Patents by Inventor Thomas Lipka

Thomas Lipka 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: 11982256
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a segmented wind turbine rotor blade, which is formed by at least two rotor blade segments, wherein at a division area of the wind turbine rotor blade the segments are firmly connected together at respective connection ends via a plurality of connecting elements, wherein a gap is formed between the connection ends, and a fairing is attached to the segments at the division area, the fairing covering the gap and the connecting elements; wherein the fairing is divided into at least two separate fairing sections, the fairing sections are coupled together at coupling regions at the pressure side and/or at the suction side of the rotor blade, and the coupling regions are spaced apart from the trailing edge or leading edge. The disclosure also concerns a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Gerald Festner, Adam Raczynski
  • Publication number: 20240084784
    Abstract: The segments of a segmented wind turbine rotor blade are screwed together at respective connection ends via a plurality of connecting bolts. Sleeve-shaped pressure pieces are arranged between the rotor blade segments, each of which is mounted on a connecting bolt. A plurality of first metal sheets is provided, each first metal sheet being arranged between a respective connection end and several pressure pieces, so that an electrically conductive connection is formed between several pressure pieces via a first metal sheet. The first metal sheets, which are associated with the first connection end, are each arranged along the circumference of the rotor blade offset from the first metal sheets, which are associated with the second connection end. Further, a metal sheet for a segmented wind turbine rotor blade is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Gerald Festner, Benedikt Haspel
  • Patent number: 11746741
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a partitioned rotor blade for a wind turbine, which, with respect to a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade, is formed by a first rotor blade segment and a second rotor blade segment. The first rotor blade segment has at a first connection end, a first connecting region along the longitudinal axis, and the second rotor blade segment has at a second connection end, which is associated with the first connection end, a second connecting region along the longitudinal axis. The two connecting regions are connected at a partition interface of the rotor blade and form a common segmentation region. In the segmentation region, a common outer contour of the rotor blade is formed by the connection of both rotor blade segments. The outer contour is singly curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Andreas Nickel, Tim Berend Block
  • Publication number: 20230125246
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a wind turbine rotor blade, including an aerodynamic add-on element comprising a baseplate, the baseplate having an upper side and a bottom side, wherein the aerodynamic add-on element is mounted with the bottom side of the baseplate to an outer surface of the wind turbine rotor blade, at least a section of the bottom side is inclined relative to the outer surface of the wind turbine rotor blade along a downstream direction of an operational wind flow, such that a gap is formed between the at least one section and the outer surface in which a distance between the outer surface and the bottom side increases along the downstream direction, and adhesive is provided in the gap to bond the aerodynamic add-on element to the outer surface of the wind turbine rotor blade. The disclosure also relates to an aerodynamic add-on element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Christof Rautmann, Felix Warzok, Thomas Lipka
  • Publication number: 20220341390
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a segmented wind turbine rotor blade, which is formed by at least two rotor blade segments, wherein at a division area of the wind turbine rotor blade the segments are firmly connected together at respective connection ends via a plurality of connecting elements, wherein a gap is formed between the connection ends, and a fairing is attached to the segments at the division area, the fairing covering the gap and the connecting elements; wherein the fairing is divided into at least two separate fairing sections, the fairing sections are coupled together at coupling regions at the pressure side and/or at the suction side of the rotor blade, and the coupling regions are spaced apart from the trailing edge or leading edge. The disclosure also concerns a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Gerald Festner, Adam Raczynski
  • Patent number: 11174834
    Abstract: A vortex generator defines a longitudinal direction and has two fins, which are each arranged at an angle in relation to the longitudinal direction and extend over a first length in the longitudinal direction, and a base, which connects the two fins to each other, the base having a width and extending over a second length in the longitudinal direction, wherein the second length is less than the first length over the entire width of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Mehdi Doosttalab, Christof Rautmann, Thomas Lipka, Philipp Rindt
  • Publication number: 20210222668
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a partitioned rotor blade for a wind turbine, which, with respect to a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade, is formed by a first rotor blade segment and a second rotor blade segment. The first rotor blade segment has at a first connection end, a first connecting region along the longitudinal axis, and the second rotor blade segment has at a second connection end, which is associated with the first connection end, and a second connecting region along the longitudinal axis. The two connecting regions are connected at a partition interface of the rotor blade and form a common segmentation region. In the segmentation region, a common outer contour of the rotor blade is formed by the connection of both rotor blade segments. The outer contour is singly curved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Andreas Nickel, Tim Berend Block
  • Patent number: 10968896
    Abstract: A connection and fastening unit for components of a lightning protection system, the connection and fastening unit being realized for the purpose of being integrated in a wind turbine rotor blade and for being connected to the components of the lightning protection system, wherein the connection and fastening unit includes a cavity which can be closed in an airtight manner and in which a connector for connection to at least one of the components of the lightning protection system is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hendrik Klein, Thomas Lipka
  • Patent number: 10697441
