Richard STEINKE
Wind Sail Receptor
Wind Sail Receptor, Inc.
http://www.windsailreceptor.com
Richard Steinke
President and CEO
ras@windsailreceptor.com
Phone: (702) 293-1403
Video -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcJ40Nq1FVk
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=106396
Pioneering design of wind sail receptor’s rotor
blades increases efficiencies while reducing maintenance
costs
Bayer MaterialScience
Polyurethane Raw Materials Used in Formulations for Lighter,
More Compact Blades with Enhanced Durability and Weatherability
Boulder City, Nev., March 3, 2009 - Wind Sail Receptor, Inc. is
developing a rotor blade design that could change how wind
turbines harness power.
“We have the major breakthrough,” said Richard Steinke, president
and CEO of Wind Sail Receptor, Inc. “Our tests show that our
product provides
three times
more efficiency than existing turbines.”
The Wind Sail Receptor’s Quad Blade Construction uses Bayer
MaterialScience’s
polyurethane
raw materials to increase durability and weatherability, while
reducing the weight of the blades and maintenance costs.
The resulting polyurethane system offers flexibility and
resistance to the elements that is vital to the success of
Steinke’s design. Most rotor blades on the market are made of
glass-fiber or carbon-fiber reinforced plastics and similar to an
airplane propeller, according to the World Wind Energy
Association.
Blades made of those materials are vulnerable to cracking or
drooping after prolonged exposure to the elements, Steinke
explained. The airplane design also doesn’t enable the best use of
blade surface, he said. When combined, these problems lead to
increased maintenance costs and downtime, reducing efficiency.
The unique design of the Wind Sail Receptor blades improves their
ability to capture wind: They can generate power in winds of five
miles per hour and continue generating at up to 50 miles per hour,
depending on the size of a new technology for a variable
generator, Steinke said.
The Wind Sail Receptor’s design is also
more compact and lighter than existing blades.
Steinke estimates that a rotor blade for a standard one-megawatt
turbine weighs roughly four tons and measures 100 feet. The Wind
Sail Receptor blades will weigh no more than a half ton each and
have a measurement of less than 50 feet, Steinke explained.
Tests conducted showed that the blades developed by Wind Sail
Receptor will
outperform
existing blade designs without the high-pitched whooshing sound.
The Wind Sail Receptor design comes at an opportune time as wind
power generation continues to expand. In the United States, wind
power installations were expected to be 7,500 megawatts in 2008
alone – enough power to generate electricity for 2.2 million
homes, the American Wind Energy Association reported.
Steinke estimates that he’ll have a market-ready product this year
that could be distributed through utility companies, possibly via
joint ventures. He anticipates being able to sell the design
across three platforms—from smaller units targeted for home and
commercial use to larger half-megawatt and one-megawatt units.
For this project Steinke utilizes Bayer MaterialScience’s MDI
aromatic isocyanate prepolymer and a mix of two different polyols.
Steinke purchases them from The E.T. Horn Company, a distributor
of Bayer MaterialScience’s polyurethane raw materials.
“I’ve always used Bayer MaterialScience raw materials in my
formulations because they have the highest quality controls. The
quality is always right,” Steinke said. “The blades are the most
important part, and with the high quality of Bayer MaterialScience
materials, they will surely stand the test of time.”
This project was an ideal fit for Bayer MaterialScience as well,
according to Tom Petricko, marketing manager – distribution, Bayer
MaterialScience LLC. “Sustainability has always been top-of-mind
at Bayer,” he explains. “For that reason, the opportunity to play
a key role in a project that advances the use of renewable energy
is in perfect alignment with our ongoing commitment to
sustainability and company motto: Science for a better life.”
About Wind Sail Receptor, Inc.
Wind Sail Receptor, Inc. was incorporated in the state of Nevada
in December 2002.Since its inception the company has been working
to invent a wind energy system that replaces conventional wisdom
about wind capturing energy technology along with sustaining
durability.
