Inertia Or Fly-wheel Device Patents (Class 310/74)
  • Patent number: 11962223
    Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a flywheel on a floating vessel includes a support for the flywheel; and a tilt sensor for measuring an angle of slope relative to the Earth, the tilt sensor being arranged to detect a change of an angle of slope of the floating vessel relative to the Earth. The apparatus further includes a driver for manoeuvring the support relative to the floating vessel, based on the measured angle of slope from the tilt sensor, wherein the driver is operable to manoeuvre the support so as to counteract a change of an angle of slope of the flywheel relative to the Earth due to the detected change of an angle of slope of the floating vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Grant Prideco, Inc.
    Inventors: Yngvar Borøy, Anibal B. Teixeira, Geir Odd Bergstøl, Oddbjørn Øye
  • Patent number: 11894752
    Abstract: A brushless direct current motor of an electrical machining device includes a stator, a rotor, a fan and a flywheel. The rotor, the fan and the flywheel are arranged for conjoint rotation on a motor shaft of the brushless direct current motor. The flywheel is at least partly surrounded axially along the motor shaft by the fan. The brushless direct current motor may be incorporated in a hand-held power tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Heizmann, Andreas Voelkle, Sebastian Laber
  • Patent number: 11870323
    Abstract: An ultra-thin vehicle-mounted magnetic suspension flywheel battery for an electric vehicle and an operating method thereof are provided. A motor bracket, an axial flux motor, a flywheel, and an inner stator, a coil, and a permanent magnet of a five-degree-of-freedom magnetic bearing are coaxially arranged in a shell from top to bottom. The flywheel consists of an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer which are continuous. An upper annular groove is formed in a middle of a flywheel upper annular layer of the upper layer. The axial flux motor is placed in the upper annular groove. An annular inner groove, a middle-layer annular cavity, and a lower annular groove are communicated with each other and jointly used for placing the inner stator, the coil, and the permanent magnet of the five-degree-of-freedom magnetic bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Weiyu Zhang, Juexin Yu, Long Shan, Huangqiu Zhu, Kai Li, Xiaoxiao Zhang, Zhen Wang
  • Patent number: 11841007
    Abstract: A magnetic motor apparatus provides increased mechanical output. The apparatus includes a propulsion unit positioned in a guide sleeve adjacent a stabilizer section. A stabilizer section frame houses a drive gear and gearbox positioned on opposite interior surfaces of the frame. The gear and gearbox receive mechanical input from a drive shaft rotationally disposed in the gear and gearboxes. The mechanical input is then transferred to first and second threaded gears of the propulsion unit. Each of the first and second threaded gears are affixed to a respective one of a first and second translatable cylinder. Sets of magnets each impregnated on faces of the first and second translatable cylinders are disposed facing one another. Rotation of the drive shaft provides a mechanical input to the first and second translatable cylinders that are configured to actuate continuous propulsion from the interactions of the magnets while travelling along a threaded shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventor: George Rochester
  • Patent number: 11811292
    Abstract: A tumbler-type vehicle-mounted flywheel energy storage device with five-degree-of-freedom magnetic suspension support for an electric vehicle is provided. A flywheel is formed into a bowl by a metal flywheel rotor and a composite material ring by interference fit. The metal flywheel rotor comprises an upper-section ring, a mid-section hollow hemisphere, and a lower-section ring. The composite material ring is closely fitted outside the upper-section ring to form a bowl-shaped bowl opening part. An annular axial thrust disc protrudes inward in a radial direction from an inner wall on a bottom end of the upper-section ring. An area above the axial thrust disc is a bowl opening empty slot layer, and an area below the axial thrust disc is a sphere empty slot layer and a bowl bottom empty slot layer in sequence, which form an inner cavity of the flywheel. A supporting frame is fitted in an inner stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Weiyu Zhang, Lindong Zhang, Huangqiu Zhu, Long Shan, Juexin Yu, Jianping Wang
  • Patent number: 11689091
    Abstract: An eddy current type resistance device comprising: a ring-shaped flywheel; a shaft center, the shaft center has an axial blind hole, the shaft center has a radial blind hole, the radial blind hole is connected to the axial blind hole; a positioning frame, connected to the shaft center inside the ring-shaped flywheel; multiple magnetic field generating components, evenly arranged on the positioning frame, and make the signal wires of the magnetic field generating components pass through the radial blind hole and the axial blind hole the outer end of the shaft center; and a side cover, connecting to the other side of the ring-shaped flywheel, and is connected to the shaft center by a bearing. Thereby having the effect of simplifying the type and process of the side cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Chi Hua Fitness Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia Jung Lee
  • Patent number: 11677295
