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.