U.S. patent application number 11/820400 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-17 for rotor energy augmented vehicle.
Invention is credited to Thomas G. Packard.
Application Number | 20080011523 11/820400 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41569056 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080011523 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Packard; Thomas G. |
January 17, 2008 |
Rotor energy augmented vehicle
Abstract
A vehicle is constructed with a front rotor or rotating assembly
that shields the vehicle from motion induced resistance force to a
degree without protruding beyond the sides of the vehicle and
without significantly increasing the motion induced resistance
force such that the motion induced resistance force to the vehicle
drives the front rotor or rotating assembly where upon the
resulting extracted rotary energy is coupled through mechanical,
fluid or electrical means to vehicle drive wheels or propellers or
other energy applications thereby utilizing some energy which would
be otherwise lost/dissipated in total and thus significantly
reducing the total energy expended to move/operate the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Packard; Thomas G.;
(Edmonds, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMAS G. PACKARD
7005 150th PL. SW.
EDMONDS
WA
98026
US
|
Family ID: |
41569056 |
Appl. No.: |
11/820400 |
Filed: |
June 19, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60817141 |
Jun 29, 2006 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
180/2.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63H 21/20 20130101;
Y02T 10/90 20130101; F05B 2240/941 20130101; Y02E 10/725 20130101;
F03D 9/25 20160501; B60K 2016/006 20130101; Y02E 10/72
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
180/2.2 |
International
Class: |
B60K 16/00 20060101
B60K016/00 |
Claims
1. I claim a vehicle with a front fan/turbine/rotor that abstracts
flow energy from vehicle motion generated flow while not
significantly increasing motion resistance to produce a net or
total decrease in the energy required to generate that vehicle
motion from the vehicle without such front fan/turbine/rotor.
2. Claim 1, wherein the front fan/turbine/rotor is replaced with a
movable rectangular slat/airfoil assembly.
3. Claim 1, wherein the vehicle has rear, trailing
fan/turbine/rotor or a rear rectangular slat, airfoil assembly that
abstracts surrounding flow energy with no significant vehicle
drag/resistance and returns some of the vehicle generated flow
energy to the vehicle.
4. Claim 1, wherein the vehicle has a raised operator/driver/pilot
cab such that an operators visual position is above the
fan/turbine/rotor and closer to the top of the total vehicle than a
vehicle without the fan/turbine/rotor or a moving/rotating
rectangular slat/airfoil system.
5. I claim a vehicle with one or more fans/turbines/rotors that
collect and harness energy from vehicle movement created air flow
with no significant increase in vehicle drag or air resistance to
movement, to the vehicle without the fans/turbines/rotors.
6. Claim 5, wherein the fans/turbines/rotors is replaced with a
rectangular series of slats or air foils on drive belts that rotate
or move between a drive wheel arrangement.
7. I claim a vehicle that embodies a movement created or generated
relative flow driven rotating device with a shielding and smaller
resistance area than the vehicle itself that reduces the net or
total energy required to create that movement over the same vehicle
without that embodiment.
8. Claim 7, wherein the vehicle embodies a water driven rotor
device that abstracts vehicle generated energy from the relative
water flow and decreases the energy expended to produce the vehicle
motion through the water.
9. Claim 7, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft with one or more
front fuselage shielding rotors/turbines/fans that connect to one
or more driving propellers.
Description
CROSS RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] PROVISIONAL APPLICATION 60/817,141, FILING DATE Jun. 29,
2006
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED DEVELOPMENT
[0002] NOT APPLICABLE.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Energy utilization and cost associated with various moving
vehicles is becoming an increasing social/economic and
environmental problem. The aerodynamic/hydrodynamic energy
efficiency of transportation vehicles has not improved
significantly in resent times, The proposed invention is thought to
be a significant development and elementary air flow vehicle
simulation tests indicate the feasibility and validity of the
concept. The idea of extracting energy from a generated air/medium
flow is generally not a practicable process as the input energy is
of course greater than the output energy however if the input
energy is not increased in the process and the input energy in the
flow is to be lost in total then extracting air/medium flow energy
can be practicable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A vehicle: truck, bus, car, etc., is designed and
constructed such that the frontal area is covered or shielded with
some type of air rotor and the resistance air flow against the
moving vehicle is in part or in total directed against the rotor
and not against shielded area. The air rotor is designed to rotate
with the air flow force against it such that energy can be
extracted from the air flow which would be other wise be completely
lost without the rotor or if the rotor is not allow to rotate/spin.
The energy required to drive/move the vehicle is essentially the
same with a stationary rotor or without the rotor as the rotor area
is less than or no larger than the vehicle and shields the vehicles
frontal resistance area however the net energy expended is less
when the rotor rotates extracting energy from the air flow which
would otherwise be lost and rotary energy/motion is coupled
directly or indirectly to vehicle driving wheels. This extracted
and saved air flow derived rotary energy can of course be used for
other energy uses.
