Wind-driven electrical generators will slow and lose kinetic energy when the wind slows or stops. When the wind slows or stops, kinetic energy in the rotating turbine and other rotating components that would otherwise be lost, is conserved by supplying a supplemental mechanical energy to the rotatin
Wind-driven electrical generators will slow and lose kinetic energy when the wind slows or stops. When the wind slows or stops, kinetic energy in the rotating turbine and other rotating components that would otherwise be lost, is conserved by supplying a supplemental mechanical energy to the rotating components using a battery-powered motor. The electrical power for the drive motor is obtained from solar-charged batteries. In an alternate embodiment, solar cells provide all of the energy for the drive motor.
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What is claimed is: 1. In a wind-driven electrical generator comprised of a controller and a propeller coupled to a drive shaft, the propeller being comprised of a plurality of blades affixed to a central hub that rotates with the drive shaft and which houses at least one servo motor, the at least
What is claimed is: 1. In a wind-driven electrical generator comprised of a controller and a propeller coupled to a drive shaft, the propeller being comprised of a plurality of blades affixed to a central hub that rotates with the drive shaft and which houses at least one servo motor, the at least one servo motor being coupled to the controller and configured to rotate at least one propeller blade around a longitudinal axis of the propeller blade that extends outwardly from the central hub, the at least one servo motor controlling the blade's pitch under software control, a method of rotating the propeller when wind speed drops comprising the steps of: detecting a drive shaft deceleration; sending a first signal from the controller to the at least one servo motor, responsive to a detected drive shaft deceleration, the first signal causing the at least one servo motor to change the pitch of at least one of the plurality of propeller blades to reduce wind drag on the propeller; and responsive to the detected drive shaft deceleration, supplying rotational torque to the drive shaft from a motor mechanically coupled to the drive shaft in order to maintain drive shaft rotation. 2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of supplying power to the motor from a solar cell. 3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of supplying power to the motor from a battery, charged by a solar cell. 4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of electrically de-coupling the generator from an electrical load using a software controlled transfer switch, prior to the step of supplying rotational torque to the drive shaft. 5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of mechanically de-coupling the electrical generator from the rotating shaft by an electrically-operated software-controlled clutch, prior to the step of supplying rotational torque to the shaft from the motor. 6. In a wind-driven electrical generator comprised of a controller and a propeller coupled to a drive shaft, the propeller being comprised of a plurality of blades affixed to a central hub that rotates with the drive shaft and which houses at least one servo motor, the at least one servo motor being coupled to the controller and configured to rotate at least one propeller blade around a longitudinal axis of the propeller blade that extends outwardly from the hub, the at least one servo motor controlling the blade's pitch under software control in response to wind speed fluctuations, a method of rotating the propeller when wind speed falls comprising the steps of: detecting a wind speed decrease; supplying rotational torque to the drive shaft from a motor capable of being mechanically coupled to, and mechanically de-coupled from, the drive shaft by an electrically-operated software-controlled clutch that is operatively coupled to the controller, rotational torque from the motor acting to maintain drive shaft rotation speed responsive to a detected wind speed decrease; and sending a first signal from the controller to the at least one servo motor responsive to the wind speed decrease, the first signal causing the at least one servo motor to adjust the propeller blade pitch such that wind resistance on the propeller is reduced. 7. The method of claim 6, further including the step of rotating the propeller blades to a position whereat the propeller blades are substantially orthogonal to the direction of the wind prior to the detected wind speed decrease. 8. The method of claim 7, further including the step of supplying power to the motor from a solar cell. 9. The method of claim 7, further including the step of supplying power to the motor from a battery, charged by a solar cell. 10. The method of claim 7, further including the step of electrically de-coupling the generator from an electrical load using a software-controlled switch, prior to the step of supplying rotational torque to the drive shaft. 11. The method of claim 7 further including the step of mechanically de-coupling the electrical generator from the drive shaft using an electrically operated software-controlled clutch, prior to the step of supplying rotational torque to the drive shaft from the motor. 12. A wind-driven generator comprised of: a drive shaft; a propeller coupled to the drive shaft, the propeller being comprised of a plurality of blades, each having a longitudinal axis that extends radially from a hub that rotates with the drive shaft and which houses at least one servo motor configured to rotate at least one of the blades around a corresponding longitudinal axis, under software control; a generator coupled to the drive shaft; a drive shaft speed detector; a drive motor capable of being coupled to the drive shaft, said drive motor being configured to maintain shaft rotation speed in response to a detected change in rotation speed of the drive shaft; said servo motor, in response to the wind decrease, adjusts the propeller blade pitch such that wind resistance on the rotating propeller is reduced. 13. The wind-driven generator of claim 12, further including a solar cell operatively coupled to the drive motor. 14. The wind-driven generator of claim 12, further including a battery that is operatively coupled to the drive motor and which is charged by a solar cell. 15. The wind-driven generator of claim 12, further including at least one electrically operated, software-controlled clutch, configured to mechanically couple and de-couple at least one of the generator and the drive motor, from the drive shaft, under software control. 