Patents Examined by Wesley Le Fisher
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Patent number: 11448183Abstract: This invention relates to a noise reducing device and a wind turbine blade comprises such a noise reducing device. The noise reducing device comprises noise reducing elements projecting from a base part towards a second end. Airflow modifying elements projects further from the base part towards a first end. The noise reducing elements and airflow modifying elements are arranged on opposite sides of the base part and preferably have different dimensions and/or shapes.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2018Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: LM WIND POWER US TECHNOLOGY APSInventors: Carlos Arce, Peter Baek, Bjarke Van Malkenhorst
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Patent number: 11441546Abstract: Provided is a wind turbine including: a hub, at least one blade fixed to the hub, a nacelle on which the hub is rotatably mounted for rotating about a rotational axis, a tower on which the nacelle is mounted, a plurality of hitting areas which are subject to be hit by a lightning stroke. The nacelle includes an outer cover having a first plurality of portions including a conductive material and a second plurality of portions including a non-conductive material, the first plurality of portions being arranged along at least a path between the plurality of hitting areas and the tower.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Inventor: Henrik Abild Jensen
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Patent number: 11434878Abstract: There is provided a wind turbine rotor blade comprising a rotor blade casing, and a lightning protection system having at least one lightning protection cable and a lighting protection cable holder. The lighting protection cable holder is fixed in or to the inside of the rotor blade casing. The lighting protection conductor holder has a first part and a second part. The first part is fixed to an inside of the rotor blade casing and has a receiving portion for receiving the lighting protection cable. The second part is in the form of a cover or covering means and is placed over the receiving portion. The first and second parts each have a radar-absorbing core or a radar-absorbing layer and an electrically insulating material which surrounds the radar-absorbing core or the radar-absorbing layer.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2019Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbHInventors: Daniel Vinke, Sebastian Engelhardt
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Patent number: 11415111Abstract: Provided is a lightning protection system for a wind turbine, including a connection unit to be placed between a nacelle and at least one blade of the wind turbine for conducting lightning current and/or static energy from the at least one blade to the nacelle, the connection unit including a first end portion with at least one nacelle contacting element, a second end portion with at least one blade contacting element, at least one first support member supporting the at least one nacelle contacting element, at least one second support member supporting the at least one blade contacting element, a base portion located between the first support member and the second support member, and at least one shifting element mechanically connecting the first support member and/or the second support member slidably relative to the base portion for amending a length of the connection unit in an amending direction from the blade to the nacelle.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Inventor: Jose Manuel Garcia Perez
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Patent number: 11396864Abstract: Examples are generally directed to techniques for monitoring and controlling heating elements in wind turbine blades and the wind turbine blades. One example of the present disclosure is a method of monitoring and controlling a condition of a heating element in a wind turbine blade and the wind turbine blade. The method includes measuring a voltage applied to the heating element and measuring the current flowing through the heating element. The method further includes calculating a resistance of the heating element using the measured voltage and the measured current and storing the resistance in a database. The method further includes determining whether an event corresponding to a failure of the wind turbine blade or the heating element in the wind turbine blade has occurred. When the event occurs, control of the heating element is adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/SInventor: Stephen Buggy
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Patent number: 11378097Abstract: A multi-stage centrifugal pump includes a pump casing, in which a shaft (8) carrying an impeller is rotatably arranged. The pump casing has a pump casing foot part (2) that includes a reversibly closable maintenance opening (60), via which a bearing and/or seal (20, 25), which is arranged at a shaft end within the pump casing, is accessible and exchangeable.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2016Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: GRUNDFOS HOLDING A/SInventors: Erik Bundesen Svarre, John FrigÄrd Nielsen, Finn Ulrich Storgaard, Iraj Babazadeh
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Patent number: 11378058Abstract: A hydraulic circuit for a wind turbine is provided. The hydraulic circuit includes: a fixed displacement pump including a suction input and a delivery output, a pump motor for driving the fixed displacement pump, a pressure line hydraulically connected to the delivery output of the fixed displacement pump for delivering an output flow and/or an output pressure generated by the fixed displacement pump towards at least a consumer circuit, a bypass valve including a valve input hydraulically connected to the delivery output of the fixed displacement pump, wherein the bypass valve includes a variable opening for controlling the output flow or the output pressure delivered by the fixed displacement pump towards the consumer circuit(s).Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/SInventor: Mikkel Aggersbjerg Kristensen
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Patent number: 11346252Abstract: A case assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a case extending circumferentially about an engine central longitudinal axis and two or more components installed in the case at different axial and/or radial locations. A retainer is installed at a circumferential end of the case, the retainer configured to circumferentially retain the two or more components at the case. A circumferential retainer of a case assembly of a gas turbine engine includes a retainer pin configured for installation in retaining feature of a circumferential end of a case, and one or more retainer arms extending from the retainer pin. The one or more retainer arms are configured to extend at least partially across two or more components installed in the case at different axial and/or radial locations to circumferentially retain the two or more components at the case.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Konstantinos Panagiotis Giannakopoulos, Thomas Carlsen
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Patent number: 11346328Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade lightning receptor arrangement (12) is provided with an electrically conductive block (123) and a shielding component (122). In use, the electrically conductive block (123) forms an electrical bridge between a receptor element (121) of a lightning protection system and a down conductor (15) of the lightning protection system. The electrically conductive block (123) comprises a first engagement surface (124) for, in use, receiving the receptor element (121). The shielding component (122) overlays a portion of the first engagement surface (124) of the electrically conductive block (123), while leaving open an area for receiving the receptor element (121).Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/SInventors: Nathan A. Brilliant, Chris Sutton
