Abstract:
The present invention discloses an apparatus that includes a motor, flywheel, transmission, and generator. The motor converts an input energy into mechanical energy to rotate an output shaft coupled to a shaft of a flywheel. The design characteristics of the flywheel provide substantially uniform rotational speed to its shaft when the flywheel rotates. The rotating shaft of the flywheel connects to an input shaft of a transmission that includes a gear train that transfers the rotational speed of the flywheel to an output shaft of the transmission. The output shaft of the transmission drives an input shaft of a generator that converts the rotational speed to an output energy. After an initial start period, the output energy is sufficient to sustain mechanical operation of the apparatus, and provide power to external devices.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application for letters patent relates to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/816,240, titled HYBRID MACHINE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, and filed on Apr. 26, 2013, the disclosure of which this application hereby incorporates by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A machine includes a power source and a power transmission system. The power transmission system controls the application of the power generated by the power source. Conventional power transmission systems include a gearbox and a propeller shaft that transmits the energy from the power source to an axle. The gearbox typically includes gears, or gear trains, to provide speed and torque conversions from the power source to the axle. 
         [0003]    A hybrid machine includes a power transmission system that receives power from two or more sources. The design of the hybrid machine combines the best characteristics of each power source. In the motor vehicle industry, conventional hybrid vehicles combine the best characteristics of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine to produce a more efficient motor vehicle. 
         [0004]    Sustainable energy is the ability to produce energy to meet the present energy need without compromising the ability to meet that energy need in the future. Technology that promotes sustainable energy focuses on renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention discloses an apparatus that includes a motor, flywheel, transmission, and generator. The motor converts an input energy into mechanical energy to rotate an output shaft coupled to a shaft of a flywheel. The design characteristics of the flywheel provide substantially uniform rotational speed to its shaft when the flywheel rotates. The rotating shaft of the flywheel connects to an input shaft of a transmission that includes a gear train that transfers the rotational speed of the flywheel to an output shaft of the transmission. The output shaft of the transmission drives an input shaft of a generator that converts the rotational speed to an output energy. After an initial start period, the output energy is sufficient to sustain mechanical operation of the apparatus, and provide power to external devices. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a hybrid machine for sustainable energy. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a hybrid machine that produces sustainable energy. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Conventional hybrid machines include a combustion engine as one of the power sources. The combustion engine typically utilizes a fuel such as fossil fuel, combustible gas (e.g., hydrogen or propane), alcohol, or the like. There is a need for a hybrid machine that produces sustainable energy without reliance on a combustion engine. 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a hybrid machine that produces sustainable energy. The hybrid machine  100  shown in  FIG. 1  includes a unit frame  102  that encloses a motor  110 , flywheel  120 , transmission  130 , generator  140 , charging unit  160 , and battery pack  162 . 
         [0010]    The motor  110  is a power source for the hybrid machine  100  that converts an input energy into mechanical energy to rotate a shaft. In one embodiment, the motor  110  is an electric motor that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy to rotate the shaft. In various other embodiments, the motor  110  is a solar-powered motor, hydroelectric motor, wind-powered motor, or the like. 
         [0011]    The flywheel  120  for the hybrid machine  100  is a disk or wheel having design characteristics that result in a momentum when the flywheel  120  is rotating on its shaft that provides substantially uniform rotational speed to the shaft. The shaft of the motor  110  connects to the shaft of the flywheel  120  via a coupling  112 . 
         [0012]    The transmission  130  for the hybrid machine  100  transfers the energy input from the flywheel  120  to an output shaft using a system of shafts, gears, torque converters, gear trains, and the like. The flywheel  120  connects to the transmission  130  via a transfer shaft  122 . 
         [0013]    The generator  140  for the hybrid machine  100  converts the mechanical energy output by the transmission  130  into electricity. The output shaft of the transmission  130  connects to an input shaft of the generator  140  via a coupling  132 . 
         [0014]    A control unit  150  for the hybrid machine  100  monitors the frequency, amperage, and voltage of the electricity that the generator  140  produces. The control unit  150  connects to the generator  140  via conduit (not shown), and to the charging unit  160  and battery pack  162  via conduit  166 . 
         [0015]    The charging unit  160  for the hybrid machine  100  is a converter and inverter circuit that transfers the electricity it receives from the control unit  150  and generator  140 . The charging unit  160  connects to the control unit  150  via conduit  166 , the battery pack  162  via conduit  164 , and the motor  110  via conduit  168 . 
         [0016]    The battery pack  162  for the hybrid machine  100  stores electrical energy that it receives from the charging unit  160 . 
         [0017]    In one embodiment, the motor  110  for the hybrid machine  100  shown in  FIG. 1  is a 5 HP (horsepower), 3-phase, 208 V (volt) electric motor running at 3,515 rpm (revolutions per minute). When the motor  110  is running at 3,515 rpm, it produces 7.47 foot pounds of torque. The flywheel  120  has an 18 inch radius, and weighs 288.8 lbs (pounds). When the motor  110  is running at 3,515 rpm, the flywheel  120  has a surface speed of 276.1 feet per second, and produces an energy output of centrifugal force equal to a 456.069 ton force. The flywheel  120  connects to the motor  110  via a Lovejoy coupling  112 , and to the transmission  130  via the transfer shaft  122 . The transmission  130  includes a gear train having a first gear with a reduction ratio of 1.3333:1, and a second gear with a reduction ratio of 1.5:1. In theory, the gear train of the transmission  130  reduces an input energy of 3,515 rpm to an output energy of 1,757.5 rpm. Due to friction and other environmental factors, the output energy observed in the prototype embodiment is 1,750 rpm. The transmission  130  connects to the generator  140  via a Lovejoy coupling  132 . The generator  140  is a 33 kW (kilowatt), 1-phase generator that produces a 208 V electrical output. When the motor  110  is running at 3,515 rpm, the 456.069 ton force of the flywheel  120  drives the generator  140  with 129.122 foot pounds of torque, and 41.7 horsepower. The generator  140  connects to a charging unit  160  that charges a battery pack  162  that includes four (4) 12 volt DC (direct current) batteries. 
