Patents Examined by S. Mikailoff
  • Patent number: 10995728
    Abstract: Provided is a wind power generation system including: a wind power generation apparatus that includes at least a duct having a longitudinal cross section formed in a substantial streamline shape, the longitudinal cross section being cut along a central axis, an impeller placed in the duct, and a power generator that generates power by rotation of the impeller; an anemovane installed so as to be able to measure a wind direction and/or wind power in a vicinity of the wind power generation apparatus; a rotating pedestal that supports the wind power generation apparatus so as to be rotatable along a supporting surface; and a control device that controls a rotational angle of the rotating pedestal based on the wind direction and/or the wind power measured by the anemovane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Inventor: Kuninori Tsuda
  • Patent number: 10982648
    Abstract: A bladeless wind turbine may include a flexible support rod mounted on a support surface, an elongated rigid mast mounted on the flexible support rod, and a natural tuning mechanism coaxially mounted around a first portion of the flexible support rod. A natural tuning mechanism may include a housing coaxially attached to the flexible support rod, at least one extendable tube slidably housed within the housing and coaxially mounted and fitted around the flexible support rod. At least one extendable tube may be slidably moveable along the main axis of the flexible support rod and may be extendable beyond the top end of the housing by a predetermined height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Inventors: Ehsan Azadi Yazdi, Seyed Alireza Razavi
  • Patent number: 10985633
    Abstract: An energy harvester coupled to a vibration source includes a housing, a transducer, and an amplifier. The transducer may have a first part and a second part. The first part and the second part may move relative to each other along a central axis in response to a motion from the vibration source. The amplifier is coupled to the housing and operable to amplify an amplitude of the motion received from the vibration source. The amplifier has an input member coupled to the vibration source and an output member coupled to the first part of the transducer. The input member moves at a distance D1 in response to the motion from the vibration source. The output member moves the first part of the transducer in response to the input member moving. The first part of the transducer moves along the central axis by a distance D2, where D2>D1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Iman Shahosseini, Khalil Najafi
  • Patent number: 10973276
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to energy-harvesting articles of footwear, and associated components and methods. In some embodiments, an energy-harvesting article of footwear comprises a compressible bladder, a pneumatic motor fluidically connected to the compressible bladder, and an electric generator operatively coupled to the pneumatic motor. In some embodiments, energy is harvested by compressing a compressible bladder and flowing fluid from the compressible bladder through a pneumatic motor to generate power. Certain embodiments relate to pneumatic motor designs, and/or to methods of flowing fluid input through pneumatic motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Haluk Akay, Ruize Xu, Kelsey Seto, Sang-Gook Kim
  • Patent number: 10961976
    Abstract: The invention relates to the real-time determination of the forces applied by waves incident upon the moving part (2) of a wave-energy system (1). The method according to the invention is based on the construction of a model of the radiation force applied to the moving part (2) and a model of the dynamics of the wave-energy system (1). The invention uses only measurements of the kinematics of the moving part (2) and the force applied by the conversion machine (3) to the moving part (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Hoai-Nam Nguyen, Paolino Tona
  • Patent number: 10941747
    Abstract: A gravitational vortex variable flow energy system (GVvFES) is disclosed. An example embodiment includes: a turbine basin having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the turbine basin having a hybrid conical shape; a generator installed adjacent to the turbine basin; a turbine blade hub having turbine blades attached thereto, the turbine blade hub being coupled to the generator with a turbine blade axle, the turbine blade hub being configured to achieve a variable and configurable height relative to a top of the turbine basin; and a diffuser installed beneath the outlet portion of the turbine basin, the diffuser being configured to achieve a variable and configurable height relative to a bottom of the turbine basin. An example embodiment also includes linkage to vary an angle or pitch of the turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Inventor: Ronald D. Bingaman
  • Patent number: 10903722
    Abstract: A power generation system for the production of electric power or the accomplishment of other work objectives utilizes kinetic energy derived from the action of the force of gravity on a vehicle that is allowed to move along a power generation path having a downward grade. A tether cable connects the vehicle to a tether member that moves along a downhill line in response to the movement of the vehicle along the path, and the movement of the tether member operates a gearing mechanism that operates a machine to accomplish the work objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Inventor: Russell Wayne Crawford
  • Patent number: 10855141
