WO2008001404A1

WO2008001404A1 - Reversible propulsion system

Info

Publication number: WO2008001404A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000427
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Portuesi; Tonio Portuesi; Salvatore Mazzola
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-30
Filing date: 2007-06-15
Publication date: 2008-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2008-12-30
Also published as: EP2059439A1; ITPA20060037A1

Abstract

The 'Reversible Propulsion System' is a system that, taking advantage of som principles of the mechanics of fluids, allows to give to the body to which the system i applied a directional mechanical thrust with a good mechanical efficiency, using variously alternated or random motion of the fluid in which the body in submerged. It is manufactured with a series of valves, passive or active that offer an extremely different resistance according to the direction and the way of the relative motion between the body to which they are applied and the liquid in which the body is submerged. The system can be also applied as small motor using the functional feature of the 'shape memory alloys or polymers' or of some nano-material or biotechnological material producing a directional mechanical trust, using electrical signal coming from externa driving source.

Description

Reversible Propulsion System

TECHNICAL FIELD

The "Reversible Propulsion System" can be considered as one of the propulsion systems without rotating parts, that relying on the principles of fluid mechanics, tend to imitate widely used systems in the animal and plant kingdoms.

Nowadays, some of these systems are being tested and, sometimes, applied also in the biomedical engineering environment.

These systems offer an extremely different resistance according to the direction and the way of the motion that the body, whom they are applied, has in relation to the fluid in which it is submerged. They can undergo the motion of the fluid, thus generating linear or rotating motion or alternative energy through converters. In case they are properly fed by another source of energy, they can also determine the move of the fluid or the body towards a pre-defined direction.

Originality and innovation characterize this system. It is the result of an accurate analysis of several macro-systems existing in the animal, terrestrial and marine kingdom, as well as of natural micro-systems creating or getting energy while exploiting either unperceivable motions of surrounding environment or lowest levels of electro/chemical energy, in order to generate motion.

As far as the present request's subscribers know, does not exist, neither in the market nor in the today available literature, an industrial or experimental product using, for its functioning, the principles that allowed to design the above mentioned system.

BACKGROUND ART

A number of systems and different-related applications have been developed in this field.

However, the ones known to us are: inelastic, not much effective and often bulky. These latter features, joined to the impossibility to exploit high energy concentrations, has almost always discouraged it to be applied to small devices, most of all the industrial ones.

Several patents have been requested for those applications, but often abandoned. Some remarkable and well-known patents are the following: US6893307 - related an ergonomic swim fin apparatus, US2002077010 - related a Swimming Aid System, US2005266745 - Finger web swimming aid,

The hydro-turbines, the early steamer and watermill wheels as well as some auxiliary systems for swimming are part of these systems' applications. In bio-engineering, some vascular and mitral valves for the reduction of blood retrograde flow have been developed on the same basis.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The "Reversible Propulsion System" is a system that, taking advantage of basic principles of the mechanics of fluids, a particular bodies' structure and their varied rigidity, allows to give the body to Which the system is applied a directional mechanical thrust with a good mechanical efficiency, using a variously alternated or random motion of the fluid in which the body in submerged.

The system is made up of a set of "basic elements" (Fig. 1), each one being a membrane (A), that are applied to a bearing structure (Q), integral with the body to which the motion should be transferred; the system presents an high directional resistance to the displacement of the liquid surrounding it; some technical expedients (safety valves (p), lamellar fraena (f), valve's variable rigidity according to the sagittal section(A), as well as sagittal section's shape according to isostatic lines of mechanical resistance and leading edges (b)) - features being the objective of the present patent request - determine the effectiveness and the system's characteristics.

Referring to the figure hereto attached, let's describe the propulsion system's "basic element":

Figure 1 shows a sagittal section A of a basic element;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the A system's basic element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows, in section, the basic element of the propulsion system. The membrane (A) is made up of material suitable for its specific use and has a rigidity and a resilience variable from to point to point; the curvature taken in each one of its points is such that the pushing force (I), because of the induced moving within the surrounding fluid, determines a prevailing component towards the motion (Y) as well as a condition of isostatic lines of force in its various points, which keep it under strain without causing either the upsetting upward (b), or the approaching of the edge to the structure (Q). The force component (II) is balanced by the reaction force of the lamellar fraena -anchoring it to the bearing structure (Q), and by the reaction to deformation. The component (III) is balanced both by the valve reaction and by the lamellar (f) fraena' s reaction which are bound to it and anchored to the bearing structure (Q). The valves (p), variable in number and size, share and balance the operating forces, reduce the fluid's whirling motions with which the system interacts, allow the opening of the rear valve and a more laminar flow at the basis of the working area.

