Patents by Inventor Adrian Paton

Adrian Paton 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: 10352060
    Abstract: Methods for producing connecting or junction elements, which in some cases may be utilized in steel structures of towers for wind turbines, may involve using a flow forming process to produce which a flange and a casing integrally adjoining the flange from a blank. Further, an end of the casing opposite the flange may be adapted to a contour of a component to which the casing is intended to be connected. In some examples, the casing may be formed with a second flange. Likewise, in some examples, at least a portion of the casing may have a conical design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Michael Gövert, Stephan Drewes, Adrian Paton, Konstantinos Savvas, Mark Hirt
  • Patent number: 10330085
    Abstract: A tower for a wind turbine may include an upper tower portion and a lower tower portion. The upper tower portion may include a tubular tower, and the lower tower portion may include a lattice tower. To improve ergonomics and work safety and make it possible to obtain a structural design with optimized forces, the lower tower portion may include a central tube positioned centrally within the lattice tower. Further, the central tube may have a smaller diameter, at least in certain portions, than at least part of the tubular tower of the upper tower portion. The tower may also include a transition piece between the upper tower portion and the lower tower portion. The transition piece may join the tubular tower of the upper tower portion and the central tube of the lower tower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Stephan Drewes, Mark Hirt, Lothar Patberg, Adrian Paton, Patrick Tlauka
  • Patent number: 10233662
    Abstract: A strut linkage for a steel construction may involve a tower of a wind turbine and/or a corner post of a lattice tower. In order that high forces can be removed via the strut linkage without causing increased stress concentrations, excessive use of material, and/or an excessive structural outlay, a plate element is provided for arranging between, preferably load-bearing, steel construction components. At least one connection element, which may be connected to the plate element, may be utilized to fasten at least one strut and/or guy of the steel construction to the steel construction components via the plate element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Stephan Drewes, Mark Hirt, Lothar Patberg, Adrian Paton, Konstantinos Savvas
  • Publication number: 20180266396
    Abstract: A tower for a wind turbine may include an upper tower portion and a lower tower portion. The upper tower portion may include a tubular tower, and the lower tower portion may include a lattice tower. To improve ergonomics and work safety and make it possible to obtain a structural design with optimized forces, the lower tower portion may include a central tube positioned centrally within the lattice tower. Further, the central tube may have a smaller diameter, at least in certain portions, than at least part of the tubular tower of the upper tower portion. The tower may also include a transition piece between the upper tower portion and the lower tower portion. The transition piece may join the tubular tower of the upper tower portion and the central tube of the lower tower portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicants: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Stephan DREWES, Mark HIRT, Lothar PATBERG, Adrian PATON, Patrick TLAUKA
  • Patent number: 10001111
    Abstract: A transition body may be disposed between upper and lower tower sections of a tower for a wind power station. Some example transition bodies may include a substantially annular upper connection flange for connection to the upper tower section, and at least three substantially annular lower connection flanges, each of which may connect to a corner leg of the lower tower section. The transition body may have several segments disposed about a central tower axis, with the number of segments corresponding to the number of corner legs. Upper peripheral sections of the segments may form an annular circumferential connection envelope that supports the upper connection flange. Lower sections of the segments may form annular circumferential segment envelopes that support the lower connection flanges. The segments may be disposed at acute angles and converge into one another at or near the upper connection flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Lothar Patberg, Stephan Drewes, Adrian Paton, Konstantinos Savvas, Mark Hirt, Maik Bogatsch
  • Patent number: 9828786
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tower of a wind power plant, having a lower part in the form of a lattice tower or truss tower with at least two corner bars, and an upper part in the form of a cross-sectionally substantially round tubular tower, wherein each particular corner bar is put together from a plurality of steel tube profiles that are connected together in the longitudinal direction. In order to achieve good transportability and easier assembly of the components of such a tower, the invention proposes a modular tower concept. According to the invention, each particular corner bar is in this case put together from at least three steel tube profiles which are provided with perforated flanges for holding screws, wherein the corner bars are connected together by cross struts and/or tension struts attached to the flanges, and wherein the steel tube profiles of each particular corner bar are spirally welded steel tube profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Adrian Paton, Mark Hirt, Lothar Patberg, Hasan Bagci, Rainer Fechte-Heinen, Stephan Drewes, Konstantinos Savvas