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a regulated power source that has an a synchronous machine, a flywheel with the shaft connected thereto, an electrical generator electrically connected through a switch to the synchronous machine of the regulated power source, an engine having a main shaft coupled to the shaft of the electrical generator, a power supply, and a switch connected between the electrical generator, the power supply and the regulated power source. The switch transfers power from the regulated power source to the electrical generator so as to cause the electrical generator to rotate the shaft in order to rotate the shaft of the engine during engine start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Potencia Industrial LLC
    Inventor: Tomas Gottfried
  • Patent number: 10830210
    Abstract: An emergency wind turbine system for an aircraft including an outer structure in which an opening is made includes an emergency wind turbine including: a mast; a turbine including a body mounted on the mast that rotates about an axis of rotation, and a single blade or two blades extending radially from the body between a blade root and a blade head; a locking device to lock rotation of the turbine body about the axis of rotation, when the emergency wind turbine moves between retracted and deployed positions, such that the blade root axis forms an acute locking angle with an orthogonal projection of the longitudinal axis of the mast over a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the turbine and in which the blade root axis extends, to reduce the volume swept by the turbine when it moves between the retracted and deployed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Safran Electrical & Power
    Inventors: Eric Joseph Etienne Polin, Julien Guiraud
  • Patent number: 10819262
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a power generation system including a double-fed induction generator, a power converter, and a controller. The double-fed induction generator includes a rotor and a stator coupled to a grid. The power converter includes a rotor side converter coupled to the rotor of the generator, a grid side converter coupled to the grid, and a DC bus coupled between the rotor side converter and the grid side converter. The controller includes a rotor side controller for controlling the rotor side converter and a grid side controller for controlling the grid side converter. The rotor side controller includes a compensator having a transfer function and configured to counter a negative resistance effect of the generator to suppress sub-synchronous oscillations. The present invention further discloses a system for suppressing sub-synchronous oscillations and a method for controlling operation of a power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yunjie Gu, Yuxiang Wang, Jiao Liu, Zhuohui Tan, David Smith, Wei Ren, Wuhua Li
  • Patent number: 10801474
    Abstract: An embodiment includes sensor data representative of an amount of gas in a storage tank and a speed of wind driving a wind turbine. The embodiment also includes identifying a favorable capacity condition of the storage tank by comparing the amount of gas in the storage tank to the tank's capacity. The embodiment further includes identifying a favorable wind condition by comparing the wind speed to a cut-in speed of the wind turbine. In addition, the embodiment includes receiving wind direction data indicating a direction of the wind driving the wind turbine and identifying a valve position update for a valve that controls gas flow from the tank towards the wind turbine. Finally, the embodiment includes instructing the valve according to the valve position update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sandeep Sukhija, Bryan Sacks, Deepak Bajaj, Harish Bharti
  • Patent number: 10794357
    Abstract: A conical wind turbine assembly includes a stand that is positionable in an area known for regularly occurring windy conditions. The stand includes a rotatable supporting element that is rotatable around the stand to align the rotatable supporting element with a direction of the wind. A generator is coupled to the stand and the generator is in mechanical communication with the rotatable supporting element. A plurality of fins is each coupled to the rotatable supporting element to be exposed to the wind. Each of the fins radiates around the rotatable supporting element to capture the wind thereby rotating the fins. Additionally, each of the fins is in mechanical communication with the generator such that the generator is rotated when the fins are rotated wherein the fins are configured to convert wind energy into electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Inventor: Kevin Pyne
  • Patent number: 10784744
    Abstract: A power generation system for the production of electric power or the accomplishment of other work objectives utilizes kinetic energy derived from the action of the force of gravity on a vehicle that is allowed to move along a power generation path having a downward grade. A tether cable connects the vehicle to a tether member that moves along a downhill line in response to the movement of the vehicle along the path, and the movement of the tether member operates a gearing mechanism that operates a machine to accomplish the work objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Inventor: Russell Wayne Crawford
  • Patent number: 10707790
