Hub assembly for horizontal axis, fluid-driven turbine enabling teetering
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F03D-007/02
F03D-001/06
F03D-080/70
출원번호
US-0395497
(2016-12-30)
등록번호
US-9771923
(2017-09-26)
발명자
/ 주소
Ramsland, Arnold
출원인 / 주소
Ramsland, Arnold
대리인 / 주소
Withrow & Terranova, P.L.L.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
9
초록▼
A hub assembly permits a rotor portion of a horizontal axis, fluid-driven turbine (e.g., with three or more blades) to teeter relative to a hub shaft. An outer hub member configured to receive turbine blades is permitted to rotate relative to the inner hub member. Multiple rocker members interposed
A hub assembly permits a rotor portion of a horizontal axis, fluid-driven turbine (e.g., with three or more blades) to teeter relative to a hub shaft. An outer hub member configured to receive turbine blades is permitted to rotate relative to the inner hub member. Multiple rocker members interposed between the inner hub member and the outer hub member include curved end surfaces that are configured to permit pivotal movement between the rocker members and corresponding features protruding from a hub shaft of the inner hub member. Torque receiving surfaces associated with features protruding from the hub shaft are permitted to slide relative to torque transmitting surfaces of the rocker members.
대표청구항▼
1. A hub assembly for use with a horizontal axis, fluid-driven turbine generator, the hub assembly comprising: an outer hub member including a hub shell incorporating a plurality of torque transfer plates and including a plurality of turbine blade connectors, wherein each turbine blade connector of
1. A hub assembly for use with a horizontal axis, fluid-driven turbine generator, the hub assembly comprising: an outer hub member including a hub shell incorporating a plurality of torque transfer plates and including a plurality of turbine blade connectors, wherein each turbine blade connector of the plurality of turbine blade connectors is configured to receive a turbine blade;an inner hub member comprising a hub shaft, a plurality of hub shaft pivot members protruding outward from an outer surface of the hub shaft, and a plurality of torque receiving surfaces, wherein: the hub shaft is configured to transmit torque to promote rotation of the generator of a horizontal axis, fluid-driven turbine; each torque receiving surface of the plurality of torque receiving surfaces is arranged along a different plane of a plurality of intersecting planes extending through a central longitudinal axis of the hub shaft, each hub shaft pivot member of the plurality of hub shaft pivot members includes a curved outer surface, and each hub shaft pivot member and each torque receiving surface is arranged within an interior of the outer hub member; anda plurality of rocker members, wherein each rocker member of the plurality of rocker members includes (i) an outer portion arranged to couple with a corresponding turbine blade connector of the plurality of turbine blade connectors, (ii) a central portion arranged to extend through a central aperture defined in a respective torque transfer plate of the plurality of torque transfer plates, and (iii) a rocker base arranged to extend into the interior of the outer hub member, wherein the rocker base of each rocker member comprises a first curved contact surface configured to abut a curved outer surface of a corresponding hub shaft pivot member of the plurality of hub shaft pivot members, and comprises a torque transmitting surface arranged to abut a torque receiving surface of the plurality of torque receiving surfaces of the inner hub member;wherein the plurality of rocker members is configured to cooperate with the inner hub member to permit the outer hub member to teeter relative to the hub shaft while torque is transmitted from the outer hub member via the plurality of rocker members to the inner hub member. 2. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein lateral portions of the plurality of hub shaft pivot members define the plurality of torque receiving surfaces. 3. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein the curved outer surface of each hub shaft pivot member embodies a shape constituting a portion of an imaginary cylinder having a center, and each center intersects the central longitudinal axis at a single origin point. 4. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner hub member further comprises a plurality of hub shaft wall members that protrudes outward from the outer surface of the hub shaft, wherein each hub shaft wall member of the plurality of hub shaft wall members includes a lateral portion defining a torque receiving surface of the plurality of torque receiving surfaces, and each hub shaft wall member includes a curved outer surface that is configured to abut a second curved contact surface of a different rocker member of the plurality of rocker members. 5. The hub assembly of claim 4, wherein each first curved contact surface is arranged to slide relative to a curved outer surface of a corresponding hub shaft pivot member, and each second curved contact surface is arranged to slide relative to a curved outer surface of a corresponding hub shaft wall member, to enable each rocker member to rotate along a teetering axis to permit the outer hub member to teeter relative to the hub shaft. 6. The hub assembly of claim 4, wherein the curved outer surface of each hub shaft pivot member embodies a shape constituting a portion of a first imaginary cylinder having a first center, the curved outer surface of each hub shaft wall member embodies a shape constituting a portion of a second imaginary cylinder having a second center, and each of the first center and the second center intersects the central longitudinal axis at a single origin point. 7. The hub assembly of claim 4, wherein the curved outer surface of each hub shaft wall member has a larger radius than the curved outer surface of each hub shaft pivot member. 