About Bayer MaterialScience
Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of
polymers and high-performance plastics in North America and is
part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with nearly
15,400 employees at 30 sites around the world and 2007 sales of
10.4 billion euros. Business activities are focused on the
manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of
innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily
life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and
electronics, construction, medical, and sports and leisure
industries. Our inorganic basic chemicals unit produces
chlorine and related essential products for the chemicals
industry.
The Wind Sail Receptor’s Quad Blade Construction promises to
increase efficiencies compared with existing products. Molded from
polyurethane raw materials from Bayer MaterialScience, the rotor
blades are lighter, more compact and more durable than wind
turbine blades now in use.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/15/boulder-city-oks-experimental-wind-turbine/
Boulder City OKs experimental wind turbine
by
Tiffany Gibson
Jan. 15, 2010
Boulder City has agreed to let a company build an experimental
wind turbine on a tract of city land in exchange for the power it
generates.
“If this is successful, there is no other alternative energy that
can match this technology,” said Richard Steinke, chairman of Wind
Sail Receptor Inc.
“This alternative energy would bring in a kilowatt of power much
less than 5 cents per kilowatt. There is nothing that I know of
that can compete with this, not even coal,” he said.
Steinke said he created his windmill design five years ago, and
his calculations indicate his wind turbine will be able to produce
more than one megawatt of power with winds of 25 mph. And it
should generate energy with winds as light as 3 mph, he said.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Steinke submitted a request to
use one acre north of Canyon Road to build and observe his wind
turbine for a year. He said he also plans to build a
blade-constructing facility nearby, which would bring an estimated
91 jobs to the city.
“We feel so confident in this that already I have eight countries
that have flown in and looked at this technology,” Steinke said.
“I have existing orders, but I need to build this to get the
sizing of the unit.”
The City Council voted unanimously to grant the land for the
project. A license agreement will be presented to the council next
month for approval.
City Manager Vicki Mayes said the Canyon Road site was selected
because it is a good location for wind and close to the city’s
electric system. She said the city will not charge Steinke rent
for the land as long as the output from the turbine is provided to
Boulder City at no cost.
Steinke told council members that he plans to make his windmill
turbine design modular so it will be easier to move if it does not
work. He also said he wants to make the equipment blend in with
the landscape.
Wind Sail Receptor will pay for all of the project’s expenses,
including liability insurance, he said.
Councilman Cam Walker said the wind turbine would help reduce
their power rates and allow the community to become more
self-reliant, especially with two or three wind turbines.
KR20080065624
WIND SAIL RECEPTOR
Inventor: STEINKE RICHARD A [US] ; MCGUIRE JOHN
EC: B63H1/26B; F03D1/06B; (+1)
IPC: F04D29/26; F04D29/38; F04D29/26; (+1)
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention pertains to wind mill blades, blades for
turning by a water flow and blades for turning in water, that are
for mounting to an axle for turning in a frame that is fitted to a
tower to turn in the wind and produce a power output for doing
work, or for turning in water.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] The present invention is in a new and substantially more
efficient wind powered blade structure than any presently
available wind mill blade or blade arrangements. Examples of a
variety of both old and new blade configurations are shown in U.S.
patents to Logsoon, Des. No. 141,589; to Amico, U.S. Pat. No.
2,023,659; to Preston, U.S. Pat. No. 2,102,913; to Bunzer, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,109,828; to Krolick, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,592;
to Wortham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,006; to Arreola, Jr., U.S. Pat.
No. 4,926,061; to Vainrub, U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,541; to Hosoda,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,059; and to Zeng, U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,251, as
well as in published U.S. patent applications to Gericke de Vega,
US2001/0011825 and to Johann, US2002/0070558. Unlike these and
other known earlier blade configurations, the wind sail receptor
design of the invention employs a pair of quad blades where each
quad blade is formed from a continuous section of material,
providing a stronger finished construction than is possible where
individual blades are axially fitted together. In which fitting
together, at equal distances around a front disk and rear hub,
sail portions of the individual blades are equidistant from one
another and overlap. Which blades spacing provides a uniform air
flow path to a wind flow through the blades, and with each blade
bent to function as a sail, functioning like a headsail or jib on
a sail boat. The blade arrangement provides a greatly improved
force of blade turning from even a light or variable wind in that
the blades, when attached between the front disk and rear hub, are
stiff and will efficiently derive energy from turning that is
transferred into an axle connect between the blades front disk and
rear hub, with that turning converted to useful energy, such as
electrical energy, from a turning of a connected generated and
with that produced energy to be stored in a battery or batteries,
or can be directed into an electrical grid.
