Patents by Inventor Hideyasu Fujioka

Hideyasu Fujioka 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: 20240084781
    Abstract: A wind-turbine tower facility includes a monopile, a transition piece foundation, and a tower disposed on top of the foundation. The tower includes a first cylindrical part and a first outer flange protruding from a lower end of the first cylindrical part toward an outer side of the tower. The foundation includes a second cylindrical part and a second outer flange protruding from an upper end of the second cylindrical part toward an outer side of the foundation. The tower and the foundation are connected by a plurality of stud bolts passing through the first outer flange and the second outer flange. Below the second outer flange, a protruding part is protruding from the second cylindrical part to under the second outer flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Peter Sigfred Mortensen
  • Publication number: 20230366383
    Abstract: A wind turbine monitoring device for monitoring a wind turbine including a lightning sensor for detecting a lightning strike on a wind turbine blade includes a lightning parameter acquisition part configured to acquire at least one lightning parameter based on an output of the lightning sensor, a lightning level determination part configured to determine a level of the lightning strike based on the at least one lightning parameter acquired by the lightning parameter acquisition part; and an inspection control part configured to judge whether it is necessary to automatically inspect the wind turbine blade by at least one inspection unit for inspecting the wind turbine blade, according the level of the lightning strike determined by the lightning level determination part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventor: Hideyasu FUJIOKA
  • Patent number: 11220998
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a blade body portion; and an anti-erosion layer disposed so as to cover a surface of the blade body portion partially. A center point of the anti-erosion layer in a circumferential length direction along a blade profile in a cross section orthogonal to a blade spanwise direction is shifted toward a pressure side from a leading edge of the blade body portion, at least in a part of an extension range of the anti-erosion layer in the blade spanwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Masayuki Hiraishi
  • Patent number: 11028829
    Abstract: There is presented a method (320) for controlling a wind turbine (100), wherein said wind turbine comprises a wind turbine rotor (102) with one or more blades (103), wherein the wind turbine has a rated angular rotation speed (214) of the wind turbine rotor, said method comprising providing (322) an estimated drop size (324) of rain drops impinging on the one or more blades, determining (326) whether an entry criterion for operation according to a reduced mode is fulfilled, wherein said determining is based at least partially on the estimated drop size (324), controlling (328) the wind turbine according to the reduced mode if the entry criterion is fulfilled, wherein in the reduced mode an angular rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor is limited below an angular rotation speed threshold (216), wherein the angular rotation speed threshold is smaller than the rated angular rotation speed of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/S
    Inventor: Hideyasu Fujioka
  • Patent number: 11028827
    Abstract: There is presented a method (320) for controlling a wind turbine (100), wherein said wind turbine comprises a wind turbine rotor (102) with one or more blades (103), wherein the wind turbine has a rated angular rotation speed (214) of the wind turbine rotor, said method comprising obtaining (322) information (323) on ambient conditions, determining, based on said information, if an erosion criterion is fulfilled, controlling (328) the wind turbine according to an extended mode if the erosion criterion is fulfilled, wherein in the extended mode an angular rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor is allowed to exceed the rated angular rotation speed (214).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/S
    Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Alex Pericleous
  • Patent number: 10844843
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a blade body extending from a blade root along a blade longitudinal direction toward a blade tip; and a metal strip provided to cover at least a leading edge at the blade tip side of the blade body so as to suppress erosion at the leading edge of the blade body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/S
    Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Kenji Sato
  • Patent number: 10767629
    Abstract: A wind turbine power generation facility includes: at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus; a lightning sensor for detecting or predicting occurrence of lightning in an installation area of the at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus; and a controller for switching an operation mode of the at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus to a lightning-protection mode in which a rotor rotation speed is lower than a rated rotation speed, on the basis of an output signal of the lightning sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/S
    Inventor: Hideyasu Fujioka
  • Publication number: 20200011300
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a blade body portion; and an anti-erosion layer disposed so as to cover a surface of the blade body portion partially. A center point of the anti-erosion layer in a circumferential length direction along a blade profile in a cross section orthogonal to a blade spanwise direction is shifted toward a pressure side from a leading edge of the blade body portion, at least in a part of an extension range of the anti-erosion layer in the blade spanwise direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Hideyasu FUJIOKA, Masayuki HIRAISHI
  • Publication number: 20190368468
    Abstract: There is presented a method (320) for controlling a wind turbine (100), wherein said wind turbine comprises a wind turbine rotor (102) with one or more blades (103), wherein the wind turbine has a rated angular rotation speed (214) of the wind turbine rotor, said method comprising providing (322) an estimated drop size (324) of rain drops impinging on the one or more blades, determining (326) whether an entry criterion for operation according to a reduced mode is fulfilled, wherein said determining is based at least partially on the estimated drop size (324), controlling (328) the wind turbine according to the reduced mode if the entry criterion is fulfilled, wherein in the reduced mode an angular rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor is limited below an angular rotation speed threshold (216), wherein the angular rotation speed threshold is smaller than the rated angular rotation speed of the wind turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventor: Hideyasu FUJIOKA
  • Publication number: 20190368466
