Patents by Inventor Christopher James Kenny

Christopher James Kenny 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).

  • Publication number: 20240426129
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for manufacturing a tower structure. Accordingly, a first printed layer of a wall element is deposited with a printhead assembly, and an actual midline perimeter length of the first printed layer is determined. A horizontal reinforcement assembly is then formed based, at least in part, on the actual midline perimeter length. The formed horizontal reinforcement assembly is positioned in a horizontal orientation on the first printed layer and in axial alignment with the vertical axis of the tower structure. With the horizontal reinforcement assembly positioned on the first printed layer, a second printed layer of the wall element is deposited via the printhead assembly on the horizontal reinforcement layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher James Kenny, Norman Arnold Turnquist, Pascal Meyer, Biao Fang, Juan Pablo Cilia, Xiaopeng Li, Collin McKee Sheppard
  • Publication number: 20240240615
    Abstract: A tower structure particularly suited for a wind turbine includes a lower tower section formed of concrete and an upper tower section formed of steel. A transition system connects the upper tower section to the lower tower section, the transition system including a concrete component having a tubular wall with a base portion fixed on the lower tower section and a head portion connected to the upper tower section. The head portion extends radially outward beyond the upper tower section. A plurality of first tensioning tendons extend longitudinally at least partially through the tubular wall and are anchored to the concrete component at a top face of the head portion at locations radially outward of the upper tower section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Pascal Meyer, Biao Fang, Norman Arnold Turnquist, Xiaopeng Li, Gregory Edward Cooper, Christopher James Kenny
  • Publication number: 20240141674
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to embodiments of a tower structure with at least partially additively manufactured, stacked tower sections. Embodiments of the tower structure have a plurality of stacked tower sections, wherein at least one tower section of the plurality of stacked tower sections includes a wall element having one or more printed layers, and a base holding thereon the one or more printed layers. The present disclosure also is directed to a method of manufacturing a tower structure using a stacked tower sections and additive manufacturing. Embodiments of the method include forming a base of poured concrete or cast material, printing and depositing one or more printed layers to form a wall element, and stacking the plurality of tower sections to form the tower structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Christopher James Kenny, Xiaopeng Li, Gregory Edward Cooper, Biao Fang, Pascal Meyer, Collin McKee Sheppard, Ryan Eric Vogel
  • Patent number: 11939762
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for manufacturing a tower structure. Accordingly, one or more layers of a wall element are deposited with a printhead assembly. At least one recess is defined in the wall element. The recess(es) has a single, circumferential opening positioned along an inner reference curve or an outer reference curve of the wall element. The recess(es) also has a depth which extends in a radial direction and intersects a midline reference curve. A reinforcing element is placed entirely within the recess(es) at the midline reference curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Gregory Edward Cooper, Xiaopeng Li, Christopher James Kenny, Biao Fang, Pascal Meyer
  • Patent number: 11919193
    Abstract: The present application presents novel systems and methods for tracking reinforcement member placement in an additively manufactured structure that are simple, accurate, non-labor-intensive, and cost-effective. The present application also presents a novel method of manufacturing a tower structure comprising: depositing, via an additive printing system, a first printed layer of a wall with a printhead assembly, the wall at least partially circumscribing a vertical axis of the tower structure; positioning a first reinforcement member on the first printed layer; depositing, via the additive printing system, a second printed layer of the wall with the printhead assembly on the first reinforcement member, the second printed layer configured to hold a second reinforcement member thereon; and determining, via an optical sensor of the additive printing system, a position for placing the second reinforcement member based on the first reinforcement member positioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Christopher James Kenny, Collin McKee Sheppard, Xiaopeng Li, Norman Arnold Turnquist
  • Publication number: 20240033967
    Abstract: The present application presents novel systems and methods for tracking reinforcement member placement in an additively manufactured structure that are simple, accurate, non-labor-intensive, and cost-effective. The present application also presents a novel method of manufacturing a tower structure comprising: depositing, via an additive printing system, a first printed layer of a wall with a printhead assembly, the wall at least partially circumscribing a vertical axis of the tower structure; positioning a first reinforcement member on the first printed layer; depositing, via the additive printing system, a second printed layer of the wall with the printhead assembly on the first reinforcement member, the second printed layer configured to hold a second reinforcement member thereon; and determining, via an optical sensor of the additive printing system, a position for placing the second reinforcement member based on the first reinforcement member positioning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher James Kenny, Collin McKee Sheppard, Xiaopeng Li, Norman Arnold Turnquist
  • Patent number: 11697222
    Abstract: A method and system of additively-manufacturing a structure having a reinforced access opening includes printing, via an additive printing device having at least one printer head, a portion of the structure adjacent to a support surface. The portion of the structure is printed of a cementitious material, and the printed portion of the structure defines an access opening for the structure. Moreover, the method includes providing a void of the cementitious material at a top boundary of the access opening, placing one or more reinforcement members in the void such that the one or more reinforcement members extend across the void, and continuing to print the printed portion of the structure around the void to build up the structure. Thus, the method also includes backfilling the void with a backfill material to incorporate the one or more reinforcement members within the void into the printed portion of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaopeng Li, Biao Fang, Pascal Meyer, Christopher James Kenny