  • Publication number: 20170292283
    Abstract: A strut linkage for a steel construction may involve a tower of a wind turbine and/or a corner post of a lattice tower. In order that high forces can be removed via the strut linkage without causing increased stress concentrations, excessive use of material, and/or an excessive structural outlay, a plate element is provided for arranging between, preferably load-bearing, steel construction components. At least one connection element, which may be connected to the plate element, may be utilized to fasten at least one strut and/or guy of the steel construction to the steel construction components via the plate element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Applicants: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, ThyssenKrupp AG
    Inventors: Stephan DREWES, Mark HIRT, Lothar PATBERG, Adrian PATON, Konstantinos SAVVAS
  • Patent number: 9487945
    Abstract: The invention concerns a transition body arranged between a lower section and an upper section of a tower for a wind energy plant. The lower tower section is constructed from several corner posts configured as hollow profiles and the upper tower section is configured in the form of a tubular tower which is essentially round in cross section, with a bottom and a connection flange disposed above the bottom for connecting the upper tower section. The bottom and the flange connect the upper tower section and are joined together by at least one metal casing sheet. The connection of the bottom to the at least one metal casing sheet is a welded construction. A number of connection areas is provided on the underside of its bottom, corresponding to the number of corner posts of the lower tower section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Stephan Drewes, Mark Hirt, Adrian Paton, Konstantinos Savvas, Frank Schilling
  • Publication number: 20160230745
    Abstract: A transition body may be disposed between upper and lower tower sections of a tower for a wind power station. Some example transition bodies may include a substantially annular upper connection flange for connection to the upper tower section, and at least three substantially annular lower connection flanges, each of which may connect to a corner leg of the lower tower section. The transition body may have several segments disposed about a central tower axis, with the number of segments corresponding to the number of corner legs. Upper peripheral sections of the segments may form an annular circumferential connection envelope that supports the upper connection flange. Lower sections of the segments may form annular circumferential segment envelopes that support the lower connection flanges. The segments may be disposed at acute angles and converge into one another at or near the upper connection flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Lothar PATBERG, Stephan DREWES, Adrian PATON, Konstantinos SAVVAS, Mark HIRT, Maik BOGATSCH
  • Publication number: 20160215517
    Abstract: Methods for producing connecting or junction elements, which in some cases may be utilized in steel structures of towers for wind turbines, may involve using a flow forming process to produce which a flange and a casing integrally adjoining the flange from a blank. Further, an end of the casing opposite the flange may be adapted to a contour of a component to which the casing is intended to be connected. In some examples, the casing may be formed with a second flange. Likewise, in some examples, at least a portion of the casing may have a conical design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Michael GÖVERT, Stephan DREWES, Adrian PATON, Konstantinos SAVVAS, Mark HIRT
  • Publication number: 20150354203
    Abstract: The invention concerns a transition body arranged between a lower section and an upper section of a tower for a wind energy plant. The lower tower section is constructed from several corner posts configured as hollow profiles and the upper tower section is configured in the form of a tubular tower which is essentially round in cross section, with a bottom and a connection flange disposed above the bottom for connecting the upper tower section. The bottom and the flange connect the upper tower section and are joined together by at least one metal casing sheet. The connection of the bottom to the at least one metal casing sheet is a welded construction. A number of connection areas is provided on the underside of its bottom, corresponding to the number of corner posts of the lower tower section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Stephan DREWES, Mark HIRT, Adrian PATON, Konstantinos SAVVAS, Frank SCHILLING
  • Publication number: 20150218840
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tower of a wind power plant, having a lower part in the form of a lattice tower or truss tower with at least two corner bars, and an upper part in the form of a cross-sectionally substantially round tubular tower, wherein each particular corner bar is put together from a plurality of steel tube profiles that are connected together in the longitudinal direction. In order to achieve good transportability and easier assembly of the components of such a tower, the invention proposes a modular tower concept. According to the invention, each particular corner bar is in this case put together from at least three steel tube profiles which are provided with perforated flanges for holding screws, wherein the corner bars are connected together by cross struts and/or tension struts attached to the flanges, and wherein the steel tube profiles of each particular corner bar are spirally welded steel tube profiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Adrian Paton, Mark Hirt, Lothar Patberg, Hasan Bagci, Rainer Fechte-Heinen, Stephan Drewes, Konstantinos Savvas