US 11,680,557 B2
Folding blade wind turbine
John Pitre, Honolulu, HI (US)
Assigned to Natural Power Concepts, Inc., Honolulu, HI (US)
Filed by Natural Power Concepts, Inc., Honolulu, HI (US)
Filed on Jun. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/356,760.
Application 17/356,760 is a continuation of application No. 16/259,276, filed on Jan. 28, 2019, granted, now 11,073,131.
Application 16/259,276 is a continuation of application No. 14/558,991, filed on Dec. 3, 2014, granted, now 10,215,158, issued on Feb. 26, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/911,000, filed on Dec. 3, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2021/0372368 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F03D 7/02 (2006.01); F03D 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 7/0236 (2013.01) [F03D 1/0658 (2013.01); F03D 7/0268 (2013.01); F05B 2240/2022 (2013.01); Y02E 10/72 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wind turbine, comprising:
a support having an axis of rotation;
a generator;
a plurality of blades rotatably mounted on the support about the axis of rotation, the blades being moveable between a retracted position generally parallel with the axis of rotation and a fully deployed position generally perpendicular with the axis of rotation;
the blades being connected to the generator such that rotation of the blades in a direction induced by wind causes the generator to produce electricity, and provision of electricity to the generator rotates the blades;
a controller connected to the generator;
the turbine being configured to execute first and second retraction protocols to move the blades from the fully deployed position to the retracted position:
the first retraction protocol comprising slowing rotation of the blades, such that due to reduction in centrifugal force the blades begin to transition to the retracted position as rotation slows; and
the second retraction protocol comprising rotating the blades in an opposite direction to that induced by ambient wind.