    Abstract: The disclosed device is for storing energy by means of a flywheel. The device comprises a solid rotor having embedded permanent magnets along its outer surface, with flywheels attached at each end. The rotor is suspended by magnetic bearings within a housing. The housing comprises electromagnets that are sequentially charged in order to cause the rotor to spin due to the interaction of the electromagnets with the facing permanent magnets on the rotor. The spinning of the rotor causes the flywheels to spin, which results in the storage of rotational energy. The flywheels, which include magnets, turn through sets of coils on either end of the housing, thereby operating as an electrical generator to convert the flywheel rotational energy into electrical energy output from the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Paul D. Westfall
  • Patent number: 11668286
    Abstract: A power transmission assembly includes a base, a rotating frame rotatably coupled to the base and configured to rotate about an axis, an output shaft coupled to the rotating frame, a weight selectively repositionable relative to the rotating frame, and a weight actuator configured to reposition the weight relative to the rotating frame to move the weight from a subtraction position located at a first height to an addition position located at a second height. The second height is greater than the first height such that a gravitational force on the weight drives the rotating frame to rotate about the axis and drive the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Duplicent, LLC
    Inventor: Curren Emmett Krasnoff
  • Patent number: 11608868
    Abstract: An electronic brake motor structure includes a lower housing coupled to a block; a ball screw installed in the center inside the housing and block; a nut member into which the ball screw penetrates to be coupled therewith; a piston coupled to an outer side of the nut member; a hollow shaft coupled to an outer side of a lower part of the piston; a rotor module including a rotor and a magnet, coupled to an outer side of the hollow shaft; a stator module coupled to an outer side of the rotor module; an upper bracket for mounting a first bearing to thereinside; a driven shaft, coupled to an upper part of the ball screw to support the ball screw; a joint member coupled to a bottom of the ball screw with a mounting bolt to support the ball screw and a fourth bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: BMC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ok Yun Kim, Kea Ho Lee, Haeng Chul Sin
  • Patent number: 11604492
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a flexible display. A device housing provides a translation surface for the flexible display. A rotor positioned within a curvilinear section of the flexible display rotates with translation of the flexible display across the translation surface. The rotor can be a rechargeable electrochemical cell, can be a rechargeable electrochemical cell situated within a sheath, or can be positioned within a housing defining an outer surface of the rotor to save space within the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Nigil George Valikodath, George B Standish
  • Patent number: 11523564
    Abstract: A trimmer includes a handle assembly, a power mechanism installed at one end of the handle assembly, and a blade assembly connected to the power mechanism. The power mechanism has a housing assembly, a motor received in the housing assembly, and a power transmission assembly mounted on the housing assembly. The motor is an external rotor motor with a diameter greater than or equal to 50 mm. The power transmission assembly has pinion coaxially sleeved on an output shaft of the motor and a big gear meshing with the small gear, and a transmission ratio of the small gear to the big gear is less than 6. By such arrangement, the trimmer can obtain the best output effect under a condition that the output power of the motor is unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Globe (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jianbo Li, Erbiao Zhou, Yongxing Ma
  • Patent number: 11427289
    Abstract: A gyroscopic roll stabilizer comprises a gimbal having a support frame and enclosure configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure, a flywheel assembly including a flywheel and flywheel shaft, one or more bearings for rotatably mounting the flywheel inside the enclosure, a motor for rotating the flywheel, and bearing cooling system for cooling the bearings supporting the flywheel. The bearing cooling system enables heat generated by the bearings to be transferred through the flywheel shaft to a heat sink disposed within a cavity in the end of the flywheel shaft, or to a liquid coolant circulating within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: WAVETAMER LLC
    Inventors: Grady F. Smith, David Holden, Jeffrey Peterson
  • Patent number: 11277052
    Abstract: An illustrative energy storage system includes an energy storage device, a processor coupled to the energy storage device, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory is configured to store instructions adapted for execution by the processor to control and monitor operation of the energy storage device. The instructions are arranged into functional modules. Each functional module is associated with a memory cache in the memory. Control processes depending on the functional module read last known values from the associated memory cache. Reading last known values from the associated memory enables changes to the functional modules without shutting down the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Saint-Augustin Canada Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Matt Paiz, Eric Martinez, Ton Nguyen, Khang Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11273698