[0005] Heretofore, wind mill blade configurations have lack
efficiency, particularly the blades as are turned in a wind farm
operation, and operate at only an efficiency of approximately
twenty (20), thereby utilizing only a small percentage of the
energy of a wind passing through the blades, and, accordingly,
have had to be large to produce a worthwhile energy output.
Present day examples of such wind farm type blades are long, heavy
blades, usually three blades, that are both expensive to construct
and maintain, particularly as to bearing wear. The wind sail
receptor of the invention unlike such wind farm blades, or blades
like those shown in the above cited prior art, provide a
substantially greater efficiency, of approximately ninety (90)
percent in winds of from eight (8) to ten (10) miles per hour and
greater, and utilizes a blade arrangement whose diameter is
measured in inches rather than in feet. Such blade arrangement, of
course, is far less expensive to construct and maintain, is a
significantly more efficient than earlier blade configurations and
is therefore a very significant improvement in wind power
generation systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is a principal object of the present invention to
provide a wind sail receptor that has an arrangement of three to
ten blades that are equally spaced and are connected axially,
forming a blade arrangement of a wind powered device for
converting wind energy into usable power.
[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide, as a
preferred blade arrangement, two sets of four equally spaced
blades, that are connected axially, forming a single blade
arrangement of a wind-powered device for converting wind energy
into usable power.
[0008] Another object of the present invention to provide a wind
sail receptor were the individual blades are each curved from a
leading to trailing edge to perform a function like that of a
sail, like that of a head sail or jib of a sailing ship, and which
blades are equally spaced from one another around a forward disk
to where a flow of air passing across each blade leading edge acts
around the curve of the blade to efficiently convert wind energy
into blade rotation and turn an axle or shaft extending from the
trailing face of a rear hub, turning a power generation device.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
wind sail receptor where a trailing edge of each blade has an half
round section proximate to a blade hub, that translates into a
flat outer section that extends to the blade end, and is to
provide a flow path for a wind traveling around the blade curved
surface to discourage generation of turbulence in the flow at the
blade trailing edge.
[0010] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a novel design of wind sail receptor blades that, by their
construction from a light gauge material, will respond to an
increase in wing speed by becoming more rigid making each blade
suitable for turning in even a high wind and water.
[0011] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a wind sail receptor blade assembly having a minimum of one set of
three to five blades, and preferably with two sets of blades
forming a blade assembly of from six to ten blades, with the blade
assemblies for axial assembly between an aligned forward disk and
rear hub and with the individual blade bent around a selected arc
and are attached, at equal spaced intervals to the forward disk,
forming the three to ten equally spaced blades that overlap one
another, providing uniform spacing between the blade leading
edges, whereby an air or water flow will strike a curved blade
portion, converting wind or water flow energy into blade turning,
with the assembly to exhibit approximately a ninety (90) percent
efficiency in a conversion of wind or water flow energy into blade
turning.
[0012] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a wind sail receptor where each set of blades is formed from a
flat section of light gauge material where the individual blades
are formed by a removal or like spaced curved sections that extend
from the center area of the flat section, out to the section edge,
squaring off the blade outer end edges and connecting an outer
edge end of each blade to a forward disk.
[0013] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a wind sail receptor that is simple and economical to produce
where the single set or the two sets of blades are easily
manufacture by stamping methods, and with the sets secured as a
stack at their center rear hubs and with the individual blades
formed by a connecting each blade outer edge end to a forward disk
to form the wind sail receptor where the individual blades are
equally spaced and including a shaft or axle fitted between the
forward disk and rear hub to turn or be turned by a power
producing device, producing a power output from the blade turning.
