Patents by Inventor Damon Vander Lind

Damon Vander Lind 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).

  • Horizontal tail surface
    Patent number: 9764820
    Abstract: An aerial vehicle including a fuselage, a main wing attached to the fuselage, a support structure extending upwardly from the fuselage and having a front surface facing the main wing, an overhang positioned on a top of the support structure and extending towards the main wing, one or more rotating actuators positioned on the overhang, a rear elevator attached to the one or more rotating actuators that are configured to move the rear elevator from a flying mode position where a leading edge of the rear elevator faces the main wing to a hover mode position where the major surfaces of the rear elevator faces the main wing, and wherein the major surfaces of the rear elevator remain in front of the front surface of the support structure when the rear elevator is moved from the flying mode position to the hover mode position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Peter Kinne, Damon Vander Lind, Gregor Cadman
  • Control strategy for multiple kites on a single ground power unit
    Patent number: 9767700
    Abstract: Methods and systems described herein relate to power generation control for an aerial vehicle. An example method may involve determining an asynchronous flight pattern for two or more aerial vehicles, where the asynchronous flight pattern includes a respective flight path for each of the two or more aerial vehicles; and operating each of the aerial vehicles in a crosswind flight substantially along its respective flight path, where each aerial vehicle generates electrical power over time in a periodic profile, and where the power profile of each aerial vehicle is out of phase with respect to the power profile generated by each of the other aerial vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Damon Vander Lind
  • Radiator configuration for a flying wind turbine that passively controls airflow
    Patent number: 9745962
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems for controlling the amount of airflow across a radiator within an aerial vehicle radiator duct. A rigid member of a moveable flow restrictor is rotatable between an open position and a closed position. While subject to a g-force less than a threshold value in a triggering direction, the rigid member is oriented in the open position and, while subject to a g-force greater than the threshold value in the triggering direction, the rigid member is oriented in the closed position. The amount of the airflow across the radiator while the rigid member is in the open position is different than the amount of the airflow across the radiator while the rigid member is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Damon Vander Lind
  • Motor Control Topology for Airborne Power Generation and Systems Using Same
    Publication number: 20170237370
    Abstract: A motor control topology relevant to airborne wind turbines and a control process for such a motor control topology is disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Damon Vander Lind, Geoff Dolan, Corwin Hardham
  • Pivoting perch for flying wind turbine parking
    Patent number: 9732731
    Abstract: An airborne wind turbine system is provided including an aerial vehicle having a fuselage, an electrically conductive tether having a first end secured to the aerial vehicle and a second end secured to a rotatable drum positioned on a tower onto which the tether is wrapped when the aerial vehicle is reeled in, a perch extending from the tower, one or more perch booms attached to the perch panel and pivotably mounted to the tower, wherein when the aerial vehicle is secured to the perch, the aerial vehicle is positionable in a lowered parked position, and wherein the aerial vehicle is movable to a raised parked position caused by rotation of the one or more perch booms with respect to the tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Brian Hachtmann, Damon Vander Lind, Maaike Louis Evers, Michael Simonian
  • Carbon Fiber Motor Rotor Integrating Propeller Mount
    Publication number: 20170218925
    Abstract: A rotor for use with an airborne wind turbine, wherein the rotor comprises a front flange, a can, a rear flange, and a rigid insert comprising a propeller mount, wherein the front flange, can, and rear flange comprise one of carbon fiber and spun aluminum, wherein a rear end of the front flange is attached to a front end of the can, and the rear flange is mounted to a rear end of the can, wherein the rigid insert is bonded to the front flange; and wherein the rigid insert comprises a tube that axially extends within the rotor to allow for the positioning of a driveshaft therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Damon Vander Lind, George Edward Homsy
  • Tethers for Airborne Wind Turbines Using Electrical Conductor Bundles
    Publication number: 20170213617
    Abstract: A tether may include a core, a hybrid layer surrounding the core, and a jacket surrounding the hybrid layer. The hybrid layer may include a plurality of strength members, and a plurality of electrical conductor bundles. Each electrical conductor bundle of the plurality of electrical bundles may include a compliant element, a plurality of electrical conducting elements surrounding the compliant element, and an insulating layer surrounding the plurality of electrical conducting elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Elias Wolfgang Patten, Damon Vander Lind
  • Airfoil for a flying wind turbine
    Patent number: 9709026
