JP7506367B2 - Wind turbine equipment and wind power generation equipment - Google Patents

Description

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Publication 1: Test dates: October 5, 2019, November 1, 2019, November 14, 2019, November 19, 2019 Test location: Futtsu Beach Publication 2: Publication date: November 28, 2019 Publication location: Wellington (New Zealand) Publication 3: Posting date: December 20, 2019 Website address: http://www013.upp.so-net.ne.jp/tmit/index.html http://www013.upp.so-net.ne.jp/tmit/news/Spiral-type kite-powered wind turbine. PDF Release 4: Broadcast date: December 24, 2019 Broadcast program: TBS Television, Inc. In theory, this is possible.

The present invention relates to a wind turbine device and a wind power generation device.

Wind power generation devices, which are equipped with a wind turbine and a generator that converts the rotational motion of the wind turbine into electrical energy, are widely known. Wind power generation devices generally require the wind turbine to be installed at a certain height to avoid wind turbulence and reduction in wind speed caused by structures on the ground. For this reason, the pillars supporting the wind turbine are required to be rigid, making it difficult to reduce their weight. Furthermore, the pillars supporting the wind turbine in wind power generation devices are generally buried in concrete foundations, etc., and therefore cannot be easily installed, transported, or moved.

Related to this, a technology has been proposed for wind turbine devices that are suspended from buildings such as steel towers or kites, in which multiple turbine assemblies with turbine blades arranged in multiple stages are connected via multiple wires arranged in parallel along the rotation axis of the turbine blades to transmit rotational torque to a generator (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,948

However, in the wind turbine device described in Patent Document 1, the turbine assemblies are connected only by wires aligned along the rotation axis. Therefore, although tension along the rotation axis can be transmitted via the wires, the wires have low torsional rigidity and cannot resist compressive forces. This means that the wires connecting the turbine assemblies arranged in multiple stages are prone to twisting and bending, making it difficult to maintain the shape of the entire turbine device. As a result, there is a problem in that it is difficult to efficiently transmit the rotational torque of the turbine assemblies to the generator.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide technology related to a wind turbine device that is lightweight and compact, easy to install, transport, and move, and can efficiently transmit the rotational torque generated by wind force to a generator.

In order to solve the above problems, the wind turbine device of the present invention comprises:
A wind turbine device that is rotatably attached to a suspension body, rotates around a rotation axis by wind force, and transmits the rotation torque to a generator,
a plurality of rigid ring bodies arranged coaxially across a plurality of stages between the suspension body and the generator;
a turbine blade provided on at least one of the plurality of rigid ring bodies and configured to rotate the rigid ring body in one direction by wind force;
a plurality of first flexible connecting wires extending along an arrangement direction of the plurality of rigid ring bodies and coaxially connecting the plurality of rigid ring bodies to each other;
a plurality of second flexible connecting wires connecting a pair of rigid ring bodies arranged adjacent to each other vertically so as to be inclined with respect to the first flexible connecting wire;
Equipped with
When the multiple rigid ring bodies rotate around the rotation axis due to wind force, the rotational torque of the rigid ring body located on the upper side is transmitted to the rigid ring body located on the lower side via the second flexible connecting wire.

In this way, the wind turbine device of the present invention uses a flexible wire for the torque transmission mechanism, making it lightweight and compact, and easy to install, move, and store. In addition, the second flexible connecting wire is arranged at an angle to the first flexible connecting wire, so that when the multiple rigid ring bodies rotate around the rotation axis due to wind force, the rotational torque of the rigid ring body located on the upper side is transmitted via the second flexible connecting wire to the rigid ring body located on the lower side, suppressing twisting of the turbine device, and the rotational torque obtained by the turbine blades can be efficiently transmitted to the generator.

The wind turbine device may be configured such that the first flexible connection wire extends from the top rigid ring body located on the suspension body side to the bottom rigid ring body located on the generator side, and transmits tension from the suspension body from the top rigid ring body to the bottom rigid ring body. In this way, the first flexible connection wire linearly connects the top rigid ring body to the bottom rigid ring body, and the second flexible connection wire arranged at an angle to the first flexible connection wire suppresses twisting of the first flexible connection wire, thereby maintaining a stable shape of the entire turbine device and efficiently transmitting the rotational torque obtained by the turbine blades to the generator.

In the wind turbine device, each of the rigid ring bodies may be provided with a connection portion that is connected to each of the first flexible connection wires at multiple points in the circumferential direction. This allows the first flexible connection wires to be connected in a distributed manner to multiple points in the circumferential direction of the rigid ring body.

