Abstract:
A turbine with vanes and tethers that adjust to the wind includes: an axle, adapted to be positioned perpendicular to the airflow; a radial spar attached to the axle; a vane rotatably attached to the spar; and a positioning element to limit the vane from rotating substantially more than a perpendicular angle away from the spar. The device retains the vane in a position that utilizes the airflow to rotate the axle. The positioning element is a tether attached to the distal point of the vane.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/183,672, filed Jun. 3, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to turbines, and more specifically, to a turbine with vanes and tethers that adjust to the wind. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In one aspect of the present invention, a device utilizing an airflow includes: an axle, adapted to be positioned perpendicular to the airflow; a radial spar attached to the axle; a vane rotatably attached to the spar; and a positioning element to limit the vane from rotating substantially more than a perpendicular angle away from the spar; wherein the device retains the vane in a position that utilizes the airflow to rotate the axle. 
         [0004]    In another aspect of the present invention, a device utilizing an airflow includes: an axle, adapted to be positioned perpendicular to the airflow; five, equally-spaced radial spars attached to the axle; a plurality of vanes rotatably attached to each spar, each vane having a proximal point attached to the spar and a distal point generally opposite the proximal point; and a tether attached to the distal point of each vane of a first spare and attached to an adjacent second spar, the tether retaining the vane from rotating substantially more than a perpendicular angle to the first spar; wherein the spars and tethers retain the vanes to provide a compound lift vane that utilizes the airflow to rotate the axle. 
         [0005]    In yet another embodiment of the present invention, method for rotating an axle includes: providing five equally-spaced spars about the axle, each spar having a vane; providing a tether between the first vane of a first spar of the spars and an adjacent second spar of the spars so that, when the turbine rotates, the tether retains the first vane at a substantial angle to the first spar; and in response to a wind force upon the first vane, urging the turbine to rotate. 
         [0006]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention at rest; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a top plan schematic view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  at rest; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a top plan schematic view of an embodiment of  FIG. 1  in motion; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is top plan schematic view showing a detail of an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a detail perspective view of part of an embodiment of the present invention 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0013]    Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
         [0014]    Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a compact and powerful vertical-axis wind (or water) turbine for the turning of an axle for the production of electricity or for the pumping of water from wind or moving water. 
         [0015]    An embodiment of the present invention includes a vertical-axis turbine that may efficiently capture mechanical energy from wind or moving water to produce electricity or pump water when attached to the appropriate electrical generator or pump. An embodiment of a compact and powerful vertical-axis turbine may be omni-directional, self-starting, has no need of a stator or starter motor of any type, and produces significant horsepower even in low to moderate winds. The vertical-axis turbine efficiently accepts shifting gusts as well as steady winds from any direction, turning in the same direction even in shifting winds and gusts. The vertical-axis turbine creates a compound lift leeward vane system that increases power output across the useable wind speed range. The vertical-axis turbine can be aerodynamically stalled in high winds reducing the requirements for braking systems. Embodiments may be used for the production of electricity or for the pumping of water from wind or moving water. In an embodiment, an upwind spar at the top has vanes  26  fluttering in the upwind position, reducing resistance. 
         [0016]    An exemplary embodiment of the device includes a vertical-axis turbine, which can also be referred to as “the Fenaughty Turbine.”  FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the invention  10  with multiple vanes  26  per spar  22 , all in the open position. Also shown is a generator  38 . A vertical axle  14  supports, on its upper portion,  5  radial sets of spars  22 ,  24  set at 72 degrees from one another around the central axle  14 .  FIG. 2  shows an embodiment  10  from above to show the arrangement of the vanes  26  at working speed, some in the open position and some in the closed position. The lower portion of the central axle  14  may be attached or geared to an appropriate generator  38  or pump for the production of electricity or the pumping of water ( FIG. 1 ). Each spar set  22 ,  24  connects to the central axle  14  at two points, an upper and a lower connection ( FIG. 5 ). Attached to these 5 spars are vertically-hinged rectangular vanes, the part that catches the wind, one or more per spar. These vanes are hinged at the exterior edge of each spar, allowing them to move from one closed position, parallel along the spar, to a second open position, perpendicular to the spar.  FIG. 4  shows the mobility of an embodiment of a single vane  26  in relation to the supporting spar  22 , from a parallel position to a position perpendicular to the spar but also allowing full movement of the vane around its hinge to allow the vane to pass through the spar if need be in the stall configuration. The first vane may be hinged on the far extreme of the spar and two or more vanes are placed on each spar, leaving the innermost section of the spar and the center of the device unobstructed.  FIG. 3  shows a top view of an arrangement of the vanes  26  at startup when the windward vane may be active by allowing the vanes to reach the closed position seen on the lower spars  22  in the drawing. The vanes are spaced so as not to interfere with each other, and each vane can pass through the spar to a full flutter configuration, enabling a stall configuration with very low aerodynamic resistance ( FIG. 5 ). 
         [0017]    In an embodiment, these vanes are hinged and controlled by tethers to open to a 90-degree angle from the spar in the open position ( FIG. 2 ). The moving edge of the vane may be tethered to control its position, and the tethers are attached to the following spar and contain mechanisms to absorb shock encountered at the changing position of the vane. This hinged and tuned vane creates a windward vane, in the closed position and a leeward vane, in the open position, increasing the number of power positions for the vanes of the device. In addition, the multiple vanes also reduce resistance in the up-wind movement as they fold in this position to pass upwind in a flutter configuration, giving little or no resistance, permitting maximum force to be generated from the active vanes. 
         [0018]    As seen in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , a vertical axle  14  supports, on its upper portion, five radial spars  22  set at 72 degrees from one another around the central vertical axle  14 . The lower portion of the central vertical axle  14  may be attached or geared  36  to an appropriate generator  38  or pump, for the production of electricity or the pumping of water. Each spar  22  connects to the upper portion of the central axle  14  at two points, an upper and a lower connection. A bearing  16  supports the upper portion of the device. Attached to these five spars  22  are vertically hinged  28  rectangular vanes  26 , being the part that catches the wind, one or more per spar  22 . These vanes  26  are hinged along their exterior vertical edge. When in the closed position, the vanes  26  are parallel to the spar  22 , and in the open position, the vanes  26  open out to approximately 90 degrees from the spar  22 . 
         [0019]    As depicted in  FIG. 5 , in an embodiment, the first rectangular vane  26  may be attached with a hinge  28  on the far extreme (outer portion) of the spars  22 ,  24 . In an embodiment, two or more additional vanes are placed adjacent each other on each spar, leaving the center of the device  10  unobstructed. The vanes  26  are spaced so as to not interfere with each other and each vane can pass through the spar  22  to a full flutter configuration, enabling a stall configuration with very low aerodynamic resistance. 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, vanes  26  are hinged  28  and controlled by tethers  30  to open to a 90-degree angle from the spar in the open position. The moving edge of the vane  26  may be tethered to control its position and the tethers are attached to the following spar and contain mechanisms  42  to absorb shock encountered at the changing position of the vane. This hinged and tuned vane creates a windward vane in the closed position and a leeward vane in the open position, increasing the number of power positions for the vanes  26  of the device. In addition, the multiple hinged vanes also reduce resistance in the up-wind movement as they fold in this position to pass upwind in a flutter configuration, giving little or no resistance, permitting maximum force to be generated from the active vanes. 
         [0021]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.