Electro-Mechanical Bridles for Energy Kites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017190418-A1
Application number	US-201514984369-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2015
Priority date	Dec 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An energy kite may be coupled to a tether and ground station via an electro-mechanical bridle. The energy kite may generate a significant amount of lift during power generation and may need to transfer this load to a tether that is anchored at the ground. Transferring the load at a single point would place a substantial bending moment on the energy kite. To mitigate this bending moment, the load may be divided between multiple locations with a bridle system. The bridle system may have a plurality of electrical conductors to conduct electrical power and signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electro-mechanical bridle comprising:
a structural member comprising wrapped fiber filaments; a tether thimble coupled to a first end of the structural member, configured to couple a tether to the bridle; a wing thimble coupled to a second end of the structural member, wherein the wing thimble is configured to couple an aerial vehicle to the bridle; and a plurality of electrical conductors coupled to the structural member and extending from the first end to the second end.

2 . The electro-mechanical bridle of claim 1 , wherein the tether thimble is coupled to the tether by a clevis and pin configuration.

3 . The electro-mechanical bridle of claim 1 , where the fiber filaments comprise carbon fiber filaments, aramid fiber filaments, poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) fibers, polyester fiber filaments, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene filaments.

4 . The electro-mechanical bridle of claim 1 , wherein the structural member comprises a bridle core.

5 . The electro-mechanical bridle of claim 4 , wherein the bridle core is approximately elliptical in shape and the plurality of electrical conductors extend from the first end to the second end along the leading edge of the bridle core.

6 . The electro-mechanical bridle of claim 4 , wherein the bridle core is approximately circular in shape and the plurality of electrical conductors extend from the first end to the second end along the bridle core.

7 . The electro-mechanical bridle of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of electrical conductors are helically coiled around the bridle core.

8 . The electro-mechanical bridle of claim 4 , wherein the bridle core contains one or more hollow tubes and wherein at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors is placed inside the one or more hollow tubes.

9 . An electro-mechanical bridle system comprising:
a first bridle comprising:
a first structural member comprising a wrapped fiber;
a first tether thimble coupled to a first end of the first structural member;
a first wing thimble coupled to a second end of the first structural member, wherein the first wing thimble is configured to couple an aerial vehicle to the first bridle;
a second bridle comprising:
a second structural member comprising a wrapped fiber;
a second tether thimble coupled to a first end of the second structural member;
a second wing thimble coupled to a second end of the second structural member, wherein the second wing thimble is configured to couple an aerial vehicle to the second bridle;
wherein the first tether thimble and the second tether thimble are configured to couple the first bridle and the second bridle to a tether; and
a plurality of electrical conductors coupled to the first bridle and extending the length of the first structural member.

10 . The electro-mechanical bridle system of claim 9 , wherein the first bridle extends a first length, the second bridle extends a second length, and the first length is less than the second length.

11 . The electro-mechanical bridle system of claim 9 , wherein the first tether thimble and the second tether thimble are coupled to the tether via a two clevis and pin connector, a double clevis and pin connector, or a three pin connector.

12 . The electro-mechanical bridle system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a power transfer cable electrically coupled to the tether and the first bridle; wherein the tether is an electrically conductive tether; and wherein the power transfer cable is configured to transfer electrical power or signals between the electrically conductive tether and the electro-mechanical bridle system.

13 . The electro-mechanical bridle system of claim 9 , wherein at least one section of the first bridle or the second bridle are faired.

14 . The electro-mechanical bridle system of claim 9 , further comprising at least one sensor.

15 . The electro-mechanical bridle system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one sensor is a load sensor or a position sensor.

16 . The electro-mechanical bridle system of claim 15 , wherein the load sensor is a fiber bragg grating sensor, a load pin, or a direct strain gage.

17 . An energy kite system comprising:
a ground station coupled to an electrically conductive tether; a plurality of bridles, each bridle comprising:
a structural member comprising a wrapped fiber;
a tether thimble coupled to a first end of the structural member; and
a wing thimble coupled to a second end of the structural member;
wherein each tether thimble is coupled to an electrically conductive tether;
wherein each wing thimble is coupled to an aerial vehicle;
a plurality of electrical conductors extending the length of at least one of the plurality of bridles and electrically coupled to the aerial vehicle; and a power transfer loop configured to transfer electrical power or signals between the electrically conductive tether and the electro-mechanical bridle system.

18 . The energy kite system of claim 17 , wherein at least one portion of at least one of the plurality of bridles is faired.

19 . The energy kite system of claim 17 , further comprising at least one sensor.

20 . The energy kite system of claim 19 , wherein the at least one sensor is a load sensor or a position sensor.

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Patten Elias Wolfgang
• Vander Lind Damon
• Chan Alex Yat Ning
• Sicard Jerome Francois
• Treat Nathan

Classifications

• F05B2240/917

  attached to cables · CPC title

• Y02E10/70

  Wind energy · CPC title

• H01B7/043

  attached to flying objects, e.g. aircraft towline, cables connecting an aerodyne to the ground · CPC title

• F03D13/20

  Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors · CPC title

• F05B2240/921

  kept aloft due to aerodynamic effects · CPC title