In the wind turbine device, the connecting portions may be arranged at equal intervals around the circumference of each rigid ring body. This allows the first flexible connecting wire to be connected in a well-balanced manner around the circumference of the rigid ring body.

In the wind turbine device, the second flexible connecting wire may connect a pair of rigid ring bodies arranged adjacent to each other vertically so as to divide a rectangular element surrounded by a pair of rigid ring bodies arranged adjacent to each other vertically and a pair of first flexible connecting wires adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction into a plurality of elements. In this way, the configuration in which the rigid ring bodies, the first flexible connecting wire, and the second flexible connecting wire are connected can stably maintain the shape of the entire turbine device, and the rotational torque obtained by the turbine blades can be efficiently transmitted to the generator.

In the wind turbine device, the second flexible connecting wire may be stretched between a first connecting part that connects the rigid ring body located on the upper side and the first flexible connecting wire located on the rotation direction side, among the four connecting parts that form the vertices of each of the quadrangular elements, and a second connecting part that is located diagonally from the first connecting part, thereby dividing each quadrangular element into two triangular elements. In this way, the rigid ring body, the first flexible connecting wire, and the second flexible connecting wire form a truss structure, which can keep the shape of the entire turbine device stable and efficiently transmit the rotational torque obtained by the turbine blades to the generator.

In the wind turbine device, the turbine blades may be provided on at least the uppermost rigid ring body. This allows the turbine blades to be positioned at an appropriate position on the suspension body side. For example, if the suspension body lifts up the upper side of the wind turbine device, the turbine blades can be positioned at a high position, and rotational torque can be obtained efficiently.

The turbine blades may be connected to the rigid ring body at multiple points at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and extend from the connection points with the rigid ring body toward the outside of the rigid ring body. This allows the rigid ring body to double as a structure supporting the turbine blades, making it easier to form a large-diameter turbine device and enabling efficient generation of rotational torque.

The first flexible connecting wire may extend in a substantially straight line along the direction of the rotation axis. This allows the tensile force from the suspension to be transmitted from the topmost rigid ring body to the bottommost rigid ring body, thereby maintaining the proper shape of the turbine device.

In the wind turbine device, at least a portion of the second flexible connecting wire may include an elastic member that is stretchable in the longitudinal direction. This allows the second flexible connecting wire to shrink when it is not pulled toward the suspension body, making it easy to store. In addition, when a kite is used as the suspension body, even if the wind force received by the kite decreases and the pulling force by the kite becomes smaller, the second flexible connecting wire can shrink, thereby maintaining the proper shape of the wind turbine device.

In order to solve the above problems, the wind turbine generator of the present invention comprises:
the wind turbine apparatus;
a suspension for suspending the wind turbine apparatus;
and a generator that generates electricity by the rotational torque transmitted from the wind turbine device.

As a result, the wind turbine device of the wind power generation device is lightweight and compact, making it easy to install, move, and store, and it can efficiently transmit the rotational torque generated by the wind to the generator, improving power generation efficiency.

The present invention provides a wind turbine device or wind power generation device that is easy to install, move, and store, and that can efficiently transmit the rotational torque generated by wind force to a generator.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wind turbine generator according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a side view of a wind turbine device connected to a rotating wheel of an electric generator. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wind turbine apparatus taken along line AA in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a view of the rigid ring body as viewed in the axial direction. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing the vicinity of a connecting portion of the rigid ring body. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing the vicinity of a connecting portion of the rigid ring body. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a plurality of rigid ring bodies, a first flexible connecting wire, and a portion of a second flexible connecting wire; FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a truss structure formed by a rigid ring body and a connecting wire. 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating a wind turbine apparatus according to a modified example in a strong wind state and a weak wind state. FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wind turbine generator according to a second embodiment. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a connection structure of a plurality of rigid ring bodies, a first flexible connecting wire, and a second flexible connecting wire according to a third embodiment. FIG.

First Embodiment
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments described below are merely examples for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wind power generation device 100, Figure 2 is a side view of a wind turbine device 2 connected to a rotating wheel 13 of a generator 1, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wind turbine device 2 taken along line A-A in Figure 2.

The wind power generation device 100 comprises a generator 1, a wind turbine device 2, and a kite 3. The kite 3 has a main body 31 made of a framework with paper, a plastic sheet, cloth, etc. stretched over it, and lines 32, 33 connected to the main body 31. The lines 32, 33 are linear members that pull the main body 31, and are, for example, strings or cords. One end of the line 32 is connected to the four corners of the main body 31, and the other end is tied together at a predetermined distance from the main body 31. One end of the line 33 is connected to the line 32, and the other end is connected to the wind turbine device 2.