[0014] The present invention is in a unique wind sail receptor
configuration for inclusion in a wind power or water operated
system where blade turning converts wind or water flow energy into
usable power, or where blade turning provides thrust through
water. Two wind sail receptor segments of three to five blades
each can be used, with a four-blade assembly being preferred and
are herein referred to as a quad blade assembly, for forming the
wind sail receptor assembly. The two segments of three to five
blades each are fitted one over the other and connected at rear
hub sections, with ends of each of the blades then bent through a
selected arc as determined by the relationship of the axial
spacing distance between the rear hub and forward disk and the
blade length between which hub and its connection point to the
forward disk, with the blade ends connected, at spaced intervals,
around the forward disk. A shaft or axle is secured between the
rear hub sections and forward disk, and that shaft is journaled
between bearings in a frame or housing to allow the shaft or axle
to be turned by blade turning responsive to an air of water flow
through the blades, or the axle itself can be turned to turn the
blades in water to generate thrust. Each blade segment is formed
from a flat section of a stiff material, such as from light gauge
steel, plastic, fiberglass or an elastomeric material, such as
urethane. In practice, for forming each of the blade segments,
like spaced sections corresponding to the number of blades to be
formed in the section, are removed at equal intervals from the
flat section of stiff material, with the removed sections
extending from an outside edge to a point spaced apart from the
flat section center that becomes the rear hub. A hole is formed in
a dog leg bend of each blade of each of two blade segments, and
each blade is bent through an arc that is determined from the
ratio of the length of the axle between the rear hub and forward
disk to the length of the blade between its hub and the blade's
mounting to the forward disk at the hole in the blade dog leg
bend. Which ratio, to form the b lade of the invention, requires
that the axle length be approximately point seventy-five (0.75) to
point eighty-five (0.85) of the blade length.
[0015] For an a six to ten bladed blade assembly, the pair of wind
sail receptor sections are aligned over one another, and, with the
rear hubs of each section aligned, each blade is bent through the
arc determined by a ratio of the distance between the rear hub and
front disk, with that hub to disk spacing ratio being from point
seventy-five (0.75) to point eighty-five (0.85) of the blade
length, connecting the blade dog leg bent to the forward disk, at
one of spaced radial holes that are each equidistant from the
center of which forward disk, forming the wind sail receptor. So
arranged, for the six to ten blade assembly formed by the stack of
two wind sail receptor segments, blade segment rear hubs are
fitted over one another, aligning center holes through each. Which
rear hubs holes align with a center hole formed through the
forward disk to connect to an axle fixing the spacing distance
therebetween as determined for the blade length. Which axle is
journaled through bearings in a frame or mount, to be turned by a
turning of the blade assembly to turn a power generation device,
such as a generator. Or, where the blade assembly and axle are
turned in a water flow to provide thrust, a motor or the like is
connected to turn the axle. Where the blade assembly is turned by
wind, the blade assembly, axle and frame the axle is mounted in,
and the power generation device,
[0016] For the preferred eight-blade assembly, the individual
blades leading edges are spaced equidistantly apart approximately
forty-five (45) degrees, and curve identically from the leading
edge to a trailing edge that is itself curved outwardly from a
lesser width across the blade end through approximately one
hundred eighty (180) degrees to an end that butts against the
blade rear hub. So arranged, the curved blade surface receives an
air or water flow that passes between the adjacent blades that is
essentially without turbulence and acts upon that curved area that
functions like a head or jib sail, efficiently converting wind or
water flow energy into blade turning. Which efficiency, in
practice, is approximately ninety (90) percent efficient. The air
or water flow, during its passage through the wind sail receptor
is essentially turbulence free, with that flow smoothly directed
over each blade surface to pass off of the outward curve formed as
a trailing edge of the blade. In practice, for a wind sail
receptor having a diameter of six (6) feet, a wind velocity of
approximately eight (8) miles per hour directed into the wind sail
receptor will produce approximately a megawatt of power. As a
comparison, for a current three blade wind mill arrangement, to
produce a like power output, the blade assembly diameter, across
the hub must be approximately two hundred feet. Which wind mill
will, of course, experience exponentially greater friction forces
than those the six foot diameter wind sail receptor of the
invention will experiences in like wind conditions. The wind sail
receptor of the invention will, accordingly, have lesser
maintenance requirements than such two hundred foot diameter wind
mill, will be far cheaper to construct and maintain.
