Hinge system for an articulated wave energy conversion system
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
E02B-009/08
F03B-013/14
F03B-013/18
F03B-013/20
F16C-011/06
출원번호
US-0069353
(2016-03-14)
등록번호
US-9702334
(2017-07-11)
발명자
/ 주소
Murtha, Jr., Robert C.
Cerquetti, Jeffrey
출원인 / 주소
Murtech, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Caesar Rivise, PC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
47
초록▼
A hinge system and method for an Articulated Wave Energy Conversion System (AWECS) that provides for hinge and piston pump displacements due to multi-axis forces in allowing adjacent barges of the AWECS to pivot with respect to one another due to wave motion. The hinge system uses a plurality of par
A hinge system and method for an Articulated Wave Energy Conversion System (AWECS) that provides for hinge and piston pump displacements due to multi-axis forces in allowing adjacent barges of the AWECS to pivot with respect to one another due to wave motion. The hinge system uses a plurality of parallel hinges, and axle segments, coupled between adjacent barges wherein the hinges are coupled to upright trusses positioned transversely along facing edges of each barge. Hinge bracing includes lower V-shaped struts that act as lower stops when the barges pitch up and also include upper struts that act as upper stops when the barges pitch down. The pumps are positioned in parallel. The pumps have special couplings such as ball joint couplings that permit motions other than longitudinal pump/ram motions due to multi-axis forces generated by the wave motion and thus provide omni-directional stress relief to the pumps.
대표청구항▼
1. A hinge system that provides omni-directional stress relief to at least one piston pump positioned across a gap between at least two floating members that are hinged together, the at least two floating members pivoting about an axis perpendicular to a common longitudinal axis of said at least two
1. A hinge system that provides omni-directional stress relief to at least one piston pump positioned across a gap between at least two floating members that are hinged together, the at least two floating members pivoting about an axis perpendicular to a common longitudinal axis of said at least two floating members and said piston pump positioned across the gap, aligned with the longitudinal axis, said hinge system comprising: a plurality of bracing assemblies, said plurality of bracing assemblies forming pairs such that a first portion of each pair is fixedly coupled to a first floating member and a second portion of each pair is fixedly coupled to a second floating member, and wherein said first portion and said second portion are hingedly coupled to each other using an axle segment to permit the first floating member to pivot with respect to the second floating member due to wave motion; anda first truss positioned transversely along a first end of said first floating member and to which each of said first portions is fixedly coupled and a second truss positioned transversely along a first end of said second floating member, opposite to said first end of said first floating member, and to which each of said second portions is fixedly coupled, said first and second trusses comprising at least one set of corresponding universal couplings between which the piston pump is coupled, thereby providing omni-directional stress relief to the piston pump by allowing movement of the piston pump in directions other than the longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members. 2. The hinge system of claim 1 wherein said corresponding universal couplings comprise a ball joint positioned on said first or second truss and a ball joint coupling positioned on each end of said piston pump that couples to a respective ball joint. 3. The hinge system of claim 2 wherein said ball joint coupling comprises a releasable coupling with said ball joint. 4. The hinge system of claim l wherein said at least one piston pump is a linear piston pump having an extendable/retractable piston for transforming wave motion into pump energy. 5. The hinge system of claim 1 wherein each of said first portions comprises an upper stop strut and each of said second portions comprises an upper stop strut, said upper stop strut of each of said first portions making contact with a corresponding upper stop strut of a corresponding second portion to prevent said first floating member and said second floating member from pivoting away from each when said hinge system moves toward a predetermined downward position. 6. The hinge system of claim 1 wherein each of said first portions comprises a lower stop strut and each of said second portions comprises a lower stop strut, said lower stop strut of each of said first portions making contact with a corresponding lower stop strut of a corresponding second portion to prevent said first floating member and said second floating member from pivoting any closer to each when said hinge system moves toward a predetermined upward position. 7. The hinge system of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second trusses are Warren Trusses. 8. A method of providing omni-directional stress relief to at least one piston pump positioned across a gap between at least two floating members that are hinged together, the at least one piston pump being operable when wave motion causes the at least two floating members to pivot, the at least one piston pump having two ends, said method comprising: securing a first portion of bracing assembly pairs to one end of a first floating member and securing a second portion of said bracing assembly pairs to one end of a second floating member that faces said first floating member;pivotally coupling said first and second portions of said bracing assembly pairs together using an axle segment such that said first and second floating members can pivot about an axis perpendicular to a common longitudinal axis of said first and second floating members;providing a universal coupling member on a respective truss to which said first and second portions are secured; andconnecting the ends of the at least one piston pump to respective universal coupling members positioned on respective trusses such that the pump is positioned across the gap, said universal coupling members providing omni-directional stress relief to said pump by allowing movement of said pump in directions other than said longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of connecting the ends comprises securing respective trusses transversely along facing ends of said first floating member and said second floating member and wherein said universal coupling members are secured to a top portion of each of said trusses. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of connecting the ends comprises connecting the ends of the at least one piston pump to a ball joint positioned on said respective trusses. 11. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of connecting comprises releasably coupling the ends of the at least one piston pump to said ball joints. 12. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of connecting the ends of the at least piston pump comprises connecting a linear piston pump having an extendable/retractable piston for transforming wave motion into pump energy. 13. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of providing an upper stop strut to each of said first portions and an upper stop strut to each of said second portions, said upper stop strut of each of said first portions making contact with a corresponding upper stop strut of a corresponding second portion to prevent said first floating member and said second floating member from pivoting away from each when said hinge system moves toward a predetermined downward position. 