    Abstract: An airfoil for an airborne wind turbine including a main wing adapted for attachment to an electrically conductive tether, a pivotable trailing element positioned behind the main wing, wherein a chord line of the airfoil has a length that is measured from the leading edge of the main wing to a trailing edge of the trailing element, wherein when the main wing and trailing element are positioned in a first flying position, a slot gap exists between a trailing edge of the main wing and the leading edge of the trailing element, wherein the main wing has a thickness that is 15-28% of the length of the chord line; and wherein a spar bulge exists in the main wing such that 15-25% of the overall length of the chord line has a thickness that is 95% or more of a maximum thickness of the main wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Damon Vander Lind
  • Electro-Mechanical Bridles for Energy Kites
    Publication number: 20170190418
    Abstract: An energy kite may be coupled to a tether and ground station via an electro-mechanical bridle. The energy kite may generate a significant amount of lift during power generation and may need to transfer this load to a tether that is anchored at the ground. Transferring the load at a single point would place a substantial bending moment on the energy kite. To mitigate this bending moment, the load may be divided between multiple locations with a bridle system. The bridle system may have a plurality of electrical conductors to conduct electrical power and signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Elias Wolfgang Patten, Damon Vander Lind, Alex Yat Ning Chan, Jerome Francois Sicard, Nathan Treat
  • Systems and Methods for a Winch Drum and Drum Door
    Publication number: 20170166423
    Abstract: Wind energy systems, such as an Airborne Wind Turbine (“AWT”), may be used to facilitate conversion of kinetic energy to electrical energy. An AWT may include an aerial vehicle that flies in a path, such as a substantially circular path, to convert kinetic wind energy to electrical energy. The aerial vehicle may be coupled to a winch assembly via a tether. The winch assembly may include a winch drum and a drum door. The winch assembly may be configured such that the drum door may operate in two or more positions, such as an open position and a closed position, to reduce the likelihood of stability problems occurring at the aerial vehicle during winding or unwinding of the tether.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Brian Hachtmann, Gabe Murphy, Damon Vander Lind
  • Ground station with shuttled drum for tethered aerial vehicles
    Patent number: 9676496
    Abstract: A system may include an aerial vehicle, a perch platform configured to receive the aerial vehicle, and a ground station coupled to the aerial vehicle via a tether. The ground station may include a winch including a winch drum configured to move laterally and spin in a manner such that the tether is wound onto on the winch drum in a repeating pattern, possibly utilizing a fixed position levelwind. The system may additionally include a tower around which the winch and the perch platform can rotate about a vertical axis relative to the tower. The system may further utilize the tether forces on the levelwind to help move the perch platform around the vertical axis or be driven actively by a motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Brian Hachtmann, Damon Vander Lind
  • Carbon fiber motor rotor integrating propeller mount
    Patent number: 9664175
    Abstract: A rotor for use with an airborne wind turbine, wherein the rotor comprises a front flange, a can, a rear flange, and a rigid insert comprising a propeller mount, wherein the front flange, can, and rear flange comprise one of carbon fiber and spun aluminum, wherein a rear end of the front flange is attached to a front end of the can, and the rear flange is mounted to a rear end of the can, wherein the rigid insert is bonded to the front flange; and wherein the rigid insert comprises a tube that axially extends within the rotor to allow for the positioning of a driveshaft therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Damon Vander Lind, George Edward Homsy
  • Drive mechanisms for use in controlling rotation and twist of a tether
    Patent number: 9650157
    Abstract: A system may include a tether, a tether gimbal assembly, a drive mechanism, and a control system. The tether may include a distal end, a proximate end, and at least one conductor. The tether gimbal assembly may be connected to the tether. The drive mechanism may be coupled to the tether gimbal assembly and may include a housing, a spindle, and a motor. The housing may be fixed to the tether gimbal assembly. The spindle may be rotatably coupled to the housing, and the tether may be coupled to the spindle and rotate in conjunction with the spindle. The motor may be coupled to the spindle and configured to rotate the spindle and the tether. And the control system may be configured to operate the drive mechanism to control twist in the tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Christopher GilroySmith, Brian Hachtmann, Elias Wolfgang Patten, Damon Vander Lind
  • GROUND STATION FOR AIRBORNE WIND TURBINE
    Publication number: 20170121036
