Patent ID: 8177481

Claim:
A vertical axis wind turbine, comprising: an umbrella-type rotor comprising a vertical oriented shaft, and a mounting support, wherein the mounting support comprises an umbrella base having a flat bottom section that goes radially around the vertical oriented shaft, and a cone-shape, roof-type top part having an apex secured to a top end of the vertical oriented shaft and a bottom secured to the umbrella base; and a plurality of vertical oriented blades angle-equally and radially secured to the cone-shape, roof-type top part of the mounting, each of the plurality of vertical oriented blades having a face side, a back side, at least one window and at least one pane pivotally mounted onto the at least one window on the face side such that the at least one pane is rotatable between a closed position and an opening position around a pivotal axis responsive to a wind condition thereof, the pivotal axis being substantially perpendicular to the vertical oriented shaft, wherein when no wind flows towards the face and back sides of one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades, the at least one pane of the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades is in the closed position, and no force is generated on the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades; wherein when wind flows towards the back side of the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades, the at least one pane rotates to the opening position, and no force is generated on the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades; and wherein when wind flows towards the face side of the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades, the at least one pane of the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades rotates to in the closed position, and a force is generated on the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades, which propels the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades to rotate around the vertical oriented shaft in a rotation direction from the face side to the back side of the one of the plurality of vertical oriented blades, thereby causing the rotor to rotate in the rotation direction.