Lawrence Welk, the bandleader who entertained millions of Americans over a generation of broadcasting his TV show, once received a patent: for a music-themed design of an ashtray.
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8177477 | Dam-free hydro-power plant A dam-free hydro-power plant for generating electricity comprises a convergent-divergent water passage including a cylindrical neck containing a shutter, branch pipes connected with the neck, each branch pipe including a reverse valve capable of triggering, dependin... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8123457 | System and apparatus for improved turbine pressure and pressure drop control using turbine head potential A system for improved power generation through movement of water having a turbine positioned in a moving body of water to receive kinetic energy, a blocking fitting, attachment or wall on the upper surface of the turbine to creates head potential in a moving body of... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8011875 | Controllable transmission system and method thereof A controllable transmission system and a method thereof are provided. The controllable transmission system includes a first rotation device, a coupling device and a control device. The first rotation device includes a transmission shaft, a rotation body and a plural... | 09/06/2011 |
| 7682126 | Tethered propgen A device is described for the conversion of energy from free flowing water into electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic power using a submersible system of turbine propellers mounted on horizontal shafts supported by chambers, each containing switchgear and/or generators ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7658589 | Turbine with tube arrangement and method of preventing detachment of a fluid flow Turbine system including a turbine and a tubular arrangement having an exit opening. The tubular arrangement is arranged on a downstream side of the turbine. At least one flow controlling device at least partially prevents a fluid flow through the tubular arrangemen... | 02/09/2010 |
| 7645115 | System, method, and apparatus for a power producing linear fluid impulse machine A linear fluid impulse engine enables efficient conversion of the kinetic energy of large volume flows of fluid at low velocity into useful work. The linear fluid impulse engine uses symmetrically curved blades that are mounted to continuous power transmission belts... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7604454 | System for generating electricity from fluid currents An apparatus for generating electricity from fluid currents comprises a continuous loop structure and at least one blade movably mounted relative to the continuous loop structure and extending in a direction radially outward relative to the continuous loop structure... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7503744 | Undershot impulse jet driven waterwheel having an automatically adjustable radial gate for optimal hydroelectric power generation and water level control A low-head impulse jet waterwheel for power generation at irrigation canal drop structures and navigation dam spillways achieves renewable electric power generation that has been lost until now due to lack of suitable equipment to convert such energy at competitive ... | 03/17/2009 |
| 7442002 | Tidal turbine installation An apparatus for generating electric power in freely flowing rivers includes a housing formed of an outside housing (6) and an inside housing (7) having an outlet (10) formed as a suction pipe, with cavities (17) being provided between th... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7402021 | Fluid activated wheel/generator pair The invention provides a pair of co-rotating fluid powered wheel and generator pairs each rotating about a single vertical axis. Each wheel/generator is mounted on a respective axle one of which is solid and the other tubular. Separation of fluid flow into 2 streams... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7388302 | Hydro-electric power generating system with an adjustable water diversion system A hydroelectric power plant for use in flowing bodies of water is described which includes a new spillway canal constructed to enhance the flow of water by increasing the water pressure. Because the canal has the angled feature on both ends, the water flow can be en... | 06/17/2008 |
| 7360993 | Fatigue resistant large hollow rotor blade for underwater energy converter A method and means of counteracting the effects of variation in static pressure acting upon a hollow rotor blade or hydrofoil (6, 7) for devices capable of extracting energy from a moving column (8) of water or other liquid within which the rotor of hy... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7357872 | Lift station and method A lift station for raising the level of an open channel flow of liquid by sweeping blades mounted to a rotated wheel into the liquid flow after entering a housing to sweep the liquid up and back along a housing interior wall and over a weir edge located well above t... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7355294 | Method and system for wind turbine blade movement This document discusses, among other things, a wind turbine blade pitch system for moving the blades to control their pitch in the event of a power failure. The system includes at least one backup that has a non-electrical component that can pitch the blades in the ... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7348686 | Buoyant rotor A buoyancy means and apparatus for reducing friction in rotational devices, particularly electric generators and or turbines. This feature is critical in hydroelectric power plants and ocean energy projects where the rotating weights are significant. Flotation devic... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7331752 | Method of conversion of continuous medium flow energy and device for conversion of continuous medium flow energy A device and method for conversion of the energy of medium flows are provided. The proposed device and method ensure suppression of the vortex streams in the flow on the leg of its motion along the radially converging trajectories and concentration of the flow energ... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7329961 | Device for deriving energy from moving fluids A system for energy exploitation of fluvial currents, onto bridges (P) or onto special structures, and for the collection of altitude water to be used as potential energy, and for the application to bi-directional or multi-directional marine and wind currents compri... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7317261 | Power generating apparatus Power generating apparatus (10) including a cable (12) which rotatably mounts a plurality of power units (14). The power units (14) include wind power turbines (46) for producing power from the wind as the power units (14) f... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7307356 | Supporting structures for water current (including tidal stream) turbines A support system for a marine turbine installation including at least one turbine unit (3), the support system including a support column (1) or two or more support columns (1) which are arranged to be installed vertically, characterised by a tu... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7293960 | Power generation assemblies, and apparatus for use therewith A floating power generation assembly comprises at least three floating units (900) floating on a body of water, and at least three anchors (916) secured to a solid surface beneath the body of water, each of the floating units (900) being provide... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7288850 | System and apparatus for emergency backup power generation An emergency backup power generation system includes a housing comprising a main body portion, a top cap, and a bottom cap. Inner and outer surfaces and the main body portion, the top cap, and the bottom cap define a generally hollow interior volume within the inner... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7276809 | Wind turbine assembly and related method Wind turbine assembly, and related method, is provided that exploits an aerodynamically enhanced wind region of a building in proximity to a parapet of the building. A wind turbine assembly includes a support assembly configured to couple to a building in proximity ... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7270513 | Apparatus and method for generating power from moving water Apparatus for generating power from a water current in a body of water comprises a longitudinally extending flotation platform for maintaining the apparatus afloat in the body of water and a water turbine operatively carried by the platform for generating power in r... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7262517 | Hydro-electric power generating system A hydroelectric power plant for use in flowing bodies of water is described which includes a new spillway canal constructed to enhance the flow of water by increasing the water pressure. Because the canal has the angled feature on both ends, the water flow can be en... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7258523 | Means to regulate water velocity through a hydro electric turbine A hydro electric turbine having a flexible, collapsible front shroud, the upstream open end of the front shroud being controlled by a draw line passing through purse rings, whereby the upstream end can be closed by drawing on the draw line, thereby stopping water fl... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7235893 | Reduced friction wind turbine apparatus and method The present invention is a wind power apparatus for driving an electric generator. The wind power apparatus comprises a frame, a vertical axle mounted on the frame and a buoyant hull. The buoyant hull is rotational disposed on the axle. The buoyant hull has a curvil... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7223137 | Floating, water current-driven electrical power generation system A floating, water current-driven electrical power generation system has a hull supporting one or more paddle wheels. The unit is tethered in a stream or river so that the moving water turns the paddle wheel coupled to an electrical generator. A transmission matches ... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7198460 | Hydraulic or pneumatic machine with tilting blades This invention refers to a hydraulic or pneumatic machine with tilting blades, running either as an engine on a fluid flow or on pressure fluid or as a pump or a compressor. The hydraulic or pneumatic machine on a fluid flow according to the invention consists of a ... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7190087 | Hydroelectric turbine and method for producing electricity from tidal flow A hydroelectric turbine for the production of electricity from tidal flow forces, the turbine having a rotor with an open center such that the blades are mounted between an inner rim and outer rim, where retaining members and anti-friction members are provided to pr... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7179045 | Self cleaning hydro delivery system A system for supplying a fluid to a turbine includes an inlet for allowing the fluid to enter the turbines, a filter to filter the fluid, and a pump apparatus to pressurize the fluid and to mix the pressurized fluid with the un-pressurized fluid at a location in the... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7162833 | Hillside farming module and system A network of modules is provided that maximizes agricultural land usage. Each module includes a water collection structure supported above agricultural land. The water collection structure may include a mechanism for distributing photonic energy to plants growing on... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7147428 | Hydro turbine A water driven turbine has a divergent cone coupled to the exit end of the housing in which diameter of the cone increases with increasing distance from the exit end of the housing. A diverter formed of rigid material surrounds the free end of the cone and defines a... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7134557 | Lift station and method A lift station for raising the level of an open channel flow of liquid by sweeping blades mounted to a rotated wheel into the liquid flow after entering a housing to sweep the liquid up and back along a housing interior wall and over a weir edge located well above t... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7125486 | Device for removing small solids from water in canal There is disclosed a device for removing small solids from water. The device includes an axle and a plurality of rotational filtering units installed on the axle. While rushed and hence rotated by water and small solids, the rotational filtering units filter the sma... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7119451 | Self-powered miniature liquid treatment system with ultraviolet dosing A liquid treatment system that may be self-powered includes a filter, an ultraviolet light source and a hydro-generator. A flow of liquid may be filtered with the filter and used to rotate the hydro-generator to generate electric power. The ultraviolet light source ... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7112034 | Wind turbine assembly A wind turbine assembly includes a venturi passage and a rotor in proximity thereto for rotation about an axis lying substantially perpendicular to the venturi passage. A rotor chamber partially surrounds the rotor. A port communicates between the rotor chamber and ... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7105942 | Plant, generator and propeller element for generating energy from watercurrents A plant, generator and rotating member for the production of power from currents in a body of water, comprising a fixedly mounted of floating structure, and a plurality of replaceable generator units (750) supported by the structure and which are driven by th... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7083377 | System and method and for use in hydroelectric power station and hydroelectric power station employing same It is generally known in relation to hydroelectric power stations that, before the water impinges on the turbine of the hydroelectric power station and there delivers its energy to the turbine, the water flows through a pipe. Depending on the respective nature of th... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7081690 | Floating electricity production unit Electricity is produced by harvesting energy from flowing water, which does not harm the environment and which does not consume natural resources. A paddle wheel is stationarily positioned to penetrate the surface of a body of water. Preferably, a plurality of paddl... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7075189 | Offshore wind turbine with multiple wind rotors and floating system A wind energy conversion system optimized for offshore application. Each wind turbine includes a semi-submersible hull with ballast weight that is moveable to increase the system's stability. Each wind turbine has an array of rotors distributed on a tower to distrib... | 07/11/2006 |