[0017] While a wind sail receptor formed from blade segments
having three to five blades, forming a six to ten blade assembly,
the invention can incorporate the single blade section of three to
five equal spaced blades that are fitted to an axle and, which
blade assembly will still function like, though not as
efficiently, as the stack of blade sections that form the six to
ten blade assembly, within the scope of this disclosure. The
invention can be mounted in a frame where the wind sail receptor
is mounted to an axle journaled therein to turn freely to receive
an air flow directed therethrough. Further, the invention mounted
onto an axle can be turned by a power source in water to produce
an output thrust. Where the blade assembly of the invention is to
be turned by a wind or water flow, a frame is appropriate to mount
the axle between bearing, and where the wind sail receptor is for
use as a wind mill, such frame will be preferably mounted to a
pivot that, in turn, will be fitted to pivot on, a pole, tower, or
the like. Such frame can be a half or full hoop, or the like, that
includes side brackets for attachment between sides of a yoke that
is fitted onto, to rotate freely on a pole, to weather vane into a
wind. Which frame to also provide for mounting a power generating
device, such as a generator, to be turned by the turning blade
assembly, generating power that can be transmitted to a power
storage device, such as a battery or batteries, or the like.
Additionally, the frame, rearwardly from the blade assembly, can
mount a rudder arrangement to provide for turning the frame around
its yoke pivot mount to weather vane and position the blade
assembly into the wind.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and
arrangement of parts, and a preferred embodiments of which will be
described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings which form a part hereof:
[0019]
FIG. 1 shows a
profile perspective view taken from a left side and front end of a
single four-blade section of a wind sail receptor blade assembly
of the invention, with arrows illustrating a flow of wind entering
the front of the blade section, moving across each of the blades
to exhaust off from the blades trailing edges;
[0020]
FIG. 2 shows a top
plan view taken of a pair of a flat section of material that four
radial sections of material have been removed from, leaving four
like spaced apart blade portions extending outwardly from around a
rear hub;
[0021]
FIG. 3 shows the
section of material of FIG. 2 after the blades have been bent to
the attitude shown in FIG. 1 and with the blade ends connected at
equal intervals around a forward disk that is shown as having a
center hole formed therethrough;
[0022]
FIG. 4 shows a
front elevation view of a preferred embodiment of an eight-blade
wind sail receptor assembly of the invention that consists of two
sections of wind sail receptor blade sections that, in their flat
state of FIG. 2, have been overlaid and joined together at their
rear hubs and have had their individual blades bent into the blade
curve of FIG. 1 and secured at equal spaced radial intervals
around a single forward disk;
[0023]
FIG. 5 is a side
elevation view of the wind sail receptor of FIG. 4 showing an axle
extending at a right angle outwardly from the joined rear hubs;
[0024]
FIG. 6 is a front
perspective view of the wind sail receptor of FIGS. 4 and 5
axially mounted between vertical supports of a half hoop shaped
housing that is fitted to a yoke that is, in turn, mounted through
a pivot collar to turn on a support pole, and showing a generator
connected through braces to the half hoop shaped housing, with the
generator axially connected at its rotor to a drive axle that is
connected to and turned by the wind sail receptor, and showing a
rudder attached by rudder braces to the half hoop shaped housing,
rearwardly of the wind sail receptor to act as a weather vane to
turn the pivot mounted yoke and connected half hoop shaped
housing, with the wind sail receptor mounted to turn freely
therein and weathervane into a wind; and
[0025]
FIG. 7 shows a side
elevation view of the assembly of FIG. 6 and showing wires from
the generator for transmitting electrical energy generated by
turning the wind sail receptor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The invention is in a wind sail receptor for turning,
