Tethered-wing traction system including folding into a windsock

Inventors: Benoit Gagnaire (Nantes, FR); Jerome Rigaud (Coufouleux, FR)

Assignee: KAWASAKI KISEN KAISHA LTD

B63H9/072 B63B2035/009

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12709370
App. No.: 18/549,908
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A process for deployment of a tethered-wing traction system, including a step of flight of a traction wing ( 5 ) relative to a stowing mast ( 4 ), and including, before the flight step, a step of windsock folding of the traction wing ( 5 ), wherein: the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) is retained relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) at a first height on the stowing mast ( 4 ); the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) are retained relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) at a second height at least on the stowing mast ( 4 ), which is lower than the first height, the leading edge ( 16 ) forming a windsock air inlet with a circular opening; the leading edge ( 16 ) forming a windsock air inlet with a circular opening; the trailing edge ( 17 ) is reclosed by bringing the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the trailing edge ( 17 ) towards one another.

Claims (37)

1 . A process for deployment of a tethered-wing traction system, the tethered-wing traction system comprising:

a traction wing ( 5 ) to generate a traction force under the effect of the wind, and is deployed and refolded relative to a base platform ( 3 ) having a stowing mast ( 4 ), the traction wing ( 5 ) having: a trailing edge ( 17 ) which comprises two lateral portions ( 25 ); and a leading edge ( 16 ) which comprises a median area ( 15 ) and two lateral portions ( 19 ); the process comprising a step of making the traction wing ( 5 ) fly relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ), the process comprises, before the flight step, a windsock folding step of the traction wing ( 5 ), wherein:

the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) is retained relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) at a first height on the stowing mast ( 4 );

the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) are retained relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) at a second height at least on the stowing mast ( 4 ), which is lower than said first height, the leading edge ( 16 ) forming a windsock air inlet with a circular opening;

the trailing edge ( 17 ) is reclosed by bringing the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the trailing edge ( 17 ) towards one another.

2 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retention relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) of the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) is provided by traction of a line which is connected to the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ).

3 . The process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said line which is connected to the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) is connected to the median area ( 15 ) by a clamping device ( 28 ), and is connected to the closure line ( 13 ), with the windsock folding step comprising an operation of release or traction of the closure line ( 13 ), the operation comprising the following steps:

opening of the clamping device ( 28 );

release or traction of said closure line ( 13 ) which is connected to the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ), giving rise to release or traction on the closure line ( 13 );

closure of the clamping device ( 28 ).

4 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retention relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) of the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the leading edge is provided by traction of folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) which each have an end secured to the leading edge ( 16 ), while being spaced from one another along the leading edge ( 16 ).

5 . The process as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) are positioned in symmetrical pairs, with each folding line of a pair connecting the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) to another area of the leading edge ( 16 ), and in that the traction of the folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) is provided by pulling jointly on the two lines of each pair of folding lines.

6 . The process as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the retention relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) of the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) is provided by traction of at least three pairs of symmetrical folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C), following at least three heights along the stowing mast ( 4 ).

7 . A process for deployment of a tethered-wing traction system, the tethered-wing traction system comprising:

the process comprising a step of making the traction wing ( 5 ) fly relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ), the process comprises, before the flight step, a windsock folding step of the traction wing ( 5 ), wherein:

the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) is retained relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) at a first height on the stowing mast ( 4 );

the trailing edge ( 17 ) is reclosed by bringing the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the trailing edge ( 17 ) towards one another,

wherein the closure of the trailing edge ( 17 ) is carried out by traction of at least one closure line ( 13 ) connected to the trailing edge ( 17 ); and

wherein during the windsock folding step, the closure line ( 13 ) is grasped by a first carriage ( 12 A) sliding along the stowing mast ( 4 ).

8 . The process as claimed in claim 7 , wherein during the windsock folding step, the folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) are each grasped in a sliding manner by a carriage ( 12 A, 12 B, 12 C) situated below the first carriage ( 12 A).

9 . A tethered-wing traction system, comprising:

a traction wing ( 5 ) which is designed to generate a traction force under the effect of the wind, and is designed to be deployed and refolded relative to a base platform ( 3 ) which is provided with a stowing mast ( 4 ), the traction wing ( 5 ) having: a trailing edge ( 17 ) which comprises two lateral portions ( 25 ); and a leading edge ( 16 ) which comprises a median area ( 15 ) and two lateral portions ( 19 );

a plurality of folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) each having a free end secured to the leading edge ( 16 ), while being spaced from each other along the leading edge ( 16 );

a line which is connected to the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 );

at least one closure line ( 13 ) which is connected to the trailing edge ( 17 );

a control unit ( 30 ) designed to control traction on the line which is connected to the median area ( 15 ), the folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C), and the closure line ( 13 ), the control unit ( 30 ) comprising a windsock folding mode wherein: the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) is retained relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) at a first height on the stowing mast ( 4 ), by traction of the line which is connected to the median area ( 15 ); the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) are retained relative to the stowing mast ( 4 ) at a second height at least on the stowing mast ( 4 ), which is lower than said first height, by traction of the folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C); the trailing edge ( 17 ) is reclosed by bringing the lateral portions ( 19 ) of the trailing edge ( 17 ) towards one another, under the effect of traction of the closure line ( 13 );

wherein the line which is connected to the median area ( 15 ) is connected to the median area ( 15 ) by a clamping device ( 28 ), and is connected to the closure line ( 13 ), with the control unit ( 30 ) being designed to control the clamping device ( 28 ) such that, when it is in its windsock folding mode, the control unit ( 30 ) is designed to, in succession:

open the clamping device ( 28 );

release or pull the line which is connected to the median area ( 15 ), while giving rise to release or traction on the closure line ( 13 );

close the clamping device ( 28 ).

10 . The traction system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) are positioned in symmetrical pairs, with each folding line of a pair connecting the median area ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 ) to another area of the leading edge ( 16 ), and in that the traction of the folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) is provided by pulling jointly on the two lines of each pair of folding lines.

11 . The traction system as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising carriages ( 12 A, 12 B, 12 C, 12 D) which slide along the stowing mast ( 4 ) and grasp in a sliding manner the line which is connected to the median area ( 15 ) and the folding lines ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C), these carriages ( 12 A, 12 B, 12 C, 12 D) being spaced from one another along the stowing mast ( 4 ) when the control unit ( 30 ) is in the windsock folding mode.

12 . The traction system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the closure line moves along the trailing edge ( 17 ) while passing into rings ( 33 ).

13 . The traction system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the closure line ( 13 ) connects the two lateral portions ( 25 ) of the trailing edge ( 17 ).

14 . The traction system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the closure line ( 13 ) forms a loop between two rings ( 33 ) each positioned on a lateral portion ( 25 ) of the trailing edge ( 17 ).