    Abstract: The present electric power generation control device includes: an event detection unit which detects an event attributable to a deterioration in the balance between a torque input to a generator and an effective power output by the generator, the deterioration being caused by a reduction in a set value of the effective power received from the generator by an electric power converter when the electric power converter has detected a failure necessitating interruption of electric power transmission from the generator by a direct-current (DC) power transmission unit, the DC power transmission unit transmitting DC power, the electric power converter connecting a generator to the DC power transmission unit; and a torque command reduction unit which causes a reduction in a torque command to a motor when the event detection unit has detected the event attributable to the deterioration in the balance, the motor outputting the torque input to the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD., MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Hashimoto, Tsuyoshi Wakasa, Yoshiyuki Kono, Shuhei Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10693404
    Abstract: A method to control a wind power installation is provided. The wind power installation includes a generator and a converter. The generator is configured to convert wind power into electrical power and to provide the electrical power from the generator to the converter. The converter is configured to adapt and to provide the electrical power to an electrical grid. The converter is operable to comply with pre-determined grid code requirements during a grid fault. An amount of electrical power, which is present in the wind power installation during the grid fault, is fed into the generator. The generator is operable to convert the respective amount of electrical power into a generator loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kurt Andersen, Per Egedal, Thomas Hjort
  • Patent number: 10683848
    Abstract: A drive train for a wind turbine includes a rotor shaft configured to be driven by a rotor about a main axis, and a support structure including a bearing housing surrounding at least one bearing and supporting the rotor shaft for rotation about the main axis to constrain other movements of the rotor shaft. A gearbox input shaft and housing supports the gearbox input shaft for rotation while constraining other movements of the gearbox input shaft. The gearbox input shaft is coupled to the rotor shaft by an elastic coupling comprising a first coupling part rigidly connected with the rotor shaft, a second coupling part rigidly connected with the gearbox input shaft, and elastic elements positioned between the first and the second coupling part to provide a single joint between the rotor shaft and the gearbox input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Adwen GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Rogg
  • Patent number: 10673363
    Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine, wherein a fuel-air mixture is burnt in the internal combustion engine and the internal combustion engine drives a generator, wherein the generator is connected to a power supply network and delivers power to the power supply network and wherein upon or after detection of a dynamic network fault by which the power delivery of the generator into the power supply network is reduced acceleration of the internal combustion engine is prevented or limited, wherein upon or after the detection of the network fault in the power supply network the fuel feed to the internal combustion engine is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: GE Jenbacher GmbH CO OG
    Inventors: Johann Hirzinger-Unterrainer, Uwe Liebscher, Herbert Schaumberger, Josef Thalhauser
  • Patent number: 10648449
    Abstract: A hydroelectric power generation apparatus includes a hydroelectric power generation module, a supporting part, and a bar. The hydroelectric power generation module includes a rotary blade and a power generator that generates power by rotation of the rotary blade. The supporting part supports the hydroelectric power generation module. The supporting part can be installed at a water channel. The bar is connected to the supporting part to protrude from the supporting part. With one end of the bar closer to the supporting part or a portion of the supporting part serving as a center, the other end of the bar opposite to one end of the bar can be pivoted to switch a first state to a second state and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoya Kawai, Yoshio Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 10641243
    Abstract: An electrical power generator includes a first part configured to be located in a fluid such that, when the fluid moves, it generates vortices in the fluid so that a lift force is generated on the first part, which produces an oscillating movement of the first part, which has an amplitude. The natural oscillation frequency of the first part may be adjusted to wind speed by way of magnets, which repel each other. Magnets may also be used to generate electrical currents in coils. The first part can have a diameter that increases with distance above the base of the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: VORTEX BLADELESS, S.L.
    Inventor: David Jesús Yañez Villarreal
  • Patent number: 10641123
    Abstract: A power plant for an aircraft such as a UAV with a gas turbine engine that drives an electric generator to produce electrical power. The electric generator is rotatably supported by two foil bearings. A centrifugal compressor is secured to a forward side of the generator rotor shaft. The centrifugal compressor draws in cooling air that flows through the two foil bearings and between a space formed between the rotor coil and the stator coil of the electric generator to provide for cooling of both foil bearings and the coils of the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew R Narcus, Cheryl A Schopf