Patents by Inventor Gerald Festner
Gerald Festner 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).
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Publication number: 20250341204Abstract: A gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine includes: a gearbox housing, a torque support arrangement, a rotor bearing support structure, wherein the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure are arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis, the torque support arrangement couples the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure. The torque support arrangement includes a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure and to reduce the transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2025Publication date: November 6, 2025Inventors: Ibrahim Muhamad, Gerald Festner, Viktor Nickel
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Patent number: 12372062Abstract: A gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine includes: a gearbox housing, a torque support arrangement, a rotor bearing support structure, wherein the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure are arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis, the torque support arrangement couples the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure. The torque support arrangement includes a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure and to reduce the transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2022Date of Patent: July 29, 2025Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KGInventors: Ibrahim Muhamad, Gerald Festner, Viktor Nickel
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Publication number: 20250179987Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is formed by at least two rotor blade segments, the segments being screwed together at respective connection ends of the segments via a plurality of connecting bolts, the connecting bolts being screwed into the first and second connection ends. A plurality of sleeve-shaped pretensioning units are arranged between the rotor blade segments, each of which is mounted on a corresponding connecting bolt. Each pretensioning unit includes a first and a second piece, wherein the first and the second piece engage each other in a form fit manner. The first and the second piece can be moved relative to each other along the corresponding connecting bolt by providing a force in an axial direction. The first and the second piece are axially pushed apart from each other along the corresponding connecting bolt against the respective connection ends, such that the corresponding connecting bolt is preloaded.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2022Publication date: June 5, 2025Inventors: Jochen Birkemeyer, Markus Werner, Gerald Festner, Torsten Wackrow, Flemming Sorensen
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Patent number: 12209569Abstract: A segmented wind turbine rotor blade includes sleeve-shaped pressure pieces arranged between rotor blade segments, each of which is mounted on a connecting bolt. Each pressure piece includes one or more cylindrical sections and a tool engaging section for an assembly tool). Each pressure piece is connected to a corresponding connecting bolt in a form fit manner, so that a screwing force can be applied to the corresponding connecting bolt via the assembly tool via the pressure piece. A diameter of the cylindrical section(s) is less than a diameter of the tool engaging section. Each two adjacent pressure pieces are arranged rotated by 180° relative to one another.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2021Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KGInventors: Gerald Festner, Torsten Wackrow
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Patent number: 12110871Abstract: The segments of a segmented wind turbine rotor blade are screwed together at respective connection ends via a plurality of connecting bolts. Sleeve-shaped pressure pieces are arranged between the rotor blade segments, each of which is mounted on a connecting bolt. A plurality of first metal sheets is provided, each first metal sheet being arranged between a respective connection end and several pressure pieces, so that an electrically conductive connection is formed between several pressure pieces via a first metal sheet. The first metal sheets, which are associated with the first connection end, are each arranged along the circumference of the rotor blade offset from the first metal sheets, which are associated with the second connection end. Further, a metal sheet for a segmented wind turbine rotor blade is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2022Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KGInventors: Thomas Lipka, Gerald Festner, Benedikt Haspel
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Patent number: 11994101Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade has a first rotor blade segment with a first connection end and a second rotor blade segment with a second connection end assigned to the first end. The first segment has first mounting sleeves at the first end. The first mounting sleeves each have a first internal thread. The second rotor blade segment has second mounting sleeves at the second connection end. Each of the second sleeves define a longitudinal axis and has a second internal thread arranged therein. Each of the second internal threads is displaceable axially with respect to the corresponding longitudinal axes. The rotor blade further has a plurality of connecting bolts threadably engaging a pair of first and second sleeves via corresponding internal threads such that the first segment and the second segment are mechanically interconnected at the first end and the second end.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2022Date of Patent: May 28, 2024Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KGInventors: Gerald Festner, Torsten Wackrow, Nils Toenissen
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Patent number: 11982256Abstract: The disclosure concerns a segmented wind turbine rotor blade, which is formed by at least two rotor blade segments, wherein at a division area of the wind turbine rotor blade the segments are firmly connected together at respective connection ends via a plurality of connecting elements, wherein a gap is formed between the connection ends, and a fairing is attached to the segments at the division area, the fairing covering the gap and the connecting elements; wherein the fairing is divided into at least two separate fairing sections, the fairing sections are coupled together at coupling regions at the pressure side and/or at the suction side of the rotor blade, and the coupling regions are spaced apart from the trailing edge or leading edge. The disclosure also concerns a method.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KGInventors: Thomas Lipka, Gerald Festner, Adam Raczynski
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Publication number: 20240084784Abstract: The segments of a segmented wind turbine rotor blade are screwed together at respective connection ends via a plurality of connecting bolts. Sleeve-shaped pressure pieces are arranged between the rotor blade segments, each of which is mounted on a connecting bolt. A plurality of first metal sheets is provided, each first metal sheet being arranged between a respective connection end and several pressure pieces, so that an electrically conductive connection is formed between several pressure pieces via a first metal sheet. The first metal sheets, which are associated with the first connection end, are each arranged along the circumference of the rotor blade offset from the first metal sheets, which are associated with the second connection end. Further, a metal sheet for a segmented wind turbine rotor blade is disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2022Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Gerald Festner, Benedikt Haspel
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Patent number: 11920567Abstract: A rotor bearing housing for a wind turbine has: a bearing body for receiving a rotor shaft of the wind turbine, a support body arranged under the bearing body and configured to be coupled at a first end to a base element in order to transmit a force flow between the bearing body and the base element. The base element is arrangeable under the support body for the purposes of rotatable fastening to a first end of a tower of the wind turbine, the bearing body and the support body together forming a single-piece body, and the bearing body and the support body being configured such that, if a geometrical central point of the first receptacle for a rotor bearing is projected onto a cross-sectional plane of the first end of the tower, the geometrical central point is arranged outside a diameter of the tower at the first end.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KGInventors: Ibrahim Muhamad, Gerald Festner