    Abstract: A crankcase includes: a main body portion aligned with a drive motor in a direction perpendicular to a motor drive shaft; and an extended portion continuous with the main body portion and located lateral to a motor housing, the extended portion receiving insertion of one end of the motor drive shaft. A power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the motor drive shaft to an input shaft is located partly in a first region defined by the main body portion and partly in a second region defined by the extended portion and communicating with the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Nishiyabu, Satoaki Ichi, Kyohei Izumi, Yuji Hida
  • Patent number: 11264876
    Abstract: A flywheel system includes a rotor configured to rotate about a rotation axis. The flywheel system further includes a fixture and an active magnetic bearing module for actively stabilizing the rotor relative to the fixture. The active magnetic bearing module includes a plurality of first magnetizable elements mechanically coupled to or integrated in the rotor, and a plurality of electromagnets mechanically coupled to the fixture and configured to magnetically couple with the plurality of first magnetizable elements to actively stabilize the rotor relative to the fixture. Each of the first magnetizable elements is farther than each of the electromagnets from the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: MAERSK DRILLING A/S
    Inventors: John Røn Pedersen, Martin Speiermann, Jamshid Zamany
  • Patent number: 11041397
    Abstract: A side plate seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a multiple of non-metallic side plate seals that are arranged about an axis of the gas turbine engine to form a full hoop seal, each of the multiple of side plate seals comprise a retention surface and a knife edge seal surface that extends at an angle therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael G. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 11040780
    Abstract: An aircraft power system according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure includes, among other possible things, a battery, a motor/generator coupled to the battery, an inertial drum rotatable about an axis of rotation and coupled to the motor/generator, wherein the motor/generator drives rotation of the inertial drum in a first operating mode and is driven by the inertial drum in a second operating mode; and a housing defining a chamber for the inertial drum, the chamber filled with low-viscosity medium to reduce friction on the inertial drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Gary D. Roberge
  • Patent number: 10944308
    Abstract: A device for storing kinetic energy, which has a flywheel in a housing. The flywheel is mounted in the housing via a shaft. A motor-generator unit is provided for storing energy as well as for energy recovery. In order to improve efficiency, a vacuum pump for evacuating the interior is arranged in the housing. The vacuum pump is disposed on the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: LEYBOLD GMBH
    Inventors: Heinrich Engländer, Robert Schneiders
  • Patent number: 10718382
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic bearing system comprising an axial bearing rotating flywheel arranged so as to magnetically interact with at least one fixed axial stop. The system includes a cooling fluid path configured so as to send the flow to the flywheel in a direction of flow being in a substantially radial plane relative to the axis of rotation of the flywheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Thermodyn SAS
    Inventor: Denis Guillaume Guenard
  • Patent number: 10693342
    Abstract: A number of flywheel units are arranged in a geometric pattern. Each of the flywheel units is enclosed in a containment unit. The containment unit includes a cylindrical tube, a cover, a bottom support, resting on the ground, on which the containment unit is mounted, and a fill medium surrounding each containment unit. The containment unit may also include a horizontal plate, mounted to the base of tube, which extends outward or radially from the base of tube a pre-determined length. In this case, the fill medium rests directly on top of the portion of the plate that extends outward from tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Amber Kinetics, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Bakholdin, Seth R. Sanders, Edward Young Chiao, Mark S. Stout, Matthew K. Senesky, Matthew Brandon Garten, Mark J. Holloway
  • Patent number: 10634188
    Abstract: Rotating machines and rotors therefor are disclosed. The bearings may be magnetic bearings configured to magnetically levitate the rotor. The rotors may include a hollow fiber-reinforced composite shaft and a magnetic bearing rotor core disposed on the shaft and configured for use with the magnetic bearing. In some examples, the rotating machines may be electrical machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Darren Dale Tremelling, Dezheng Wu, Steven Carl Englebretson, Simon E. Mushi, Se Young Yoon, Yujing Liu
  • Patent number: 10605310
