Tide And Wave Motors Patents (Class 290/53)
  • Patent number: 11952973
    Abstract: The inventor provides a pollution-free electricity generator that harnesses the weight and power of ocean waves to turn a shaft that runs an electricity generator. The inventor anchors the ocean wave drill bit corkscrew apparatus in the surf so that ocean waves roll over half of the drill bit corkscrew apparatus and turns a shaft that powers and electricity generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Inventor: David William Stauffer
  • Patent number: 11913423
    Abstract: A system and method for harnessing the kinetic energy of the ocean to generate electricity. The system includes a dock made from a buoyant material. The dock has floats at its corners that can receive fixed pillars, such that the floats can move up and down relative to the pillars. Either of the float and the respective pillar has one or more permanent magnets while the other has the conductive coil. The movement of the dock and thus the floats relative to the fixed upstanding pillars results in the generation of electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Inventor: Nathaniel Brooks
  • Patent number: 11845525
    Abstract: A marine plant assembly comprising a floating vessel and a plant operating unit attached to a buoyancy vessel in such a way that the operating unit is at least partially submerged during operation. At least one link element provides a hinged connection between the operating unit and the buoyancy vessel, thereby to allow movement of the operating unit from its submerged operating position to above the water level and adjacent the buoyancy vessel by said link element rotating into a position substantially parallel to the buoyancy vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventor: Andras Vermes-Gabos
  • Patent number: 11840815
    Abstract: A circular dam for generating, accumulating, storing, and releasing electrical energy comprises a wall defining a water reservoir built in an abundant body of water such as a sea or an ocean. Water inside the water reservoir is kept at a water level below the water level outside the wall so as to create a water level difference sufficient to operate one or more water turbines positioned across the wall of the water reservoir. Excess electrical energy from other renewable sources of electricity such as wind, solar power, or supplied by a local power grid is used to operate water turbines as water pumps to lower the water level inside the reservoir during times of peak supply of electricity. Water is drained from outside the wall back into the water reservoir to generate electrical energy by flowing over a plurality of water turbines. Generated electricity supplements electrical power for the local power grid during times of high demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventors: Alexander Arkady Migdal, Michael Pesin, Dmitry Paperny
  • Patent number: 11815060
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are flexible wave energy converters that actuate electrical generators with dynamic strain (e.g., flexing, stretching, twisting, distension) to convert wave energy to electrical energy. The flexible wave energy converter utilizes flexible electric generators embedded throughout the wave-energy converter's flexible body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Blake Craig Boren, Jochem Weber
  • Patent number: 11795903
    Abstract: A modular wave energy converter includes: a forward attachment frame; forward guide rails coupled to the forward attachment frame; a forward paddle coupled to the forward guide rails; and one or more forward tethers coupled to the forward paddle and the shaft. A combination of heave and surge forces from waves of water causes the forward paddle moves up and down the forward guide rails. The movement of the forward paddle moves the one or more forward tethers. The movement of the one or more forward tethers causes the shaft to rotate via the rotation of winches. The winches are configured with a one-way clutch, which allows the shaft to rotate in a first direction but not a second. The converter has the same structure on the aft side, including an aft paddle. The forward and aft paddles are positioned vertically or inclined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: E-Wave Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Junhui Lou, Adam Bennett, Lei Zuo, Mingyi Liu, Fujun Ruan, Jia Mi
  • Patent number: 11739728
    Abstract: A wave receiving mechanism includes: a shaft driving a hydraulic pump; and a wave receiving member including an arm and wave receiving plate, the arm unrotatably attached to the shaft, the plate being at the arm receiving a wave force, the wave receiving member swinging about the shaft by receiving the wave force and turning the shaft turn. The arm includes first and second arm portions, and a bendable portion, the first arm portion unrotatably attached to the shaft, the second arm portion being at the plate, the bendable portion coupling the first and second arm portions. When a swing angle of the first arm portion is less than a first predetermined angle, the bendable portion makes the arm portions swing integrally. When the swing angle of the first arm portion is the predetermined angle, the bendable portion allows the second arm portion to bend relative to the first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koki Maruyama, Chang-Kyu Rheem, Hidetaka Kobayashi, Naoki Kuribayashi
  • Patent number: 11719217
    Abstract: A multi-axial wave energy conversion device includes a carrier, a main body coupled to the carrier, a wave energy conversion assembly, a rotating mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a control unit electrically connected to the rotating mechanism and the lifting mechanism. The wave energy conversion assembly is coupled to the main body and includes an arm. The rotating mechanism is coupled between the carrier and the main body. The lifting mechanism is coupled between the arm and the main body. The control unit is for controlling the rotating mechanism to drive the main body to rotate relative to the carrier around a vertical axis for adjusting an orientation of the arm relative to the carrier, and further for controlling the lifting mechanism to drive the arm to rotate relative to the main body around a horizontal axis for adjusting an included angle between the arm and the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: FLH Energy Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Ching-Liang Weng
  • Patent number: 11692524
    Abstract: Disclosed is buoyant wave energy capture device, adapted to float adjacent to an upper surface of a body of water over which waves pass, and adapted to capture a portion of the radiated waves created by its own rising and falling in response to incident and/or passing environmental waves. A power take off mechanism combined with the disclosed wave energy capture device may be tuned to a specific wave frequency, and thereby optimally extract energy from a motion of a single frequency, even the wave energy capture device may be excited and/or energized by waves of any of a relatively broad range of frequencies, thereby increasing the power-generation and cost efficiencies of such devices relative to wave energy conversion devices of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: LONE GULL HOLDINGS, LTD.
