Patents by Inventor Michael Zuteck

Michael Zuteck 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).

  • Publication number: 20160319800
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor hub attachment that extends inside a one-piece two-bladed wind turbine rotor hub, and secures to its shear web(s). This isolates the attachment from the high strains on the hub exterior, and allows balanced loads to flow across the hub, so that only unbalanced air loads and torque, plus net rotor loads such as thrust and weight, are passed across from the rotor to the wind turbine main shaft. This solves the excess motion problem of central teeter hinges, is mechanically simpler, and reduces overall weight and cost compared to the conventional practice of using individual blades bolted to a separate central hub. A method for connecting a one-piece two bladed wind turbine rotor to a main shaft using a strain isolating attachment to the rotor hub shear web(s) is included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Zuteck
  • Patent number: 9404473
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor hub attachment that extends inside a one-piece two-bladed wind turbine rotor hub, and secures to its shear web(s). This isolates the attachment from the high strains on the hub exterior, and allows balanced loads to flow across the hub, so that only unbalanced air loads and torque, plus net rotor loads such as thrust and weight, are passed across from the rotor to the wind turbine main shaft. This solves the excess motion problem of central teeter hinges, is mechanically simpler, and reduces overall weight and cost compared to the conventional practice of using individual blades bolted to a separate central hub. A method for connecting a one-piece two bladed wind turbine rotor to a main shaft using a strain isolating attachment to the rotor hub shear web(s) is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Zuteck
  • Patent number: 9394880
    Abstract: A wind turbine tower comprising a forward leaning rotating tower where the tower rotates on lower and upper bearings. The upper bearing is held in position by a second fixed lower tower that encloses a lower portion of the first rotating tower. A method of constructing a wind turbine tower comprising building a tower in segments; including elements of the tower segments enabling the attachment, support, and movement of a climbing crane. Also included is a lifting cable communicating with a ground based winch vehicle. Climbing crane is positioned on the tower to enable the climbing crane to reach forward of the tower and to raise segments of the tower to build it to full height, and to also raise the nacelle and rotor of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Zuteck
  • Publication number: 20160102652
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor hub attachment that extends inside a one-piece two-bladed wind turbine rotor hub, and secures to its shear web(s). This isolates the attachment from the high strains on the hub exterior, and allows balanced loads to flow across the hub, so that only unbalanced air loads and torque, plus net rotor loads such as thrust and weight, are passed across from the rotor to the wind turbine main shaft. This solves the excess motion problem of central teeter hinges, is mechanically simpler, and reduces overall weight and cost compared to the conventional practice of using individual blades bolted to a separate central hub. A method for connecting a one-piece two bladed wind turbine rotor to a main shaft using a strain isolating attachment to the rotor hub shear web(s) is included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Zuteck
  • Publication number: 20160010623
    Abstract: A wind turbine tower comprising a first forward leaning rotating tower having a leading edge and back edge where the first tower rotates on a lower bearing and an upper bearing and the upper bearing is supported by a second fixed lower tower that encloses a lower portion of the rotating tower. Also the forward leaning rotating tower comprises a leaning back edge supporting an attached climbing crane utilized in construction of the tower where the climbing crane is able to reach forward of the forward leaning rotating tower and second fixed lower tower, to raise segments of the forward leaning rotating tower, wind turbine nacelle, and wind turbine rotor. The rotating tower may also be support by guy wires attached to a mid-tower collar. The lifting power of the climbing crane can be supplied by a mobile ground winch. The climbing crane may also utilize a balanced boom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Zuteck
  • Publication number: 20160010621
    Abstract: A wind turbine tower comprising a forward leaning rotating tower where the tower rotates on lower and upper bearings. The upper bearing is held in position by a second fixed lower tower that encloses a lower portion of the first rotating tower. A method of constructing a wind turbine tower comprising building a tower in segments; including elements of the tower segments enabling the attachment, support, and movement of a climbing crane. Also included is a lifting cable communicating with a ground based winch vehicle. Climbing crane is positioned on the tower to enable the climbing crane to reach forward of the tower and to raise segments of the tower to build it to full height, and to also raise the nacelle and rotor of the wind turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Zuteck
  • Patent number: 8061964
    Abstract: The specification discloses a rotating turbine tower. The tower rotates to maintain the turbine facing into the wind. This allows structure optimization. The tower structure is comprised of a leading edge and a trailing edge, with joining panels between the edge structures. The tower edges are the main structural components of the tower. The separation of the edges tapers to follow the bending moment on the tower, reducing the need to taper material thickness. The tapering shape of the tower structure matches the primary edgewise moment distribution. The tower can be assembled on site from components, thereby facilitating transportation to the tower site. The material properties and shape can be selected based upon the tower maintaining a near constant orientation with the wind. This can save weight and costs. The tower architecture can be of differing shapes such as a triangle or a structure tapering at each end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Inventor: Michael Zuteck
  • Publication number: 20110058944
    Abstract: The specification discloses a rotating turbine tower. The tower rotates to maintain the turbine facing into the wind. This allows structure optimization. The tower structure is comprised of a leading edge and a trailing edge, with joining panels between the edge structures. The tower edges are the main structural components of the tower. The separation of the edges tapers to follow the bending moment on the tower, reducing the need to taper material thickness. The tapering shape of the tower structure matches the primary edgewise moment distribution. The tower can be assembled on site from components, thereby facilitating transportation to the tower site. The material properties and shape can be selected based upon the tower maintaining a near constant orientation with the wind. This can save weight and costs. The tower architecture can be of differing shapes such as a triangle or a structure tapering at each end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventor: Michael Zuteck