The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 08, 2001
Filed:
May. 05, 1998
Charles B. Carroll, Trenton, NJ (US);
Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., Pennington, NJ (US);
Abstract
For capturing energy contained in surface waves on a body of water while protecting the system from damage against conditions on the water surface, a transducer for converting wave energy to useful, e.g., electrical, energy is anchored to the water bed. A float is connected to the transducer by a rigid connector for transmitting variable forces against the float caused by wave induced circulatory water movements against the float. The connector is of such length that the float is always fully submerged (but within the energy zone of the waves) thus displacing a fixed volume of water and providing an essentially constant upward force on the transducer. The constant upward force is modified by the moving water induced variable forces against the float. The float can be a sphere, but the float is preferably of a shape including laterally extending panels providing a ratio of area to volume larger than that provided by a sphere. The transducer can be suspended from the float either closely adjacent to or well above the floor of the water body.