Spar buoy platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9308975-B2
Application number	US-201314144272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2013
Priority date	Dec 30, 2013
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

An offshore airborne wind turbine system including an aerial vehicle, an electrically conductive tether having a first end secured to the aerial vehicle and a second end secured to a platform, a rotatable drum positioned on the platform, an aerial vehicle perch extending from the platform, wherein the platform is positioned on a top of a spar buoy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spar buoy comprising:
a vertically oriented main member, wherein the main member is configured to support an airborne wind turbine system platform positioned on an upper end of the main member;
a ballast at a lower end of the main member;
wherein a second end of an electrically conductive tether is attachable to the platform;
wherein an aerial vehicle is attachable to a first end of the tether; and
wherein an offset arm downwardly extends at an angle from an upper portion of the main member; and
a pulling force of the aerial vehicle causes a tension load to extend axially through the offset arm and the mooring line, when a mooring line is attached to a lower end of the offset arm.

2. The spar buoy of claim 1 , further comprising the airborne wind turbine system platform positioned on the upper end of the main member.

3. The spar buoy of claim 2 , further comprising a rotatable drum positioned on the platform.

4. The spar buoy of claim 3 , further comprising an aerial vehicle perch extending from the platform.

5. The spar buoy of claim 4 , wherein the offset arm extends from a side of the main member of the spar buoy, and wherein, when the aerial vehicle is in a crosswind flight, the upper end of the spar buoy tips towards the aerial vehicle.

6. The spar buoy of claim 4 , wherein the aerial vehicle perch is rotatable about a top of the spar buoy.

7. The spar buoy of claim 4 , wherein the offset arm extends from a side of the main member of the spar buoy, and wherein when the aerial vehicle is being reeled in and the tether is being wound onto the rotatable drum, the aerial vehicle perch is positioned in a path of the tether being wound onto the rotatable drum.

8. The spar buoy of claim 7 , wherein the rotatable drum has a horizontal axis of rotation.

9. The spar buoy of claim 1 , wherein a lower arm is attached to a lower end of the offset arm, the lower arm also attached to a lower portion of the main member.

10. The spar buoy of claim 9 , wherein the offset arm includes a connection point on a lower end of the offset arm for attachment to the mooring line.

11. The spar buoy of claim 10 , wherein the connection point is positioned at an intersection between the lower end of the offset arm and the lower arm.

12. The spar buoy of claim 1 , wherein a heave plate is positioned about the main member of the spar buoy.

13. A spar buoy comprising:
a vertically oriented main member, wherein the main member is configured to support an airborne wind turbine system platform positioned on an upper end of the main member;
a ballast at a lower end of the main member;
wherein a second end of an electrically conductive tether is attachable to the platform;
wherein an aerial vehicle is attachable to a first end of the tether;
wherein an offset arm downwardly extends at an angle from an upper portion of the main member;
wherein the offset arm extends from a side of the main member of the spar buoy, and wherein, when the aerial vehicle is in a crosswind flight, the upper end of the spar buoy tips towards the aerial vehicle; and
wherein a pulling force of the aerial vehicle causes a tension load to extend axially through the offset arm and the mooring line when the mooring line is attached to the lower end of the offset arm.

14. The spar buoy of claim 13 , wherein the mooring line is attached to the lower end of the offset arm.

15. The spar buoy of claim 13 , wherein the mooring line is attached to an intersection of the lower end of the offset arm and a lower arm that is attached to the offset arm and to a lower portion of the main member.

16. A spar buoy comprising:
a vertically oriented main member, wherein the main member is configured to support an airborne wind turbine system platform positioned on an upper end of the main member;
a ballast at a lower end of the main member;
wherein a second end of an electrically conductive tether is attachable to the platform;
wherein an aerial vehicle is attachable to a first end of the tether; and
wherein an offset arm downwardly extends at an angle from an upper portion of the main member; and
wherein a mooring line is attached to a lower end of the offset arm.

17. The spar buoy of claim 16 , wherein the mooring line is attached to an intersection of the lower end of the offset arm and a lower arm that is attached to the offset arm and to a lower portion of the main member.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Vander Lind Damon

Classifications

• B63B2035/446

  for converting wind energy into electric energy · CPC title

• B64F3/00

  Ground installations specially adapted for captive aircraft · CPC title

• F03D13/20

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

• B63B43/06

  using ballast tanks (conduits for emptying or ballasting B63B13/00) · CPC title

• B63B2035/442

  Spar-type semi-submersible structures, i.e. shaped as single slender, e.g. substantially cylindrical or trussed vertical bodies · CPC title