Abstract:
A series of underwater sails spaced apart, attach to a moving cable loop between pulleys with electric generators. The sails inflate by the force of the water current and drive the cable in the direction of the current to turn the generators to generate electricity. As the sails reach the end pulley or tail spool they deflate and are pulled back to the beginning power pulley in a continual repeated cycle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to generating electrical energy from fluid currents and particularly to an ocean current generating system comprising a plurality of parachutes or scoop-like sails connected to a continuous cable on a pulley system for converting ocean current energy to electrical energy. 
     2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     Prior art devices fail to produce continuous electricity using very long lasting generating equipment run by ocean currents. 
     U.S. patent application #20080303284, published Dec. 11, 2008 by Clemens, discloses a low-profile apparatus for converting water current into electricity. 
     Fabric scoops are spaced along a continuous belt and, when submerged in a current of moving water, are pushed by the current thereby causing the continuous belt to move. The current pushes the fabric scoops downstream and then fold closed as the fabric scoops are rotated out of the water and travel back upstream. The moving continuous belt is used to turn an electric generator, which causes the apparatus to produce electrical energy. The apparatus includes one or more floats to support the continuous belt, electric generator, and other components of the apparatus. The apparatus can be moored or anchored in a variety of locations where there is moving water or currents. The apparatus maintains a low profile by using fabric scoops that collapse and fold flat when not submerged thereby reducing wind resistance and visible surface area above the waterline. 
     U.S. patent application #20080303285, published Dec. 11, 2008 by Bondhus, indicates a hydroelectric generation device utilizing a series of parachutes below the surface of a flowing body of water for imparting rotational energy to a generator assembly. The hydroelectric generation device can include a positioning assembly for positioning and retaining the hydroelectric generation device below a water surface. The generator assembly generally includes a generator positioned on a water bed for producing electricity from a rotation input to the generator and a transmission line for transmitting the electricity for use on shore. The parachutes are attached to a cable loop which interfaces with an axle assembly for transferring rotational energy to the generator assembly. 
     U.S. patent application #20030066934, published Apr. 10, 2003 by Bolonkin, puts forth the method of utilization of a flow energy and power installation for it. FIGS. 18A, 18B and 19 show a rope rotor with blade-parachutes which comprises a closed loop rope, a rotor, a main roller (pulley), an energy transferor and a plurality of parachutes to catch the flow energy, such as wind or water. 
     U.S. patent application #20090127861, published May 21, 2009 by Sankrithi, describes a fluid-dynamic renewable energy harvesting system which includes fluid-foil means for interfacing with a fluid current such as a water current or wind or both, and which includes energy harvesting means utilizing fluid current driven periodic motion of the fluid-foil means for capturing fluid-dynamic renewable energy and converting it into usable energy in a desired form such as electricity. FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate the use of fluid foils on a cable which is connected to rotatable pulleys. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,817, issued Jun. 3, 1975 to Steelman, provides a power generating device comprises a continuous elongated flexible loop member having opposite loop ends and adapted to be suspended in a current of flowing fluid. The loop member is trained around a rotatable member, which in turn is drivingly connected to an electrical generating power means. A plurality of flexible and collapsible containers or sails is mounted in spaced relationship and in end to end relationship along the loop member. When immersed in a current of moving fluid, the containers will be expanded and filled by the fluid when their open ends are facing upstream in relation to the current and they will be collapsed and emptied of fluid when their open ends are facing downstream in relation to the current. Thus the containers will drive the loop member and consequently the rotatable member continuously whenever the loop member and containers are immersed in a flowing fluid material. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,931, issued Apr. 29, 2003 to Mizzi, claims renewable energy systems for extracting energy from natural water flow or wind. The energy systems are configurations of long-stroke open-channel reciprocating engines employing one or two flow engaging elements such as drogue chutes for water flow or airfoils for wind applications tethered to a power drum and useful to generate electricity or to pump water as from wells. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,430, issued Oct. 26, 2004 to Diederich, discloses a conveyor-type apparatus harnesses energy from a fluid flow, for example a river or a tidal flow region, and comprises a support structure, a continuous-loop, flexible driven element, for example a pair of chains, mounted to the support structure and extending along a closed-loop path, the path defining an interior region and an exterior region, and a series of reversible fluid foils. The driven element has first and second reaches, the first and second reaches being upflow and downflow reaches when fluid flows from the first reach to the second reach. Each fluid foil is connected to the flexible driven element for movement between a first orientation, situated in the interior region when moving along the upflow reach, and a second orientation, situated in the exterior region when moving along the downflow reach. The first sides are generally concave when moving along the upflow reach and generally convex when moving along the downflow reach. The second sides are generally concave when moving along the downflow reach and generally convex when moving along the upflow reach. The driven element may be coupled to an energy generator so to harness energy from the fluid flow. The series of sail-like reversible fluid foils could be constructed from a variety of materials, including metal, polymers, composites, fabrics, etc. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,757,894, issued May 6, 1930 to Zvirblis, provides a continuously moving loop encircling a generator with a series of buckets attached to the loop for utilizing the movement of a water current, as in a sluice, to move the buckets and the loop to turn the generator to generate electricity. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,402, issued Dec. 24, 2002 to Saiz, shows a wind energy catchment device that consists of loops of closed circuits of cables or ropes which go through a succession of parachutes in series, that rotates by means of pulleys among columns, pylons or shafts secured to rigid supports fixed to the ground, the cables go through the parachutes by their asymmetry axis, the cables are secured to the fabric of the parachute by their center zone, having the parachute a hole or holes around said cable, the ends of the strings of the parachute tie or join its periphery with a common point of the cable. 