  • Publication number: 20230135767
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing a structure includes a supporting frame assembly moveable in a vertical direction of the structure. Further, the system includes an additive printing assembly secured to the supporting frame assembly. The additive printing assembly includes at least one printer head configured to dispense a first cementitious material. The system also includes a reinforcement dispensing assembly supported by the supporting frame assembly. Thus, the reinforcement dispensing assembly is configured to automatically and continuously dispense a plurality of reinforcing members as the structure is printed and built up via the at least one printer head and as the supporting frame assembly moves in the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Xiaopeng Li, Gregory Edward Cooper, Norman Arnold Turnquist, Christopher James Kenny
  • Publication number: 20230135211
    Abstract: A method and system of additively-manufacturing a structure having a reinforced access opening includes printing, via an additive printing device having at least one printer head, a portion of the structure adjacent to a support surface. The portion of the structure is printed of a cementitious material, and the printed portion of the structure defines an access opening for the structure. Moreover, the method includes providing a void of the cementitious material at a top boundary of the access opening, placing one or more reinforcement members in the void such that the one or more reinforcement members extend across the void, and continuing to print the printed portion of the structure around the void to build up the structure. Thus, the method also includes backfilling the void with a backfill material to incorporate the one or more reinforcement members within the void into the printed portion of the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Xiaopeng Li, Biao Fang, Pascal Meyer, Christopher James Kenny
  • Patent number: 11618216
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a build platform, a particulate dispenser assembly configured to dispense or remove particulate to or from the build platform, and a plurality of print heads each having at least one binder jet. The binder jets are configured to dispense at least one binder in varying densities onto the particulate in multiple locations to consolidate the particulate to form the component with a variable binder density throughout. The system also includes a plurality of arms extending at least partially across the build platform and supporting the print heads and at least one actuator assembly configured to rotate the print heads and/or the build platform about a rotation axis and move at least one of the print heads and the build platform in a build direction perpendicular to the build platform as part of a helical build process for the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Juan Pablo Cilia, John P. Davis, William Thomas Carter, Jr., Jared Micheal Iverson, Michael Robert Tucker, Michael Evans Graham, Edward James Nieters, Christopher James Kenny
  • Patent number: 11613904
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tower structure includes providing an additive printing device having at least one printer head atop a support surface. The method also includes positioning a pre-fabricated component adjacent to the support surface. The pre-fabricated component is constructed of a composite material reinforced with a plurality of reinforcement members. Further, portions of the plurality of reinforcement members protrude from the composite material. Moreover, the method includes printing and depositing, via the at least one printer head, a cementitious material onto the support surface to build up the tower structure layer by layer around the pre-fabricated component. Thus, the portions of the plurality of reinforcement members that protrude from the composite material reinforce the cementitious material around the pre-fabricated component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Xiaopeng Li, Christopher James Kenny, Gregory Edward Cooper, Biao Fang, Pascal Meyer
  • Publication number: 20220341152
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for manufacturing a tower structure. Accordingly, one or more layers of a wall element are deposited with a printhead assembly. At least one recess is defined in the wall element. The recess(es) has a single, circumferential opening positioned along an inner reference curve or an outer reference curve of the wall element. The recess(es) also has a depth which extends in a radial direction and intersects a midline reference curve. A reinforcing element is placed entirely within the recess(es) at the midline reference curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Gregory Edward Cooper, Xiaopeng Li, Christopher James Kenny, Biao Fang, Pascal Meyer
  • Publication number: 20220154486
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tower structure includes providing an additive printing device having at least one printer head atop a support surface. The method also includes positioning a pre-fabricated component adjacent to the support surface. The pre-fabricated component is constructed of a composite material reinforced with a plurality of reinforcement members. Further, portions of the plurality of reinforcement members protrude from the composite material. Moreover, the method includes printing and depositing, via the at least one printer head, a cementitious material onto the support surface to build up the tower structure layer by layer around the pre-fabricated component. Thus, the portions of the plurality of reinforcement members that protrude from the composite material reinforce the cementitious material around the pre-fabricated component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Xiaopeng Li, Christopher James Kenny, Gregory Edward Cooper, Biao Fang, Pascal Meyer
  • Publication number: 20220063188
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a build platform, a particulate dispenser assembly configured to dispense or remove particulate to or from the build platform, and a plurality of print heads each having at least one binder jet. The binder jets are configured to dispense at least one binder in varying densities onto the particulate in multiple locations to consolidate the particulate to form the component with a variable binder density throughout. The system also includes a plurality of arms extending at least partially across the build platform and supporting the print heads and at least one actuator assembly configured to rotate the print heads and/or the build platform about a rotation axis and move at least one of the print heads and the build platform in a build direction perpendicular to the build platform as part of a helical build process for the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Juan Pablo Cilia, John P. Davis, William Thomas Carter, JR., Jared Micheal Iverson, Michael Robert Tucker, Michael Evans Graham, Edward James Nieters, Christopher James Kenny