Patent Abstract:
A wave action electric generating system comprises a platform floating on water, the platform being subject to rocking from side to side from wave action; an electric generator disposed on the platform; a pulley engagable with the generator in a first direction to power the generator, and free-wheeling with the generator in a second direction opposite the first direction; a spring to rewind the cable; an arm extending over the water, the arm including a far end that moves substantially up and down over the water as the platform rocks from side to side; a cable operably connected to the pulley and supported by the far end, the cable pulling on the pulley in the first direction and rewinding around the pulley in the second direction; a member disposed in the water and connected to another end of the cable, the member resisting lifting as the far end moves upwardly from wave action thereby to unwind the cable and drive the generator, the member resisting sinking as the far end moves downwardly, thereby to rewind the cable.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a nonprovisional application claiming the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/129,226, filed Jun. 12, 2008, herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally directed to wave action electric generating systems and in particular to a wave action electric generating system that harnesses the rocking motion of a floating platform. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A floating platform uses a device which provides drag when pulled through water, which is connected via cables, pulleys, and/or hydraulic or pressurized means to convert wave energy into electric energy. The rocking/pulling motion of the platform in rough seas allows the drags to exert a pulling force on the cables/hydraulic lines connected to the generator. 
     A wave action electric generating system comprises a platform floating on water, the platform being subject to rocking from side to side from wave action; an electric generator disposed on the platform; a pulley engagable with the generator in a first direction to power the generator, and free-wheeling with the generator in a second direction opposite the first direction; a spring to rewind the cable; an arm extending over the water, the arm including a far end that moves substantially up and down over the water as the platform rocks from side to side; a cable operably connected to the pulley and supported by the far end, the cable pulling on the pulley in the first direction and rewinding around the pulley in the second direction; a member disposed in the water and connected to another end of the cable, the member resisting lifting as the far end moves upwardly from wave action thereby to unwind the cable and drive the generator, the member resisting sinking as the far end moves downwardly, thereby to rewind the cable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is schematic perspective view of a wave action electric generator made in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 1 , showing the platform tilting to the right due to wave action. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 1 , showing the platform tilting to the left due to wave action. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic side elevational view of a pulley/generator arrangement, with portions shown in cross-section. 
         FIGS. 5-7  are schematic side elevational views of a drag member that changes its configuration, generating more or less drag, depending on the direction of pull, as it moves through the water. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic side elevational view of a pulley/generator arrangement used in the system of  FIG. 8 , with portions shown in cross-section. 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 8 , showing the platform tilting to the right due to wave action. 
         FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 8 , showing the platform tilting to the left due to wave action. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic side elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention, showing the drag member being pulled out due to water currents. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic side elevational view of the embodiment of  FIG. 11 , showing the drag member being pulled in by a rewinding mechanism, with the drag member collapsed to present minimum drag. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic side elevational view of  FIG. 1 , showing the system anchored to the sea bottom. 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic side elevational view of a pulley/generator arrangement in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, with portions shown in cross-section 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A wave action electric generating system R is disclosed. A floating platform  2 , such as a barge, boat etc. includes drag members  4  designed to provide drag when being pulled through fluid. These drag members  4  are attached to high strength cable  6  and or hydraulic lines or levers, which in turn are connected to a pulley  7  connected to the shaft of a generator  8 . Booms or arms  9  extend over the water to guide the cable  6 . Pulleys  11  allow the cables  6  to change direction as they course from the generators  8  to the drag members  4 . The generators  8  are equipped with flywheels  13  to even out the rotational energy imparted by the cables  6 . A single or multitude of these structures could be rigged to a single or multiple generators. 
