Patents by Inventor William K. McDavid, Jr.

William K. McDavid, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7211905
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted generator is powered by relative wind produced by the combination of ambient wind and motion of the vehicle, or by movement of water when mounted on the hull of a water-borne vehicle. A rigid cylindrical housing forms an enclosed interior chamber. Wind asymmetrically enters the chamber through an inlet located on one side of a central longitudinal drive shaft, and exits through an outlet located at the top of the housing. A spiraling parabolic deck forms a floor of the interior chamber, and spirals around the central longitudinal shaft from the bottom of the housing to the outlet at the top. A turbine mounted on the drive shaft within the outlet converts energy of the exiting wind to mechanical energy. An electrical generator converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy for recharging a battery or powering an electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: William K. McDavid, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6800955
    Abstract: A fluid-powered energy conversion device converts energy in a moving fluid into mechanical energy. A rigid cylindrical frame of toroidal baffles forms an upstream annular chamber and a downstream annular chamber, each of the chambers having open sides to allow entry of the fluid. The toroidal baffles create an upstream drive vortex in an upstream central vortex chamber, and a downstream extraction vortex rotating in the opposite direction in a downstream central vortex chamber. A plurality of hinged louvers surround the vortex chambers and allow the fluid to enter each chamber only in the direction of vortex rotation, and prevent the fluid from exiting through the sides of the device. The drive vortex passes through and rotates a turbine in a central aperture between the chambers. The turbine is rotated by rotational momentum of the drive vortex, lift from each turbine blade, and additional momentum imparted by the vortex reversal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Inventor: William K. McDavid, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6710469
    Abstract: A fluid-powered energy conversion device for converting energy in a moving fluid such as air into mechanical energy. A rigid cylindrical frame includes an upstream annular chamber and a downstream annular chamber, each of the chambers having sides that are open to allow entry of the wind. A plurality of longitudinal baffles form a toroidal pattern that creates an upstream drive vortex in the upstream chamber, and a downstream extraction vortex rotating in the opposite direction in the downstream chamber. The drive vortex rises and changes direction as it passes through a turbine mounted on a longitudinal drive shaft in a central aperture between the chambers. The turbine is rotated by the rotational momentum of the drive vortex, by lift that is generated by each turbine blade, and by additional momentum that is created by the vortex reversal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Inventor: William K. McDavid, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6518680
    Abstract: A fluid-powered energy conversion device for converting energy in a moving fluid such as air into mechanical energy. A rigid cylindrical frame includes an upstream annular chamber and a downstream annular chamber, each of the chambers having sides that are open to allow entry of the wind. A plurality of longitudinal baffles form a toroidal pattern that creates an upstream drive vortex in the upstream chamber, and a downstream extraction vortex rotating in the opposite direction in the downstream chamber. The drive vortex rises and changes direction as it passes through a turbine mounted on a longitudinal drive shaft in a central aperture between the chambers. The turbine is rotated by the rotational momentum of the drive vortex, by lift that is generated by each turbine blade, and by additional momentum that is created by the vortex reversal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Inventor: William K. McDavid, Jr.