Patents by Inventor Erik Garde

Erik Garde 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: 20230011388
    Abstract: A rotor hub for a wind turbine which can be configured between an in use or ‘operational’ configuration and a transportation configuration. In the transportation configuration the rotor hub has a reduced external size compared to when it is in the operational configuration. The rotor hub comprises a generally hollow hub body having a first end and a second end spaced along a hub rotational axis, wherein the first end defines a rotor connection flange configured to connect the rotor hub to a main shaft, and wherein a second end defines a nose region of the hub. The hub also defines at least one blade aperture defined between the first end and the second end, a blade bearing associated with the or each blade aperture, and a pitch actuator associated with the blade bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventor: Erik Garde
  • Patent number: 11208983
    Abstract: Wind turbine pitch actuator mounting structure A mounting structure is described for attaching a pitch actuator to a hub of a wind turbine. The mounting structure has one or more legs each having a proximal end and a distal end, and a flexible intermediate portion between the proximal and distal ends. The mounting structure further comprises an actuator attachment portion for attaching to a wind turbine blade pitch actuator. The actuator attachment portion is arranged at the distal end(s) of the one or more legs. The proximal end(s) of the one or more legs are configured for attachment to a wind turbine hub. The flexible intermediate portion(s) of the one or more legs are configured to flex in use to absorb loads acting on the pitch actuator. The mounting structure therefore allows the pitch actuator to pivot in a first plane by virtue of the flexible legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Simon Kabus, Jacob Hviid Nielsen, Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer, Erik Garde, Lasse Køgs Andersen, Frank Møller Hansen
  • Patent number: 11187206
    Abstract: A drive assembly for adjusting the pitch of a wind turbine blade comprises a stator having a cylindrical body and a drive member positioned at least partially within the cylindrical body and movable along an axis thereof. A mounting pin extends through an aperture in a wall of the cylindrical body for pivotally mounting the stator to a wind turbine structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Erik Garde, Daniel Brämer, Simon Kabus, Lasse Godballe Andersen
  • Publication number: 20210207574
    Abstract: Wind turbine pitch actuator mounting structure A mounting structure is described for attaching a pitch actuator to a hub of a wind turbine. The mounting structure has one or more legs each having a proximal end and a distal end, and a flexible intermediate portion between the proximal and distal ends. The mounting structure further comprises an actuator attachment portion for attaching to a wind turbine blade pitch actuator. The actuator attachment portion is arranged at the distal end(s) of the one or more legs. The proximal end(s) of the one or more legs are configured for attachment to a wind turbine hub. The flexible intermediate portion(s) of the one or more legs are configured to flex in use to absorb loads acting on the pitch actuator. The mounting structure therefore allows the pitch actuator to pivot in a first plane by virtue of the flexible legs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Simon Kabus, Jacob Hviid Nielsen, Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer, Erik Garde, Lasse Køgs Andersen, Frank Møller Hansen
  • Patent number: 10895245
    Abstract: Pitch cylinders for adjusting a pitch angle of a blade, methods of assembling pitch cylinders, and the use of pitch cylinders in wind turbines are disclosed. The pitch cylinder includes a cylinder barrel having a first thread with a first pitch, a piston arranged in and extending out of the cylinder barrel for coupling to a blade or hub, and a trunnion to couple the cylinder barrel to the other of the blade or hub. The cylinder barrel extends through the trunnion. The trunnion has a first thread with a second pitch different from the first pitch, and a sleeve arranged between the trunnion and the cylinder barrel that extends through the sleeve. The sleeve has an inner sleeve thread with the first pitch engaged with the first cylinder barrel thread and an outer sleeve thread with the second pitch engaged with the first trunnion thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Lasse Køgs Andersen, Erik Garde, Simon Kabus, Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer
  • Publication number: 20200256314
    Abstract: A drive assembly for adjusting the pitch of a wind turbine blade comprises a stator having a cylindrical body and a drive member positioned at least partially within the cylindrical body and movable along an axis thereof. A mounting pin extends through an aperture in a wall of the cylindrical body for pivotally mounting the stator to a wind turbine structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Erik Garde, Daniel Brämer, Simon Kabus, Lasse Godballe Andersen
  • Publication number: 20200141385
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to wind turbines, pitch adjustment cylinders for adjusting a pitch angle of a blade of a wind turbine, to methods of assembling pitch adjustment cylinders, and to use of pitch adjustment cylinders in wind turbine, wherein the pitch adjustment cylinder comprises a cylinder barrel having an first cylinder barrel thread with a first thread pitch, a piston arranged movably in the cylinder barrel and extending out of the cylinder barrel for coupling to one of the blade and a hub of the wind turbine, a trunnion adapted to couple the cylinder barrel to the other one of the blade and the hub of the wind turbine, wherein the cylinder barrel extends through the trunnion, the trunnion has an first trunnion thread with a second thread pitch being different from the first thread pitch; and a sleeve arranged at least partially between the trunnion and the cylinder barrel, wherein the cylinder barrel extends through the sleeve, the sleeve has an inner sleeve thread with the first thread pitch
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Lasse Køgs Andersen, Erik Garde, Simon Kabus, Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer
  • Patent number: 9803620
    Abstract: A wind turbine comprises a hub, a blade rotatably mounted to the hub, and a pitch system. The pitch system includes a support, a first drive configured to rotate the blade relative to the support, a second drive configured to rotate the support relative to the hub. The support is configured to be selectively fixed relative to the blade and the hub such that the first or second drive may be used to pitch the blade. A method of pitch corresponding to this operation is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Erik Garde
  • Publication number: 20140328681
    Abstract: A wind turbine comprises a hub, a blade rotatably mounted to the hub, and a pitch system. The pitch system includes a support, a first drive configured to rotate the blade relative to the support, a second drive configured to rotate the support relative to the hub. The support is configured to be selectively fixed relative to the blade and the hub such that the first or second drive may be used to pitch the blade. A method of pitch corresponding to this operation is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventor: Erik Garde