The membrane's radiuses of curvature (A), its sizes, thickness and variable rigidity from point to point can take different values according to the system's application; they are calculated through a provided modelling and graphic simulation software. Figure 2 shows a front-side view of the system's basic element. It is possible to see: a) the connection paries to the bearing structure (Q) acting also as membrane's (A) tie-rods, the fraena (f) acting as tie-rods and stabilizers and the valve's shape (p) with radiuses of curvature and thickness variable from point to point BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The best way to apply this invention is function of the same application. Even confirming what has been previously described, the dimensional features, the radiuses of curvature, the used materials' features, the fraena and the stabilization valves must be determined through graphic and functional modelling able to optimize the system efficiency in its specific application. The system is made up of elasto-plastic or various material and can take rigidity and extremely different sizes according to the specific application. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The applications that can be designed thanks to this system are several both for the application fields and for typology and can be limited only by fantasy. Applications range from bio-engineering to alternative energies, from emergence auxiliary systems to swimming auxiliary systems.

If the system is used as an active one, that is connected to a body moving in alternate or random motion, even if not uniform, it determines its thrust in the way of A membrane's cusp such as in a system of rescue or emergency fins, or as auxiliary system in swimming; every motion, in fact, even instinctive, of legs - to which the system can be applied as a simple leg cast - or the natural movement of waves, determines a thrust in the way of the body's trunk wearing it. If the system is used as a passive instrument, it can drag the body to which it is applied towards a given direction, thus exploiting the wave motion in which the body is submerged.

Claims

CLAIMS: I) A "propulsion system" composed with one or several 'basic passive elements' having functional features and geometrical designs (membrane, valves, fraena, bearing structure, etc.) analogous to ones showed in the schematic drawing of Fig.1 and Fig.2 that, when is applied to a generic body submerged in a fluid, offers an extremely different resistance depending from the direction and the way of the relative motion existing between the body itself to which it is applied, and the liquid in which the body is submerged; or, if it is composed with Active elements', it is able to give motion to a body, or to the fluid, when these elements are stressed by electrical impulse.

2) A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the bearing structure (as showed in Fig. 1 as Q), is the same structure of the body which the motion should be transferred.

3) A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the bearing structure can assume any form able to anchor the membranes and the fraena.

4) A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein each one of basic passive elements, allows to give to the body which is directly applied, a directional mechanic thrust with good efficiency, exploiting a variously alternated or random motion of the fluid in which the body is submerged.

5) A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein each one of basic passive elements, allows to give to the body, to which it is directly applied, a directional mechanic thrust when the same body is moving with random movement in the fluid in which it is submerged;

6) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the basic passive elements are able to convert mechanical energy into other types of energy (electrical, luminous and so on) straight over; the mechanical energy received from random movement between the body which the propulsion system is applied, and the fluid in which the body is submerged.

7) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the membranes, and/or the fraena, and/or the bearing structures incorporate the energy converter (mechanical, electrical, luminous)

8) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the basic passive or active elements, are mounted on the integral bearing structure, or directly on the body, following a geometrical plot able to optimize the energetic effectiveness.

9) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the membrane of the basic elements is manufactured with elasto-plastic or other material to assume rigidity and extremely different sizes according to the specific application. 10) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each one of basic active elements, manufactured with nanormaterial or biotechnological material, allows to give, to the body to which it is applied, a directional mechanical trust, using electrical signal coming from external driving source.

11) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the membrane of each one of basic active or passive elements, are anchored to the bearing structure, or to the main body, trough a lamellar fraena to produce a condition of isostatic lines of force in its various points, which keep it under strain without causing either the upsetting upward, or the approaching of the edge to the bearing structure or to the body.

12) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the lamellar fraena of the membrane are manufactured of textile or other flexible or hard material able to collapse itself to a negligible volume when the membrane is in closed position.

13) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the membrane, the lamellar fraena and the bearing structure can be manufactured from same material.

14) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the lamellar fraena of the membrane, shows continue or discrete structure.

15) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the membrane of each one of basic active or passive elements, has some valves like holes in different number and size, aiming to share and balance the operating forces, to reduce fluid's whirling motions which the system interacts with, allow the rear valve opening and a more laminar flow at the basis of the membrane working area.

16) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the membrane of each one of basic active or passive elements has point-to-point variability of radiuses of curvature, sizes, thickness and rigidity according to the system applications.

17) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the membrane of each one of basic active or passive elements has leading edges with different positive radiuses aimed to make easy the start of its working phase.

18) A propulsion system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the membrane of each one of basic active or passive elements act as a motor using the functional feature of the "shape memory alloys or polymers" relies on electric impulses.