Patents by Inventor Douglas C. Klein

Douglas C. Klein has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • System and method for transporting or storing wind turbine tower sections
    Patent number: 10323623
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for transporting or storing one or more tower sections of a tower of a wind turbine. The system includes at least one pair of cradle elements having a first cradle element configured to support a lower portion of the tower section and a second cradle element configured to support an upper portion of the tower section. The first and second cradle elements are securable to a flange of one of the tower sections and are also reversible in that a first side of the first and second cradle elements is configured to accommodate a tower section having a first diameter and an opposite, second side of the first and second cradle elements is configured to accommodate a tower section having a different, second diameter. The system also includes a pair of support members coupled to each of the first and second cradle elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas C. Klein, Joseph Liles, Peter Stuart
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING OR STORING WIND TURBINE TOWER SECTIONS
    Publication number: 20180111750
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for transporting or storing one or more tower sections of a tower of a wind turbine. The system includes at least one pair of cradle elements having a first cradle element configured to support a lower portion of the tower section and a second cradle element configured to support an upper portion of the tower section. The first and second cradle elements are securable to a flange of one of the tower sections and are also reversible in that a first side of the first and second cradle elements is configured to accommodate a tower section having a first diameter and an opposite, second side of the first and second cradle elements is configured to accommodate a tower section having a different, second diameter. The system also includes a pair of support members coupled to each of the first and second cradle elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Douglas C. Klein, Joseph Liles, Peter Stuart
  • Transportation assembly for rotor blade
    Patent number: 9429139
    Abstract: Transportation assemblies for rotor blades are provided. A transportation assembly includes a protection cap including a nose portion and a plurality of sidewall portions extending from the nose portion, the protection cap having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile. The transportation assembly further includes a restraint assembly including a first protrusion and a second protrusion each extending from the protection cap, the first protrusion and the second protrusion spaced apart along a width of the protection cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Bertram Johnson, Douglas C. Klein, Xianglei Chen, Srikanth Samudrala
  • TRANSPORTATION ASSEMBLY FOR ROTOR BLADE
    Publication number: 20150329036
    Abstract: Transportation assemblies for rotor blades are provided. A transportation assembly includes a protection cap including a nose portion and a plurality of sidewall portions extending from the nose portion, the protection cap having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile. The transportation assembly further includes a restraint assembly including a first protrusion and a second protrusion each extending from the protection cap, the first protrusion and the second protrusion spaced apart along a width of the protection cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Bertram Johnson, Douglas C. Klein, Xianglei Chen, Srikanth Samudrala