Articulated plow
View Patent ↗Disclosed embodiments include an articulated plow that displaces water within a pool to create water wave energy. The articulated plow may include blades that are vertically engaged and coplanar during a wave energy stroke, thereby forcing water in front of the plow to be displaced. During the wave energy stroke, the static water plane behind the plow may be maintained at a predetermined elevation. During a reset stroke, the blades may rotate through their respective centroidal axis simultaneously to a horizontal attitude, thereby gliding through the static water.
1. A water wave energy generation system comprising:
an articulated plow having at least one first blade that is movable within a first blade range between a first blade vertical attitude and a first blade horizontal attitude; wherein the first blade vertical attitude is more vertically aligned, with respect to a bottom surface of a pool, than the first blade horizontal attitude; and
a mechanism configured for blade movement to a first blade vertical attitude of said at least one first blade in a water wave energy stroke and to a horizontal attitude of said at least one first blade in a reset stroke, wherein the mechanism comprises a piston configured to:
push the articulated plow in a down flow displacement direction in the water wave energy stroke; and
pull the articulated plow in an up flow displacement direction in the reset stroke.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one second blade positioned vertically under said at least one first blade, said at least one second blade being movable within a second blade range between a second blade vertical attitude and a second horizontal attitude, wherein the second blade vertical attitude is more vertically aligned, with respect to a bottom surface of a pool, than the second blade horizontal attitude; and
a mechanism configured for second blade movement to a down flow displacement direction of said at least one second blade in a water wave energy stroke and to an up flow displacement direction of said at least one second blade in a reset stroke.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a water replenishment pipe configured to maintain a static water plane within a volume of water behind the articulated plow during the water wave energy stroke.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the at least one first blade has a first blade centroid axis about which the first blade rotates during the reset stroke to move the first blade from the first blade vertical attitude to the first blade horizontal attitude; and
the at least one second blade has a second blade centroid axis about which the second blade rotates during the reset stroke to move the second blade from the second blade vertical attitude to the second blade horizontal attitude.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a stanchion communicating with the mechanism;
an upper control arm linking the stanchion to the first blade; and
a lower control arm linking the stanchion to a second blade.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first gear located at an end of the first blade and configured to move the first blade within the first blade range; and
a second gear located at an end of the second blade and configured to move the second blade within the second blade range.
7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a rack engaged with the first gear and the second gear, the rack configured to provide rotational alignment of the first blade and the second blade.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the rack is movable, and the system further comprises a shock absorber configured to, during the reset stroke, halt a reset stroke motion of the rack, wherein the mechanism continues to move the plow causing the first gear and the second gear to move the first gear and the second gear, respectively.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pool comprises a generally horizontal floor converging with an inclined floor; and an optional reef.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate wall separating the articulated plow from a second articulated plow.
11. An articulated plow for water wave energy generation comprising:
an upper blade movable within an upper blade range including an upper blade vertical attitude and an upper blade horizontal attitude;
a lower blade movable within a lower blade range including a lower blade vertical attitude and a lower blade horizontal attitude;
an upper blade stop coupled with the upper blade, the upper blade stop configured to restrain movement of the upper blade within the upper blade range;
a lower blade stop coupled with the lower blade, the lower blade stop configured to restrain movement of the lower blade within the lower blade range;
a stanchion;
an upper control arm linking the stanchion to the upper blade; and
a lower control arm linking the stanchion to the lower blade;
wherein the articulated plow is configured to be moved in a down flow displacement direction in a water wave energy stroke; and
wherein the articulated plow is configured to be moved in an up flow displacement direction in a reset stroke.
12. The articulated plow of claim 11 , wherein:
the upper blade has an upper blade centroid axis about which the upper blade rotates during the reset stroke to move the upper blade from the upper blade vertical attitude to the upper blade horizontal attitude; and
the lower blade has a lower blade centroid axis about which the lower blade rotates during the reset stroke to move the lower blade from the lower blade vertical attitude to the lower blade horizontal attitude.
13. A water wave energy generation system comprising:
an articulated plow having a first blade that is movable within a first blade range between a first blade vertical attitude and a first blade horizontal attitude, wherein the first blade vertical attitude is more vertically aligned, with respect to a bottom surface of a pool, than the first blade horizontal attitude;
a first mechanism configured for a first blade movement to a first blade vertical attitude of said first blade in a water wave energy stroke and to a horizontal attitude of said first blade in a reset stroke;
a second blade positioned vertically under said first blade, said second blade being movable within a second blade range between a second blade vertical attitude and a second horizontal attitude, wherein the second blade vertical attitude is more vertically aligned, with respect to the bottom surface of the pool, than the second blade horizontal attitude;
a second mechanism configured for a second blade movement to a down flow displacement direction of said second blade in a water wave energy stroke and to an up flow displacement direction of said second blade in a reset stroke;
a first gear located at an end of the first blade and configured to move the first blade within the first blade range;
a second gear located at an end of the second blade and configured to move the second blade within the second blade range; and
a rack engaged with the first gear and the second gear, the rack configured to provide rotational alignment of the first blade and the second blade.
14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a water replenishment pipe configured to maintain a static water plane within a volume of water behind the articulated plow during the water wave energy stroke.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein:
the at least one first blade has a first blade centroid axis about which the first blade rotates during the reset stroke to move the first blade from the first blade vertical attitude to the first blade horizontal attitude; and
the second blade has a second blade centroid axis about which the second blade rotates during the reset stroke to move the second blade from the second blade vertical attitude to the second blade horizontal attitude.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first blade pivots about the first blade centroid axis as the second blade simultaneously pivots about the second blade centroid axis in contrary rotational motion.
17. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a stanchion communicating with the first mechanism and the second mechanism;
an upper control arm linking the stanchion to the first blade; and
a lower control arm linking the stanchion to the second blade.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the rack is movable, and the system further comprises a shock absorber configured to, during the reset stroke, halt a reset stroke motion of the rack, wherein the first mechanism and the second mechanism continue to move the plow in the reset stroke causing the first gear and the second gear to move the first gear and the second gear, respectively.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the pool comprises a generally horizontal floor converging with an inclined floor; and an optional reef.
20. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an intermediate wall separating the articulated plow from a second articulated plow.
21. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first mechanism and the second mechanism each comprises a piston configured to:
push the articulated plow in the down flow displacement direction in the water wave energy stroke; and
pull the articulated plow in the up flow displacement direction in the reset stroke.
22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the rack is configured to provide rotational alignment of the first blade and the second blade such that the first blade and the second blade perform as a single blade.