Patents by Inventor David Dooner

David Dooner 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).

  • System and method for reducing load fluctuations in propeller-driven machines
    Patent number: 12655893
    Abstract: An apparatus for attenuating or counterbalancing external load fluctuations on a propeller driver machine is disclosed. In one embodiment a set of non-circular gears coupled to a rotor shaft or to the gearbox of the machine are further coupled to an auxiliary flywheel. The shapes and inertial characteristics of the non-circular gears and the inertial characteristics of the auxiliary flywheel are designed to counterbalance cyclic load fluctuations experienced by the rotor shaft. In another embodiment, an inertial element is flexibly attached to a rotor shaft by a set of flexible elements of the machine wherein the moment of inertia of the inertial element and the stiffness of the flexible elements are selected to absorb and attenuate external load fluctuations on the rotor shaft. The propeller driven machine may be a HAWG type wind turbine and the external load fluctuations caused by wind shear and tower shadowing effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, University of Puerto Rico
    Inventors: Stefano Leonardi, David Dooner
  • System and Method for Reducing Load Fluctuations in Propeller-Driven Machines
    Publication number: 20250155006
    Abstract: An apparatus for attenuating or counterbalancing external load fluctuations on a propeller driver machine is disclosed. In one embodiment a set of non-circular gears coupled to a rotor shaft or to the gearbox of the machine are further coupled to an auxiliary flywheel. The shapes and inertial characteristics of the non-circular gears and the inertial characteristics of the auxiliary flywheel are designed to counterbalance cyclic load fluctuations experienced by the rotor shaft. In another embodiment, an inertial element is flexibly attached to a rotor shaft by a set of flexible elements of the machine wherein the moment of inertia of the inertial element and the stiffness of the flexible elements are selected to absorb and attenuate external load fluctuations on the rotor shaft. The propeller driven machine may be a HAWG type wind turbine and the external load fluctuations caused by wind shear and tower shadowing effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Inventors: Stefano Leonardi, David Dooner