The kite 3 rises when it catches the wind, hoisting one end of the wind turbine device 2 so that the turbine blades 22 of the wind turbine device 2 can catch the wind in the sky. That is, in this embodiment, the kite 3 is one form of a suspension body that suspends the wind turbine device 2. The configuration of the kite 3 is not particularly limited, and it may be of a size and strength that provides the buoyancy to suspend the wind turbine device 2. The suspension body is not limited to a kite, and may be a balloon.

The generator 1 has a drive shaft 12 connected to a rotor (not shown) inside the main body 11, a rotating wheel 13 connected coaxially to the drive shaft 12, and a support base 14 that supports the main body 11. The rotating wheel 13 of the generator 1 is connected to the wind turbine device 2 and rotates with the rotation of the wind turbine device 2, rotating the drive shaft 12. As a result, the generator 1 rotates the field magnet or armature as a rotor, displacing the field magnet and armature relative to each other to generate electricity through electromagnetic induction, and outputs the electricity via the power cable 15.

The support base 14 is installed on the ground and holds the main body 11 etc. so that the position of the generator 1 does not change even when the kite 3 catches the wind and pulls one end of the wind turbine device 2. In addition, the support base 14 of this embodiment supports the main body 11 so that it can rotate around a vertical axis, allowing the orientation of the generator 1 to be changed while maintaining its position on the ground.

The rotating wheel 13 has a circular ring portion with a circular outer diameter shape and spokes connecting the center of the circle to the peripheral ring portion, and the center is connected to the drive shaft 12. Note that in this embodiment, the rotating wheel rotated by the wind turbine device is directly connected to the drive shaft 12, but a transmission using gears, pulleys, etc. may be provided between the rotating wheel and the drive shaft 12.

The wind turbine device 2 is rotatably attached to the kite 3, rotates around a rotation axis by wind force, and transmits the rotation torque to the generator 1. The wind turbine device 2 includes a plurality of rigid ring bodies 21, a turbine blade 22 attached to at least one of the plurality of rigid ring bodies 21, a first flexible connecting wire 23 and a second flexible connecting wire 24 connecting the plurality of rigid ring bodies 21, and a connection part 25 rotatably connected to the kite 3. In the following description, when the first flexible connecting wire 23 and the second flexible connecting wire 24 are simultaneously shown, they are also referred to as the connecting wires 23, 24.

The connecting wires 23, 24 are linear members, and may be so-called threads, cords, lines, strings, wires, or fishing line. The connecting wires 23, 24 may also be ropes, cables, tethers, or the like. The connecting wires 23, 24 are pulled by the kite 3 when the kite 3 is exposed to wind, and therefore have a tensile strength sufficient to prevent them from breaking due to this pulling force. The connecting wires 23, 24 are preferably lightweight so that they can be easily lifted by the kite 3. Examples of materials for the connecting wires 23, 24 include those made by twisting natural fibers such as cotton, silk, hemp, and wool, those made of chemical fibers such as polyamide, polyester, and polyethylene, and those made by shaping cloth into a string shape.

The connection part 25 has one end connected to the connecting wires 23 and 24, and the other end connected to the line 33 of the kite 3. Therefore, when the kite 3 rises in the wind, the connection part 25 rises together with the lines 32 and 33, and one end of the wind turbine device 2 is lifted. The connection part 25 is also called, for example, a swivel, a reel, a rotary joint, etc. Both ends of the connection part 25 are rotatable with respect to each other, with the direction from the end connected to the connecting wires 23 and 24 toward the end connected to the line 33 as the axis of rotation. As a result, the wind turbine device 2 is rotatably connected to the kite 3, and even if the wind turbine device 2 rotates, only one end of the connection part 25 rotates, and the rotation is not transmitted to the line 33 of the kite 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rigid ring body 21 is arranged coaxially over multiple stages (six stages in the example of FIG. 2) between the generator 1 and the kite 3. In the following description, the kite side of the multiple stages of the rigid ring body 21 is also referred to as the upper stage side, and the generator side is also referred to as the lower stage side. Here, the upper stage and the lower stage are names for convenience and do not necessarily indicate physical height. Note that the wind turbine device 2 may bend due to the influence of wind and gravity during use, and the position of each part may change, but in a state without bending, it is configured as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. For example, when the wind turbine device 2 is hung vertically without being influenced by the wind, the centers of the rigid ring bodies 21 coincide as shown in FIG. 3, and the virtual rotation axis 26 passing through the center of each rigid ring body 21 is linear as shown in FIG. 2. Even if the wind turbine device 2 bends during use, if sufficient tension is applied to the connecting wires 23, 24 by the kite 3, it will assume a shape similar to that shown in Figures 2 and 3, so the following explanation will be based on the state shown in Figures 2 and 3. In addition, the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft 26 is also called the axial direction (arrangement direction), the end of the wind turbine device 2 on the kite side (suspension body side) is also called the tip, and the end on the generator 1 side is also called the base end.

