Patent ID: 7834473
Filing Date: 2010-11-16
Classification: F03D,F05B,H02J,H02P,Y02B,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. In a wind-driven electrical generator comprised of 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 a controller and configured to rotate at least one propeller blade around an axis of the propeller blade that extends outwardly from the central hub, the at least one servo motor controlling the blade's pitch, a method of controlling the propeller comprising the steps of: detecting a drive shaft deceleration; sending a first signal 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; sending a second signal to at least one switch, responsive to a detected drive shaft deceleration, the second signal causing the switch to reconfigure the generator to act as a motor, the motor functioning to maintain propeller rotation.