    Inventors: Brian Lee Moffat, Grzegorz Piotr Filip
  • Patent number: 11682139
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for trailer pose estimation. At least a dimension of a trailer connected to a vehicle is obtained where the vehicle and the trailer have respective opposing surfaces facing one another. A first set of feature points is identified from a first image of a target present on one the opposing surfaces acquired at a first time instant by a sensor deployed on the other the opposing surfaces. A second set of corresponding feature points is identified from a second image of the target acquired at a subsequent time instant by the sensor. Based on the first and second sets of feature points, a first transformation is determined and used to compute a second transformation that the trailer undergoes from the first to the second time instants. A pose of the trailer at the second time instant is estimated based on the second transformation and the dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: PlusAI, Inc.
    Inventor: Ankur Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11674495
    Abstract: MECHANICAL ENGINE FOR THE GENERATION OF ENERGY THROUGH WATER MOVEMENT, refers to a mechanical motor (1) to (41), with their auxiliary sets, with the objective of generating mechanical and electrical energy, or both, being plants electric lines with this system can be built on the banks or inside the sea, river or islands, where the cost benefit of the energy by the conventional way, does not become compensating, or practically inaccessible places, but that have waves, tides, or level differentials in waters. As these sources of energy, in water there are in abundance on the planet, possible future plants of this system, may be more spread out, and in greater quantity, thus reducing the number of posts, towers, compensation equipment, components, and transmission wires. In case of use in water navigation, this engine can be used to replace, totally or partially, conventional fuels and engines, for mechanical handling, and the generation of electric energy on board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Hamilton Correa Antunes
  • Patent number: 11639590
    Abstract: A water reservoir system for generating, accumulating, storing, and releasing electrical energy comprises a reservoir wall built in a shallow body of water such as a sea or an ocean with a height exceeding the outside water level by about 10-25 m, thereby defining an interior of the water reservoir. Excess electrical energy from other renewable sources of electricity such as wind, solar power, or supplied by a local power grid is used to operate water pumps to fill the interior of the water reservoir with water during times of peak supply of electricity. Water is drained from the water reservoir to the outside body of water and generates electrical energy by flowing over a plurality of water turbines, thereby generating electricity and supplementing electrical power for the local power grid during times of high demand. Additional interior sources of renewable energy may be used to supplement external sources of electrical power in operating the system of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Inventors: Alexander Arkady Migdal, Michael Pesin, Dmitry Paperny
  • Patent number: 11635762
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for sensor calibration. An ego vehicle determines whether a sensor deployed on the ego vehicle to facilitate autonomous driving of the ego vehicle needs to be calibrated and sends, if it is determined that the sensor needs to be calibrated, a request for assistance in collaborative calibration of the sensor, with a first position of the ego vehicle or a first configuration of the sensor with respect to the ego vehicle. When a response of the request is received, an assisting vehicle is indicated to travel to be near the ego vehicle to facilitate the calibration of the sensor by collaborating with the moving ego vehicle and the ego vehicle coordinates with the assisting vehicle to enable the sensor to acquire information of a target present on the assisting vehicle for the collaborative calibration of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: PlusAI, Inc.
