Patents by Inventor Adam D. Minadeo

Adam D. Minadeo 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).

  • Wind turbine drivetrain system
    Patent number: 8008798
    Abstract: A wind turbine is provided having a drivetrain with a gearbox and a gearbox housing, at least one gear stage and an output shaft coupled within the housing. The gear stage exerts an axial thrust force on the output shaft during operation of the wind turbine. A generator includes a generator housing and an input shaft connected to the output shaft of the gearbox. The generator includes a rotor and a stator coupled to the generator housing. The rotor is coupled to the input shaft such that the rotor is positioned radially inward from the stator. At least one bearing is shared between the gearbox output shaft and the generator input shaft, and this bearing carries a portion of the axial thrust force. The generator is skewed to exert an opposing axial thrust force on the input shaft, so that the axial thrust force carried by the bearing is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick L. Jansen, Gary R. Barnes, Kiruba S. Haran, Ronghai Qu, Adam D. Minadeo
  • WIND TURBINE DRIVETRAIN SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20110133469
    Abstract: A wind turbine is provided having a drivetrain with a gearbox and a gearbox housing, at least one gear stage and an output shaft coupled within the housing. The gear stage exerts an axial thrust force on the output shaft during operation of the wind turbine. A generator includes a generator housing and an input shaft connected to the output shaft of the gearbox. The generator includes a rotor and a stator coupled to the generator housing. The rotor is coupled to the input shaft such that the rotor is positioned radially inward from the stator. At least one bearing is shared between the gearbox output shaft and the generator input shaft, and this bearing carries a portion of the axial thrust force. The generator is skewed to exert an opposing axial thrust force on the input shaft, so that the axial thrust force carried by the bearing is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Patrick L. Jansen, Gary R. Barnes, Kiruba S. Haran, Ronghai Qu, Adam D. Minadeo