    Abstract: A landing bearing assembly for a rotary machine rotatable around a central axis and having a stator, a rotor with a shaft, a magnetic bearing, an auxiliary rolling bearing with two lateral faces, a landing sleeve facing, in normal operation of the rotary machine when the rotor is supported only by the magnetic bearing, the auxiliary rolling bearing at a nominal distance defined as the landing airgap El, the auxiliary rolling bearing coming into contact with the landing sleeve upon landing of the rotor in the event of a high shock. The assembly further provides a compliance ring with a nominal thickness Eo made from a material with a lower mechanical stiffness than the material constituting the other components of the landing bearing assembly to first absorb some energy of the shock by elastic deformation resulting in a reduction of its thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: SKF MAGNETIC MECHATRONICS
    Inventor: Luc Baudelocque
  • Patent number: 10587165
    Abstract: A flywheel energy storage system incorporates various embodiments in design and processing to achieve a very high ratio of energy stored per unit cost. The system uses a high-strength steel rotor rotating in a vacuum envelope. The rotor has a geometry that ensures high yield strength throughout its cross-section using various low-cost quenched and tempered alloy steels. Low-cost is also achieved by forging the rotor in a single piece with integral shafts. A high energy density is achieved with adequate safety margins through a pre-conditioning treatment. The bearing and suspension system utilizes an electromagnet that off-loads the rotor allowing for the use of low-cost, conventional rolling contact bearings over an operating lifetime of several years.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Saint-Augustin Canada Electric Inc.
    Inventor: Cheruvari Karthik Hari Dharan
  • Patent number: 10587164
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides flywheel systems for generating and/or storing energy, and methods of using same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Inventors: Jonathan Edward Pollack, Steven Lawrence Pollack
  • Patent number: 10557500
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for an axial magnetic bearing includes a shaft portion and a disc attached to the shaft portion. The disc includes a conical surface on a portion reaching radially from the aperture of the disc a distance away from the aperture. A fastening mechanism includes an aperture for the shaft portion so that the fastening mechanism includes a conical surface matching the conical surface of the disc. The fastening mechanism and the shaft portion are shaped to enable the fastening mechanism to be tightened axially against the conical surface of the disc so as to arrange the conical surface of the fastening mechanism to press the conical surface of the disc towards the center line of the shaft portion. Thus, the fastening mechanism acts against the centrifugal force and keeps the disc centric placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Lappeenrannan-Lahden teknillinen yliopisto LUT
    Inventors: Janne Heikkinen, Jussi Sopanen
  • Patent number: 10359094
    Abstract: A computer controlled support and stabilization unit comprising of a vertical array of magnets for levitating a flywheel containing fluid, a computer controlled adjustable bearing support that can clamp and unclamp the rotating center shaft of a flywheel containing fluid between a plurality of bearings, a computer controlled adjustable magnetic lifting support for lifting the flywheel containing fluid to reduce the forces placed on the vertical array of magnets for levitating a flywheel containing fluid and reduce the forces placed on the plurality of bearings clamping the rotating center shaft of a flywheel containing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Heptron Power Transmission Limited
    Inventor: Gary Murphy
  • Patent number: 10348366
    Abstract: A networking device is described the device comprising a processor, memory, at least one network device, and a plurality of capacitive and/or inductive based circuits, the circuits being usable for coupling aerials and accessories to the networking 5 device and capable of being used for user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: ENCOUNTER SOLUTIONS LIMITED
    Inventor: Simon Francis Croft
  • Patent number: 10260595
    Abstract: A flywheel (6) is provided that comprises a rotatable shaft (7). At least one end of the rotatable shaft (7) is provided with a recess (51) and two magnets (15, 20, 31, 36). The flywheel (6) is provided with support means (18, 23, 34, 39) with the support means comprising: a first arrangement (18, 34) of magnets (17, 33) for vertical stabilization of the shaft (7); and a second arrangement (23, 39) of magnets (22, 38) for horizontal stabilization of the shaft (7). The first of the two magnets (15, 31) of the shaft (7) interacts with the first arrangement (18, 34) and the second of the two magnets (20, 36) interacts with the second arrangement (23, 39).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: HEPTRON POWER TRANSMISSION LIMITED
    Inventor: Gary Murphy
  • Patent number: 10065081
    Abstract: A system and device system for controlling a height of a levitated object based on a height selection made by a user. The system includes a user input device configured to receive the height selection made by the user, a base in communication with the user input device, and a power source. The base includes a magnet array having a central electromagnet configured to exert an adjustable magnetic force in a first direction, a plurality of peripheral electromagnets each being configured to exert an adjustable magnetic force in the first direction, and a permanent magnet being configured to exert a non-adjustable magnet force in a second direction at least substantially opposite the first direction. The power source is configured to deliver an adjustable current to the magnet array, such that adjustment of the current controls the levitation height of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: GTB Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Glenn McKiernan, Robert J Blair, Patricia Murphy
