| CPC F03D 9/008 (2013.01) [F03D 5/00 (2013.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.05); F15B 1/04 (2013.01); H02K 7/1807 (2013.01); F05B 2220/706 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. A mechanical apparatus for conversion of kinetic energy, the mechanical apparatus comprising at least:
a sail element;
a mast connectable to the sail element, defining a main axis “z” about which the sail element and the mast are rotatable, such that when the sail element is rotated by wind, it causes rotation of the mast, and rotation of the mast rotates the sail element,
wherein the sail element and mast are limited to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise about the “z” axis together within a limited rotation span which is smaller than 360 degrees;
at least one piston device comprising a piston housing and at least one piston, linearly movable inside the piston housing;
at least one movable element connectable to an edge of the at least one piston of the at least one piston device, the at least one moveable element serving as a movable weight; and
a transmission subsystem movably connectable to the mast at one part thereof and to the at least one movable element at another part thereof, such that when the mast is rotated by the sail element in any clockwise or counterclockwise direction in respect to the “z” axis, the kinetic rotation movement of the mast is translatable into linear movement, in a first linear trajectory, of the at least one movable element, and of the at least one piston connected thereto,
wherein the at least one moveable element and at least one piston are movable back and forth along a linear path, which is angular to a plane that is perpendicular to a vector of gravitation, such that the at least one moveable element is also moveable in response to gravitational force applied thereto, along a second linear trajectory along the linear path, which is opposite to the first linear trajectory,
wherein the rotation of the mast and sail element causes a pull of the at least one moveable element in the first linear trajectory and the weight of the at least one moveable element causes an opposite push of the at least one moveable element in the second linear trajectory along the linear path, which causes reciprocal back-and-forth movements of the at least one piston connected to the at least one moveable element, for filling and emptying of the piston housing of the at least one piston device, for creating fluid pressure,
wherein the mechanical apparatus is further configured to connect to a power generation subsystem, for conversion of fluid pressure, caused by the reciprocal movements of the at least one piston, into electrical power, and
wherein the transmission subsystem comprises:
a cable connected to the at least one moveable element at one end thereof and to the mast at another end thereof, where the connection to the mast is such as to enable the cable to be wrapped around the mast:
at least one sheave, having a rotatable rounded groove around which the cable is passed, the at last one sheave being located such as to form a non-zero angle between a first part of the cable and a second part of the cable that is attached to the at least one moveable element at an end thereof,
wherein the at least one movable element is held angularly to the first part of the cable, such that the gravitational force is applied over the at least one moveable element acting as a weight that can be lifted and lowered to lift and lower the at least one piston along the linear path for filling and emptying of the at least one piston housing.
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