least one wind turbine; a transformer coupled between the at least one wind turbine and a power grid. The transformer includes a primary winding arrangement coupled to the power grid, and a secondary winding arrangement coupled to the at least one wind turbine. The power grid includes at least three power lines, each power line conducting a respective phase of a multi-phase current. Each power line of the power grid is coupled to the primary winding arrangement via an individual tap changer. Influences of the detected voltage imbalances on the wind turbines can be compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Yin Bo, Heng Deng, Ove Styhm, Kim B. Larsen
  • Patent number: 8680819
    Abstract: A field winding type rotary electric machine includes a motor generator; a field current detection unit; a field current control unit which controls a field current; a field current limiting determination section which calculates a field current integration value and determines whether or not the field current integration value reaches a predetermined field current integration threshold value; and a field current limiting command section which, when it is determined that the field current integration value reaches the predetermined field current integration threshold value, outputs a command which sets the field current to be lower than or equal to a predetermined field current limiting value to the field current control unit during a predetermined limiting time, and outputs a command which changes the predetermined limiting time depending on the field current. Accordingly, a temperature rise of the machine is suppressed and limiting of the field current can be released as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Akita, Masato Mori, Kenji Nakajima, Mitsunori Tabata
  • Patent number: 8575771
    Abstract: An installation structure for a hydroelectric power generation apparatus, includes: a power generation apparatus accommodation frame body in which a plurality of hydroelectric power generation apparatuses are accommodated in parallel; a first wire having one end connected to a lower portion of the power generation apparatus accommodation frame body; an anchor or weight connected with the other end of the first wire; a buoyancy body provided on an upper side of the hydroelectric power generation apparatus accommodation frame body through the second wire, the hydroelectric power generation apparatus accommodation frame body having an upper side opened, and having a dividing plate between both side plates to form a plurality of power generation apparatus accommodation units, each of the plurality of power generation apparatus accommodation units having a running water inlet side window formed at a front portion, and having a running water outlet side window formed at a rear portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Japan System Planning Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Kumano
  • Patent number: 8253393
    Abstract: The present disclosure related to a method and a controller for controlling an AC generator which is used in connection with a wind turbine having a variable speed. The multi-phase generator is connected to a controllable converter and is controlled to provide a desired power or a desired torque. An AC reference signal is generated, which would provide the desired power or torque. A P+Resonant converter may be used to control an electrical characteristic of the generator in view of the reference, by applying control signals to the controllable converter. Thereby, the need to transform the electrical characteristic into a rotating frame may be eliminated which provides for a less complex controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Yin Bo, Heng Deng, Kim B. Larsen
  • Patent number: 7683588
    Abstract: A device for controlling vehicle power generation that controls duty cycle of an excitation winding in a vehicle power generator and controls an output voltage from the vehicle power generator to a predetermined value includes a power generation controlling circuit that, when the output voltage from the vehicle power generator is less than the predetermined value, gradually increases the value of a gradual excitation duty and gradually increases the excitation current, the gradual excitation duty being a limit value for increasing and decreasing an excitation drive duty intermittently controlling the electrification of the excitation winding, and in an opposite situation, gradually decreases a value of the excitation drive duty and gradually decreases the excitation current. The power generation controlling circuit changes the rate at which the value of the gradual excitation duty is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Fuyuki Maehara
  • Patent number: 7595566
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a wind energy plant, with a synchronous generator and a superimposition gearbox, which is connected between rotor and generator, and the gear ratio of which is adjusted by a control unit, characterised in that a mode of operation is provided in which the generator is connected to the electric grid, and the generator shaft is uncoupled from the rotor shaft via the superimposition gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Nitzpon, Thomas Paul Woldmann
  • Patent number: 7468563
    Abstract: An ocean wave driven energy device that uses the power of ocean waves to continually lift and lower a float which in turn lifts or lowers one side of a lever arm about a stationary pivot point thereby driving down or raising a piston, which is attached to the opposite side of the lever arm, thru a cylinder which in turn causes large volumes of air to move. That air is funneled to drive turbines which produce electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Inventor: Joseph J Torch
  • Patent number: 7256507
    Abstract: An inverter controlled generator set including: a power supply unit that uses a generator driven by an engine as a power supply to output a DC voltage; an inverter device that converts the output voltage of the power supply unit into an AC voltage; and a rotational speed control unit that controls a rotational speed of the engine so as to be kept at a target rotational speed suitable for a load applied to the inverter device, wherein the rotational speed control unit is comprised so that a settling time when the rotational speed of the engine is caused to converge to the target rotational speed in a state where the load is above a set value is longer than a settling time when the rotational speed is caused to converge to the target rotational speed in a state where the load is below the set value, in order to minimize an operation sound of the engine when the load is intermittently driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Endou, Masanori Nakagawa, Kaoru Shinba, Katsumi Yamamoto, Yoshihiro Sugisawa
  • Patent number: 7075191
    Abstract: A power generation assembly for use in generating electrical power from air or water currents includes a rail system forming a loop, a vane assembly having a frame and at least one vane, and a car assembly slidably mounted to the rail, including a linkage portion coupled to the frame of the vane assembly and a power-take-off arrangement includes an element that is operatively coupled to the car assembly and a drive wheel coupled to a generator and configured to take power off the moving car assembly by the drive wheels being rotated by the passing power take off element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Environmental Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred E. Davison
  • Patent number: 7071587