Of the multiple rigid ring bodies 21, at least the uppermost rigid ring body 21 has a turbine blade 22 attached thereto. The turbine blade 22 may also be attached to multiple rigid ring bodies 21. The turbine blade 22 has a blade surface inclined at a predetermined angle (angle of attack) relative to the rotation axis 26, and rotates around the rotation axis 26 when the blade surface receives wind, causing the rigid ring body 21 to rotate in one direction. The turbine blade 22 is formed, for example, from wood, plastic, or metal. The turbine blade 22 may also be made of foamed plastic coated with a highly weather-resistant film.

The turbine blades 22 are connected at equal intervals to multiple locations in the circumferential direction of the rigid ring body 21. As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the turbine blades 22 are connected to three locations in the circumferential direction of the rigid ring body 21. In FIG. 3, each turbine blade 22 extends from a position slightly inside the rigid ring body 21 beyond the connection location toward the outside of the rigid ring body 21. In some cases, the turbine blades 22 are not effective in converting wind force into rotational force when positioned close to the rotating shaft 26. Therefore, in this embodiment, the turbine blades 22 are not provided close to the rotating shaft 26, but are provided at a predetermined radial distance from the rotating shaft and protruding outward from near the rigid ring body 21.

The rigid ring body 21 is lightweight so that it can be lifted by the lifting force of the kite 3, and has a rigidity sufficient to maintain the distance between the connecting wires 23, 24 connected to it. The material of the rigid ring body 21 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include metals such as aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys, and plastics. The rigid ring body 21 may also be a hollow pipe-shaped structure that ensures rigidity while reducing weight. The rigid ring body 21 is provided in a plurality of stages between the kite 3 and the generator 1. The diameter of each rigid ring body 21 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the rigid ring body 21 on the upper stage is formed so that the diameter of the rigid ring body 21 on the lower stage is gradually larger than that on the upper stage. This allows the diameter of the rigid ring body 21 on the upper stage to which the turbine blades 22 are connected to be larger, and the rotation radius of the turbine blades 22 to be configured to be larger. This allows efficient rotational torque to be obtained.

Figure 4 is a view of the rigid ring body 21 viewed in the axial direction. As shown in Figure 4, the rigid ring body 21 in this embodiment is a circular ring. However, the rigid ring body 21 is not limited to this, and may be a ring of another shape, such as a polygon.

The rigid ring body 21 also has an annular portion 211 and multiple connecting portions 27 in the circumferential direction of the annular portion 211. In the example of FIG. 4, each connecting portion 27 is arranged at six locations in the circumferential direction at equal intervals. That is, each connecting portion 27 is arranged on the annular portion 211 at an angle of 60° around the rotation axis 26 relative to the adjacent connecting portions 27, and is rotationally symmetric (six-fold symmetry).

The first flexible connecting wires 23 are connected to the connecting parts 27 of the rigid ring bodies 21 arranged in multiple stages between the kite 3 and the generator 1, and coaxially connect the rigid ring bodies 21 to each other. The first flexible connecting wires 23 extend from the uppermost rigid ring body 21 located on the kite side to the lowermost rigid ring body 21 located on the generator side, and transmit the tension from the kite 3 from the uppermost rigid ring body to the lowermost rigid ring body. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the first flexible connecting wires 23 extends in a substantially straight line along the direction of the rotation axis 26. Note that the first flexible connecting wire 23 extending from the uppermost rigid ring body 21 to the lowermost rigid ring body 21 does not necessarily mean that the first flexible connecting wire 23 is a single continuous member from the part connected to the uppermost rigid ring body 21 to the part connected to the lowermost rigid ring body 21. For example, of a pair of rigid ring bodies 21 arranged adjacent to each other, a linear member having a length from one to the other is connected to the connecting portion 27 of each rigid ring body 21. Then, this linear member may be connected between each of the rigid ring bodies 21 from the top to the bottom, and each linear member may be connected by the connecting portion 27 to form a single continuous first flexible connecting wire 23. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when six stages of rigid ring bodies 21 are arranged vertically, five linear members connected between each of the rigid ring bodies 21 constitute one first flexible connecting wire 23. In this way, by connecting a plurality of linear members to form one first flexible connecting wire 23, it is possible to partially replace the first flexible connecting wire 23, shorten the first flexible connecting wire 23 by reducing the number of stages of the rigid ring bodies 21, or lengthen the first flexible connecting wire 23 by adding rigid ring bodies 21 and linear members. Similarly, the second flexible connecting wire 24 may be made up of multiple linear members to form a single second flexible connecting wire 24.