8. The hub assembly of claim 4, wherein the curved outer surface of each hub shaft pivot member is arranged to receive, and comprises a slightly greater radius of curvature than, a corresponding first curved contact surface, and the curved outer surface of each hub shaft wall member is arranged to receive, and comprises a slightly greater radius of curvature than, a corresponding second curved contact surface. 9. The hub assembly of claim 4, wherein each torque receiving surface embodies a transition between a hub shaft wall member of the plurality of hub shaft wall members and a hub shaft pivot member of the plurality of hub shaft pivot members. 10. The hub assembly of claim 4, wherein: the plurality of torque transfer plates includes at least three torque transfer plates,the plurality of turbine blade connectors includes at least three turbine blade connectors,the plurality of hub shaft pivot members comprises at least three hub shaft pivot members,the plurality of hub shaft wall members comprises at least three hub shaft wall members, andthe plurality of rocker members includes at least three rocker members. 11. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein: each rocker member is associated with a corresponding turbine blade connector of the plurality of turbine blade connectors;for each rocker member and corresponding turbine blade connector, a pitch axis extends through a center of the rocker member and the corresponding turbine blade connector, whereby each pitch axis differs from each other pitch axis of each other rocker member and corresponding turbine blade connector; andeach pitch axis extends through an origin point arranged within an interior of the hub shaft. 12. The hub assembly of claim 11, wherein each torque transfer plate of the plurality of torque transfer plates is affixed to the hub shell, each turbine blade connector of the plurality of turbine blade connectors is arranged proximate to a corresponding torque transfer plate of the plurality of torque transfer plates, and each turbine blade connector is arranged to rotate relative to the hub shell about a pitch axis of the corresponding torque transfer plate. 13. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein the hub shell includes a rear opening having a first diameter, a portion of the hub shaft extends through the rear opening and has a second diameter, and the first diameter is sufficiently greater than the second diameter so as to permit the outer hub member to teeter relative to the hub shaft without impacting the hub shaft. 14. The hub assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of rocker bearings associated with the plurality of rocker members, wherein each rocker bearing is arranged within a central aperture of a different torque transfer plate of the plurality of torque transfer plates, and each rocker bearing is interposed between a central aperture of a corresponding torque transfer plate and a rocker member of the plurality of rocker members to permit rotation of the rocker member relative to the corresponding torque transfer plate. 15. The hub assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of slewing drive mechanisms, wherein each slewing drive mechanism of the plurality of slewing drive mechanisms is associated with a different turbine blade connector of the plurality of turbine blade connectors to control rotation of the turbine blade connector relative to a rocker member of the plurality of rocker members associated with the turbine blade connector to effectuate a change in pitch angle of a turbine blade coupled to the turbine blade connector. 16. The hub assembly of claim 15, wherein each slewing drive mechanism includes a ring gear affixed to the rocker member and includes a worm gear affixed to the turbine blade connector associated with the rocker member, wherein the worm gear is configured to engage the ring gear. 17. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein each turbine blade connector of the plurality of turbine blade connectors is fitted with one or more cross supports that provide direct connection to a rocker end shaft. 18. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein the hub shell includes a plurality of raised lips, each raised lip of the plurality of raised lips is arranged proximate to a different torque transfer plate of the plurality of torque transfer plates, and each raised lip is arranged to receive a portion of a turbine blade. 19. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein each torque transmitting surface is arranged to slide relative to an abutting torque receiving surface. 20. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein each rocker member comprises a hub shaft contact surface that substantially conforms to a curvature of the hub shaft and serves to limit a degree of teetering of the outer hub member relative to the hub shaft. 21. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein each rocker member comprises a lubricant reservoir and at least one of the following features (a) or (b): (a) a plurality of grooves arranged on the torque transmitting surface and configured to receive lubricant from the lubricant reservoir via a wall lubrication passage; or (b) a plurality of grooves on a pivot contact surface and configured to receive lubricant from the lubricant reservoir via a pivot lubrication passage. 22. The hub assembly of claim 1, wherein each rocker member and corresponding turbine blade connector remain oriented along a hub shaft axis, and each rocker member and corresponding turbine blade connector are permitted to rotate about a corresponding pitch axis, during teetering of the outer hub member relative to the hub shaft. 23. The hub assembly of claim 1, further comprising a flexible hub protector affixed to the hub shaft and the hub shell to prevent ingress of liquid into the interior of the outer hub member. 24. A water turbine comprising the hub assembly of claim 23. 25. A wind turbine comprising the hub assembly of claim 1.
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