Buoy having means for self-generating electricity using wave power and method of generating electric energy in such buoy

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a buoy having a means for self-generating electricity using wave power. The buoy includes a float body floating on the sea, and a lower actuating unit extending though a hole formed at the center portion of the float body in such a way as to be vertically set through the body and rectilinearly reciprocating through the body in a vertical direction due to a difference in a moving velocity between the float body and the actuating body when the body is moved by waves. An electric generator is mounted on the float body and generates electric energy by a rotating force generated by conversion of a vertical reciprocating movement of the lower actuating unit into a rotating movement of a pinion engaging with a rack formed along the upper portion of the actuating unit. An upper support unit is installed on the float body for supporting the lower actuating unit. The buoy also has a lamp indicating a position of the buoy using the electric energy generated by the electric generator.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A buoy having means for self-generating electricity using wave power, comprising: 
 a float body floating on the sea;    a lower actuating unit extending though a hole formed at a center portion of said float body in such a way as to be vertically set through the body, and consisting of an upper portion moving up and down relative to the body and a lower portion sinking in the sea, said actuating unit rectilinearly reciprocating through the body in a vertical direction due to a difference in a moving velocity between the float body and the actuating body when the body is moved by waves;    an electric generator mounted on said float body and generating electric energy by converting a vertical reciprocating movement of the lower actuating unit into a rotating movement of a pinion engaging with a rack formed along the upper portion of said actuating unit;    an upper support unit installed on the float body for supporting said lower actuating unit; and    a lamp indicating a position of the buoy using the electric energy generated by said electric generator.    
     
     
         2 . The buoy according to  claim 1 , wherein said lower actuating unit comprises: 
 a lower support casing set through the hole formed at the center portion of the float body;    a shaft passing through the support casing in such a way as to move up and down, and provided on an upper portion thereof with the rack; and    a resisting plate mounted to a lower end of the shaft in such a way as to be perpendicular to the shaft.    
     
     
         3 . The buoy according to  claim 2 , wherein said resisting plate is subject to resistance when moving up and down in the sea, and has a circular shape of a predetermined diameter, or a predetermined polygonal shape.  
     
     
         4 . The buoy according to  claim 1 , wherein said upper support unit comprises: 
 an upper support casing installed on said float body; and    an elastic member set in said support casing, and connected to an upper end of the shaft of the lower actuating unit for allowing the shaft to move up and down, said elastic member  13  connecting to the upper end of the shaft of the lower actuating unit for allowing the shaft to elastically move up and down.    
     
     
         5 . A method of generating electric energy in a buoy having means for self-generating electricity using wave power, said buoy including a float body floating on the sea; a lower actuating unit extending through a hole formed at a center portion in such a way as to be vertically set through the body, and having a shaft provided along an upper portion thereof with a rack, and a resisting plate mounted to a lower end of the shaft in such a way as to be perpendicular to the shaft and sunk in the sea; an electric generator mounted on said float body for generating electric energy by a rotation of a pinion engaging with said rack; an upper support unit installed on the float body for supporting said lower actuating unit; and a lamp indicating a position of the buoy using the electric energy generated by said electric generator, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 
 (a) continuously moving the float body in a vertical direction by buoyancy in undulating sea water;    (b) vertically reciprocating the shaft of the lower actuating unit through the float body, while the resisting plate hardly moves in a waveless sea regardless of a vertical movement of the float body on the sea water; and    (c) converting the reciprocating movement of the shaft of the lower actuating unit into a rotating movement of the pinion engaging with the rack formed along the upper portion of the shaft, and operating the electric generator using the rotating movement of the pinion to generate electric energy.