Figure 5 is a partially enlarged view showing the vicinity of the connecting portion 27 of the rigid ring body 21. As shown in Figure 5, a pair of connecting wires 23, 24 are connected to one connecting portion 27. The connecting portion 27 includes a clamp 271 attached to the annular portion 211, and a saddle band 272 that connects the connecting wires 23, 24 to the rigid ring body 21 by tightening and fixing the connecting wires 23, 24 to the clamp 271. That is, the connecting portion 27 in this embodiment is composed of the portion of the annular portion 211 to which the clamp 271 is attached, the clamp 271, and the saddle band 272.

5, the connecting wires 23 and 24 are connected to the annular portion 211 by a pair of a clamp 271 and a saddle band 272, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the first flexible connecting wire 23 may be connected to the annular portion 211 by a clamp 271A and a saddle band 272A, and the second flexible connecting wire 24 may be connected to the annular portion 211 by a clamp 271B and a saddle band 272B. In this way,
Even if the first flexible connecting wire 23 and the second flexible connecting wire 24 are separately connected to the annular portion 211, if the connecting wires 23, 24 are provided in close positions and can be regarded as being provided at one of six locations (P1 to P6 in FIG. 4) provided in the circumferential direction of the annular portion 211, they are said to be connected to the same connecting portion 27. In this embodiment, a pair of connecting wires 23, 24 is connected to each connecting portion 27, and these connecting wires 23, 24 are connected to different connecting portions 27 at rigid ring bodies 21 adjacent in the axial direction. This connection relationship is repeated at all connecting portions 27, so that the wind turbine device 2 of this embodiment is configured as shown in FIG. 2.

In the example of FIG. 2, the base end of each of the first flexible connecting wires 23 and the second flexible connecting wires 24 is connected to the rotating wheel 13 of the generator 1, and the tip end is connected to the connection part 25. In FIG. 2, when the wind turbine device 2 is viewed from the side, the connecting wires 23, 24 connected to the front part of the rigid ring body 21 and the connecting wires 23, 24 connected to the rear part of the rigid ring body 21 overlap each other, making it difficult to understand the connection relationship between the connecting wires 23, 24 and the rigid ring body 21. Therefore, the connection relationship between the connecting wires 23, 24 and the rigid ring body 21 will be explained using FIG. 7.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of multiple rigid ring bodies 21, a first flexible connecting wire 23, and a second flexible connecting wire 24. In Figure 7, the bottom of the drawing is the generator side, and the top of the drawing is the suspension side. That is, the connecting wires 23 and 24 are pulled from the bottom to the top of the drawing (pulling direction). The left-right direction of the drawing is the circumferential direction of the rigid ring body 21, and the rigid ring body 21 rotates from the right to the left of the drawing (rotation direction).

In FIG. 7, of the multiple rigid ring bodies 21 arranged in the axial direction, the one on the generator side is called rigid ring body 21A, and the one on the suspension side is called rigid ring body 21B. As in FIG. 4, the position where one of the multiple connecting parts 27 provided on the circumference of the rigid ring body 21 is provided is indicated by the symbol P1, the position of the connecting part 27 provided adjacent to it on the rotational direction side is indicated by the symbol P2, and the position of the connecting part 27 provided adjacent to it on the rotational direction side is indicated by the symbol P3. Also, in FIG. 7, for the multiple first flexible connecting wires 23, those connected at different positions P1 to P3 on the circumference of the rigid ring body 21 are given different branch numbers and are distinguished as symbols 23-1 to 23-3. Similarly, the second flexible connecting wires 24 are also given branch numbers and are distinguished as symbols 24-1 to 24-3.

As shown in FIG. 7, the first flexible connection wire 23 is connected to the rigid ring bodies 21A and 21B along the axial direction. That is, the first flexible connection wire 23-1 connected to the connection part 27 at the position P1 in the rigid ring body 21B is connected to the connection part 27 at the same position (same place) P1 on the circumference in the rigid ring body 21A. Similarly, the first flexible connection wire 23-2 is connected to the connection part 27 at the same position P2 on the circumference in the rigid ring bodies 21A and 21B. The pair of first flexible connection wires 23-1 and 23-2 adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and the pair of rigid ring bodies 21A and 21B adjacently arranged vertically form a quadrangular element SA shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 7. Note that in FIG. 7, only one quadrangular element SA is shown by a two-dot chain line, but quadrangular elements are also formed between the other first flexible connection wires 23 and between the rigid ring bodies 21. Of the four connecting parts 27 that form the vertices of this quadrilateral element SA, a second flexible connecting wire 24-1 is stretched between a first connecting part 27-1 that is connected to the first flexible connecting wire 23-1 at position P1 on the rotational direction side of the rigid ring body 21B located on the upper side, and a second connecting part 27-2 that is located diagonally from the first connecting part 27-1, thereby dividing the quadrilateral element SA into two triangular elements.