         [0018]    The hybrid machine  100  shown in  FIG. 1  produces enough electrical power not only to sustain its own mechanical operation, but also to power other electrical devices. The embodiment of the hybrid machine  100 , as described above, produces 41.7 horsepower to drive the generator  140 . When the generator  140  operates at 80% of its maximum capacity of 33 kW, the 41.7 horsepower is sufficient to produce approximately 27 kW of electrical power. Since the hybrid machine  100  only needs approximately 3 kW to sustain its own mechanical operation, the hybrid machine  100  produces approximately 24 kW of excess electrical power to power other electrical devices. Based on the  2011  average annual electricity consumption for a U.S. residential customer of 3 kW per hour, the excess electrical power that the hybrid machine  100  produces is sufficient to meet the average electricity consumption need of 8 U.S. residential customers. 
         [0019]    In other embodiments, the hybrid machine  100 , as described above, can be scaled-up to produce the horsepower needed to drive a 250 kW, 500 kW, 750 kW, or 1 MW generator. In even other embodiments, the hybrid machine  100  can be scaled-down to produce the horsepower needed to meet the electrical needs for an automobile, truck, air conditioner, or the like. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a hybrid machine that produces sustainable energy. The hybrid machine  200  shown in  FIG. 2  includes a motor  210 , bearing mount  230 , flywheel  240 , transmission gear box  260 , and generator  280 . 
         [0021]    The motor  210  includes an output shaft that connects to the bearing mount  230  via a coupling  220 . In one embodiment, the motor  210  includes a main control box (not shown) that includes 10-12 volt DC batteries, and two inverters, an AC to AC inverter, and a DC to AC inverter. During the initial start, the motor  210  uses the AC to AC inverter to get power from the main control box, then switches over to the DC to AC inverter to get power from the generator  280 . 
         [0022]    The coupling  220  also connects to a main drive shaft  232  that passes through the bearing mount  230  to transfer the power from the motor  210  output shaft to the bearing mount  230 . The other end of the main drive shaft  232  connects the bearing mount  230  to the flywheel  240  that includes a mounted drive gear  242 . A starter  250  mounted to the flywheel  240  includes a gear  252  that engages the mounted drive gear  242  during the initial start of the hybrid machine  200 . In one embodiment, the starter  250  receives power from batteries (not shown) connected to the main control box (not shown) included with the motor  210 . 
         [0023]    The main drive shaft  232  drives the flywheel  240 , that drives a gear input shaft  244  mounted to the other end of the flywheel  240 . The gear input shaft  244  mounted to the flywheel  240  connects to the transmission gear box  260 . The transmission gear box  260  includes an output shaft  262  that connects to the generator  280  via a coupling  270 . In one embodiment, the generator  280  includes an AC inverter that connects to the main control box (not shown) included with the motor  210 . When the rotation starts in the hybrid machine  200 , in one embodiment, the generator  280  diverts approximately 20% of the power that it produces to an inverter drive that in turn will electrically drive an AC inverter duty motor. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, the flywheel  240  weighs 930.125 lbs. (pounds), has a diameter of  36  inches, and a rotational speed (RS) of 3,500 rpm (revolutions per minute). The kinetic energy of rotation (KEr) is calculated based on the moment of inertia (I) and angular velocity (w) as KEr=I×(w 2 /2). Using the characteristics of the flywheel  240  described above, I=44.10747, w=366.52, and KEr=2,963,385.28 J (Nm). The centrifugal force (CF) is calculated based on the mass (M), angular velocity (w), and radius (r) as CF=M×w 2 ×r. Using the characteristics of the flywheel  240  described above, M=421,897.254, w=366.52, r=457.2, and CF=2,912.67 ton-force=61,418.8 m/s 2 . The horsepower (HP) is calculated based on the kinetic energy of rotation (KEr) as HP=KEr/1 HP. Using the characteristics of the flywheel  240  described above, HP=2,963,385.28/735.499=4,029.0813. The torque (T) is calculated based on the horsepower (HP) and rotational speed as T=HP×(33,000/2 pi)×RS. 
         [0025]    The hybrid machine  200  is a self-starting, independent unit. In one embodiment, the hybrid machine  200  includes eight (8) 24 volt batteries that are charged by a converter that is charged by a 460 volt AC circuit that is transformed to a 24 volt DC circuit using a voltage regulator. The batteries connect to the control box (not shown) in the motor  210  that controls sensors and connects to the starter  250  geared to the flywheel  240  to drive the transmission gear box  260  that drives the generator  280  that supplies energy to the inverters that make the motor  210  turn. The DC circuit also assists with the initial starting of the hybrid machine  200 . In one embodiment, the hybrid machine  200  is mounted in a steel, insulated enclosure complete with meters, voltage, amperage, frequency, and the like. 
         [0026]    In other embodiments, the hybrid machine  200  uses a Sterling engine to complete the cycle system, a water cyclic geothermal system, solar ocean waves, river current, wind turbines, and the like. 
         [0027]    Although the disclosed exemplary embodiments describe a fully functioning hybrid machine for sustainable energy, the reader should understand that other equivalent exemplary embodiments exist. Since numerous modifications and variations will occur to those reviewing this disclosure, the hybrid machine for sustainable energy is not limited to the exact construction and operation illustrated and disclosed. Accordingly, this disclosure intends all suitable modifications and equivalents to fall within the scope of the claims.