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Publication number: 20240026856Abstract: A segmented wind turbine rotor blade includes sleeve-shaped pressure pieces arranged between rotor blade segments, each of which is mounted on a connecting bolt. Each pressure piece includes one or more cylindrical sections and a tool engaging section for an assembly tool). Each pressure piece is connected to a corresponding connecting bolt in a form fit manner, so that a screwing force can be applied to the corresponding connecting bolt via the assembly tool via the pressure piece. A diameter of the cylindrical section(s) is less than a diameter of the tool engaging section. Each two adjacent pressure pieces are arranged rotated by 180° relative to one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2021Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Gerald Festner, Torsten Wackrow
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Patent number: 11879440Abstract: A rotor bearing housing for a wind turbine has: a bearing body for receiving a rotor shaft of the wind turbine, a support body arranged under the bearing body and configured to be coupled at a first end to a base element in order to transmit a force flow between the bearing body and the base element. The base element is arrangeable under the support body for the purposes of rotatable fastening to a first end of a tower of the wind turbine, the bearing body and the support body together forming a single-piece body, and the bearing body and the support body being configured such that, if a geometrical central point of the first receptacle for a rotor bearing is projected onto a cross-sectional plane of the first end of the tower, the geometrical central point is arranged outside a diameter of the tower at the first end.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KGInventors: Ibrahim Muhamad, Gerald Festner
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Patent number: 11761430Abstract: A bearing support arrangement for a wind turbine includes a support structure and a bearing housing. The bearing housing is arranged within the support structure. The arrangement further includes a bearing radially supported by the bearing housing. A rotor shaft is radially supported by the bearing and a removable wedge is arranged between the support structure and the bearing housing to clamp the bearing between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing. A method for mounting the bearing support arrangement for a wind turbine is also disclosed as is a wind turbine incorporating the bearing support arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2021Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KGInventors: Ibrahim Muhamad, Gerald Festner
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Publication number: 20220341390Abstract: The disclosure concerns a segmented wind turbine rotor blade, which is formed by at least two rotor blade segments, wherein at a division area of the wind turbine rotor blade the segments are firmly connected together at respective connection ends via a plurality of connecting elements, wherein a gap is formed between the connection ends, and a fairing is attached to the segments at the division area, the fairing covering the gap and the connecting elements; wherein the fairing is divided into at least two separate fairing sections, the fairing sections are coupled together at coupling regions at the pressure side and/or at the suction side of the rotor blade, and the coupling regions are spaced apart from the trailing edge or leading edge. The disclosure also concerns a method.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2022Publication date: October 27, 2022Inventors: Thomas Lipka, Gerald Festner, Adam Raczynski
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Publication number: 20220299012Abstract: A gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine includes: a gearbox housing, a torque support arrangement, a rotor bearing support structure, wherein the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure are arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis, the torque support arrangement couples the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure. The torque support arrangement includes a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure and to reduce the transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventors: Ibrahim Muhamad, Gerald Festner, Viktor Nickel
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Publication number: 20220299014Abstract: A rotor bearing housing for a wind turbine has: a bearing body for receiving a rotor shaft of the wind turbine, a support body arranged under the bearing body and configured to be coupled at a first end to a base element in order to transmit a force flow between the bearing body and the base element. The base element being arrangeable under the support body for the purposes of rotatable fastening to a first end of a tower of the wind turbine, the bearing body and the support body together forming a single-piece body, and the bearing body and the support body being configured such that, if a geometrical central point of the first receptacle for a rotor bearing is projected onto a cross-sectional plane of the first end of the tower, the geometrical central point is arranged outside a diameter of the tower at the first end.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventors: Ibrahim Muhamad, Gerald Festner
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Publication number: 20220228554Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade having a first rotor blade segment with a first connection end and a second rotor blade segment with a second connection end assigned to the first end. The first segment has first mounting sleeves at the first end. The first mounting sleeves each have a first internal thread. The second rotor blade segment has second mounting sleeves at the second connection end. Each of the second sleeves define a longitudinal axis and has a second internal thread arranged therein. Each of the second internal threads is displaceable axially with respect to the corresponding longitudinal axes. The rotor blade further has a plurality of connecting bolts threadably engaging a pair of first and second sleeves via corresponding internal threads such that the first segment and the second segment are mechanically interconnected at the first end and the second end.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Gerald Festner, Torsten Wackrow, Nils Toenissen
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Publication number: 20220163016Abstract: A bearing support arrangement for a wind turbine includes a support structure and a bearing housing. The bearing housing is arranged within the support structure. The arrangement further includes a bearing radially supported by the bearing housing. A rotor shaft is radially supported by the bearing and a removable wedge is arranged between the support structure and the bearing housing to clamp the bearing between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing. A method for mounting the bearing support arrangement for a wind turbine is also disclosed as is a wind turbine incorporating the bearing support arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Inventors: Ibrahim Muhamad, Gerald Festner
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Publication number: 20080000710Abstract: A switchable stabilizer is provided as a compact assembly unit. The hydraulic system of the hydraulic and control part (9) may form a closed circuit with the piston-and-cylinder unit of the switchable coupling unit (3)and the hydraulic and control part (9) may be integrated in the cylindrical housing (10) of the switchable coupling (3).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2005Publication date: January 3, 2008Inventors: Jens Vortmeyer, Andreas Hartmann, Bernd Grannemann, Mauro Zanella, Stefan Beetz, Torsten Baustian, Gerald Festner