In this way, the first flexible connecting wire 23-1, the second flexible connecting wire 24-1, and the section (hereinafter, truss forming section) 23T, 24T, 21T located between the connecting parts 27 in the rigid ring body 21A each form a triangular element. This triangular element is formed not only by the part shown in FIG. 7, but also by the truss forming section 21T in the rigid ring body 21 from the top to the bottom, and the truss forming sections 23T, 24T in all the connecting wires 23, 24 connecting these rigid ring bodies 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, triangular elements (hatched parts) are continuously formed over the entire area from the top rigid ring body 21 to the bottom rigid ring body 21. Note that in FIG. 8, the triangular elements on the back side are omitted for convenience, but these triangular elements are formed around the entire circumference of the rigid ring body 21 from the top to the bottom. In addition, in Fig. 8, only one triangular element obtained by dividing the rectangular element SA shown in Fig. 7 into two is hatched, but it can be said that the non-hatched portion also forms an inverted triangular element. In this manner, in this embodiment, each truss forming section 21T of the rigid ring body 21 from the top to the bottom and each truss forming section 23T, 24T of all the connecting wires 23, 24 connecting them form a triangular element, forming a truss structure, and the shape of the wind turbine device 2 is stably maintained. And, the second flexible connecting wire 24 stretched in the rotation direction transmits the rotation torque to the rigid ring body 21 on the lower side, so that the rotation torque is efficiently transmitted to the generator 1.

The connection configuration between the lowest rigid ring body 21 and the generator 1 is not particularly limited and can be formed in any manner, but in this embodiment, the lowest rigid ring body 21 and the rotating wheel 13 of the generator 1 are connected in the same manner as the rigid ring bodies 21 in FIG. 7. That is, the rotating wheel 13 has a connecting portion in the same manner as the rigid ring body 21, and the rigid ring body 21 and the rotating wheel 13 are connected by connecting wires 23 and 24 in the same manner as in FIG. 7 to form a truss structure.

In this embodiment, the second flexible connecting wire 24 is extended in a spiral (spiral) shape from the topmost rigid ring body 21 to the bottommost rigid ring body 21, and is connected between the rigid ring bodies 21 so as to have a rotational inclination with respect to the axial direction. In this way, the second flexible connecting wire 24 is connected with an inclination close to the resultant force of the tensile force acting in the axial direction and the rotational force acting in the circumferential direction, so that the rotational force can be efficiently transmitted to the generator side.

In addition, in this embodiment, the tip of the wind turbine device 2 is suspended from the kite 3 and rotates around a vertical axis around the support base 14 depending on the wind direction. In other words, the kite 3 moves downwind, changing the direction in which the turbine blades 22 of the wind turbine device 2 can easily rotate, improving power generation efficiency.

In addition, in this embodiment, the wind turbine device 2 uses the connecting wires 23 and 24 to form a torque transmission mechanism, making it relatively lightweight and easy to install and store.

<Modification>
In the first embodiment described above, the kite 3 applies a tensile force to the connecting wires 23, 24 to stabilize the shape of the wind turbine device 2. In this case, when the wind hitting the kite 3 weakens, the tensile force applied to the connecting wires 23, 24 decreases, and the connecting wires 23, 24 may slacken under their own weight, causing the shape of the wind turbine device 2 to become unstable. Therefore, in the wind turbine device 2 of this modification, the second flexible connecting wire 24 is an elastic member such as a spring that can expand and contract in the longitudinal direction, and is configured to absorb the slack when the wind weakens. Note that the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, and therefore the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a repeated description will be omitted.

9A and 9B are schematic diagrams showing the wind turbine device 2 according to this modified example in strong and weak wind conditions. When the wind is strong, the pulling force of the kite 3 is large, and the first flexible connecting wire 23 between the rigid ring bodies is almost straight, as shown in FIG. 9A. In contrast, when the wind is weak, the pulling force of the kite 3 is small, and the effect of the elastic force of the second flexible connecting wire 24 is greater than the pulling force, and the second flexible connecting wire 24 contracts, and the first flexible connecting wire 23 between the rigid ring bodies is inclined toward the second flexible connecting wire 24, as shown in FIG. 9B. In this case, the first flexible connecting wire 23 is pulled by the pulling force of the kite 3 and the elastic force of the second flexible connecting wire 24, and takes a posture in which these forces are balanced, so that slack is suppressed.

