An undeveloped potentially useless idea I just had:
Three yoyo plites (yes, I’m still using that word) operating in three phases, tether connected to a pod in the air. The pod converts that power mechanically into pulley rotation (like the kiwee power transfer)
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Has said before, kitewinder is mainly about motion transfer, well at least our patent.
If someone comes with a great idea and money to makes it then we can try something
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I couldn’t say right now that its a bad idea… (saying that it might be a good idea). I think the main issue with this idea, in my view, is that if you first are able to keep three plites airborne, there are quite a few ways to go about power creation. My first urge would be to go with something mostly ground based. Eg rotary (TRPT), POYO (plain old yoyo) or even flygen.
Your design does have the benefit that the three kites share power thansfer through a single tether. And you might be able to do return phase mechanically. But that lump of mass being the gearbox will probably be quite difficult to manage…
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Please can you provide more details and a sketch to help me to better understand. Is this something a little like Stretch kites ?Thanks.
Not worth sketching.^^
@tallakt yeah just having multiple classic yoyo kites is probably much better.
Its a very interesting idea. I am sketching possible configurations. Its a three-phase power problem with symmetry breaking for crosswind motion.
The simplest geometric case is circle-tow in calm, to maintain flight; which a simple clockwork triple-reel at the kite could do. A secondary mechanical layer seems required to isolate an upwind leg while driving two crosswind legs like USP3987987fig5.
Have all three reels clutch to a central driven spindle
[EDIT]
a freewheel is simpler than a clutch.
This comment also assumed combining the power on the ground… in air - AFAIK it doesn’t make any sense… mixing 3 x yo-yo pull , from 3 phased pulling action kites, into a continuous pulley belt tether… How?
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Then active clutch control by digital means?
A clever passive mechanism is more fun, just as the tri-tether demo first worked.
The main drawback to this interesting concept is added mass and complication aloft. Going active-control piles on the hurt. What exactly is the reels-aloft advantage to justify going high-complexity?
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I was just thinking about how one could smoothen power output from a yoyo plite earlier in the system and couldn’t see any hard reason why this couldn’t work. I see now that almost any alternative is better.
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This idea is topologically similar to Loyd’s patented AWES PTO basis, but with the lines spaced apart at the surface. Its ok to claim “almost any alternative is better” (without third-party reference), and let future developments settle any doubts. Even ideas confidently predicted poor, a priori, should be tested for empirical knowledge.