    Inventor: Ankur Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11614067
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and a device for converting the alternating motion produced by at least one float (202, 222) resting atop surface of a water body into unidirectional motion and converting that motion into usable energy. The method and device may be provided on a structure/vessel (206) or as the interface between the vessel and the water body surface. The vessel incorporating the device as such experiences a reduced effect of vertical perturbations from waves generated on the water body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Inventor: Narayan R Iyer
  • Patent number: 11588419
    Abstract: A rotating mechanism which includes a rail of a helical shape formed to be of uniform diameter, a column member disposed at an inner side of the rail, a rotating shaft inserted through and fixed at a center of the column member, a moving body attachable to the rail, and a magnet body disposed slightly separated from the column member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAMROCK TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshikazu Akama
  • Patent number: 11560871
    Abstract: A compression pipe is configured with a wave drawing section and an air compressing section, a gas-liquid introduction on-off valve is disposed in wave drawing section, a gas-liquid introduction on-off valve is opened at an initial stage of a pushing wave, the gas-liquid introduction on-off valve is closed at the same time when a wave that maintains a speed flows into a wave receiving box. Accordingly, the wave is drawn into the air compressing section, is stored in a compressed air storage tank by converting kinetic energy of the wave into compressed air, and can be utilized for power generation and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Kishishita, Terutsugu Segawa, Fuminori Takami, Isamu Aokura
  • Patent number: 11542912
    Abstract: An apparatus that floats at the surface of a body of water over which waves pass, causing a nominally vertical axis of the apparatus to tilt away from an axis normal to the resting surface of the body of water. Tilting allows a fluid to flow through a channel that in an un-tilted apparatus would require the gravitational potential energy of the fluid to increase (i.e., to flow uphill), but, because of the tilt allows the fluid to flow through the channel in a downhill direction. Successive wave-driven tilts of the apparatus incrementally raise water to a head from which a portion of its gravitational potential energy can be converted to electrical power by causing the water to return to a lower level by flowing through a water turbine, or through some other apparatus that performs a useful function when supplied with a flow of high-pressure water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: LONE GULL HOLDINGS, LTD.
    Inventors: Brian Lee Moffat, Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson
  • Patent number: 11542913
    Abstract: A wave energy converter is provided which includes a central body including a nacelle, the nacelle housing at least one power take off. The wave energy converter also includes a first float and a first float arm coupled to the nacelle on a first side, and a second float and a second float arm coupled to the nacelle on a second side. The first float is rotatably coupled to the nacelle, the first float and the first float arm forming a first body configured to rotate, where the first body is operatively coupled to the at least one power take off such that relative motion between the first body and the central body generates energy in the at least one power take off. In one embodiment, the central body has a low reserve buoyancy, where the reserve buoyancy of the central body is lower than the reserve buoyancy of either of the first float and the second float, to minimize a heave response of the central body relative to the first float to increase output of the wave energy converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Columbia Power Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik J. Hammagren, Pukha Lenee-Bluhm, Kelen P. Bush-O'Hearn, Michael L. Ondusko, Joseph H. Prudell, Leonard G. Rummel, Zhe Zhang
  • Patent number: 11545915
    Abstract: A power generator or sensor apparatus is provided. In another aspect, a power generator is used for water wave energy harvesting. A further aspect provides a power generator including a buoyant, waterproof and/or enclosed outer shell, at least one enclosed inner shell located within the outer shell, a first plurality of balls located between the outer and inner shells, a second plurality of balls located within the inner shell, and spaced apart electrodes affixed to an interior surface of the outer shell. Moreover, an aspect of the present power generator uses fluid, such as water wave movement and wind blowing, to cause nested shells to move which moves multiple balls therein between spaced apart electrodes to generate triboelectric charges or energy for a variety of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Changyong Cao, Yaokun Pang
  • Patent number: 11539232
    Abstract: A display device, including a backplane, and a power generation component disposed on the backplane for converting kinetic energy generated by movement of the display device into electric energy and supplying power to the display device using the generated electric energy, the power generation component includes a generator, and a swing component with an eccentric structure, the swing component being connected to the generator and swingable during movement of the display device, so as to drive the generator to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: Ordos Yuansheng Optoelectronics Co., Ltd., Beijing BOE Technology Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Long Lian, Ruijun Hao, Zhongping Zhao, Xiaojie Wang, Wulijibaier Tang
  • Patent number: 11519379