responsive to a flow of air therethrough, for producing usable
power. FIG. 1 shows a single four blade section 111 of a wind sail
receptor 10, as shown in FIGS. 4 through 6. Though, it should be
understood, such single section 11 can consist of three to five
blades, within the scope of this disclosure. In FIG. 1 arrows A
are included to illustrate the flow of air around a curved portion
of each of the identical blades 12, and which curve is illustrated
by arrows B in FIG. 2, and is produced by bending each blade 12
between the rear hub 14 and end hole 13 in dog leg 16, shown as
broken line D in FIG. 1, The bending to produce a curve or arc
that is determined by a ratio of the distance between a rear hub
14 and forward disk 18, shown as broken line E in FIG. 5, referred
to as axial distance, to the forward disk 18, forming the blade
12, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Which axial distance from the
rear hub 14 to forward disk 18 ratio is from point seventy-five
(0.75) to point eighty-five (0.85) of the blade length, taken from
the rear hub 14 to a connection hole 13, shown in FIG. 2, that is
on the end of a dog leg 16 and receives a fastener to connect the
blade end to the forward disk at one of spaced radial holes by a
screw 19, or like fastener, passed through holes 13 and turned
into one of the forward disk holes. Which holes are each spaced
equally apart and are equidistant from the center of which forward
disk. The blade 12 curved portion is formed by bending each blade
12, as indicated by arrow C. The blade 12, to provide for which
bending, includes the dog leg 16, that extends from a rear hub
section 15 wherethrough a center hole 14 is formed. The blade dog
leg 16 has the hole 13 formed therethrough, and the blade dog leg
is bent, shown as arrows C, to where the hole 13 aligns over one
of from three to ten equal spaced radial holes, with four spaced
holes shown in FIG. 3, formed through forward disk 18, as shown in
FIG. 1, to receive a fastener, like a screw 19, coupling the blade
dog leg end 16 at hole 13 onto the forward disk 18, at the center
of a forward end of the four blade section 11 of the wind sail
receptor 10. The forward disk 18 and rear hub 15 are thereby
spaced apart the selected distance for the length of blade 12 to
produce the desired smooth curved surface therein. An axle 20 is
rigidly mounted to the extend across the forward disk 18 to the
rear hub, spanning the distance therebetween, and extending, at a
right angle from the rear hub 15 center, and which axle can extend
beyond the rear hub 14, as shown in FIG. 5, or out from the
forward disk 18, for mounting through bearings to turn in a frame
or housing, like the frame 30, shown in FIG. 6, and to connect to
a power generating device, as discussed herein below with respect
to FIGS. 6 and 7. Further, the wind sail receptor blade 10, it
should be understood, can be arranged to be turned in water at
axle 20 by a power source, such as a motor, not shown, to provide
an output thrust, within the scope of this disclosure. Also, where
the wind sail receptor 19 is shown in the drawings as being turned
by wind, it should be understood that it can positioned in, to be
turned by a liquid, such as water, within the scope of this
disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows the single section 11 of wind sail receptor 10
as a flat section that has been cut out of a flat piece of a flat
stiff material. As shown, like sections of material are removed at
spaced radial intervals from around the center of the section,
leaving blades 12 forward or leading edges 12a, dog leg bend sides
16 with end holes 13 formed through the ends, rounded rear or
trailing edges 12a, and with flat ends 12c. Which blades 12 are
shown identically bent through smooth curves or arcs as shown in
FIG. 2, and are connected, at radial points around, to a forward
disk 18. Which connection can be made with fasteners 19 that are
fitted through holes 13 formed at the ends of dog leg sections 16,
producing the blade section 11 of FIGS. 1 and 3, as shown in FIG.
3. The blade single section 11 can be stamped out of a sheet of an
appropriate material, such as a thin gauge steel, plastic or an
elastomeric material, such as a polyurethane, or can be formed by
casting, molding or other appropriate methods, within the scope of
this disclosure.