  • Patent number: 10047823
    Abstract: At least one embodiment of the invention relates to an energy storage device comprising a housing, at least one flywheel disposed in the housing, and at least one stabilizing element disposed in the housing configured to stabilize the flywheel. There can be at least one cooling element for cooling a region interior of the housing to a preset temperature. In at least one embodiment, the stabilizing element comprises a magnet. In at least one embodiment the stabilizing element can be orientated at a position offset from a horizontal axis. In at least one embodiment the stabilizing element is orientated at a position offset from a vertical axis In at least one embodiment the stabilizing element is orientated at a position between a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Kinetx, LLC
    Inventors: Nelson Rivas, Gary Provenzano
  • Patent number: 10023167
    Abstract: This electric braking device uses drive torque of an electric motor to push a friction member against a rotating member secured to a vehicle wheel and produce braking torque in the vehicle wheel. This device comprises a body power source for electric motor power supply secured to a body of the vehicle, and a vehicle wheel power source for electric motor power supply secured to the vehicle wheel. The body power source supplies power to the vehicle wheel power source via a first electric path, and the vehicle wheel power source supplies power to the electric motor via a second electric path. When braking torque is produced in the vehicle wheel, the electric motor is normally driven using the vehicle wheel power source. An electric braking device is thereby provided in which a power line electrically connecting the body side and the vehicle wheel side bends readily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Hiroyuki Kodama, Motoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10008903
    Abstract: An illustrative energy storage system includes an energy storage device, a processor coupled to the energy storage device, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory is configured to store instructions adapted for execution by the processor to control and monitor operation of the energy storage device. The instructions are arranged into functional modules. Each functional module is associated with a memory cache in the memory. Control processes depending on the functional module read last known values from the associated memory cache. Reading last known values from the associated memory enables changes to the functional modules without shutting down the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Saint-Augustin Canada Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Matt Paiz, Eric Martinez, Ton Nguyen, Khang Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9892839
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for unloading a rotor bearing is described. The apparatus includes an electromagnet for levitating the rotor. In one embodiment, a sensor of the magnetic field near the electromagnet is used to control the current to levitate the rotor. In another embodiment, a method is provided that includes rotating the rotor, increasing the current to levitate the rotor and decrease the gap between electromagnet and rotor, and then reducing the current to levitate the rotor with a minimal amount of electric power to the electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Amber Kinetics, Inc.
    Inventor: Seth Robert Sanders
  • Patent number: 9837874
    Abstract: Provided is a flywheel energy storage device including a radial magnetic gear, the radial magnetic gear includes an inner rotor, an outer rotor and N1 first magnetic pole adjustment sheets embedded in a first magnetic pole adjustment sheet base; a disc-type magnetic gear electric motor includes a first stator disc, a first rotor disc, a second stator disc, a second rotor disc and a third rotor disc, the first stator disc with the first rotor disc form a first disc-type electric motor, the second stator disc with the second rotor disc form a second disc-type electric motor, and a disc-type magnetic gear is formed by the first rotor disc, the second rotor disc and the third rotor disc, and the first disc-type electric motor, the second disc-type electric motor and the disc-type magnetic gear are couple with one another to form the disc-type magnetic gear electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SOUTH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CHINA
    Inventors: Linni Jian, Jin Wei, Yujun Shi
  • Patent number: 9718343
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided comprising a flywheel (112) for storing kinetic energy and an electrical machine (190) mechanically coupled to the flywheel and arranged for conversion between mechanical and electrical energy. The apparatus is arranged for transferring energy between the flywheel and a vehicle transmission via a variable ratio transmission (182). The electrical machine is coupled to the flywheel via a disconnect clutch which comprises a magnetic coupling (116).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Ricardo UK Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Simon Shepherd, Jonathan Davis
  • Patent number: 9611831