    Abstract: A hydraulic power generating system includes a hydraulic motor, a bidirectional generator connected to the hydraulic motor, a hydraulic cylinder, first and second tubes, a piston structure having a piston and first and second links, and a power driving device connected to the first link. The piston divides the hydraulic cylinder into first and second chambers. The first and second links are connected to the piston and disposed through the first and second chambers, respectively. The first tube is communicated with the first chamber and the hydraulic motor. The second tube is communicated with the second chamber and the hydraulic motor. When the power driving device drives the piston toward the first chamber, hydraulic oil is pumped to the hydraulic motor for rotating the bidirectional generator. When the power driving device drives the piston toward the second chamber, the hydraulic oil is pumped to rotate the bidirectional generator reversely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TRB Green Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Shiang Han, Min-Chieh Chuang
  • Patent number: 11480147
    Abstract: A turbine comprises a shaft (20), a mass (10) eccentrically mounted for rotation about shaft (20), having its center of gravity at a distance from the shaft (20) and a motion base (15). Motion base (15) rigidly supports the shaft (20), and is configured for moving the shaft (20) in any direction of at least two degrees of movement freedom, except for heave. A floating vessel-turbine (120), encloses entirely the eccentrically rotating mass (10) and the motion base (15). The turbine converts ocean wave energy into useful energy, very efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Inventor: Vassilios Vamvas
  • Patent number: 11473553
    Abstract: A system for generating energy from waves in a body of water includes a resilient fluid container that contains a fluid. When the fluid container is compressed and decompressed, the fluid flows out of and into the fluid container. A panel is configured to move relative to the fluid container as the waves act on the panel such that the panel acts on and compresses the fluid container. An energy generating device generates electrical energy as the fluid flows out of fluid container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Inventor: Gregory Francis Bird
  • Patent number: 11465497
    Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a vibration-to-electric energy converter by translating reciprocating motion of vibrating elements of a vehicle to circular motion of a driveshaft of an electric generator, fitted with at least one drive unit containing a toothed gearing and at least one freewheel. The converter according to the invention has a movable element that transmits vibrations to two ends of a drive chain, finished with fixing elements with nuts used for tension adjustments and with tensioning springs, whereby the chain interacts with a small cogwheel of at least one gearing, coupled via a freewheel with a large cogwheel of that gearing, connected by means of a short chain with a drive wheel of at least one electric generator, where both the axis of the gearing and the generator are fitted to a base constituting an immovable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: Grzegorz Gawel
  • Patent number: 11448180
    Abstract: A wave energy converter utilizes a flotation module that rises and falls with the passage of waves, a submerged tube containing a constriction which multiplies the speed of the water passing therethrough, a turbine (or other hydrokinetic apparatus) positioned so as to extract energy from the accelerated flow of water within and/or through the tube, and a submerged gas- or liquid-filled chamber housing one or more energy conversion components (e.g. generators, transformers, rectifiers, inverters). By providing a chamber in proximity to the turbine, generators can be placed in closer proximity to the turbine that turns them, and the shared shaft can be shorter than if the generators were placed in the buoy adjacent to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: LONE GULL HOLDINGS, LTD.
    Inventors: Brian Lee Moffat, Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson
  • Patent number: 11415116
    Abstract: A deep ocean water extraction apparatus has a collection pool having an outer shell with a maximum diameter, a lesser diameter at a mostly closed bottom, and an open top of a diameter smaller than the maximum diameter, outflow tubes with pumps extending horizontally from an opening through a side wall of the shell, an opening through the bottom covered by a rigid disk having a plurality of tube openings through which descending collection tubes of common length are connected, and flotation elements attached to the descending collection tubes at a plurality of points spaced down the depth of the collection tubes. The apparatus is characterized in that water is pumped out of the collection pool, and common pressure on the surfaces of the collection pool and the surrounding ocean water, causes water to flow up the collection tubes into the collection pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventor: Salvatore Deiana
  • Patent number: 11408391
    Abstract: The invention provides a hinged raft wave energy conversion device (WEC) comprising: a first fore floating body; and a second aft floating body; wherein the first and second floating bodies are connected by a hinge joint for rotation of the bodies relative to each other, in use, about an axis parallel to the still water surface and transverse to the direction of wave propagation; wherein the first and second bodies extend away from the hinge joint in opposite directions; and wherein at least one of the first and second bodies has a sloped surface extending in the direction away from the hinge joint, at least a portion of the sloped surface being under the waterline at least when the device is in the still water rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: MOCEAN ENERGY LTD.
