Patent Abstract:
A windpower generator apparatus having a rotor with an axis of rotation placed in a frame adapted to a ridge of a roof. The frame has a pair of deflectors suitable for focusing air flow toward the rotor. Each of the deflectors has a pair of side walls, an upper wall and a lower wall defining a tunnel narrowing toward the rotor. The pair of deflectors having parts respectively at the upper walls and the lower walls so as to conform to a slope of the roof and to maintain a same ratio between openings at opposite ends of the deflectors.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a modular roof wind-power generator device. 
     A roof wind-power generator device consists of a wind-power generator arranged on the roof of a building permitting to use the height of said building to collect the air flows. 
     Advantageously, such a device is preferably arranged at the ridge of the roof, so as to use the slope of the latter as a deflector and, hence, as an accelerator. 
     2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98 
     The rotors used are of all types, namely with a vertical or horizontal axis of rotation, with an axis of rotation substantially in the direction of the wind or substantially at right angles with respect to the direction of the wind. Most frequently used are the rotors with a horizontal axis parallel to the ridge of the roof. 
     The most often used ones among the roof wind-power generator devices each include a rotor placed in a frame aimed at being arranged on the ridge of a roof, said frame comprising, on each of both sides of the roof, on both sides of the ridge edge, a set of deflectors capable of focusing the air flows in the direction of said rotor. 
     Many roof wind-power generator devices are known, such as e.g. those described in DE 9314187 and DE 19644890. 
     The implementation of a roof wind-power generator device requires many arrangements of the building, whether said device is installed during the construction of said building or afterwards. On the other hand, the wind-power generator device must necessarily undergo structural modifications in order to permit its adapting to the shape of the roof, and more specifically to the slope of the latter. 
     Now, these various modifications can have an impact on the operation of the wind-power generator device, and not only on its performances. That is why the roof wind-power generator devices are generally each designed for a roof with a particular angle of inclination. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, the aim of the present invention is to provide a roof wind-power generator device that has many advantages, on the one hand, from the viewpoint of the efficiency and, on the other hand, from the viewpoint of the operation, and that is in addition modular, so that it can be adapted to the architecture of the roof, namely its slopes, while keeping its efficiency and operation performances. 
     The roof wind-power generator device according to the invention includes a rotor with a horizontal axis of rotation substantially at right angles with respect to the direction of the wind, and placed in a frame aimed at being arranged on the ridge of the roof. The frame comprises, on each of both sides of the roof, on both sides of the ridge edge, a set of deflectors capable of focusing the air flows in the direction of said rotor, and wherein each of said sets of deflectors comprises four walls, two side walls, an upper wall and a lower wall. The walls form a cone-shaped tunnel narrowing from its outer end to its end on the side of said rotor, and they are shaped, internally to said tunnel, so that the junction area between two adjacent walls has a square profile on the side of said outer end, and a rounded profile on the side of said rotor, the passing from one profile to the next one occurring progressively. The frame and said sets of deflectors include means designed capable of permitting an adapting to the slopes of the roof, while keeping for said tunnels the same ratio between their opening on the outer side and their opening on the side of said rotor. 
     According to an additional feature of the device according to the invention, the frame includes a reinforcement comprising first elements designed capable of being fixed to the framework of the roof to be equipped and of receiving the sets of deflectors, and second elements designed capable of receiving the rotor, said first and second elements being made integral with each other through evolving connecting means adaptable to the slopes of said roof. 
     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the first elements consist of two pairs of arms each comprising two sections including an angle between them, one of the arms of a pair being aimed at being made integral by a section with the framework, parallel to the slope of the latter, while the other arm of the same pair is aimed at being made integral by a section with the framework, parallel to the other slope, both free sections being upright and connected through connecting means. 
     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the connecting means comprise a planar element arranged in a vertical plane perpendicular to the ridge edge, and in which is provided for a slot having the shape of an arc of a circle through which is made the connection with the free section of an arm with the possibility of displacement of the connecting organ in said slot. 
     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the junction of the lower wall of a set of deflectors with the lower wall of the other set of deflectors occurs through a part made of flexible or semi-rigid material designed capable of being deformed and/or cut so as to be adapted to the slopes of the roof. 
     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the part made of flexible or semi-rigid material is formed of two parts connected and assembled by means of a seal. 
     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the junction of the upper wall of a set of deflectors with the upper wall of the other set of deflectors occurs through a part made of flexible or semi-rigid material designed capable of being deformed and/or cut so as to be adapted to the slopes of the roof. 
     The advantages and the features of the device according to the invention will become clear from the following description, which relates to the attached drawing that represents one non-restrictive embodiment of same. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic partial perspective view of part of a roof wind-power generator device according to the invention, installed on a framework. 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic partial elevation view seen in profile of the same part of the same device on the same framework. 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic partial view of the device according to the invention on the same framework. 
         FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  show perspective views of elements the same device is comprised of. 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic perspective view of a roof wind-power generator device according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c  and  6   d  show schematic elevation views seen in profile of the same device in different configurations of use, depending on the slopes of the roof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     When referring to  FIG. 1 , one can see a roof  1  and in particular part of its framework  10 , namely rafters  11  and a ridge purlin  12 , aimed at receiving a roof wind-power generator device according to the invention. It should be noted that reference will be made, in the following description, to the installation of a roof wind-power generator device on a roof, knowing that it is perfectly possible to install several of them on one and the same roof, in a juxtaposed way or not. 
