Patents by Inventor Andrew Billen

Andrew Billen 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: 8402652
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wind turbine rotor blade includes, in one embodiment, the steps of providing a core, and applying at least one reinforcing skin to the core to form a blade subassembly. Each reinforcing skin is formed from a mat of reinforcing fibers. The method also includes applying a micro-porous membrane over the at least one reinforcing skin, applying a vacuum film over the micro-porous membrane, introducing a polymeric resin to the core, infusing the resin through the core and through the at least one reinforcing skin by applying a vacuum to the blade assembly, and curing the resin to form the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jan Willem Bakhuis, Andrew Billen, Sjef Van Breugel, Jamie Livingston
  • Publication number: 20110142669
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for fabricating elongated wind turbine blades and wind turbine blades formed by the method. The method includes providing a first shell reinforcing fiber structure. At least one shear web reinforcing fiber structure is positioned adjacent to the first shell reinforcing fiber structure. The method includes infusing the first shell reinforcing fiber structure and shear web reinforcing fiber structure with a matrix material and curing the matrix material to form a unitary composite first shell component. Thereafter a composite second shell component is attached to the composite first shell component to form an elongated composite airfoil suitable for use as a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blades formed include unitary components providing reduced number of adhesive joints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Althoff, Amir Riahi, Andrew Billen, Willem Bakhuis
  • Patent number: 7895745
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for fabricating elongated wind turbine blades and wind turbine blades formed by the method. The method includes providing a first shell reinforcing fiber structure. At least one shear web reinforcing fiber structure is positioned adjacent to the first shell reinforcing fiber structure. The method includes infusing the first shell reinforcing fiber structure and shear web reinforcing fiber structure with a matrix material and curing the matrix material to form a unitary composite first shell component. Thereafter a composite second shell component is attached to the composite first shell component to form an elongated composite airfoil suitable for use as a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blades formed include unitary components providing reduced number of adhesive joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Althoff, Amir Riahi, Andrew Billen, Willem Bakhuis
  • Publication number: 20080219851
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for fabricating elongated wind turbine blades and wind turbine blades formed by the method. The method includes providing a first shell reinforcing fiber structure. At least one shear web reinforcing fiber structure is positioned adjacent to the first shell reinforcing fiber structure. The method includes infusing the first shell reinforcing fiber structure and shear web reinforcing fiber structure with a matrix material and curing the matrix material to form a unitary composite first shell component. Thereafter a composite second shell component is attached to the composite first shell component to form an elongated composite airfoil suitable for use as a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blades formed include unitary components providing reduced number of adhesive joints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas ALTHOFF, Amir RIAHI, Andrew BILLEN, Willem BAKHUIS
  • Patent number: 7351040
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a root portion of a wind turbine blade includes, in an exemplary embodiment, providing an outer layer of reinforcing fibers including at least two woven mats of reinforcing fibers, providing an inner layer of reinforcing fibers including at least two woven mats of reinforcing fibers, and positioning at least two bands of reinforcing fibers between the inner and outer layers, with each band of reinforcing fibers including at least two woven mats of reinforcing fibers. The method further includes positioning a mat of randomly arranged reinforcing fibers between each pair of adjacent bands of reinforcing fibers, introducing a polymeric resin into the root potion of the wind turbine blade, infusing the resin through the outer layer, the inner layer, each band of reinforcing fibers, and each mat of random reinforcing fibers, and curing the resin to form the root portion of the wind turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jamie T. Livingston, Arthur H. E. Burke, Jan Willem Bakhuis, Sjef Van Breugel, Andrew Billen
  • Publication number: 20070160479
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a root portion of a wind turbine blade includes, in an exemplary embodiment, providing an outer layer of reinforcing fibers including at least two woven mats of reinforcing fibers, providing an inner layer of reinforcing fibers including at least two woven mats of reinforcing fibers, and positioning at least two bands of reinforcing fibers between the inner and outer layers, with each band of reinforcing fibers including at least two woven mats of reinforcing fibers. The method further includes positioning a mat of randomly arranged reinforcing fibers between each pair of adjacent bands of reinforcing fibers, introducing a polymeric resin into the root potion of the wind turbine blade, infusing the resin through the outer layer, the inner layer, each band of reinforcing fibers, and each mat of random reinforcing fibers, and curing the resin to form the root portion of the wind turbine blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Jamie Livingston, Arthur Burke, Jan Bakhuis, Sjef Van Breugel, Andrew Billen
  • Publication number: 20070140858
    Abstract: Disclosed is a modularly constructed rotorblade including a leading and a trailing edge, including a plurality of rotorblade sections in bonded association, and at least one bonding line disposed away from continuous contact with the leading edge and the trailing edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Jan Bakhuis, Andrew Billen, Sjef van Breugel, Jamie Livingston
  • Publication number: 20070140865
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for forming a blade-section including a transporting frame, at least one transporting support removeably associated with the transporting frame, and a blade-section forming structure receptive of the transporting frame and the at least one transporting support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Jan Bakhuis, Andrew Billen, Sjef Breugel, Jamie Livingston
  • Publication number: 20070107220
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wind turbine rotor blade includes, in one embodiment, the steps of providing a core, and applying at least one reinforcing skin to the core to form a blade subassembly. Each reinforcing skin is formed from a mat of reinforcing fibers. The method also includes applying a micro-porous membrane over the at least one reinforcing skin, applying a vacuum film over the micro-porous membrane, introducing a polymeric resin to the core, infusing the resin through the core and through the at least one reinforcing skin by applying a vacuum to the blade assembly, and curing the resin to form the rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Jan Bakhuis, Andrew Billen, Sjef Breugel, Jamie Livingston