In this modified example, the second flexible connecting wire 24 is made expandable and contractible, and even when the wind weakens, the second flexible connecting wire 24 contracts and the first flexible connecting wire 23 is folded to narrow the space between the rigid ring bodies 21, thereby preventing slack in the connecting wires 23, 24 and maintaining the truss structure formed by the connecting wires 23, 24 and the rigid ring body 21. This allows the shape of the wind turbine device 2 to be properly maintained, and prevents problems such as tangling of the connecting wires 23, 24. Furthermore, by preventing loss of torque transmission due to slack, high power generation efficiency can be maintained.

Second Embodiment
10 is a schematic diagram of a wind power generating device 200 according to a second embodiment. This embodiment is different from the above-mentioned embodiment in that the suspension body is a building 30 such as a steel tower, but the other configurations are the same. For this reason, the same elements are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

In this embodiment, one end of the connection part 25 of the wind turbine device 2 is suspended from the building 30 by a line 33. In this embodiment, the orientation of the wind turbine device 2 does not change depending on the wind direction, so the rotation mechanism of the support base 14 may be omitted.

According to this embodiment, the turbine blades 22 of the wind turbine device 2 can always be positioned in the air regardless of the strength of the wind, allowing for stable power generation.

Third Embodiment
11 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a connection structure of a plurality of rigid ring bodies, a first flexible connection wire, and a second flexible connection wire according to the third embodiment. In the first and second embodiments described above, as shown in FIG. 7, an example was shown in which the second flexible connection wire 24-1 divided the diagonal of the quadrangular element formed by the pair of upper and lower rigid ring bodies 21A, 21B and the first flexible connection wires 23-1, 23-2 into two parts, but this embodiment is not limited to this, and shows an example in which the second flexible connection wire 24-1 is connected to the rigid ring bodies 21A, 21B so as to divide the quadrangular element at a portion other than the diagonal. Since the other configurations are the same, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and a repeated description is omitted.

In the above-described embodiment, the multiple connecting portions 27 provided on the circumference of the rigid ring body 21 were each connected to the first flexible connecting wire 23 and the second flexible connecting wire 24, but in this embodiment, the connecting portions 27 are individually connected to the first flexible connecting wire 23 or the second flexible connecting wire 24.

In FIG. 11, of the multiple connecting portions 27 provided on the circumference of the rigid ring body 21, the one that is connected to the first flexible connecting wire 23 is shown as connecting portion 27A, and the one that is connected to the second flexible connecting wire 24 is shown as connecting portion 27B.

As shown in FIG. 11, the first flexible connecting wire 23 is connected to the rigid ring bodies 21A and 21B along the axial direction. That is, the first flexible connecting wire 23-1 connected to the connecting portion 27 at position P1 in the rigid ring body 21B is connected to the connecting portion 27A at the same circumferential position (same location) P1 in the rigid ring body 21A. Similarly, the first flexible connecting wire 23-2 is connected to the connecting portion 27A at the same circumferential position P2 in the rigid ring bodies 21A and 21B.

On the other hand, the second flexible connecting wire 24 is connected to connecting parts 27B provided at different circumferential positions on the rigid ring bodies 21A and 21B that are arranged adjacent to each other vertically, and is arranged at an angle to the first flexible connecting wire.

As shown in FIG. 11, a pair of first flexible connecting wires 23-1, 23-2 adjacent in the circumferential direction and a pair of rigid ring bodies 21A, 21B arranged adjacent to each other vertically constitute a quadrangular element SA shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 11. Note that in FIG. 11, only one quadrangular element SA is shown by a two-dot chain line, but similar quadrangular elements are formed between the other first flexible connecting wires 23 and between the rigid ring bodies 21. A second flexible connecting wire 24-1 is stretched between a connecting portion 27B provided on the rigid ring body 21B forming the upper side of this quadrangular element SA and a connecting portion 27B provided on the rigid ring body 21A upstream in the rotation direction of the connecting portion 27B on the rigid ring body 21B, dividing the quadrangular element SA into two elements.