     The roof  1  is of a classical type; i.e. it includes two slopes  13  and  14 , each including the same angle. The roof wind-power generator device according to the invention is adaptable to the roof  1 , irrespective of the angle of inclination of the slopes  13  and  14 . It should be noted that it is also possible to adapt the roof wind-power generator device according to the invention to a roof both slopes of which have different angles of inclination. 
     In  FIG. 1 , the frame  2  of the roof wind-power generator device according to the invention can be seen, which comprises:
         cross beams  20  made integral with the rafters  11 , transversally to the latter; first supporting elements  21  fixed to the cross beams  20 ; and   second supporting elements  22  made integral with the first elements  21  and aimed at bearing the rotor, not shown.       

     When referring also to  FIG. 2 , one can also see that the first elements  21  consist of two pairs of arms  23 , each one comprising two sections  24  and  25  including between them an angle, in this case of 140°, non-restrictively. 
     For each of the pairs of arms  23 , the sections  24  of the two arms  23  are made integral with the cross beams  20 , one on the side of the slope  13  and the other one on the side of the slope  14 , while the sections  25  stand upwards in order to be connected to the second elements  22  through a connecting plate  26 . 
     The fixing of each section  25  to the connecting plate  26  occurs at the level of the latter through a slot  27  having the shape of an arc of a circle in which a connecting organ such as a screw or the like can move, and which permits an angular displacement of the section  25  and, hence, of the arm  23  with respect to the plate  26 , so as to permit an adapting to the slope  13  or  14 . 
     The second elements  22  consist of two brackets, each integral with a connecting plate  26 , and connected through a beam  28  parallel to the ridge purlin  12 . It should be noted that each of the plates  26  includes, on the inner side, a bracket  29  aimed at making integral the rotor. 
     After firm connection of all the elements of the frame  2  to each other as well as to the framework  10  through cross beams  20 , the frame  2  is provided with deflector means, as can be seen in  FIG. 3 , which form two tunnels  3  arranged on both sides of the second means  22 . Only the beam  29  is visible, each tunnel  3  comprising, at the outer side, an opening  30  and, at the inner side, an opening  31  emerging on the rotor, not shown. The tunnels have a general conical shape, i.e. they are narrowing from the opening  30  towards the opening  31 . 
     Each tunnel  3  comprises a lower wall  32  fixed to the cross beams  23 , two side walls  33  enclosing the lower wall  32  and each fixed to an arm  23 , and an upper wall  34  enclosed between the two side walls  33  and fixed to the latter. 
     The junction between two adjacent walls occurs through an area  35  in the conical portion; i.e. this junction has a square profile at the side of the opening  30 , and a rounded profile with a large radius on the side of the opening  31 , the passing from one profile to the other one occurring progressively. Thus, the opening  30  consists of a rectangle, while the opening  31  has an oval or elongated shape. 
     The junction between the two lower walls  32  of the two tunnels  3  occurs through a part  36  made of flexible or semi-rigid material, only shown in  FIG. 4   b , while the junction between the upper walls  34  occurs by means of a part  37  made of flexible or semi-rigid material, only shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The parts  36  and  37  are aimed at covering more or less the walls  32  and  34 , respectively, depending on the inclination of the slopes  13  and  14 . It should be noted that these parts  36  and  37  can be designed cuttable to length. 
     Furthermore, the part  37  can be designed made of two portions that can be assembled by means of a junction seal. 
     After assembling of the deflector means, the roof wind-power generator device  4  according to the invention, shown in  FIG. 5 , can be clad, so as to be in harmony with the esthetics of the building equipped with same. The tunnels  3 , only one of which is visible, are thus covered with a roof  40 , while the side walls  33  are provided with side plates  41 . 
     It should be noted that the openings  30  of the tunnels  3  are provided with a frame  42  the elements of which are beveled. 
     The rotor  5 , which is arranged at the junction of both tunnels  3 , has a horizontal axis substantially at right angles with respect to the direction of the wind. It can have various architectures, non-restrictively e.g. of the Savonius type. 
     When referring now to  FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c  and  6   d , one can see four different configurations of installation of the roof wind-power generator device according to the invention, each one being different because of the angles of inclination of the roof  1 , 20°, 30°, 40° and 60°, respectively, with respect to the horizontal line. 
     The tunnels  3  are not deformed, but, since their lower walls  32  are parallel to the slopes  13  and  14 , there is created, depending on the angle of inclination, an angular distance between both tunnels  3 . The gaps created by this angular distance are filled by means of the parts  36  and  37 , which permit to ensure a continuity of the lower  32  and upper  34  walls. The parts  36  and  37  have a cross-section with a particular shape, thus the part  37  has a concave shape, substantially concentric to the rotor  5 , while the part  36  is convex. 
     Thus, the tunnels  3  keep their technical features, irrespective of the inclination of the roof. 
     At the level of the manufacture, the frame  2  is made out of metal, while the deflector means are made out of plastic. 
     The various walls  32 ,  33  and  34  are advantageously obtained through molding, by integrating encasing means, so as to permit an easy implementation.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5