Rotor sail system

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotor sail system (RSS) for a water vessel comprising one or more rotor sails rotatably and multiaxially tiltably coupled with the water vessel which can comprise defined propelling means. The RSS can comprise a drive flange, a defined joint, an end plate, a defined fin, a thermal management system, an array of solar cells and/or two or more superposed portions. The RSS can be configured to provide more sailing regimes, to be at least partially stowable. The RSS can comprise rotor sails of defined forms which can further be coupled with defined electrocomponents and/or mechanocomponents. The RSS can provide data transmissions. The RSS can be provided in a modular system. A rotor sail driving method and a rotor sail assembly method are proposed.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A rotor sail system for a water vessel, comprising: one or more rotor sails to be rotatably coupled with said water vessel, the system characterised in that: at least one of said one or more rotor sails is configured to be multiaxially tiltable. 
     
     
         2 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more rotor sails is rotatably and multiaxially tiltably coupled with said water vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 2 , wherein said water vessel comprises a propelling mean, wherein at least one said propelling mean is selected from the group consisting of propellers, flexible sails, airfoil sails, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , comprising a drive flange. 
     
     
         5 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , comprising a joint, wherein at least one said joint is selected from the group consisting of ball-and-socket joints, ball-on-plate joints, ball joints, gimbal joints, universal joints, hinges, freedom joints, mechanical joints, hydraulic joints, pneumatic joints, electromagnetic joints, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , comprising an end plate having a diameter greater than said rotor sail. 
     
     
         7 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more rotor sails can be reconfigured to provide one or more sailing regimes. 
     
     
         8 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , comprising a fin, wherein at least one said fin is selected from the group consisting of concentric fins, spiral fins, cooling fins, vertical fins, horizontal fins, fins with orifices, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , comprising a thermal management system. 
     
     
         10 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , comprising an array of solar cells provided on a surface of at least one of said one or more rotor sails. 
     
     
         11 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , configured to be at least partially stowable. 
     
     
         12 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , comprising two or more superposed portions configured to be able to rotate at different speeds and/or different directions. 
     
     
         13 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more rotor sails has a form, wherein at least one said form is selected from the group consisting of cylindrical forms, spherical forms, ovoidal forms, oval forms, tapered forms, truncated forms, conical forms, rotating curvilinear surface forms, free modelled forms, sectional forms, convex forms, concave forms, disc forms, spindle form, adjustable forms in terms of shape and height, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more rotor sails is coupled with an electrocomponent, wherein at least one said electrocomponent is selected from the group consisting of power cables, communication interfaces, electronic devices, power devices, sensors, targets, thrust informing links, actuators, antennas, amplifiers, resonators, rectifiers, filters, thyristors, semiconductors, inverters, converters, frequency converters, modulators, comparators, encoders, decoders, transformers, voltage regulators, power factor corrections, compensations, power electronics, controllers, processors, integrated circuits, timers, inductors, capacitors, shunts, resistors, diodes, varactors, switches, rechargeable power sources, swappable rechargeable power sources, power sources, distribution systems, transmission systems, data transmission systems, the Internet, navigation systems, satellite navigation systems, source management systems, solar energy systems, wind energy systems, water movement energy systems, hydrogen energy systems, electric motors, motor generators, driving units, distributed electrocomponents, electrocomponents arrays, switchable electrocomponents, controllable electrocomponents, electric energy generators, coil cores, coil backing plates, coil backing sheets, magnetic conductors, electrical conductors, conductive bearings, slip rings, commutators, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more rotor sails is coupled with a mechanocomponent, wherein at least one said mechanocomponent is selected from the group consisting of rotor sails, flexible sails, airfoil sails, chimneys, stowable blades, stowable plates, distant drives, freewheels, flywheels, variable flywheels, hydraulic pressure building systems, hydraulic motors, hydraulic brakes, pneumatic pressure building systems, pneumatic motors, pneumatic brakes, heat pumps, heating systems, cooling systems, pressure modulators, springs, shock absorbers, weights, counterweights, balance weights, ballasts, pendulums, gyro mechanisms, shafts, telescopic drive elements, articulated drive elements, cams, joints, connections, telescopic intermediate components, clutches, ratchets, gears, gearboxes, gear locking mechanisms, lockable/unlockable couplings, variators, reducers, multipliers, pulleys, belts, chains, friction reducing components, bearings, slip rings, rollers, wheels, toothed wheels, sprockets, pinions, crown wheels, racks, pistons, cylinders, connecting rods, rotor sail lifting components, rotor sail tilting components, rotor sail rotating components, levers, bell crank levers, balance beam systems, compressors, pumps, filters, gas storage elements, fluid storage elements, valves, conduits, actuators, brakes, transmissions, flexible components, adjustable components, detachable components, concentric components, stabilizing components, flow control components, couplings, wires, ropes, seals, gaskets, bushes, link systems, service components, vorticity preventing components, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , providing data transmissions. 
     
     
         17 . The rotor sail system according to  claim 1 , provided in a modular system comprising one or more modules, wherein said modules are modularly scalable and/or exchangeable. 
     
     
         18 . A rotor sail driving method for a water vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing one or more rotor sails rotatably coupled with said water vessel;   rotating at least one of said one or more rotor sails to produce a force acting on said water vessel;   including at least one of said one or more rotor sails in according to sailing parameters to provide a specific propulsive power and/or sailing regime,   wherein the steps can be repeated and/or reversed.   
     
     
         19 . The rotor sail driving method for a water vessel according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one of said one or more rotor sails include two or more superposed portions rotated at different speeds and/or different directions. 
     
     
         20 . A rotor sail assembly method for a water vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a bridge crane over a water plane, said bridge crane having a bearing capacity to transport at least one rotor sail configured to be multiaxially tiltably coupled with said water vessel;   positioning said water vessel substantially under said bridge crane on said water plane;   positioning by means of said bridge crane one or more said rotor sails on said water vessel;   multiaxially tiltably coupling said one or more rotor sails to said water vessel.