[0028] As set out above, the invention involves the combination of
the two single sections 11 that are fitted together at their rear
hubs and with their blades 12 bent to and connected to the forward
disk, forming the wind sail receptor 10, as shown in FIGS. 4
through 7. Which wind sail receptor 10, if three, four of five
blade sections 11, are used would have six, eight or ten blades
respectively. The invention, provides, in practice, approximately
a ninety (90) percent and greater efficiency in a utilization of
an air flow passing into and through the assembly. While an
eight-blade 12 assembly is shown, it should be understood that an
assembly of two sections to form an assembly of six, eight or
twelve blades 12, is within the scope of this disclosure and will
produce a much more efficient wind conversion device than any
early wind mill assembly. Such wind sail receptor 10 provides for
efficiently converting wind energy into rotational energy by
turning a power generation device, such as a generator 45, shown
in FIGS. 6 and 7. Though, it should be understood, a wind sail
receptor 10 that includes a single section 11 only of three, four
or five blades, can be used to convert wind energy into rotation
of an axle 20 for turning a power generation device, within the
scope of this disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of the wind sail receptor 10
of the invention, illustrating that, prior to bending of the
blades 12, two of the single sections 11 are fitted together, one
over the other, and with the rear hubs 15 of each secured
together. So arranged, the blades 12 are equidistant from one
another. Thereafter, the blades 12 are individually bent to a
selected arc or curve, as set out above, and are each blade is
connected to one of spaced radial holes formed in the forward disk
18 as with fasteners 19. The forward disk holes are equally spaced
apart and are equidistant from the forward disk 18 center. The
individual blades 12 dog leg sections 16 holes 13 are aligned with
the forward disk 18 holes and screws 19, or like fasteners, are
turned therein, securing the blades dog leg sections 16 to the
forward disk 18. For the two four-blade sections 11, a spacing
distance of approximately forty-five (45) degrees, is thereby
provided between each of the eight blades 12 forward edges 12a,
and the direction of that air flow through the blades is like that
shown in FIG. 1 for the single section 11. Which air flow is
directed around each blade 12, traveling across the blades, as
shown by arrows A in FIG. 1, and off of the blades at trailing
edge 12b. Air passage travels along and follows the blade arc or
curve, with the blades functioning like a head or jib sail,
converting approximately ninety (90) percent of the wind energy of
an eight to ten mile per hour wind passed into blades 12. An axle
20, is shown in FIG. 5, that is secured to extend at a right angle
from the center of the joined rear hubs 15, within the wind sail
receptor 10, and connects through the center of the forward disk
18. The axle 20 provides for a spacing distance between which
forward disk 18 and rear hubs 15 as relating to the blade length
across the dog leg section 16 for determining blade curve or arc,
as set out above, and may extend out from either, or both the
forward disk 118 and rear hub 14 for mounting in bearings in a
frame 30, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as a half hoop, and for turning a
power generation assembly, like generator shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,
for converting wind sail receptor 10 turning into a power output,
as set out below.
[0030] FIGS. 6 and 7 show the wind sail receptor 10 axle 20
connected to the forward disk 18 and rear hubs 15, and journaled
through bearings 35, shown best in FIG. 7 that are mounted through
forward and rear horizontal members 31 and 32, respectively, of a
frame 30. Which frame 30 is shown as having a half hoop shape. As
shown, the frame 30 forward horizontal member 31 is a bar that
connects on its opposite ends to the tops of the half frame 30
forward edge 30a, and the rear horizontal member 32, is also a bar
like the horizontal member 31 and connects at its opposite ends to
opposite ends of the half frame 30 at a rear edge 33. To mount the
frame 30 wherein the wind sail receptor 10 is journaled at
bearings 35 to turn, the frame 30 includes a yoke 36 that is
rigidly secured at its ends 36a to bottom or undersurfaces of
brackets 37 that are secured, in horizontal alignment, to opposite
sides of the outer surface 30b of frame 30, proximate to the frame
ends. The yoke 36 further includes a straight male pole mount 38
that is secured at a top end 38a to the frame undersurface,
extending at a right angle downwardly therefrom, and equidistant
from the brackets 37. Which straight male pole mount 38 is for
fitting into, to turn freely in, a head end of a pole, not shown,
whose opposite end is mounted to support the pole in a vertical
attitude, with the forward end of the wind sail receptor 10 facing
into a wind.
[0031] To provide for wind sail receptor 10 positioning to face
into a wind, the pivot mounting of the yoke male pole mount 38 to
the pole head end is arranged to allow the wind sail receptor 10
and frame 30 to turn through three hundred sixty (360) degrees.
Shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, to provide for which wind sail receptor 10
and frame 30 turning into a wind, the frame 30 includes braces 40
that are each connected on a forward end 40a to one of the
brackets 37 and extend rearwardly to connect, on rear ends 40b, to
opposite sides of a tail or rudder 41. The rudder 41, when acted
upon by a wind, tends to weather vane into the wind, turning the
frame 30 and wind sail receptor 10 into, to face into, that wind.
[0032] The wind sail receptor 10, facing into a wind, will be
turned by that wind, turning also the axially connected axle 20
that, in turn, is connected to turn also a power generation
device, converting wind energy into usable energy. While the wind
sail receptor 10, can be connected to turn a number of power
generation devices, for the purpose of this disclosure, FIGS. 6
and 7 show an electrical generator 45 mounted to ends 46a of
struts 46 that, in turn, are secured to the rear surfaces of
brackets 37, suspending the generator behind the wind sail
receptor 10, and ahead of the rudder 41. So arranged, the
generator 45 rotor, not shown, connects to, and is turned by, the
wind sail receptor 10 axle 20. That rotor is turned in an armature
winding or stator creating electrical current that is transferred
through wires 45a to transfer a flow of electricity from the
generator 45 to an electrical energy-operated device, not shown,
to batteries, not shown, or into a power grid, not shown. While an
electrical generator 45 is shown herein as a device that the wind
sail receptor 10 of the invention can be connected to so as to
produce a power output, it should be understood that other devices
that are turned to produce an energy output could be used within
the scope of this disclosure, and that the wind sail receptor is
suitable for turning in a liquid flow, such as water, and for
turning in a liquid, such as water, to generate thrust.
[0033] Where the wind sail receptor 10 preferably includes the
pair of wind sail receptor sections 11 that are axially connected
together, it should be understood that a single wind sail receptor
section 11 can be utilized to produce wind power, within the scope
of this disclosure. Such single section 11, would not, however, be
as efficient in operation as is the pair of sections 11 arranged
as the wind sail receptor 10.
[0034] A preferred embodiment of the wind sail receptor of the
invention has been shown and described above. It will, however, be
apparent to one knowledgeable or skilled in the art that the above
described embodiment may incorporate changes and modifications
without departing from the general scope of this invention. Which
invention is therefore intended to include all such modifications
and
alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the
appended claims and/or a reasonable equivalence thereof.
http://www.windsailreceptor.com
Richard A. Steinke
graduated from the University of Arizona in 1967, majoring in
Economics and Political Science. Since then he has been
involved in many different business ventures. Following his
graduation, he was in oil and gas exploration and in the mining of
precious minerals throughout the Southwestern United States.
He also owned his own real estate company and did custom homes and
commercial construction projects.
From 1985 - 1992, Mr. Steinke was Chairman and CEO of UTI
Chemicals, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of urethane chemical
systems in Irvine, California. He has several patents in the
processing of urethane systems and manufacturing
techniques.
From 1992 - 1995, he served as Chairman and CEO of Alanco
Environmental Resources, Inc., a manufacturer of
environmental/pollution control equipment in Scottsdale,
Arizona. At Alanco, Mr. Steinke received five patents in the
air pollution industry using a dry scrubber system for removing
gases from a gas stream. Since then he has received another
patent which simplifies all of the above procedures.
From 1995 - 2007, Mr. Steinke served as Chairman and CEO of
Amerityre Corporation. He has received several patents in
tire design, equipment, and manufacturing processes. Along
with another person, he invented a polyurethane chemical system
for the replacement of rubber tires. This is the only
urethane system to pass Department of Transportation tests.
He also invented a polyurethane foam that contains a closed cell
system which is used for low-duty cycle tires such as bicycles and
lawn and garden tires.
Currently Mr. Steinke serves as President and CEO of Wind Sail
Receptor, Inc. He has invented a new windmill technology
using polyurethane blades and has received the patent on the Wind
Sail Receptor design for wind and water turbines. He is now
building a 1-Megawatt unit in Boulder City, Nevada.