초록 ▼

Disclosed is a gearbox with two driver gears that are phase shifted 180 degrees with respect to a driven gear so that counter-rotation of the driver gears combine to rotate the driven gear together. The gearbox can be used to couple a counter-rotating, coaxial wind turbine rotors by coupling the dri

Disclosed is a gearbox with two driver gears that are phase shifted 180 degrees with respect to a driven gear so that counter-rotation of the driver gears combine to rotate the driven gear together. The gearbox can be used to couple a counter-rotating, coaxial wind turbine rotors by coupling the driver gears to the counter-rotating rotors and the driven gear to a generator so that the counter-rotating rotors on the wind turbine rotate the driven gear in the same direction. The driven gear can be coupled to a generator to produce electricity.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus comprising: a first shaft rotationally coupled to a first power source;a second shaft configured coaxially and counter-rotating to said first shaft, wherein said second shaft is rotationally coupled to a second power source; a first driver gear rotationally coupled to said first shaf

1. An apparatus comprising: a first shaft rotationally coupled to a first power source;a second shaft configured coaxially and counter-rotating to said first shaft, wherein said second shaft is rotationally coupled to a second power source; a first driver gear rotationally coupled to said first shaft;a second driver gear rotationally coupled to said second shaft;a first driven gear engaged with said first and second driver gears so that the point at which said first driver gear engages said first driven gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from the point at which said second driver gear engages said first driven gear;a second driven gear engaged with said first and second driver gears so that the point at which said first driver gear engages said second driven gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from the point that said second driver gear engages said second driven gear;a first load rotationally coupled to said first driven gear;a second load; anda first clutch rotationally coupled to said second driven gear, wherein said first clutch is constructed and arranged to selectively rotationally couple said second driven gear to said second load such that said apparatus can be operated with either said first load or with both said first and second loads coupled to said first and second power sources to account for variations in said first and second power sources. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first load is a first generator. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second load is a second generator. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first power source is a first wind turbine blade rotationally coupled to said first shaft; and wherein said second power source is a second wind turbine blade rotationally coupled to said second shaft. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said second wind turbine blade is constructed and arranged coaxially and counter-rotating to said first wind turbine blade. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said second wind turbine blade has a greater surface area than said first wind turbine blade. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said second wind turbine blade has a different pitch than said first wind turbine blade such that said first and second wind turbine blades rotates at substantially the same speed. 8. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a third driven gear engaged with said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said third driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said third driven gear engages said first driver gear; anda second clutch rotationally coupled to said third driven gear, wherein said second clutch is constructed and arranged to selectively rotationally couple said third driven gear to a third generator. 9. The gearbox of claim 8, further comprising: a fourth driven gear engaged with said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said fourth driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said fourth driven gear engages said first driver gear; anda third clutch rotationally coupled to said fourth driven gear, wherein said third clutch is constructed and arranged to selectively rotationally couple said fourth driven gear to a fourth generator. 10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first power source is a first wind turbine blade rotationally coupled to said first shaft; and wherein said second power source is a second wind turbine blade rotationally coupled to said second shaft, wherein said second wind turbine blade is arranged coaxially and counter-rotating to said first wind turbine blade. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: a third driven gear engaged with said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said third driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said third driven gear engages said first driver gear; anda second clutch rotationally coupled to said third driven gear, wherein said second clutch is constructed and arranged to selectively rotationally couple said third driven gear to a third generator. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second driver gears are beveled friction gears. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first and second driver gears comprise a hardened steel. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a third driven gear engaged with said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said third driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said third driven gear engages said first driver gear; anda second clutch rotationally coupled to said third driven gear, wherein said second clutch is constructed and arranged to selectively rotationally couple said third driven gear to a third load. 15. The gearbox of claim 14, further comprising: a fourth driven gear engaged with said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said fourth driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said fourth driven gear engages said first driver gear; anda third clutch rotationally coupled to said fourth driven gear, wherein said third clutch is constructed and arranged to selectively rotationally couple said fourth driven gear to a fourth load. 16. A gearbox comprising: a first driver gear constructed and arranged to rotate in a first direction on an axis of rotation, wherein said first driver gear is constructed and arranged to be rotationally coupled to a first power source;a second driver gear constructed and arranged to rotate in a second direction opposite said first direction on said axis of rotation, wherein said second driver gear is constructed and arranged to be rotationally coupled to a second power source;a first driven gear engaged with said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said first driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said first driven gear engages said first driver gear and wherein said first driven gear is constructed and arranged to be rotationally coupled to a first load;a second driven gear constructed and arranged to controllably engage and disengage from said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said second driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said second driven gear engages said first driver gear, wherein said second driven gear may be engaged with said first and second driver gears simultaneously with said first driven gear being engaged with said first and second driver gears, wherein said second driven gear is constructed and arranged to be rotationally coupled to a second load and wherein the gearbox can be operated with either said first load or with both said first and second loads coupled to said first and second power sources by controllably engaging or disengaging said second driven gear from said first and second driver gears to account for variations in said first and second power sources. 17. The gearbox of claim 16, further comprising a third driven gear constructed and arranged to controllably engage and disengage from said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said third driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said third driven gear engages said first driver gear and wherein said third driven gear is constructed and arranged to be rotationally coupled to a third load. 18. The gearbox of claim 17, further comprising a fourth driven gear constructed and arranged to controllably engage and disengage from said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between said fourth driven gear and said second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where said fourth driven gear engages said first driver gear and wherein said fourth driven gear is constructed and arranged to be rotationally coupled to a fourth load. 19. The gearbox of claim 16, wherein said first and second driver gears are beveled friction gears. 20. A power generation system comprising: a first wind turbine rotor;a second wind turbine rotor;a gearbox comprising: a first driver gear rotationally coupled to the first wind turbine rotor, wherein the first driver gear is constructed and arranged to rotate in a first direction on an axis of rotation;a second driver gear rotationally coupled to the second wind turbine rotor, wherein the second driver gear is constructed and arranged to rotate in a second direction opposite said first direction on said axis of rotation;a first driven gear constructed and arranged to engage said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between the first driven gear and the second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where the first driven gear engages the first driver gear;a second driven gear constructed and arranged to engage said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between the second driven gear and the second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where the second driven gear engages the first driver gear;a first generator rotationally coupled to said first driven gear;a second generator; anda clutch rotationally coupled to said second driven gear and said second generator, wherein said clutch is constructed and arranged to selectively rotationally couple said second driven gear to said second generator such that the power generation system can be operated with either said first generator or with both said first and second generators rotationally coupled to said first and second wind turbine rotors to permit the power output of the power generation system to be optimized at various wind speeds. 21. A power generation system comprising: a first wind turbine rotor;a second wind turbine rotor;a gearbox comprising: a first driver gear rotationally coupled to the first wind turbine rotor, wherein the first driver gear is constructed and arranged to rotate in a first direction on an axis of rotation;a second driver gear rotationally coupled to the second wind turbine rotor, wherein the second driver gear is constructed and arranged to rotate in a second direction opposite said first direction on said axis of rotation;a first driven gear engaged with said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between the first driven gear and the second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where the first driven gear engages the first driver gear;a second driven gear constructed and arranged to controllably engage and disengage from said first driver gear and said second driver gear, wherein the engagement between the second driven gear and the second driver gear is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from where the second driven gear engages the first driver gear, wherein said second driven gear may be engaged with said first and second driver gears simultaneously with said first driven gear being engaged with said first and second driver gears;a first generator rotationally coupled to said first driven gear;a second generator rotation rotationally coupled to said second driven gear, wherein the gearbox can be operated with either said first generator or with both said first and second generators rotationally coupled to said first and second wind turbine rotors by controllable engaging and disengaging said second driven gear from said first and second driver gears to permit the power output of the power generation system to be optimized at various wind speeds.