Apparatus for generating energy

Abstract

The present disclosure relates broadly to an energy apparatus comprising a flywheel assembly, drive means operatively coupled to the flywheel assembly, and an energy generator operatively coupled to the flywheel assembly via extraction means. The drive means includes biasing means connected to an actuator arranged to provide stored energy in the biasing means. The apparatus also comprises transmission means coupled between the flywheel assembly and the biasing means wherein release of stored energy from the biasing means provides a driving force which effects rotation of the flywheel assembly which gains momentum. The extraction means is arranged for rapid extraction of the momentum of the flywheel assembly. The energy generator generates electricity from the rapidly extracted momentum of the flywheel assembly.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a flywheel assembly arranged for rotation;   drive means operatively coupled to the flywheel assembly, the drive means including:
 biasing means connected to an actuator arranged to bias the biasing means to provide stored energy in the biasing mean, and 
 a drive clutch configured to disengage the biasing means from the actuator in association with the stored energy in the biasing means being predominantly released; and 
   transmission means coupled between the flywheel assembly and the biasing means, wherein a release of the stored energy in the biasing means provides a driving force that drives the transmission means to effect rotation of the flywheel assembly which, under the influence of the drive means, builds momentum and coasts.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drive clutch is designed to disengage the biasing means from the actuator substantially simultaneously with or shortly after the stored energy in the biasing means is at least predominantly released. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the disengagement of the biasing means from the actuator permits continued rotation of the flywheel assembly independent of the actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the biasing means includes a spring, and the actuator includes a drive motor coupled to the spring, the drive motor being rotated to stress the spring to provide stored spring energy which on release provides the driving force of the biasing means. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the spring is a constant torque spring assembly connected to the transmission means, the constant torque spring assembly including a constant torque spring configured to be wound relative to the transmission means via the drive motor for stressing of the constant torque spring which is arranged to release its stored spring energy for providing the driving force for rotation of the flywheel assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an extraction coupling assembly operatively coupled between a generator and the flywheel assembly for rapid rotation of the energy generator relative to the flywheel assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an extraction clutch operatively coupled to the extraction coupling assembly arranged to cooperate with the flywheel assembly to actuate the generator, the extraction clutch arranged to:   (a) disengage the extraction coupling assembly from one of the flywheel assembly and the generator while the flywheel assembly is under the influence of the biasing means to enable a rotation of the flywheel assembly by the transmission means independent of the extraction coupling assembly, and   (b) engage the extraction coupling assembly with one of the flywheel assembly and the generator once the flywheel assembly has built up a sufficient amount of momentum and is coasting.   
     
     
         8 . A method for storing energy, the method comprising:
 actuating biasing means associated with a flywheel assembly, the actuation of the biasing means biasing the biasing means to provide stored energy in the biasing means;   disengaging the biasing means in association with the stored energy in the biasing means being predominantly released; and   releasing the stored energy in the biasing means to provide a driving force to the flywheel assembly to effect rotation of the flywheel assembly which, under the influence of the drive means, builds momentum and coasts.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the biasing means is disengaged substantially simultaneously with or shortly after the storage energy in the biasing means is at least predominantly released. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein disengagement of the biasing means permits continued and independent rotation of the flywheel assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the biasing means is in consecutive stages biased a reduced displacement relative to near maximum displacement achievable with the biasing means wherein the biasing means is biased the reduced displacement in a succeeding stage prior to substantially full relaxation of the biasing means in the preceding stage of the consecutive stages. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 disengaging an extraction coupling assembly operatively coupled to an extraction clutch from one of the flywheel assembly and a generator to enable a rotation of the flywheel assembly by a transmission means independent of the extraction coupling assembly; and   engaging the extraction coupling assembly with one of the flywheel assembly and the generator once the flywheel assembly has built up a sufficient amount of momentum and is coasting.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising rapidly extracting the momentum of the flywheel assembly by rapidly rotating the generator relative to the flywheel assembly. 
     
     
         14 . A storage apparatus comprising:
 a flywheel assembly arranged for rotation;   a drive means operatively coupled to the flywheel assembly, the drive means including biasing means connected to an actuator arranged to bias the biasing means to provide stored energy in the biasing means;   a drive clutch configured to disengage the biasing means from the actuator in association with the stored energy in the biasing means being predominantly released; and   transmission means coupled between the flywheel assembly and the biasing means wherein release of the stored energy in the biasing means provides a driving force that drives the transmission means to effect rotation of the flywheel assembly which, under the influence of the drive means, builds momentum and coasts.   
     
     
         15 . The storage apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the drive clutch is designed to disengage the biasing means from the actuator substantially simultaneously with or shortly after the stored energy in the biasing means is at least predominantly released. 
     
     
         16 . The storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the disengagement of the biasing means from the actuator permits continued rotation of the flywheel assembly independent of the actuator 
     
     
         17 . The storage apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising an extraction coupling assembly operatively coupled between a generator and the flywheel assembly for rapid rotation of the generator relative to the flywheel assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The storage apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an extraction clutch operatively coupled to the extraction coupling assembly arranged to cooperate with the flywheel assembly to actuate the generator, the extraction clutch arranged to:   (a) disengage the extraction coupling assembly from one of the flywheel assembly and the generator while the flywheel assembly is under the influence of the biasing means to enable a rotation of the flywheel assembly by the transmission means independent of the extraction coupling assembly, and   (b) engage the extraction coupling assembly with one of the flywheel assembly and the generator once the flywheel assembly has built up a sufficient amount of momentum and is coasting.