    Abstract: A marine turbine comprising a stator, a rotor, the rotor being able to be driven in rotation around an axis or rotation by a stream of a liquid, and at least one first bearing for supporting the rotor, the or each first bearing, comprising a magnetic stator element secured to the stator and magnetic rotor element secured to the rotor. The marine turbine further comprises at least one second bearing for supporting the rotor, the or each second bearing comprising at least one rolling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Hugo Duchene, Philippe Cagnin
  • Patent number: 9551379
    Abstract: Structural design permits efficiency to increase, which allows for the levitation of power generation equipment in a power plant. Rotational gyroscopic levitation motion is achieved by spinning stabilization without physical bearings on a generator. The phenomena of magnetic levitation of a rotational moving part with a degree of vertical allowance permit the torque resistance to lessen allowing for the reduction in heat rate to kilowatt-hour ratio. The magnetic levitation is further enhance by containing the magnetic bearings in a cooled chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Inventor: Matteo B. Gravina
  • Patent number: 9325211
    Abstract: A wave winding coil for a rotary electrical machine includes a coil conductor including coil side portions and coil end portions, the coil conductor being wound to include a wave winding configuration, a relational expression expressing a total number of the coil side portions included in a phase coil is expressed by a mathematical expression 1 m×k=n×q×2p, and m refers to the number of the phase unit coils that are parallelly connected to each other, k refers to the number of the coil side portions that are serially connected to each other, q refers to the number of serially-connected-conductors per magnetic pole, the serially-connected-conductor belongs to one of the kinds of the coil side portions, 2p refers to the number of the magnetic pole, m refers to a common divisor between q×2p and n.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masafumi Sakuma, Tomohiro Fukushima, Shuhei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9099946
    Abstract: A high speed energy storage flywheel comprises a rotor which is located in a vacuum chamber provided in a stator housing and is supported by magnetic bearings with respect to the stator housing. A fluid tank used for releasing in a controlled manner, a fluid inside the vacuum chamber and therefore create a braking effect on the rotor by friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: SKF MAGNETIC MECHATRONICS
    Inventor: Ulrich Schroeder
  • Patent number: 9077211
    Abstract: An electromechanical flywheel machine includes a flywheel mass enclosed in an evacuable housing and an e×ternal gas removal train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Inventor: Claude Michael Kalev
  • Publication number: 20150130307
    Abstract: An outer rotor motor or generator is provided. The motor or generator includes a stator and a rotor rotatable about an axis. The rotor includes a stamped rotor can and an inertia ring. The stamped rotor can includes a generally radially extending base and a generally axially extending sidewall extending from the base to present radially innermost and radially outermost faces. The inertia ring at least in part overlies at least one of the radially innermost and radially outermost faces. The inertia ring is fixed to the rotor can to rotate therewith. The inertia ring is configured to increase the rotational inertia of the rotor about the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Sherman, Chetan O. Modi
  • Publication number: 20150123505
    Abstract: An electromechanical flywheel machine includes a flywheel mass and a motor-generator having a rotor rotatable about a stationery inner stator having stator windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Claude Michael Kalev, Heath F. Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20150061649
    Abstract: A moving magnetic field generating apparatus includes a magnet array including magnets disposed at a first pitch such that N and S poles of adjacent magnets in the magnet array are alternated, and first and second magnetic pole piece arrays extending along the magnet array to interpose the magnet array therebetween with a gap from the magnet array. The first and second magnetic pole piece arrays are disposed with a predetermined phase difference therebetween. The first magnetic pole piece array includes first magnetic pole pieces disposed at a second pitch in an array and each having a length enough to face at least two adjacent magnets in the magnet array. The second magnetic pole piece array is configured similarly to the first magnetic pole piece array. One of the first and second magnetic pole piece arrays and the magnet array is relatively moved to the other at a predetermined speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Satoshi Sugita, Yasushi Misawa, Yuqi Tang, Shigenori Miyairi
  • Publication number: 20150061435
    Abstract: A braking device includes a flywheel rotatably mounted on a brace, a circular rotor deposited on the flywheel, and a stator fixed to the brace for combining with the rotor. The stator includes first and second magnetic poles. The first magnetic pole is larger than the second magnetic pole. The first and second magnetic poles are arranged into a ring in an interlaced manner. Each of the first and second magnetic poles has a coil. The braking device has a magnetic control unit mounted on a lateral of the brace near a rim of the flywheel and configured to generate magnetism in response to electric currents generated by the coils, so as to change a rotatory load of the flywheel. With the interlaced arrangement of the large and small magnetic poles, the braking device can have the rotor rotating with less cogging torque, and in turn reduced noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: J-STAR MOTOR INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kuo-Cheng WU