    Abstract: An Airborne Wind Turbine (“AWT”) may be used to facilitate conversion of kinetic energy to electrical energy. An AWT may include an aerial vehicle that flies in a path to convert kinetic wind energy to electrical energy. The aerial vehicle may be tethered to an active azimuth ground station. In one aspect, the ground station has platform that is rotatable about an azimuth axis. The platform is coupled to an azimuth slewing bearing that is coupled an azimuth drive motor operable to rotate the platform about the azimuth axis. The platform may be coupled to a winch frame with an interior cavity. The winch frame may be coupled to a winch drum that is rotatable about a central axis. The winch drum may be coupled to a winch drum slewing bearing and a winch drum drive motor operable to rotate the winch drum about the central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Brian Hachtmann, Damon Vander Lind
  • Methods and systems for transitioning an aerial vehicle between hover flight and crosswind flight
    Patent number: 9637231
    Abstract: A method involves operating an aerial vehicle in a hover-flight orientation. The aerial vehicle is connected to a tether that defines a tether sphere having a radius based on a length of the tether, and the tether is connected to a ground station. The method involves positioning the aerial vehicle at a first location that is substantially on the tether sphere. The method involves transitioning the aerial vehicle from the hover-flight orientation to a forward-flight orientation, such that the aerial vehicle moves from the tether sphere. And the method involves operating the aerial vehicle in the forward-flight orientation to ascend at an angle of ascent to a second location that is substantially on the tether sphere. The first and second locations are substantially downwind of the ground station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Erik Christopher Chubb, Damon Vander Lind
  • Bridles for stability of a powered kite and a system and method for use of same
    Patent number: 9630711
    Abstract: The system may include a ground station, a tether attached to a ground station on a first end and to two or more bridles on a second, and a kite. The kite may include a main wing. Each bridle of the two or more bridles may be attached to the main wing, and the two or more bridles may be adapted to provide a torque on the kite to control a roll of the kite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Damon Vander Lind
  • Motor control topology for airborne power generation and systems using same
    Patent number: 9611835
    Abstract: A motor control topology relevant to airborne wind turbines and a control process for such a motor control topology is disclosed herein. A system may include an aerial vehicle that may include a plurality of propellers, a plurality of drive units coupled to the plurality of propellers, and a tether. Each drive unit may include a motor/generator and a motor controller. The plurality of drive units may include at least two pairs of drive units that include a first drive-unit pair and a second drive-unit pair. The drive units in each drive pair may be connected in parallel, and the at least two pairs of drive units may be connected in series. The drive units may be configured to operate in a first mode and operate in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventors: Damon Vander Lind, Geoff Dolan, Corwin Hardham
  • Methods and Systems for Transitioning an Aerial Vehicle Between Hover Flight and Crosswind Flight
    Publication number: 20170088259
    Abstract: A method involves operating an aerial vehicle in a hover-flight orientation. The aerial vehicle is connected to a tether that defines a tether sphere having a radius based on a length of the tether, and the tether is connected to a ground station. The method involves positioning the aerial vehicle at a first location that is substantially on the tether sphere. The method involves transitioning the aerial vehicle from the hover-flight orientation to a forward-flight orientation, such that the aerial vehicle moves from the tether sphere. And the method involves operating the aerial vehicle in the forward-flight orientation to ascend at an angle of ascent to a second location that is substantially on the tether sphere. The first and second locations are substantially downwind of the ground station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Erik Christopher Chubb, Damon Vander Lind
  • Systems and methods for a winch drum and drum door
    Patent number: 9604733
    Abstract: Wind energy systems, such as an Airborne Wind Turbine (“AWT”), may be used to facilitate conversion of kinetic energy to electrical energy. An AWT may include an aerial vehicle that flies in a path, such as a substantially circular path, to convert kinetic wind energy to electrical energy. The aerial vehicle may be coupled to a winch assembly via a tether. The winch assembly may include a winch drum and a drum door. The winch assembly may be configured such that the drum door may operate in two or more positions, such as an open position and a closed position, to reduce the likelihood of stability problems occurring at the aerial vehicle during winding or unwinding of the tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventors: Brian Hachtmann, Gabe Murphy, Damon Vander Lind
  • Kite ground station and system using same
    Patent number: 9598170
    Abstract: A kite system with a ground station adapted for airborne power generation. The kite system may include a kite which includes one or more airfoils which have mounted thereon a plurality of turbine driven generators. The turbine driven generators may also function as motor driven propellers in a powered flight mode, which may be used during take-off, which may include aspects of vertical take-off and landing. A perch adapted to facilitate the take-off and landing may be used as part of the system. The perch may pivot such that the pivot is oriented towards the tension direction of the tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Damon Vander Lind