14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of providing a lower stop strut to each of said first portions and a lower stop strut to each of said second portions, said lower stop strut of each of said first portions making contact with a corresponding lower stop strut of a corresponding second portion to prevent said first floating member and said second floating member from pivoting any closer to each when said hinge system moves toward a predetermined upward position. 15. The method of claim 10 wherein each of said trusses are Warren Trusses. 16. A hinge system that provides omni-directional stress relief to at least two piston pumps positioned in parallel position above the other and both positioned across a gap between at least two floating members that are hinged together, the at least two floating members pivoting about an axis perpendicular to a common longitudinal axis of said at least two floating members and said at least two piston pumps positioned across the gap, aligned with the longitudinal axis, said hinge system comprising: a plurality of bracing assemblies, said plurality of bracing assemblies forming pairs such that a first portion of each pair is fixedly coupled to a first floating member and a second portion of each pair is fixedly coupled to a second floating member, and wherein said first portion and said second portion are hingedly coupled to each other using an axle segment to permit the first floating member to pivot with respect to the second floating member due to wave motion;a first truss positioned transversely along a first end of said first floating member and to which each of said first portions is fixedly coupled and a second truss positioned transversely along a first end of said second floating member, opposite to said first end of said first floating member, and to which each of said second portions is fixedly coupled, said first and second trusses comprising at least one set of corresponding universal couplings between which a first one of said two piston pumps is coupled, thereby providing omni-directional stress relief to the first one of said two piston pumps by allowing movement of the first one of said two piston pumps in directions other than the longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members; andrespective angled struts that couple between each of said trusses and respective base members of said first and second portions of said plurality of bracing assemblies, said base members being hingedly coupled via said plurality of non-connected axle segments, said respective angled struts forming aligned pairs across the gap and each aligned angled strut comprising a corresponding universal coupling and between which the second one of said two piston pumps is coupled so that said first and second piston pumps are positioned one over the other, and thereby providing omni-directional stress relief to the second one of said two piston pumps by allowing movement of the second one of said two piston pumps in directions other than the longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members. 17. The hinge system of claim 16 wherein said corresponding universal couplings comprise a ball joint positioned on said first or second truss, and on said angled struts and a ball joint coupling positioned on each end of said first and second piston pumps that couples to a respective ball joint. 18. The hinge system of claim 16 wherein said ball joint coupling comprises a releasable coupling with said ball joint. 19. The hinge system of claim 16 wherein said first and second piston pumps are each a linear piston pump having an extendable/retractable piston for transforming wave motion into pump energy. 20. A method of providing omni-directional stress relief to two piston pumps positioned in parallel position above the other and both positioned across a gap between at least two floating members that are hinged together, the piston pumps being operable when wave motion causes the at least two floating members to pivot, said method comprising: securing a first portion of bracing assembly pairs to one end of a first floating member and securing a second portion of said bracing assembly pairs to one end of a second floating member that faces said first floating member;pivotally coupling said first and second portions of said bracing assembly pairs together using an axle segment such that said first and second floating members can pivot about an axis perpendicular to a common longitudinal axis of said first and second floating members;providing a universal coupling member on a respective truss to which said first and second portions are secured;connecting the ends of a first one of the two piston pumps to respective universal coupling members positioned on respective trusses such that the first one of the two piston pumps is positioned across the gap, said universal coupling members providing omni-directional stress relief to said pump by allowing movement of said first one of the two piston pumps in directions other than said longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members;coupling respective angled struts between each of said trusses and respective base members of said first and second portions of said bracing assembly pairs and wherein said base members are hingedly coupled via said plurality of non-connected axle segments, and wherein said respective angled struts form aligned pairs across the gap;providing a corresponding universal coupling on each angled strut that forms an aligned pair;coupling the second one of said two piston pumps between said universal couplings of said aligned pair so that said first and second piston pumps are positioned one over the other, said universal couplings to which said second one of said two piston pumps is coupled providing omni-directional stress relief to the second one of said two piston pumps by allowing movement of the second one of said two piston pumps in directions other than the longitudinal axis due to multi-axis forces imposed by the wave motion on said first and second floating members. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of connecting the ends comprises securing respective trusses transversely along facing ends of said first floating member and said second floating member and wherein said universal coupling members are secured to a top portion of each of said trusses. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of connecting the ends comprises connecting the ends of the first one of said two piston pumps to a ball joint positioned on said respective trusses. 23. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of coupling the second one of said two piston pumps comprises connecting the ends of the second one of said two piston pumps to a ball joint positioned on said respective angled struts. 24. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of connecting comprises releasably coupling the ends of the first one of said two piston pumps to said ball joints. 25. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of coupling the second one of said two piston pumps comprises releasably coupling the ends of the second one of said two piston pumps to said ball joints. 26. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of connecting the ends of the first one of the two piston pumps comprises connecting a linear piston pump having an extendable/retractable piston for transforming wave motion into pump energy. 27. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of coupling the second one of said two piston pumps comprises coupling a linear piston pump having an extendable/retractable piston for transforming wave motion into pump energy.
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