     When the cable  6  is pulled out (when the floating structure moves upward by way of wave movement), the pulley  7  spins and turns the generator shaft, which exerts force on the generator. When the pulling ceases (when the floating structure begins its downward motion) a spring  10  recoils the cable  6  by counter rotating the pulley  7  to rewind the cable  6 . The pulley  7  is connected to the generator shaft through a one-way clutch  15  such that the shaft rotates only in one direction but not in the opposite direction. Specifically, the shaft does not turn when the pulley  7  is rewinding from the force of the spring  10 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . An example of the one-way clutch  15  is a mechanism found in a standard ratchet wrench where force can be exerted in one direction while able to spin freely in the other rotational direction. The one-way clutch  15  may also be electrically operated, wherein the clutch is engaged when rotating in one direction, but electrically disengaged when the reverse direction is sensed. The recoiling mechanism allows the cable  6  to rewind itself so the process can repeat itself. With the use of the one-way clutch  15 , force is exerted on the generator in one direction by way of the dragging force of the drag members  4  on the cables  6 , and force from the spring  10  is used to rewind the cable  6  without turning the generator. The one-way clutch  15  also allows the flywheel  13  to continue to rotate while the cable  6  is rewinding or the pulley  7  is stopped. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , during operation, a wave  12  causes the platform  2  to tilt toward the right of the page, causing the right cable  6  to rewind, without exerting any torque on its associated generator shaft, while the cable  6  on the left exerts a turning force on the generator crankshaft, thereby generating electricity. As the wave  12  passes through, another wave  14  moves in, causing the platform to tilt toward the left of the page, thus causing the cable on the right to exert a torque on the associated generator  8 , while the cable on the left rewinds, without causing any turning force on its associated generator  8 . 
     The floating platform  2  is designed to maximize the natural rocking motion imparted by the waves, allowing for the maximum amount of flux in any given wave conditions. Thus the bottom could be rounded, flat, or angled. The structure  2  could be built to maximize size and weight, for added inertia, or minimized to minimize inertia, depending on the prevalent wave conditions. A heavy large platform  2  could exert great pressures on relatively large drags, in large waves, while a lighter more buoyant platform could be optimal for smaller waves. 
     The more the edges of the platform rock the more power can be generated by the generators  8 . Thus the structure  2  should be designed to maximize its natural instability. However the drag members  4  counter this instability. Relative stability of the platform could be adjusted by the amount of torque power allowed to be exerted on the crankshaft. The more torque power allowed upon the crankshaft, the more stable the platform. Less torque could yield more instability. The electric output is determined by the size of the waves/swell, the size of the drags, the frequency of cable pulls per given unit of time, and the amount of torque exerted on the generator crankshaft (determined in part by float mass and buoyancy). 
     The drag members  4  contain a certain level of counter-resistance to water pressure when sinking. Referring to  FIG. 1 , each of the drag members  4  is hollow member that fills up with water, and presents a large internal surface  16  to the water as the cable  6  tries to lift it up as the platform tilts to the right, in the case of the drag member  4  on the left, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The larger the horizontal projection of the internal surface  16  to the direction of motion of the cable, the greater the drag force. The curved surface of the internal surface  16  also provides a stabilizing effect to the drag member  4  due to the water deflecting off the curved surface  16  as the cable  6  tries to lift up the drag member. 
     The outside surface  18  provides a counter-resistance to the water as the drag member  4  sinks, as indicated for the drag member  4  on the right side of  FIG. 2 . This is needed for the re-coil spring  10 , so the recoil can take place with little or no energy. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5-7 , another embodiment of the drag member is disclosed. The drag member  20  is shaped like an inverted umbrella. In this case, when the umbrella shaped drag member  20  is pulled on, the drag member  20  opens up progressively, as shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , and resists the upward movement. When sinking, the drag member  20  also resists the sinking motion as well (to a lesser extent). 
     The drag members could be situated such that they sit deep in the water, or near the surface. If near the surface, and if pulled above the water line, the weight of the water held within the drag member will pull the drag member back into the water (based on the setting of the torque on the rewind device). This is one way to provide the most torque power with the smallest size drag member, since pulling water above the water line exerts more power than merely dragging through the water. 