    Inventors: James Cameron McNatt, Christopher Heinz Retzler
  • Patent number: 11384727
    Abstract: A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: LONE GULL HOLDINGS, LTD.
    Inventors: Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson, Brian Lee Moffat, Daniel William Place
  • Patent number: 11339760
    Abstract: Disclosed are a wave power generation system for generating power by means of a hydraulic circuit, and a method for controlling same. The wave power generation system comprises: a tension transmission member for transmitting motion energy which is generated by means of six-degrees-of-freedom motion of a movable object floating on the waves; a power conversion unit comprising a fluid pressure generation unit which is connected to the tension transmission member and is for generating a fluid pressure; and an equalizer connected to the tension transmission member and for maintaining the tension of the tension transmission member. In the power conversion unit, if tension is applied from the tension transmission member, the fluid pressure generation unit enables a fluid to flow in a first direction by means of the tension and, if tension is not applied from the tension transmission member, the fluid pressure generation unit enables a fluid to flow in a second direction by means of the equalizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: INGINE, INC.
    Inventor: Yong Jun Sung
  • Patent number: 11333124
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wave power device for extracting energy from water waves. The waver power device comprise a reference structure and effectors moving relative to the reference structure. The effectors are connected to two hydraulic rams, symmetrically positioned around each effector. The hydraulic rams have an effective hydraulic area which is stepwise increased as the length of the hydraulic rams are compressed and stepwise increased as the length of the hydraulic rams are increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Wavepiston A/S
    Inventors: Martin von Bülow, Kristian Glejbøl, Claus Schmidt Møller
  • Patent number: 11326574
    Abstract: Increased energy harvesting is realized using a nonlinear buoy geometry for reactive power generation. By exploiting the nonlinear dynamic coupling between the buoy geometry and the potential wideband frequency spectrum of incoming waves in the controller/buoy design, increased power can be captured in comparison to conventional wave energy converter designs. In particular, the reactive power and energy storage system requirements are inherently embedded in the nonlinear buoy geometry, therefore requiring only simple rate-feedback control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, Michigan Technological University
    Inventors: David G. Wilson, Giorgio Bacelli, Ryan Geoffrey Coe, Rush D. Robinett, III, Ossama Abdelkhalik
  • Patent number: 11313342
    Abstract: A wave-activated power generation device is disclosed. The device includes a float configured to be capable of floating in the sea; a rotor configured to generate a rotational inertial mass effect; a power generator configured to generate power based on rotation of the rotor; a first elastic body; and a drive part configured to connect the rotor with the float via the first elastic body so as to rotate the rotor along with movement of the float.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: University of Tsukuba
    Inventors: Takehiko Asai, Ruriko Haraguchi, Yoshikazu Araki
  • Patent number: 11286899
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic electrification system that generates electricity from water moving from a high side to a low side and around a structure that divides the low side from the high side generally includes a water transport system that directs the water from the high side presenting a hydraulic head, over the structure, and to the low side. The system includes a power extraction system having a wheel that receives the water from said water transport system and a mounting system having a high side anchor that connects near an intake to the water transport system at the high side and having a low side anchor that connects to the power extraction system at the low side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Freda, Bradford G. Knight
  • Patent number: 11268488
    Abstract: Mechanical movement exerted upon or over roadways is transmitted and converted to mechanical movement conducive towards the production of electrical energy. In one disclosed system, ramped or angled push bars are disposed within a roadway, such that a front set of bars and back set of bars will not be moved simultaneously. A series of one way values may enable subterranean fluid chambers to move a pendulum flywheel or rotor in a continuous direction or in a back and forth movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventor: Jose Vazquez
  • Patent number: 11248580
    Abstract: An energy farm having an electrical grid through which power generated by the devices in the farm may be combined and transmitted. The electrical grid is formed through the electrical interconnection of devices in a farm through electrical connections that remain, in whole or at least in part, adjacent to the surface of the body of water on which the devices float. A plurality of converters of the network have no direct or immediate electrical interface with a subsea power cable (i.e. a cable on or under the seafloor), but instead transmit electricity to other converters in a daisy-chained fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian Lee Moffat, Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson
  • Patent number: 11223256