     What is needed is a ocean current generator that is driven by a constant current in the ocean, without the use of fuel, and that will stay in operation automatically as long as the current flows, requiring little or no care and expense, except for the initial outlay in manufacturing and setting up the apparatus. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an ocean current generating system which generates electrical current continually by using a long cable loop with a series of attached flexible parachute-type sails immersed below the surface of the ocean in a constant ocean current or other body of water with a strong current such as a river, which system will stay in operation automatically as long as the current flows, requiring little or no care and expense, except for the initial outlay in manufacturing and setting up the system. 
     In brief, the ocean current generating system of the present invention operates using the applied principle of the ‘sea-anchor.’ The ocean current generating system will generate electricity from ocean currents using a simple system of underwater sails spaced well apart, attached to a huge long cable loop extending for many kilometers down-current from the generator. The sails inflate in the ocean current and drive the cable in the direction of the ocean current to turn the generator to generate electricity. As the sails reach the end pulley or tail spool they deflate and are pulled back to the beginning power pulley in a continual repeated cycle. 
     The various components of the present invention will preferably be manufactured in space/micro-gravity and splash down right at the assembly site in the South Atlantic Ocean. Each site will be designed to generate up to 10 gigawatts directly from the ocean current, and send it to customers (utility companies) via undersea superconductor transmission lines. 
     Water being 600 times as dense as air, means that a 15 knot ocean current contains many times more energy than wind of the same speed. A wind averaging 15 knots will generate enough electricity to justify the expense of installing a wind generator. 
     Ocean currents can supply all of the world&#39;s electricity demand. The Antarctic Ocean current is 1,000s of kilometers long and 100s of kilometers wide and travels faster than 15 knots continually, and contains many thousands of terawatts of energy. 
     There are many nuclear reactors and thermal generating plants that will become obsolete or contaminated or worn out and will be in need of replacement. Hydro-electric dams will eventually silt up and lose generating capacity, also the water being dumped through the turbines could be more gainfully applied as irrigation water. The present invention will be the ideal “green” replacement for obsolete and worn-out systems. 
     The present invention will ensure a reliable in-use service life measured in millennia to provide power for global energy needs as a great service and value to humanity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a partial side elevational view of a deep water embodiment of the electrical energy generating underwater sail and cable pulley system of the present invention showing one of the two pulleys with its generator in the pulley and showing its support structure, which extends up out of the water to support wind powered generators and a fish hatchery, and a small portion of the cable loop and attached underwater sails, which are actually shown in plan view to illustrate the open sails which are open in the direction of water current flow to move the cable and showing the sails contracted in the opposite direction to limit resistance; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial side elevational view of a shallow water embodiment of the electrical energy generating underwater sail and cable pulley system of the present invention showing one of the two pulleys with its above water generator and showing its support structure and a small portion of the cable loop and attached underwater sails, which are actually shown in plan view to illustrate the open sails which are open in the direction of water current flow to move the cable and showing the sails contracted in the opposite direction to limit resistance; 
         FIG. 3  is top plan view of one of the paired sails of the electrical energy generating underwater sail and cable pulley system of the present invention showing the pair of articulated steel booms each attached by a boom hinge to the to the moving loop cable one on each side of the moving loop cable out of contact with the pulleys, a boom cable stay attached between an outer end of each of the booms and a boom cable stay attaching element on the moving loop cable spaced away from the boom hinges, an array of elongated sheets of flexible sail material attached to each of the booms along one edge of the sail material, a sail edge cable stay attached along an opposite edge of the sail material and a sail end cable stay attached from each outer end of the sail edge cable stay to sail end cable stay attaching elements adjacent to the boom cable stay attaching elements; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the main loop cable taken through  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  showing the flat bottom contacting surface of the main loop cable to engage the pulleys and showing the through cable connection of the stay cable ends to the main loop cable; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged elevational view of one of the pulleys of the electrical energy generating underwater sail and cable pulley system of the present invention showing one of the two pulleys with its generator in the pulley and showing its support structure and a small portion of the cable loop not showing the attached underwater sails, and showing the phase changing lubricant on a flat bottom contacting surface between the moving loop cable and each pulley so that the pressure of the pressure roller bearing causes a phase change in the phase changing lubricant from a liquid phase to a solid phase binding the moving loop cable to the pulley. 