     In another embodiment, the system disclosed in  FIG. 1  is modified so that both the left and right drag members are connected to a single generator  8 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . The cables are connected to two pulleys  22  and  24 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . The pulleys are arranged so that one of the drag members  4  is used to drive the generator, while the other drag member is used to rewind the cable. The pulleys are connected to the generator shaft through the one-way clutch  15  that allows rotation of the shaft only in one direction. In this embodiment, the recoil spring is eliminated. Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the right hand drag member  4  may be used to turn the generator  8 , while the drag member on the left is used to rewind the cable of the right hand cable. In  FIG. 10 , the cable on the left is extended after rewinding the cable on the right. As the platform  2  tilts to the left, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the cable on the right extends, causing the generator shaft to turn, while rewinding the cable on the left, which is then ready to rewind the cable on the right as the platform tilts to the right. 
     The system can also be arranged such that two drag members  4  are connected to the pulleys  22  and  24  with each pulley having their own one-way clutches  15  and  17  and rewind spring  10  that allows each pulley to rewind independently of the other pulley, as shown in  FIG. 15 . The cables  6  on the right and left hand of  FIG. 10  will be arranged such that when torque is applied by either cable on the generator, the shaft is rotated only in one direction. Both cables on the right and left will be wound in the same direction on the associated pulleys  22  and  24 . The left hand side cable  6  shown in dashed lines in  FIGS. 10 and 11  is wound around its pulley in the same direction as the right hand cable  6  such that either cable will be imparting torque to the generator in the same direction. As the cable  6  on the right is extending, as shown in  FIG. 10 , imparting torque to the generator, the cable  6  on the left hand side would be rewinding. In the same manner, as the cable on the left hand side is extending to drive the generator, the cable  6  on the right is rewinding. In this manner, the left and right side drag members  4  are effective in imparting torque to the generator. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention includes drag members that incorporate a mechanism as part of the drag cable, that alters the degree to which the walls of the drag members are set, and thus the amount of drag they produce. This may be necessary in order to keep the cable centered or positioned at a preferred depth, and to provide a preferred amount of drag/back pressure etc, as well as maintain a limited amount of line to be drawn out. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . A parachute-like drag member  26  is situated at a slight distance from the platform  2  (so as not to interfere with the vertical drags). The drag member  26  is used to minimize the pull of the platform in current and/or wind. The drag member  26  will pull out the cable  6  based on the current and wind exerted on the platform  2 , as shown in  FIG. 12 , thereby driving the generator  8 . When the drag member  26  reaches a certain distance from the platform, the drag member  26  will collapse and/or a mechanism that reduces the drag will be initiated such that the device can be recoiled by a relatively strong recoil device, such as the spring  10 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , the system R is shown anchored to the bottom of the sea with cables  28  tied to anchors  30  and cable  32  tied to a pivoting ball  34 . 
     Advantageously, the various embodiments of the present invention can be used to great avail and easy implementation on boats. Boats currently incorporate drag structures to stabilize boats, and parachutes to keep boats from drifting too much. The present invention provides the means to extract the energy from such devices. 
     The system disclosed herein is not only potentially capable of creating an immense amount of electricity for use on an industrial scale, but it also can provide stability for the platform such that it may be of commercial interest for use in fish-farming or other open ocean ventures. 
     The present invention disposes the majority of its components that may need to be maintained or replaced above the water and on the floating platform for easy accessibility. Whereas many previous wave action generator designs, have critical components located underwater, the present invention has critical components, such as the generators, above the water. 
     The present invention makes use of the dynamic, oscillating movement that a platform undergoes in oceanic or turbulent waters. When incorporating a multitude of these devices on one floatation device, one can effectively harvest the energy exerted on each side/area of the platform, in effect also making angled movements (of the platform as a whole) useful for energy extraction as well. If for example, one has a square floatation barge, and a wave hits a certain corner of a the barge, that corner in itself is generating electricity by way of the aforementioned method, before the wave passes to the remainder of the barge and as each station lifts each station cranks a generator, or a central generator. 
     While this invention has been described as having preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modification, uses and/or adaptations following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5