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a hybrid generator. The hybrid generator according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a housing having an empty space through which a fluid flows; a rotor received inside the housing, rotated by a fluid flowing inside the housing, and having a magnet; and a stator coupled between the housing and the rotor, surrounding the rotor, and having at least one coil. According to the present invention, the rotor includes a rotating shaft having a first blade on the outer circumferential surface thereof, and further includes a second blade detachably coupled to the rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: ORA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Young San Shin
  • Patent number: 11208981
    Abstract: A dynamic adaptive mooring system for wave energy converters (WEC) is disclosed that has a mooring configuration that has a set of fixed mooring lines, and a set of movable mooring lines. When an incoming wave train interacts with the fixed WECs, a set of wave interference points that have higher wave amplitudes than the incoming wave train are formed downstream of the fixed WECs. The movable WECs are then positioned at the interface points to optimize wave energy transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Inventor: Md. Nishanto Nahid Pishon
  • Patent number: 11199173
    Abstract: A system for generating electrical energy from the wave motion of the sea is provided with electrical-energy generating means for exploiting the wave motion of the sea in order to generate electrical energy. A floating body is provided with equipment designed to regulate the frequency of the resonance peak of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignees: POLITECNICO DI TORINO, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, WAVE FOR ENERGY S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giuliana Mattiazzo, Giacomo Vissio, Biagio Passione, Sergej Antonello Sirigu, Nicola Pozzi, Giovanni Bracco, Stefano Brizzolara, Andrea Gulisano
  • Patent number: 11174831
    Abstract: A wave energy collection and conversion system that uses a compliant capture mechanism to enable the collection of wave energy over extensive distances without introducing damaging forces onto the collection structure. The system includes a flexible membrane in contact with or submerged under water, a plurality of power generation devices positioned on a sea floor, and lines that connect the flexible membrane to the power generation devices. The power generation devices each include a self-reeling mechanism and a turbine. As wave energy pushes the flexible membrane, the lines are reeled into and out of the corresponding power generation device(s). Rotation of the shaft, in turn, rotates a gear and rotator of the turbine, thus harnessing energy derived from the wave motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: University of North Florida Board of Trustees
    Inventors: Donald Thomas Resio, Abdallah Walid Mohamed Kamal El Safty, Michelle Ann Vieira, Ashley Norton, Brian Thomas Kopp, William R. Dally
  • Patent number: 11156201
    Abstract: A buoyant wave energy device is disclosed that incorporates an open-bottomed tube of substantial length in which is partially enclosed a first body of water that oscillates in response to wave action. The device incorporates a buoy to which an upper end of the tube is connected and inside of which is trapped a second body of water of substantial mass. A differential phase in the oscillations of the water trapped in the tube, and the oscillations of the buoy of augmented mass, result in the periodic compression of a pocket of air trapped at the top of the tube, and in the subsequent expulsion of pressurized air through a turbine, thereby generating electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson, Brian Lee Moffat, Daniel William Place
  • Patent number: 11149716
    Abstract: An offshore wind-solar-aquaculture integrated floater is provided, including vertical-axis wind turbine systems, solar photovoltaic panels, and a cube aquaculture cage. Four vertical-axis wind turbine systems are respectively rigidly connected to four corners of the cage; solar photovoltaic panels and a living and working quarter are located on cage deck; and side frames of the cage are equipped with tensile nets, the bottom frame of cage is equipped with a bottom net, and columns of the cage are equipped with lifting rails. This floater has good stability, sea-keeping performance and high strength. Utilizations of offshore wind and solar energy above the cage are high and they complement each other in power generation. This disclosure manages to exploit ocean resources to an unprecedentedly large extent, while resolving the issue of combing power generation with marine aquaculture in moderate and deep seas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School
    Inventors: Xiangyuan Zheng, Huadong Zheng, Yi Li
  • Patent number: 11111897
    Abstract: The present invention provides improvement of the operation of a wave energy system by use of a method for predictive control (COM) of the converter machine that maximizes the energy generated by considering the energy conversion efficiency (MOD ENE) and a wave prediction (PRED). Furthermore, the method according to the invention determines the optimal control by minimizing an objective function weighted and discretized by the trapezoidal rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Paolino Tona, Hoai-Nam Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11098690
    Abstract: A breaking waves power generator includes a platform, a plurality of water wheels rotatably mounted within the platform, and a deck plate mounted within the platform. The water wheels include a plurality of vanes, blades, paddles, or buckets that, when impacted by breaking water waves, cause rotation of the water wheels. Breaking water waves can travel over the deck plate. The deck plate has an angular position and horizontal position relative to the platform that are adjustable to guide the breaking water waves so that the water waves break against the vanes, blades, paddles, or buckets of the water wheels, causing rotation of the water wheels from which power is generated. A ramp is connected to the platform in front of the water wheels, over which water is guided to the platform so that water waves break against the water wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Inventor: Vincent Roland