         FIG. 6  displays the attachment of neutral buoyancy tanks  38  to endless loop cable  20  by means of attachment element  28 . Attachment element  28  is designed to extend through the side of loop cable  20  and will be attached to center of buoyancy tanks  38  allowing the tank to make the turns at each end of loop cable  20  without binding or interfering with the operation of pressure roller  32  ( FIG. 5 ). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIGS. 1-5 , an electrical energy generating underwater sail and cable pulley system  10  comprises a main moving loop cable  20  with a series of attached underwater sails  22  and a pair of pulleys  30  with generators  31  turned by the moving loop cable  20  with the sails  22  driven by the water current. 
     In  FIGS. 1-4 , the electrical energy generator comprises a moving loop cable  20  encircling a pair of spaced pulleys  30  positioned underwater in a water current flow in a body of water. A series of spaced underwater sails  22  are attached in a spaced array to the moving loop cable  20 . A series of evenly-spaced steel neutral buoyancy chambers  38  are attached to the moving loop cable  20  between the underwater sails  22 , each attached by means of a boom cable stay attaching element  28 . Each of the sails  22  comprises a pair of articulated steel booms  23  each attached by a boom hinge  29  to the to the moving loop cable  20  one on each side of the moving loop cable out of contact with the pulleys  30 . A boom cable stay  25  is attached between an outer end of each of the booms and a boom cable stay attaching element  28  on the moving loop cable spaced away from the boom hinges. In  FIG. 3 , a spaced series of sheets of flexible sail material  24  are attached to each of the booms  23  along one edge of the sail material and to a sail edge cable stay  19  attached along an opposite edge of the sail material. A sail end cable stay  25  is attached from each outer end of the sail edge cable stay  19  to the sail end cable stay attaching elements  28  adjacent to the boom cable stay attaching elements, so that the sails billow out by the force of the water current flow on a first side of the moving cable loop to move the first side of the moving cable loop  21 A in the direction of the water current flow to turn the pulleys  30 . The booms and sails configured to collapse down on a second side of the moving cable loop  21 B moving against the current flow to reduce drag on the system and return each of the collapsed underwater sails back to the first side of the moving cable loop to billow out with the moving water current in a continual repeated cycle. 
     In  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  5 , at least one electrical generator  31  and  31 A is connected to each of the pulleys  30  so that turning the pulleys  30  turns the generator  31  and  31 A to generate an electrical current. The generator  31  may be built into the pulley  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5  or the generator  31 A may be positioned out of the water and connected to the pulley  30  by a gear arrangement, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     In  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  6 , a series of evenly spaced neutral buoyancy chambers  38  is attached to the moving loop cable  20  by means of a series of a boom cable stay attaching elements  28 , providing neutral buoyancy at the depth of the return line of the moving loop cable  20 , and preventing the return line of the moving loop cable from sagging down, pulling the end pulley or tail spool forward, and interrupting the generator&#39;s production of electricity, and in the event of an accident that pulls the cable off the pulley, preventing the entire moving loop cable from sinking below the depth of the return line and being lost in the ocean. 
     In  FIG. 5 , a pressure roller  32  having a center pivot  33  attached by a pivot arm  34  to an external pivot  36  on the support structure  50  may be pressed against the cable  20  on the pulley  30  by a spring  35  or hydraulic device as a bearing force means for maintaining the moving loop cable  20  against each pulley  30  to reduce slippage therebetween and to maximize power transfer between the moving loop cable  20  and the pulleys  30  preferably applying the bearing force against the moving cable loop  20  perpendicular to each pulley  30  adjacent at an initial point of contact therebetween. The means for maintaining the moving loop cable  20  against each pulley  30  may further comprise a phase changing lubricant  37 A on a contacting surface  26 , in  FIG. 4 , between the moving loop cable  20  and each pulley  30  so that the pressure of the pressure roller  32  causes a phase change in the phase changing lubricant  37 A from a liquid phase of the phase changing lubricant  37 A on the free cable to a solid phase of the phase changing lubricant  37 B against the pulley  30  binding the moving loop cable  20  to the pulley  30  for maximum friction to prevent slippage therebetween. 
     An upright structure  50  and  50 A is anchored on a bottom of the body of water as a means for anchoring each pulley to a bottom of the body of water. In  FIG. 1 , for a deep water electrical energy generating underwater sail and cable pulley system, a tall upright structure  50  extends up above the body of water and further comprising at least one wind turbine generator  40  with an array of wind turbines  41  may be mounted on the upright structure  50  and may include a fresh water condensation system  43 . A fish hatchery and harvester  42  may also be mounted on the upright structure  50 . In  FIG. 1 , a concrete foundation  53  and support cables  51  with bottom anchor posts  52  may be used to anchor the vertical support in addition to burying the bottom of the vertical support. In  FIG. 2 , for a shallow water electrical energy generating underwater sail and cable pulley system, a buried heavy steel vertical post  50 A may be used with a steel thrust beam  54  at an angle to the vertical post  50 A against a concrete foundation  53  in the direction of the cable loop  20  combine with cables  51  and bottom anchor posts  52  combine to support and stabilize the vertical support  50 A. 
     All parts must be extremely strong and corrosion resistant to function properly and resist corrosion in a salt water environment. 
     In use, the electrical energy generating underwater sail and cable pulley system  10  would be installed in a location with constant powerful water currents for a continual output of electricity. 
     It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.