Patents by Inventor Rainer Arelt

Rainer Arelt 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).

  • Patent number: 8226866
    Abstract: The method for making a continuous laminate, in particular suitable as a spar cap or another part of a wind energy turbine rotor blade comprises the steps of providing a plurality of parallel fibers, embedding the fibers in a curable matrix material, curing the matrix material so as to obtain a fiber reinforced laminate having upper and lower major surfaces, and forming channels into at least one of the upper and lower major surfaces of the laminate wherein the channels on the upper and/or lower major surfaces are angled with respect to the direction of the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Rainer Arelt
  • Patent number: 8192163
    Abstract: The present patent application concerns an apparatus for cleaning an outer surface of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus comprising a first frame and a cleaning device, the cleaning device being adapted to conform to the outer surface and connected to the first frame, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be slidably positioned on the outer surface of the rotor blade, to slide along, and to be pressed onto the outer surface. Further, it concerns an apparatus for cleaning a leading edge of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus comprising a first frame and a cleaning device, the cleaning device being adapted to conform to the leading edge and being connected to the first frame, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be slidably positioned on the leading edge of the rotor blade, to slide along and to be pressed onto the leading edge during standstill of a wind rotor comprising the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Siebers, Rainer Arelt
  • Patent number: 7766620
    Abstract: A rotor blade for use in a wind energy system is disclosed. The rotor blade includes a rotor blade body comprising a tip; a down conductor extending along the rotor blade body; a conductive part including a conductive part body attached to the rotor blade body and connected to the down conductor, and an extension extending outward from the conductive part body and protruding out of the tip; a lightning receptor having a cavity for slidably receiving the extension; and a fastener removably fastening the lightning receptor to the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: General Electricc Company
    Inventors: Ronny Stam, Rainer Arelt, Andreas Starke
  • Publication number: 20100003138
    Abstract: The present patent application concerns an apparatus for cleaning an outer surface of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus comprising a first frame and a cleaning device, the cleaning device being adapted to conform to the outer surface and connected to the first frame, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be slidably positioned on the outer surface of the rotor blade, to slide along, and to be pressed onto the outer surface. Further, it concerns an apparatus for cleaning a leading edge of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus comprising a first frame and a cleaning device, the cleaning device being adapted to conform to the leading edge and being connected to the first frame, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be slidably positioned on the leading edge of the rotor blade, to slide along and to be pressed onto the leading edge during standstill of a wind rotor comprising the rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas SIEBERS, Rainer Arelt
  • Patent number: 7517194
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine is provided, wherein the rotor blade has radial bores in a wall of a blade root portion, the radial bores being staggered in a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade, and longitudinal bores in the wall of the blade root portion, wherein each of the longitudinal bores extends from a blade flange to a corresponding radial bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Florian Doorenspleet, Rainer Arelt, Enno Eyb
  • Patent number: 7438533
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a flange section configured to connect the rotor blade to a rotor hub. The flange section is formed from a hybrid material including glass fibers and carbon fibers embedded in a matrix material. The carbon fibers are oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Enno Eyb, Rainer Arelt
  • Publication number: 20080193292
    Abstract: A rotor blade for use in a wind energy system is provided with the rotor blade having a rotor blade body comprising a rotor blade body tip; a rotor blade body cavity; and a lightning protection unit. The lightning protection unit includes a conductive part that is connected to a down conductor and positioned within the rotor blade body cavity close or at the rotor blade body tip, the conductive part having an extension protruding out of the rotor blade body for receiving a receptor. According to another aspect of the invention, a wind energy system is provided with at least one of such a rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Ronny Stam, Rainer Arelt, Andreas Starke
  • Patent number: 7334989
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a rotor blade for a wind power system, wherein at least two rotor blade elements are arranged one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade and are glued together via at least one, preferably at least two connecting elements bridging a partition line between the rotor blade elements, wherein at least one connecting element is aligned with said rotor blade elements, wherein a hollow space is formed between an outer delimitation surface of at least one of the rotor blade elements and at least one fixing segment of the inner delimitation surface of said connecting element, and subsequently the hollow space is flooded with an adhesive (resin).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Rainer Arelt
  • Publication number: 20070253819
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine is provided, wherein the rotor blade has radial bores in a wall of a blade root portion, the radial bores being staggered in a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade, and longitudinal bores in the wall of the blade root portion, wherein each of the longitudinal bores extends from a blade flange to a corresponding radial bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Florian Doorenspleet, Rainer Arelt, Enno Eyb
  • Publication number: 20070140863
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a flange section configured to connect the rotor blade to a rotor hub. The flange section is formed from a hybrid material including glass fibers and carbon fibers embedded in a matrix material. The carbon fibers are oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Enno Eyb, Rainer Arelt
  • Publication number: 20070040294
    Abstract: The method for making a continuous laminate, in particular suitable as a spar cap or another part of a wind energy turbine rotor blade comprises the steps of providing a plurality of parallel fibers, embedding the fibers in a curable matrix material, curing the matrix material so as to obtain a fiber reinforced laminate having upper and lower major surfaces, and forming channels into at least one of the upper and lower major surfaces of the laminate wherein the channels on the upper and/or lower major surfaces are angled with respect to the direction of the fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Inventor: Rainer Arelt
  • Publication number: 20060127222
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a rotor blade for a wind power system, wherein at least two rotor blade elements are arranged one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade and are glued together via at least one, preferably at least two connecting elements bridging a partition line between the rotor blade elements, wherein at least one connecting element is aligned with said rotor blade elements, wherein a hollow space is formed between an outer delimitation surface of at least one of the rotor blade elements and at least one fixing segment of the inner delimitation surface of said connecting element, and subsequently the hollow space is flooded with an adhesive (resin).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventor: Rainer Arelt