Embodiments of the present invention may comprise a wind turbine including a plurality of sails configured in a circular pattern about a vertical hub. A center axis of rotation extends vertically through the hub and the sails face perpendicularly to the hub. Each of the sails is preferably held within a sail frame. Each sail frame is hingedly connected to an outrigger connected portion to pivot about a sail axis. Wind contacting a face of one of the sails causes the sail and sail frame to rotate relative to its outrigger connected portion about the sail axis. Further rotation of the sail and sail frame causes the outrigger connected portion to rotate about the center axis causing the hub to rotate about the center axis. The hub is mechanically coupled to a generator whereby rotation of the hub causes the generator to generate electricity.
1 . A wind turbine comprising:
a hub;
a center axis of rotation configured through the hub;
an outrigger attached to the hub;
a sail frame attached to the outrigger, the sail frame attached to extend directly from the outrigger in an open position and only fold in one direction to a closed position towards the outrigger;
at least one sail attached to the sail frame, the sail comprising:
a front face; and
a rear face; and
a generator connected to be rotated by the hub,
wherein wind contacts the front face of the at least one sail to open the at least one sail from the closed position to the open position;
wherein the wind causes the at least one sail to rotate about the center axis of rotation, thereby causing the hub to rotate, thereby powering the generator; and
wherein at a point in the rotation of the at least one sail, the wind contacts the front face of the at least one sail to close the at least one sail from the open position to the closed position; and
a plurality of grommets configured about a perimeter of the at least one sail;
a plurality of non-pressure clips that connect some of the plurality of grommets to the sail frame; and
a plurality of pressure clips that connect some of the plurality of grommets to the sail frame,
wherein when the wind contacts the front face of the at least one sail with a sufficient force, the pressure clips are configured to disconnect from their respective grommets while the non-pressure clips remain connected to their respective grommets, thereby allowing the at least one sail to flap on the sail frame without causing rotation of the hub.
2 . The wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein:
the center axis of rotation is configured vertically; and
a wind having at least some horizontal component causes the wind turbine to rotate generating electricity.
3 . The wind turbine of claim 1 , further comprising a retraction mechanism connected to the sail frame,
wherein the retraction mechanism is in tension when the sail is in the open position; and
wherein the retraction mechanism aids in closing the sail from the open position to the closed position.
4 . The wind turbine of claim 1 , further including
an inner sail attached to the outrigger and residing closer to the hub than the sail,
wherein both the sail and the inner sail include a concave front face and a convex rear face.
5 . The wind turbine of claim 1 , further including hinges rotatably connecting the sail frame to the outrigger.
6 . The wind turbine of claim 5 , wherein the hinge comprises a hinge bushing reducing friction of the hinge when the sail frame rotates relative to the outrigger.
7 . The wind turbine of claim 5 , further comprising at least one outrigger support ring, wherein the at least one outrigger support ring is fixed to each outrigger.
8 . The wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sail comprises:
a main portion comprising a main portion curvature; and
a sail extension having a sail extension curvature opposite to the main portion curvature,
wherein when the at least one sail is configured in the closed position, the main portion is configured along a diameter of rotation, and the sail extension protrudes from the diameter of rotation.
9 . The wind turbine of claim 8 , wherein when the at least one sail is configured in the closed position, the protrusion of the sail extension from the diameter of rotation allows the wind to contact a concave front face of the at least one sail in the closed position,
wherein the wind causes the at least one sail to rotate about the center axis of rotation, thereby causing the hub to rotate, thereby powering the generator.
10 . A wind turbine comprising:
a hub;
a center axis of rotation configured through the hub;
at least one pair of sails comprising:
a first sail;
a second sail;
outriggers connecting the first sail and the second sail to the hub, the outriggers each comprising a sail frame; and
a generator,
wherein the first sail and the second sail each comprise a concave face and a convex face,
wherein wind contacts the concave face of the first sail to open the first sail from a closed position to an open position,
wherein the wind causes the first sail to rotate about the center axis of rotation, thereby causing the hub to rotate, thereby powering the generator,
wherein at a point in the rotation of the first sail, the wind contacts the convex face of the first sail to close the first sail from the open position to the closed position; and
a plurality of grommets configured about a perimeter of at least one of the sails;
a plurality of non-pressure clips that connect some of the plurality of grommets to the sail frame; and
a plurality of pressure clips that connect some of the plurality of grommets to the sail frame,
wherein when the wind contacts the front face of the at least one sail with a sufficient force, the pressure clips are configured to disconnect from their respective grommets while the non-pressure clips remain connected to their respective grommets, thereby allowing the at least one sail to flap on the sail frame without causing rotation of the hub.
11 . The wind turbine of claim 10 , wherein the center axis of rotation is configured vertically,
and wherein the wind blows at least partially horizontally.
12 . The wind turbine of claim 10 , further comprising a retraction mechanism connecting the sail frame of the first sail to the sail frame of the second sail,
wherein when the first sail is opened into the open position, the sail frame of the first sail pulls on the retraction mechanism,
wherein the retraction mechanism pulls on the sail frame of the second sail, thereby causing the second sail to close into the closed position.
13 . The wind turbine of claim 12 , wherein the retraction mechanism comprises:
a first retraction portion;
a second retraction portion rotatably connected to the first retraction portion;
a drop bar configured between the first retraction portion and the second retraction portion, wherein the drop bar is configured to selectively prevent the first retraction portion and the second retraction portion from rotating towards one another; and
a tension spring configured between the first retraction portion and the second retraction portion, wherein the tension spring biases the first retraction portion and the second retraction portion to rotate towards one another,
wherein when the wind contacts the concave face of the first sail with a certain force, the first sail opens past the open position, causing the first retraction portion to rotate away from the second retraction portion to release the drop bar,
wherein upon release of the drop bar, the drop bar no longer prevents the first retraction portion and the second retraction portion from rotating towards one another,
wherein the first retraction portion and the second retraction portion are configured to rotate towards one another via the bias of the tension spring,
thereby moving the first sail and the second sail into the closed position.
14 . The wind turbine of claim 10 , wherein each the first sail and the second sail further comprise:
an outer sail; and
an inner sail configured on the same outrigger as the outer sail and configured closer to the hub than the outer sail,
wherein both the outer sail and the inner sail comprise a concave face and a convex face,
wherein each outrigger comprises:
an outer sail frame; and
an inner sail frame.
15 . The wind turbine of claim 10 , wherein each outrigger further comprises:
a hinge; and
an outrigger connected portion,
wherein the hinge rotatably connects the sail frame to the outrigger connected portion.
16 . The wind turbine of claim 15 , wherein the hinge comprises a hinge bushing that reduces the friction of the hinge when the sail frame rotates relative to the outrigger connected portion.
17 . The wind turbine of claim 15 , further comprising at least one outrigger support ring,
wherein the at least one outrigger support ring is fixed to each outrigger connected portion.
18 . The wind turbine of claim 10 , wherein the first sail and the second sail each comprise:
a main portion comprising a main portion curvature; and
a sail extension comprising a sail extension curvature,
wherein when either the first sail or second sail are configured in the closed position, the respective main portion is configured along a diameter of rotation, and the respective sail extension protrudes from the diameter of rotation.
19 . The wind turbine of claim 18 , wherein when the either the first sail or the second sail are configured in the closed position, the protrusion of the respective sail extension from the diameter of rotation allows the wind to contact the concave face of the respective sail at the respective sail extension,
wherein the wind causes the respective sail to rotate about the center axis of rotation, thereby causing the hub to rotate, thereby powering the generator.