16. The wind-driven generator of claim 12 further including a software controlled transfer switch, which decouples the generator from an electrical load under software control. 17. The wind-driven generator of claim 12, further comprised of a tower, said tower carrying a plurality of photovoltaic cells that are capable of being operatively coupled to said drive motor. 18. A wind-driven generator comprised of: a computer; a wind-driven, rotating propeller having a plurality of blades, the blades extending from a rotating hub and being configured to be rotatable about a length-wise axis that is substantially orthogonal to an axis about which the propeller and hub rotate, and wherein said propeller blades are capable of being rotated about said length-wise axis by at least one servo motor inside said hub and which is operatively coupled to said computer, the rotation of the propeller by the wind rotating an elongated shaft coupled to the propeller; an electricity generator coupled to the elongated shaft such that the generator generates electrical energy when the elongated shaft is rotating; a detector operatively coupled to the computer, which detects wind speed; a drive motor operatively coupled to the computer and to the elongated shaft said drive motor supplying rotational torque to the elongated shaft to maintain shaft rotation speed in response to a signal from the detector; a re-chargeable battery for providing electrical energy to the drive motor; and said servo motor, in response to the wind decrease, adjusts the propeller blade pitch such that wind resistance on the rotating propeller is reduced. 19. The wind-driven generator of claim 18 wherein the propeller blades are rotatable about the length-wise axis to reduce wind resistance when the elongated shaft is driven by the drive motor. 20. The wind-driven generator of claim 19, wherein propeller surfaces carry a plurality of solar cells which provide electrical energy to power the drive motor. 21. The wind-driven generator of claim 19, wherein propeller surfaces carry a plurality of solar cells which provide electrical energy to charge a battery, and wherein electrical energy in said battery powers the drive motor. 22. The wind-driven generator of claim 18, further including a first, electrically-actuated software controlled clutch (first clutch), which mechanically couples and mechanically de-couples the electricity generator from the elongated shaft under software control. 23. The wind-driven generator of claim 22, further including a second electrically-actuated software controlled clutch, (second clutch) which mechanically couples and mechanically de-couples the drive motor from the elongated shaft under software control. 24. The wind-driven generator of claim 22, further including a second electrically-actuated software controlled clutch, which mechanically couples and the drive motor to the elongated shaft and mechanically de-couples the drive motor from the after the first clutch de-couples the electric generator from the elongated shaft. 25. The wind-driven generator of claim 18 further including a software controlled transfer switch, which decouples the generator from an electrical load responsive to a decrease in at least one of: wind speed and elongated shaft speed. 26. The wind-driven generator of claim 18, further comprised of a tower, said tower carrying a plurality of photovoltaic cells that are capable of being operatively coupled to said drive motor. 27. A wind-driven generator comprised of: a wind-driven, rotating propeller having a central hub and a plurality of blades that extend radially from the central hub, the blades having a longitudinal axis extending radially from the central hub, the rotation of the propeller by the wind rotating an elongated shaft coupled to the propeller; an electric generator/motor coupled to the elongated shaft, the generator/motor being capable of operating in a first mode wherein it generates electrical energy when the elongated shaft is driven by the rotating propeller, said electric generator/motor being capable of operating in a second mode wherein it supplies rotational torque to the elongated shaft; a detector operatively coupled to the electric generator/motor and generating a signal which causes the electric generator/motor to switch from the first mode to the second mode when at least one of: the wind speed falls below a first predetermined value, and when elongated shaft rotation speed falls below a second predetermined value; and a re-chargeable battery capable of being operatively coupled to the electric generator/motor in response to a signal from the detector indicating that the electric generator/motor is in said second mode, said re-chargeable battery being charged by electric energy obtained from a solar cell; a solar cell, operatively coupled to at least one of the re-chargeable battery and the motor/generator; and at least one servo motor within the central hub and configured to rotate at least one of the plurality of blades around the longitudinal axis of the at least one of the plurality of blades; wherein the plurality of blades extend from a rotating hub and are configured to be rotatable about a length-wise axis that is substantially orthogonal to an axis about which the propeller and hub rotate, and wherein said propeller blades are capable of being rotated about said length-wise axis by at least one servo motor inside said hub and which is operatively coupled to a computer; and wherein the blades are rotated about said length-wise axis under software control to minimize wind resistance of said blades, when said electric generator/motor operates in said second mode. 28. The wind-driven generator of claim 27, wherein propeller surfaces carry a plurality of solar cells that provide electrical energy to power the electric generator/motor in the second mode. 29. The wind-driven generator of claim 27, wherein propeller surfaces carry a plurality of solar cells that provide electrical energy to charge the re-chargeable battery, and wherein electrical energy in said re-chargeable battery is provided to the electric generator/motor in the second mode. 30. The wind-driven generator of claim 27 further including a software controlled transfer switch, which decouples the electric generator/motor from an electrical load under software control, when said electric generator/motor changes from said first mode to the second mode. 31. The wind-driven generator of claim 27, further comprised of a tower, said tower carrying a plurality of photovoltaic cells that are capable of being operatively coupled to said generator/motor.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (5)
Baker Carl R. (30 Gibson St. North East PA 16428), Auxiliary power supply switching set.
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