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Patent number: 11333041Abstract: An inner band assembly for at turbine nozzle of a rotary machine that includes a centerline axis, the inner band assembly comprising a platform portion, a first flange portion coupled to the platform portion and obliquely oriented with respect to the centerline axis, and a second flange coupled to the first flange and obliquely oriented with respect to the first flange. Wherein the platform portion and the first flange intersect.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: General Electric Company Polska Sp. Z o.o.Inventors: Michal Czarnecki, Michal Kowalczyk, Adam Krysztopa, Piotr Pachota
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Patent number: 11319933Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine comprising: an internal blade cavity defined by two opposing internal surfaces of two shells of the rotor blade; a receptor block forming part of a lightning protection system and disposed within the internal blade cavity; and a centralising device that spaces the receptor block from the two opposing internal surfaces of the shells such that the receptor block lies centrally within the internal blade cavity. The receptor block is therefore in a desired position for installing receptors for lightning discharge.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2018Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/SInventor: Chris Sutton
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Patent number: 11300142Abstract: A fan includes a base, a motor and an impeller, and the motor includes a sleeve, a rotor, a position limiting element and a composite elastic element. The sleeve is disposed on the base, and the sleeve has a bottom portion and a side wall, which constitute an accommodation space. The rotor has a rotating shaft disposed within the accommodation space, and the rotating shaft has an outer wall. An annular groove is formed on the outer wall and has a surface. The position limiting element is disposed on the sleeve and extended from the side wall toward the rotating shaft, and the position limiting element has a bottom surface. The bottom surface faces toward the bottom portion, and the bottom surface is interfered with the surface, thereby eliminating the gap between the bottom surface and the surface. Therefore, noise of the up and down vibration is avoided from generating.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.Inventors: Wei-I Ling, Chih-Chung Chen, Meng-Yu Chen
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Patent number: 11293293Abstract: Turbomachine casing treatments are described. A turbomachine that includes an example of a turbomachine casing treatment includes a wheel, a casing, and a fluid pressurizer. The wheel has a hub that defines a rotational axis and a plurality of blades. The casing has a first end, a second end, and defines an inner surface that surrounds the plurality of blades, an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a passageway, and a channel that extends from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. The passageway extends from a first passageway opening that is defined on the inner surface and a second passageway opening that is defined on the inner surface and is disposed between the first passageway opening and the first end of the casing. The fluid pressurizer is disposed within the passageway.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: COFLOW JET, LLCInventor: Gecheng Zha
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Patent number: 11286912Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade comprising a lightning protection system. The lightning protection system has at least one receptor, a lightning protection conductor and a further element. A portion of the lightning protection conductor is in electrical contact with the further element by a connector. The connector has a screw with a collar as well as a nut with a female thread and a collar. The nut and the screw can be screwed together.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2018Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbHInventor: Daniel Vinke
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Patent number: 11274566Abstract: A blade outer air seal for a gas turbine engine includes a platform having a leading edge and a trailing edge. A pair of circumferential edges connect the leading edge and the trailing edge. An end wall protrudes radially outward from the platform at the trailing edge. A first support rib connects one of the circumferential edges to the end wall and structurally supports the end wall. A first boss portion extends axially forward from the end wall and is disposed radially outward of the first support rib.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2019Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Christina G. Ciamarra, Anthony B. Swift
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Patent number: 11254418Abstract: A tiltrotor controls shield having a blade or wire substructure under a fragile spinner fairing improves bird strike durability. The present disclosure discloses a spinner wind fairing with a shield structure disposed thereunder for providing protection to the proprotor assembly components. The shield structure can segment a projectile, such as a bird, that penetrates the spinner fairing into a series of smaller and lower energy elements spread across a wider area, such that the rotor components can withstand the impact of the smaller elements without damage.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2019Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Ken Shundo, Michael Dearman, Terry Thompson
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Patent number: 11255209Abstract: A blade outer air seal assembly includes a carrier that has a slot and a hole that extends into the slot. A blade outer air seal has a plurality of segments that extend circumferentially about an axis and mounted in the carrier. At least one of the plurality of segments has a base portion and a first wall that extends axially and radially outwardly from the base portion. The first wall has an aperture. A pin extends through the hole and the aperture.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2019Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas E. Clark, William M. Barker
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Patent number: 11248473Abstract: A turbine blade includes a platform with an internal cavity formed therein and an airfoil extending radially from the platform. The turbine blade includes a first portion made from ceramic matrix composite materials and a second portion made from superalloy materials. The first and second portions are selectively connected to each other via a spur and include an internal cooling circuit extending across both the first and second portions for circulating coolant therethrough. At least one supply passage extends between the internal cooling circuit and the internal platform cavity and includes an array of pin fins and turbulators for diverting coolant to the internal platform cavity.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2017Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventors: Arindam Dasgupta, Anand A. Kulkarni
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Patent number: 11242761Abstract: A rotor disk assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a rotor disk that defines an axis, the rotor disk comprising a slot within a rim of the disk and a spacer within the slot, the spacer having a clearance feature sized to permit rotation of a rotor blade from an insertion position to an installed position.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Weston Behling, Michael C. Weber, William B. McLean, William S. Pratt, Joon Ha
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Patent number: 11242754Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gas turbine disk that includes a cooling target, and a disk unit having a main passage that is open to supply cooling air to the cooling target, and a plurality of unit passages that are open at an end of the main passage while each having a predetermined size.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2018Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Inventors: Ji Moon Lee, Yong Hyun Lim