초록 ▼

A wind turbine (20) includes a turbine wheel (22). Radially extending sailwing assemblies (30) are supported between the axle structure (28) and the perimeter rail (26) of the turbine wheel. The sailwing assemblies include sail end supports (52, 53), sail support cables (54, 55) extending between th

A wind turbine (20) includes a turbine wheel (22). Radially extending sailwing assemblies (30) are supported between the axle structure (28) and the perimeter rail (26) of the turbine wheel. The sailwing assemblies include sail end supports (52, 53), sail support cables (54, 55) extending between the sail end supports, and sailwings (58) that are supported by the sail support cables and extend between the axle structure (28) and the perimeter rail (26) of the turbine wheel. The sail end supports (52, 53) may be pivoted to form a pitch in the sailwings (58) and pivoted with respect to each other to form a twist in the sailwings, and sail spreader bars (70) may be mounted in the sailwings and connected to the sail support cables (54, 55) to adjust the effective width and loft of the sailwings.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wind turbine comprising: an upwardly extending support,a turbine wheel rotatably mounted on said support about a laterally extending central axis,a plurality of sailwing assemblies carried by said turbine wheel, said sailwing assemblies each including: a sail cloth having opposed inner end and

1. A wind turbine comprising: an upwardly extending support,a turbine wheel rotatably mounted on said support about a laterally extending central axis,a plurality of sailwing assemblies carried by said turbine wheel, said sailwing assemblies each including: a sail cloth having opposed inner end and outer end, opposed side edges, and a longitudinal axis extending between said inner end and said outer end and extending radially from said central axis,support cables extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said sail cloth and positioned adjacent and supporting said opposed side edges of said sail cloth,shape control means for adjusting the attitude and shape of the sail cloth, said shape control means including sail end supports attached to said opposed inner and outer ends of said sail cloth for rotating said opposed ends of sail cloth independently of each other and imparting a longitudinal twist to the sail cloth,sail spreader bars positioned at intervals between said opposed ends of said sail cloth and attached at intervals along said support cables for adjusting the distance between said support cables and adjusting the loft of the sail cloth, andtrim cables extending from said sail end supports to said support cables for adjusting the configuration of said sail cloth. 2. A wind turbine comprising: a support,a turbine wheel rotatably mounted on said support about a laterally extending central axis,said turbine wheel including an outer perimeter rail rotatable about said laterally extending central axis, and a central axle structure at said laterally extending axis,at least three sailwing assemblies carried by said outer perimeter rail of said turbine wheel extending at equal angles from one another, said sailwing assemblies each including a sailwing with an inner end at said central axle structure and an outer end at said outer perimeter rail and a longitudinal axis extending between said inner end and said outer end and extending radially from said central axis,shape control means carried by said turbine wheel for rotating both of said inner end and said outer end of each sailwing with respect to each other about said longitudinal axis of the sailwing for varying the twist of the sailwing,said outer perimeter rail supporting said shape control means for said outer ends of said sailwings,cables extending radially from said axle structure to said outer perimeter rail for supporting said outer perimeter rail from said axle structure, andat least one electrical generator in driven relationship with said outer perimeter rail for generating electricity in response to the rotation of said outer perimeter rail about said central axis structure. 3. The wind turbine of claim 2, and wherein said sailwing assemblies each include a sailwing cloth, wherein said shape control means includes sail end supports at said inner end and at said outer end of said sailwing assembly and connected to said sailwing cloth and configured for rotating said sailwing cloth at said inner ends and said outer ends of said sailwing assemblies. 4. The wind turbine of claim 3, and wherein said shape control means includes at least one motor connected between said turbine wheel and said sail end supports for rotating said sail end supports with respect to said turbine wheel. 5. The wind turbine of claim 4, and wherein said at least one motor is configured to pivot the sail end supports with respect to each other for forming a twist in said sailwing cloth. 6. The wind turbine of claim 2, and wherein said sailwing assemblies each include a sailwing cloth,said shape control means includes sail spreader bars positioned at intervals about said sailwing cloth for adjusting the curvature of the sailwing cloth, andsailwing end supports mounted to said turbine wheel and connected to said sailwing cloth for independently rotating said sailwing cloth to form a twist in said sailwing cloth. 7. The wind turbine of claim 2, and wherein said sailwing assemblies each include: a sail cloth having opposed side edges,a pair of guys extending from said inner end to said outer end of the sailwing assemblies, andsaid guys suspending said opposed side edges of said sail cloth and for forming a loft in the sail cloth of said sailwing assemblies in response to wind passing said sailwing assemblies. 8. The wind turbine of claim 7, wherein said guys include a spar, and said sail cloth is supported on at least one of its said opposed edges by said spar. 9. The wind turbine of claim 7, wherein said guys comprise cables. 10. The wind turbine of claim 7, wherein said guys comprise spars. 11. The wind turbine of claim 2, wherein said sailwing assemblies carried by said turbine wheel comprise: a sail cloth having opposed substantially parallel edges,guys extending parallel to said opposed substantially parallel edges, said shape control means connected to said guys and configured to move said guys with respect to each other for changing the shape of the said sail cloth. 12. The wind turbine of claim 2, and wherein said shape control means carried by said turbine wheel for rotating said inner end and said outer end of the sailwing assemblies about said longitudinal axis to change the angle of the sailwings comprises sail end supports connected to the opposed ends of said sailwing cloth, and end support actuators mounted to said turbine wheel to turn said sail end supports. 13. The wind turbine an of claim 2, and further including a stator positioned adjacent said turbine wheel and a rotor actuated by said turbine wheel in registration with said stator for generating electricity in response to the rotation of said turbine wheel. 14. The wind turbine of claim 2, wherein said sailwings are formed of fiberglass and are of substantially constant thickness along their lengths. 15. A wind turbine including a turbine wheel, said turbine wheel including a perimeter rail with a central axis of rotation and a plurality of sailwings extending radially within said turbine wheel between said central axis of rotation and said perimeter rail, each of said sailwings including an outer end and an inner end, said outer end extending radially from said inner end,andeach of said sailwings including an inner and outer shape control means, said inner shape control means mounted in said turbine wheel at said central axis of rotation and said outer shape control means mounted to said perimeter rail for rotating both said inner end and said outer end with respect to each other to form a varied pitch in each of said sailwings. 16. The wind turbine of claim 15, wherein said shape control means includes means for pivoting said sailwings as the turbine wheel rotates. 17. The wind turbine of claim 15, wherein said plurality of sailwings extending radially within said turbine wheel comprise an inner ring and an outer ring of sailwings.