In this way, the first flexible connecting wire 23-1, the second flexible connecting wire 24-1, and the sections (hereinafter, element sections) 23Y, 24Y, and 21Y located between the connecting parts 27 in the rigid ring body 21A each form a trapezoidal element. This trapezoidal element is formed not only by the part shown in FIG. 11, but also by the element sections 21Y in the rigid ring body 21 from the top to the bottom, and the element sections 23Y and 24Y in all the connecting wires 23 and 24 connecting these rigid ring bodies 21. In this way, in this embodiment, each element section 21Y of the rigid ring body 21 from the top to the bottom, and each element section 23Y, 24Y of all the connecting wires 23 and 24 connecting them form a trapezoidal element, so that the shape of the wind turbine device 2 is stably maintained. And, since the second flexible connecting wire 24 stretched in the rotation direction transmits the rotational torque to the rigid ring body 21 on the lower side, the rotational torque is efficiently transmitted to the generator 1.

Although the preferred embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be implemented by combining the embodiments and modifications as much as possible. For example, in the first to third embodiments described above, the second flexible connecting wire 24 is provided to divide each quadrangular element SA into two, but the second flexible connecting wire 24 may be provided only on some of the quadrangular elements SA. In this way, it is preferable to provide the second flexible connecting wire 24 at least partially inclined from the viewpoint of suppressing twisting. In this case, it is even more preferable to provide the second flexible connecting wire 24 at least on a part of each stage of the rigid ring body 21. In addition, it is preferable that the second flexible connecting wire 24 provided on each stage is provided at a plurality of positions on the circumference of the rigid ring body 21 that are rotationally symmetrical around the rotation axis.

1: Generator 2: Wind turbine device 3: Kite 21: Rigid ring body 22: Turbine blade 23: First flexible connecting wire 24: Second flexible connecting wire 25: Connection part 27: Connection part 100: Wind power generating device 200: Wind power generating device

Claims (12)

A wind turbine device that is rotatably attached to a suspension body, rotates around a rotation axis by wind force, and transmits the rotation torque to a generator,
a plurality of rigid ring bodies arranged coaxially across a plurality of stages between the suspension body and the generator;
a turbine blade provided on at least one of the plurality of rigid ring bodies and configured to rotate the rigid ring body in one direction by wind force;
a plurality of first flexible connecting wires extending along an arrangement direction of the plurality of rigid ring bodies and coaxially connecting the plurality of rigid ring bodies to each other;
a plurality of second flexible connecting wires connecting a pair of rigid ring bodies arranged adjacent to each other vertically so as to be inclined with respect to the first flexible connecting wire;
Equipped with
the first flexible connecting wire and the second flexible connecting wire are thread, string, line, wire, fishing line, rope, cable, or tether, and when the plurality of rigid ring bodies rotate around a rotation axis due to wind force, the rotational torque of the rigid ring body located on the upper side is transmitted to the rigid ring body located on the lower side via the second flexible connecting wire.
Wind turbine equipment. the first flexible connecting wire extends from an uppermost rigid ring body located on the suspension body side to a lowermost rigid ring body located on the generator side, and transmits tension from the suspension body from the uppermost rigid ring body to the lowermost rigid ring body;
The wind turbine arrangement of claim 1 . Each of the plurality of rigid ring bodies is provided with a connecting portion at a plurality of locations in a circumferential direction, the connecting portion being connected to each of the first flexible connecting wires.
A wind turbine arrangement according to claim 1 or 2. The wind turbine device according to claim 3, wherein the connecting portions are arranged at equal intervals around the circumference of each rigid ring body. The second flexible connecting wire connects a pair of rigid ring bodies arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction to each other so as to divide a rectangular element surrounded by a pair of rigid ring bodies arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction and a pair of first flexible connecting wires adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction into a plurality of elements.
A wind turbine installation according to claim 3 or 4. the second flexible connecting wire is stretched between a first connecting portion, which connects the rigid ring body located on the upper side to the first flexible connecting wire located on the rotation direction side, and a second connecting portion located diagonally opposite the first connecting portion, among the four connecting portions forming the vertices of each of the quadrangular elements, thereby dividing each quadrangular element into two triangular elements;
6. A wind turbine arrangement as claimed in claim 5. The wind turbine device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the turbine blades are provided on at least the uppermost rigid ring body. The wind turbine device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the turbine blades are connected to the rigid ring body at multiple points at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and extend from the connection points with the rigid ring body toward the outside of the rigid ring body. The wind turbine device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first flexible connecting wire extends substantially linearly along the direction of the rotation axis. The wind turbine apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second flexible connecting wire includes an elastic portion, at least a portion of which is longitudinally expandable and contractible, and narrows the gap between the pair of rigid ring bodies when the wind is weak compared to when the wind is strong . A wind turbine apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the suspension body is a kite. A wind turbine arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 11;
a suspension for suspending the wind turbine apparatus;
a generator that generates electricity using a rotational torque transmitted from the wind turbine device;
A wind power generation device comprising:

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