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for making an equipotential bonding connection between two components of a lightning protection arrangement of a wind turbine rotor blade. The method includes providing a wind turbine rotor blade having two rotor blade half shells having respective connection and fastening units connected to corresponding ones of the two components of the lightning protection arrangement. A space is present in the interior of the rotor blade between the two connection and fastening units. A connection conductor is introduced from outside of the rotor blade through a through opening in one of the two connection and fastening units into the interior space of the wind turbine rotor blade. The two ends of the connection conductor are fastened to corresponding ones of the connection and fastening units such that the connection conductor bridges the interior space along an essentially linear imaginary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Hendrik Klein, Thomas Lipka
  • Publication number: 20190285046
    Abstract: A vortex generator defines a longitudinal direction and has two fins, which are each arranged at an angle in relation to the longitudinal direction and extend over a first length in the longitudinal direction, and a base, which connects the two fins to each other, the base having a width and extending over a second length in the longitudinal direction, wherein the second length is less than the first length over the entire width of the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Mehdi Doosttalab, Christof Rautmann, Thomas Lipka, Philipp Rindt
  • Patent number: 10202966
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is provided. The wind turbine blade has a lightning receptor, a first electric line, and a potential equalization arrangement having a first electrode, which is connected to the lightning receptor, and a second electrode, which is connected to the first electric line, a spark gap being formed between the two electrodes, mutually facing sides of the two electrodes forming an air flow channel, which is arranged such that the ambient air that is incident when the wind turbine rotor blade is in operation flows through it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Jochen Kremer
  • Publication number: 20180180032
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for making an equipotential bonding connection between two components of a lightning protection arrangement of a wind turbine rotor blade. The method includes providing a wind turbine rotor blade having two rotor blade half shells having respective connection and fastening units connected to corresponding ones of the two components of the lightning protection arrangement. A space is present in the interior of the rotor blade between the two connection and fastening units. A connection conductor is introduced from outside of the rotor blade through a through opening in one of the two connection and fastening units into the interior space of the wind turbine rotor blade. The two ends of the connection conductor are fastened to corresponding ones of the connection and fastening units such that the connection conductor bridges the interior space along an essentially linear imaginary line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Hendrik Klein, Thomas Lipka
  • Publication number: 20180180031
    Abstract: A connection and fastening unit for components of a lightning protection system, the connection and fastening unit being realized for the purpose of being integrated in a wind turbine rotor blade and for being connected to the components of the lightning protection system, wherein the connection and fastening unit includes a cavity which can be closed in an airtight manner and in which a connector for connection to at least one of the components of the lightning protection system are arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Hendrik Klein, Thomas Lipka
  • Publication number: 20180156202
    Abstract: A spar cap assembly for a wind turbine rotor blade with a carbon fiber-reinforced spar cap, a lightning conductor, which extends along the spar cap, and an equipotential bonding element, which connects the spar cap and the lightning conductor together electrically conductively, wherein the spar cap includes a plurality of layers of pultruded semi-finished products and the equipotential bonding element comprises a sheet of a carbon fiber material, which rests against an end face of an end on the blade root side of one of the pultruded semi-finished products and against an end face of an end on the blade tip side of one of the pultruded semi-finished products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Hendrik Klein, Jochen Kremer
  • Patent number: 9765646
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is for mounting on a rotor hub covered by a spinner having a rotor blade opening and includes a wind turbine rotor blade body having a fastening section and a longitudinal section. The fastening section is configured for fastening the rotor blade body on the rotor hub. The longitudinal section is arranged inside the rotor blade opening when the wind turbine rotor blade is mounted on the rotor hub. The longitudinal section and the rotor blade opening conjointly define an annular gap therebetween when the wind turbine rotor blade is mounted on the rotor hub. A cover profile is fastened on the wind turbine rotor blade and covers the annular gap. The cover profile has a circular ring-shaped outer edge and a circular ring-shaped inner edge. The inner edge is disposed at a radial distance from the wind turbine rotor blade. An annular-shaped cover element is fastened on the wind turbine rotor blade and bridges the radial distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Lipka
  • Publication number: 20170045037
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is provided. The wind turbine blade has a lightning receptor, a first electric line, and a potential equalization arrangement having a first electrode, which is connected to the lightning receptor, and a second electrode, which is connected to the first electric line, a spark gap being formed between the two electrodes, mutually facing sides of the two electrodes forming an air flow channel, which is arranged such that the ambient air that is incident when the wind turbine rotor blade is in operation flows through it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Jochen Kremer
  • Publication number: 20150147187
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is for mounting on a rotor hub covered by a spinner having a rotor blade opening and includes a wind turbine rotor blade body having a fastening section and a longitudinal section. The fastening section is configured for fastening the rotor blade body on the rotor hub. The longitudinal section is arranged inside the rotor blade opening when the wind turbine rotor blade is mounted on the rotor hub. The longitudinal section and the rotor blade opening conjointly define an annular gap therebetween when the wind turbine rotor blade is mounted on the rotor hub. A cover profile is fastened on the wind turbine rotor blade and covers the annular gap. The cover profile has a circular ring-shaped outer edge and a circular ring-shaped inner edge. The inner edge is disposed at a radial distance from the wind turbine rotor blade. An annular-shaped cover element is fastened on the wind turbine rotor blade and bridges the radial distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas Lipka