  • Patent number: 11090501
    Abstract: A heart pacemaker according to the present invention includes a generator configured to generate nonlinear electrical energy using a friction element and an energy harvester configured to sequentially store the generated nonlinear electrical energy in multi-stage multiple energy storages and supply the electrical energy stored in the multiple energy storages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: KOREA ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Hyun Moon Park, Dong Sun Kim, Tae Ho Hwang
  • Patent number: 11067062
    Abstract: An apparatus for capturing energy of a working mass may include two or more immiscible liquids having different densities. The two immiscible liquids may include a predetermined proportion of oil and water. The apparatus may include a supporting structure, a hermetically sealed vessel, and an electric generator driven by fluid flow. The hermetically sealed vessel may have an elongate shape housing the working mass such that the working mass moves within the hermetically sealed vessel. An electric generator driven by fluid flow may be housed within the hermetically sealed vessel and having an inlet and an outlet. The electric generator driven by fluid flow may be configured to produce electric power as the predetermined portion of oil and water passes into the inlet and out of the outlet in response to a movement of the hermetically sealed vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: LOOK FOR THE POWER, LLC
    Inventor: John A. Saavedra
  • Patent number: 11028818
    Abstract: A system converts mechanical wave energy into electrical energy. The system includes a wave energy converter (WEC), which includes a surface float, a reaction structure, a plurality of flexible tethers, and a plurality of drivetrains. Each flexible tether connects the surface float to the reaction structure. Each drivetrain is connected to a corresponding flexible tether. Each flexible tether has a length established to treat the system as an inverse pendulum to utilize a horizontal surge motion of the surface float to present tension at the corresponding drivetrain for production of electrical energy from the horizontal surge motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Oscilla Power Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J Rosenberg, Timothy R Mundon
  • Patent number: 11028819
    Abstract: Disclosed is a novel device that converts some of the power in ocean waves into electrical power or other means of performing useful work. One or more tubes are arranged so that when the device is in position in a body of water, the tubes are oriented vertically with one end positioned proximate to and/or above the surface of the body of water on which the device floats, and with the other end positioned below the surface of that body of water. In some embodiments, through a differential restriction on the flow of air in and out of an upper end of the tube, the average height of the water inside the tube is different from the average height of the water outside the tube. In some embodiments, a hollow void inside a flotation structure of the embodiment is filled with water to contribute significant mass to the embodiment and increase the momentum associated with its vertical oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson, Brian Lee Moffat, Daniel William Place
  • Patent number: 11018554
    Abstract: A method of generating hydro-electric energy utilizing a conduit located beneath the surface of a river or stream to feed water into a hydro-electric turbine, eliminating the need to build costly and time-consuming dams and locks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Inventors: Frederick Forbes Vannan, Jr., John Brian Dahl
  • Patent number: 11009000
    Abstract: A wave energy converter utilizes a flotation module that rises and falls with the passage of waves, a submerged tube containing a constriction which multiplies the speed of the water passing therethrough, a turbine (or other hydrokinetic apparatus) positioned so as to extract energy from the accelerated flow of water within and/or through the tube, and a submerged gas- or liquid-filled chamber housing one or more energy conversion components (e.g. generators, transformers, rectifiers, inverters). By providing a chamber in proximity to the turbine, generators can be placed in closer proximity to the turbine that turns them, and the shared shaft can be shorter than if the generators were placed in the buoy adjacent to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian Lee Moffat, Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson
  • Patent number: 10989164
    Abstract: A wave energy conversion device whereby its structural design and positioning converts oscillating wave energy into unidirectional wave induced water flow. A judiciously placed upper closed perimeter boundary positioned on a submerged horizontally oriented surface pierced with an opening, focuses incident waves inward creating a resonant wave condition where the superposition of waves induces a predominantly downward unidirectional flow through the opening. A segmented sealed upper boundary results in the additional storage of water head due to the overtopping of waves, thus further smoothening and increasing the magnitude of the unidirectional flow. This wave energy converter can be utilized with unidirectional hydro turbines for electrical power generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Inventor: Richard W. Carter