[0005] If desired more than one rotor can be attached or coupled to
the front of the vehicle in a vertical arrangement for improved
driver visibility. Rotors can also be constructed or attached in
tandem with a smaller diameter rotor leading a larger diameter
rotor for less resistance and improved efficiency. A squirrel cage
type rotor can also be attached to the front of the vehicle and
also coupled to the rear of the vehicle and extract energy from the
trailing pressure differential.
[0006] A rectangular assembly of air foil slats or wings can also
be arranged on two thin belts between two separated two wheel
rotating assemblies, see drawings, FIGS. 9/10.
[0007] A marine vessel can also be constructed with a rotor on the
submerged bow of the vessel/ship to extract energy from the motion
displaced water that would otherwise be lost. The water resistance
against hull would be decreased by the shield effect of the rotor
and the overall resistance would not be significantly increased as
the rotor frontal resistance area would be less or no larger than
the hull frontal resistance. This extracted or generated rotary
energy can utilized to reduce the net/total energy to required to
drive the ship by connecting to stem propellers.
[0008] An aircraft can also be constructed with a front fuselage
shielding rotor/turbine/fan that is smaller in resistance area than
the fuselage itself. More than one rotors/turbines/fans may be
arranged in a tandem to form a cone shape for better aerodynamics.
The rotor/turbine/fan with an associated appropriate mechanical and
or electrical arrangement would be connected to a rear fuselage,
tail driving propeller, or other propellers, for a net reduction in
expended energy.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1, Front view of truck with shrouded, louvered
turbine/fan rotor and drive wheels
[0010] FIG. 2, Side view of the rotor, automatic transmission,
differential and drive wheel.
[0011] FIG. 3, Side view of rotor shroud.
[0012] FIG. 4, side view of vehicle with drive rotor and
independent drive wheels
[0013] FIG. 5, Side view of rotor vehicle with internal power
coupling to the vehicle wheels
[0014] FIG. 6, Front view of rotor vehicle with squirrel cage type
rotor.
[0015] FIG. 7, Side view of vehicle with front and rear squirrel
cage type rotors with associated drive wheels.
[0016] FIG. 8, Front view of vehicle with raised driver cab and
rotor.
[0017] FIG. 9, Side view of vehicle with dual rectangular rotor
assemblies and belt/chain coupling to each independent front
rectangular/rotor drive wheels.
[0018] FIG. 10, Front view of dual rectangular rotor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A ROTOR VEHICLE
[0019] The front of the vehicle will have a large diameter
axial/turbine (windmill type) air rotor FIG. 1,1, FIG. 2,1, FIG. 4,
1, FIG. 5, 1, FIG. 8,1 that approximately equals or is a little
less than the overall width of the vehicle frontal area and does
not protrude above or below. For a general truck/bus this is about
eight feet however for current vehicle designs seven feet will
provide better driver visibility. The rotor will have sixteen, 16,
overlapping blades, FIG. 1,2, FIG. 2, 2, FIG. 4,1, FIG. 5,1, FIG.
8,2 that are made of clear 1/2 inch or more thick plexiglass or
clear plastic material and will also have a circular shroud FIG.
3,1. The center axle of the rotor FIG. 2,3 will be connected to an
automatic transmission/gear box FIG. 1,3, FIG. 2,4, FIG. 4, FIG. 5.
The output drive shaft, FIG. 1,4, FIG. 2,5, FIG. 4, will connect to
a lower differential FIG. 1,5, FIG. 2,6, The two differential
output axles FIG. 1,6, FIG. 2,7 will connect to two rotor drive
wheels FIG. 1,7, FIG. 2,8, FIG. 4,2. The axle, wheel connections
will allow for horizontal, vertical miss alignment and turning as
each rotor drive wheel will connected to the adjacent main steering
wheel and turn in the horizontal plane. The rotor drive wheels will
also have vertical movement ability. The rotor drive wheels will be
centered in line with the vehicles main front wheels FIG. 1,8, FIG.
4, 3 to minimize air flow resistance. Larger diameter air rotors
can be constructed into vehicles if the height of the drivers
location/position and cab FIG. 8,2 is raised for better visibility
over and/or around the rotor.
[0020] The air rotor vehicle can also be constructed with a
squirrel cage type of air rotor FIG. 6,1, FIG. 7,1 with drive
wheels FIG. 7,3, FIG. 7,4, for better driver visibility and in this
construction the enclosed rotor end will be made of a clear plastic
material or the driver cab itself can form and makeup the enclosing
end of the rotor. This type of rotor can also be constructed into
or onto the rear trailing end of the vehicle FIG. 7,2 and abstract
useful energy from the trailing pressure differential. The air
rotor vehicle can also be constructed such that its transmission
output is coupled to the vehicles engine or main wheels FIG. 5,
FIG. 6, FIG. 8. If the vehicle is electrically powered or a hybrid,
the rotor can drive a generator/alternator. A vehicle, FIG. 9, is
shown with a rectangular type of moving assemblies FIG. 9,1. The
front view of the dual, independent airfoil slats moving assemblies
FIG. 10, one driving assembly coupled to each independent front
wheel shown in FIG. 9.2. Other rotor designs/variations, types,
vehicles and vehicle connections are of course possible.
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