Patents by Inventor Christopher D. Cheng

Christopher D. Cheng 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: 8434360
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting ice on a rotor blade of a wind turbine are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method may include pitching the rotor blade across a range of pitch angles, monitoring an ice-related parameter of the wind turbine as the rotor blade is pitched and comparing the monitored ice-related parameter to a predetermined baseline profile for the ice-related parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Christopher D. Cheng
  • Publication number: 20120024053
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting ice on a rotor blade of a wind turbine are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method may include pitching the rotor blade across a range of pitch angles, monitoring an ice-related parameter of the wind turbine as the rotor blade is pitched and comparing the monitored ice-related parameter to a predetermined baseline profile for the ice-related parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Christopher D. Cheng
  • Publication number: 20110133473
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gearbox handling assembly to facilitate removal of a gearbox from a wind turbine uptower from the wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a rotor rotatably coupled to the gearbox with a rotor shaft. The gearbox and the rotor shaft are supported from a support frame. The method includes coupling a support assembly between the gearbox and the support frame for supporting the gearbox from the support frame. A positioning assembly is coupled to the support frame. The positioning assembly is configured to contact the gearbox to move the gearbox between a first position wherein the gearbox is operatively coupled to the rotor shaft and a second position wherein the gearbox is operatively decoupled and spaced from the rotor shaft to facilitate removing the gearbox from the wind turbine without removing the rotor from the wind turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Jonathan Paul Signore, Michael S. Koronkiewicz, Christopher D. Cheng, Stephen John Jutton, Charles Van Buchan, James Bradford Holmes
  • Patent number: 7944079
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gearbox handling assembly to facilitate removal of a gearbox from a wind turbine uptower from the wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a rotor rotatably coupled to the gearbox with a rotor shaft. The gearbox and the rotor shaft are supported from a support frame. The method includes coupling a support assembly between the gearbox and the support frame for supporting the gearbox from the support frame. A positioning assembly is coupled to the support frame. The positioning assembly is configured to contact the gearbox to move the gearbox between a first position wherein the gearbox is operatively coupled to the rotor shaft and a second position wherein the gearbox is operatively decoupled and spaced from the rotor shaft to facilitate removing the gearbox from the wind turbine without removing the rotor from the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Paul Signore, Michael S. Koronkiewicz, Christopher D. Cheng, Stephen John Jutton, Charles Van Buchan, James Bradford Holmes