  • Publication number: 20150060163
    Abstract: A hyper-flux flywheel motor system includes a rotor assembly and a number of permanent magnets coupled to the rotor assembly. A stator assembly is rotatably coupled to the rotor assembly and has a core, a number of teeth extending radially from the core, and one or more winding sets, each winding set comprising coils wound on the teeth to interact with the of permanent magnets. A flywheel housing including a frame, and one or more gimbals, houses a flywheel. This flywheel is disposed adjacent to the stator and rotator assembly, rotates about a spin axis, and precesses via the one or more gimbals, in response to rotation of the rotor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Daniel Kee Young Kim
  • Publication number: 20150054366
    Abstract: The invention relates to a scalable device for storing and releasing energy, consisting of a housing that can be evacuated, a vacuum (12), at least one flywheel mass (2) on a shaft (17), at least one passive superconducting radial bearing and an electrical machine (24) that constitutes both a motor and a generator, wherein a cold surface is arranged in the vacuum container (11) for stabilizing the vacuum (12). The invention has the advantage that an energy store is provided that operates efficiently and cost-effectively with minimized energy losses, is scalable and also has sufficient safety elements to enable it to be used in industrial environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Babcock Noell GmbH
    Inventors: Cristian Boffo, Jochen Steinmann, Wolfgang Walter, Philipp Revilak, Johannes Amend, Hilmar Zoeller
  • Patent number: 8946958
    Abstract: An energy storage system is generally disclosed. An example system includes a flywheel having a substantially cylindrical flywheel portion, and a housing defining a substantially cylindrical cavity configured so as to receive the substantially cylindrical flywheel portion. The flywheel is rotatable in the cavity about a central axis of the flywheel, and an energy exchange device is configured to convert between electrical energy and kinetic energy associated with rotation of the flywheel. The system may also have a magnetic restraint arranged to exert a magnetic restraining force on the flywheel in a direction towards the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Michael John Roberts
  • Publication number: 20150021913
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for initiating rotation of blades of a wind turbine when wind speed is less than a cut-in speed. A solar powered wind turbine apparatus includes a solar dome with photovoltaic cells, operably connected to a rotor assembly, and an electric motor. The photovoltaic cells convert solar energy from incident sunlight into electrical energy. The electric motor electrically connected to the photovoltaic cells rotates the blades of the rotor assembly using the electrical energy from the photovoltaic cells. The electric motor powered by the photovoltaic cells initiates the rotation of the blades of the rotor assembly when wind speed is less than the cut-in speed, and therefore reduces or eliminates the cut-in speed required to rotate the blades. The blades of the rotor assembly thereafter continue to rotate in response to a force of wind on the blades and/or the powered electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: William Edward Lee, Baldev Krishan
  • Publication number: 20150008778
    Abstract: A flywheel energy storage system incorporates various embodiments in design and processing to achieve a very high ratio of energy stored per unit cost. The system uses a high-strength steel rotor rotating in a vacuum envelope. The rotor has a geometry that ensures high yield strength throughout its cross-section using various low-cost quenched and tempered alloy steels. Low-cost is also achieved by forging the rotor in a single piece with integral shafts. A high energy density is achieved with adequate safety margins through a pre-conditioning treatment. The bearing and suspension system utilizes an electromagnet that off-loads the rotor allowing for the use of low-cost, conventional rolling contact bearings over an operating lifetime of several years.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Cheruvari Karthik Hari Dharan
  • Patent number: RE45441
    Abstract: A hand crank generator includes a crank, a gear transmission, and a generation motor generator driven by the gear transmission. The crank and the gear transmission are coupled to each other. A clutch gear is coupled between the crank and the gear transmission. The crank is manually driven to further drive the gear transmission, and the generation motor generator is driven to generate electric current through the clutch gear. When the cranking stops, the clutch gear disengages from a motor generator gear disposed on the generation motor generator. A weighted wheel continues to revolve under inertia for a while to drive the generation motor generator to keep on generating electric current, so that the purpose of saving manual efforts can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Inventor: Jen Hao Dai