    Abstract: An integrated cooler for electronic devices comprises a heat exchange element, a heat transferring element and a blower with an electric drive. The heat exchange element comprises a base and heat exchanging means. The electronic device directly thermally connected with the base or the heat exchanging means by the heat transferring element. The blower comprises an inlet, an outlet and a drum type impeller comprises a disk with blades mounted on an axle fixed perpendicularly to the base. The heat exchanging means located at the inlet and/or at the outlet, thus ambient air flows through the inlet, the impeller and the outlet in a series way and in the directions perpendicular to the axle, so that the blower is a crossflow type blower. The electric drive comprises a rotor and a stator. The rotor made as the impeller having circumferential arrayed magnetic means. The stator comprises circumferential arrayed coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: ROTYS Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L. Lopatinsky, Dan K. Shaefer, Saveliy T. Rosenfeld, Lev A. Fedoseyev
  • Patent number: 6879054
    Abstract: Process, apparatus, media and signals are disclosed for controlling a supply of power from an electric generator in a hybrid electric vehicle having a prime mover supplying mechanical energy to the generator. The process carried out by the apparatus and defined by codes on the media and in codes in the signals involves locating, from among a plurality of sets of vehicle operating conditions associated with a requested generator power value, an optimal set of operating conditions that optimizes operating characteristics of the vehicle and producing signals for controlling the prime mover and the generator to operate the vehicle at the optimal set of operating conditions, to supply power at the requested generator power value. The present invention also provides a way of producing vehicle performance records for use in producing signals for controlling the prime mover and the generator to achieve the optimized operating characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Azure Dynamics Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Michael Gosselin
  • Patent number: 6856036
    Abstract: Installation for harvesting kinetic energy of ocean currents in deepwaters is based on utilization of a semisubmersible platform and the multiple of vertically oriented Darrieus type hydraulic turbines with funnels. The turbines are located bellow sea level on distance sufficient to exclude them from being affected by wave actions. The electric power generators are located on a structure above water and transmit electric power to the shore utilizing flexible cable from semisubmersible to the sea bottom and underwater cable going to the shore, where it connected to the power distributing network. One of the Embodiments of this invention is designed to harvest energy of tides in deepwaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Inventor: Sidney Irving Belinsky
  • Patent number: 6856033
    Abstract: An energy conversion system including a bank of batteries operative to drive a DC motor through a controller. The DC motor is in turn connected to a gearbox, which is in turn is connected to a work piece. Further, there is provided a rotary fluid drive that is powered by a pump that is driven by the one or more batteries. The output of the rotary powered device is directed to a DC generator. The DC generator is driven by the rotary powered device. Output from the DC generator is directed to a battery charger for powering the same. The battery charger is in turn utilized to charge the one or more batteries. Finally, there is provided an external source of power that is capable of delivering power to the bank of batteries on demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Inventor: Bhanuprasad Patel
  • Patent number: 6815840
    Abstract: A system for generating electric power comprises an electrically driven air compression unit (10), a high-pressure storage tank (14) and a hydraulic system. The hydraulic system comprises a fluid reservoir (20), a pneumatically driven fluid pump (18) and a hydraulic motor (26), having a drive shaft (28) rotatably coupled to an electric generator (8). Initially a high-speed compression unit (10) is operated by an outside electric source. The air is compressed into the high-pressure storage tank (14) and controllably released into the pneumatically driven fluid pump (18), causing its operation. Hydraulic fluid being pressured from the fluid reservoir (20) into the hydraulic motor (26) causes the rotation of the motor drive shaft (28) and the electric generator (8). Electric power is generated. The outside electric source is removed. Part of the generated power is used to operate the compression unit (10) the other part of the power is used by a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Inventor: Metaz K. M. Aldendeshe
  • Patent number: 6784563
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle of the present invention, an engine EG is subjected to feedback control to attain a target revolving speed NE*. In the case of malfunction of an inverter P1 for a generator GN, operation of the inverter P1 is stopped. When the generator GN is driven to rotate at a predetermined rotational speed, a counter electromotive force arises in a multiphase phase coil of the generator GN. When a motor MG is connected to the generator GN as a loading, electric current runs via a protection diode of the inverter P1 to implement power generation by the generator GN. The electric power generated by the generator GN is directly consumed by the motor MG. This arrangement enables the quantity of power generation to balance the quantity of consumption. Here the revolving speed of the engine EG is varied according to the loading applied to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Nada
  • Patent number: 6765307
    Abstract: A wave energy converter (WEC), for use in a body of water of depth Dw, includes a tubular structure and a piston within the tubular structure where the relative motion between the piston and the tubular structure is used to generate electric power. The length (L) of the tubular structure may be selected to have a predetermined value based on the fact that: (a) the efficiency of the power generated by WEC increases as the length “L” of the tubular structure increases from a minimal value until L reaches an optimal value; and (b) the efficiency decreases as L is increased beyond the optimal value due to the increased mass of the water that the tubular structure and the piston have to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Olean Power Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Gerber, George W. Taylor, Thomas R. Welsh
  • Patent number: 6750593
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric resonator that has a piezoelectric plate that has formed thereon a pair of main electrodes and has formed thereon a second electrode surrounding the peripheral edge of the main electrode with a gap being provided between the second electrode and a peripheral edge of the main electrode. The material of the main electrode and the material of the second electrode are differentiated from each other. As the material of the second electrode there is used a material the density of that is lower than the material of the main electrode. With this construction, there is obtained means for suppressing the occurrence of spurious due to an inharmonic mode generating in the high frequency piezoelectric resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Toyo Communication Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Iwata