    Abstract: There is presented a method (320) for controlling a wind turbine (100), wherein said wind turbine comprises a wind turbine rotor (102) with one or more blades (103), wherein the wind turbine has a rated angular rotation speed (214) of the wind turbine rotor, said method comprising obtaining (322) information (323) on ambient conditions, determining, based on said information, if an erosion criterion is fulfilled, controlling (328) the wind turbine according to an extended mode if the erosion criterion is fulfilled, wherein in the extended mode an angular rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor is allowed to exceed the rated angular rotation speed (214).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Hideyasu FUJIOKA, Alex PERICLEOUS
  • Publication number: 20190195203
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine blade for a wind turbine, having a tip end area, a tip end and a root end area and a lightning protection system. The lightning protection system comprises at least one metal foil, wherein said metal foil extends continuously from a first end in the tip end area towards the root end area of the blade and wherein the metal foil is arranged in proximity to the outer surface of the blade, so that the metal foil is adapted to function as a receptor of a stroke of lightning and as a down conductor. The lightning protection system further comprises a first metallic lightning receptor being in direct electrical contact with the metal foil, wherein the first metallic lightning receptor is disposed in proximity to the outer surface of the blade and between the first end of the metal foil and the blade tip end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hideyasu FUJIOKA
  • Publication number: 20180230968
    Abstract: A wind turbine power generation facility includes: at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus; a lightning sensor for detecting or predicting occurrence of lightning in an installation area of the at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus; and a controller for switching an operation mode of the at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus to a lightning-protection mode in which a rotor rotation speed is lower than a rated rotation speed, on the basis of an output signal of the lightning sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventor: Hideyasu FUJIOKA
  • Publication number: 20160348643
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a blade body extending from a blade root along a blade longitudinal direction toward a blade tip; and a metal strip provided to cover at least a leading edge at the blade tip side of the blade body so as to suppress erosion at the leading edge of the blade body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Hideyasu FUJIOKA, Kenji SATO
  • Patent number: 8734110
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade having a lightning protection function includes an outer shell, a spar arranged in a space inside the outer shell, a spar cap which is formed by a carbon-fiber plastic laminated member disposed on a blade root side and a glass-fiber plastic laminated member disposed on a blade tip side that are connected together, the spar cap supporting the spar to the outer shell, and a lightning protection unit. The lightning protection unit includes a receptor for receiving lightning which is provided in the outer shell on a side where the glass-fiber plastic laminated member is arranged, a down conductor which directs lightning current received by the receptor into the ground or the water, and a conductive metal member which covers the outer shell on a side where the carbon fiber plastic laminated member is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kuroiwa, Hideyasu Fujioka
  • Patent number: 8700362
    Abstract: A designing method of a wind turbine rotor includes: providing operation environment data indicative of an operation environment of a wind turbine generator including the wind turbine rotor and design data of the wind turbine blade; calculating a position of a center of mass of the wind turbine blade in each position in a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade in the operation environment from the operation environment data and the design data; and calculating an evaluation value which is a value depending on an integral value obtained by integrating a product of the calculated position of the center of mass of the blade and a mass per unit length at each position in a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade from a blade root portion of the wind turbine blade to a blade tip end of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Akihiro Nakamura, Takao Kuroiwa, Yoshiyuki Hayashi, Yoshihiko Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20130294923
    Abstract: To provide a wind turbine rotor blade capable of protecting a base material in the blade tip portion of the wind turbine blade from liquid droplet erosion due to raindrops to improve durability of the wind turbine rotor blade, thereby lengthening the interval of maintenance of the wind turbine rotor blade. It is provided with a base material provided with an outer skin material formed of fiber-reinforced plastic, a protective coating having wear resistance that is applied over the entire surface of the base material, and a protective tape having wear resistance that is affixed to the leading edge portion of the protective coating in the blade tip portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Hideyasu FUJIOKA
  • Publication number: 20130149153
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine blade for a wind turbine, having a tip end area and a root end area, and a lightning protection system, said lightning protection system comprising at least one metal foil, wherein said metal foil extends continuously from the tip end area to the root end area of the blade and wherein the metal foil is arranged in proximity to the outer surface of the blade, so that the metal foil is adapted to function as a receptor of a stroke of lightning and as a down conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicants: EUROS ENTWICKLUNGSGESELLSCHAFT FUR WINDKRAFTANLAGEN MBH, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Jens Alwart, Andreas Cremer
  • Publication number: 20130149154
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade having a lightning protection function includes an outer shell, a spar arranged in a space inside the outer shell, a spar cap which is formed by a carbon-fiber plastic laminated member disposed on a blade root side and a glass-fiber plastic laminated member disposed on a blade tip side that are connected together, the spar cap supporting the spar to the outer shell, and a lightning protection unit. The lightning protection unit includes a receptor for receiving lightning which is provided in the outer shell on a side where the glass-fiber plastic laminated member is arranged, a down conductor which directs lightning current received by the receptor into the ground or the water, and a conductive metal member which covers the outer shell on a side where the carbon fiber plastic laminated member is arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takao KUROIWA, Hideyasu FUJIOKA
  • Patent number: 8255173
    Abstract: A load is based calibrate on data collected under wide observation conditions and promptly calibrate loads of a plurality of wind turbine blades. A load measuring apparatus is applied to a wind turbine in which a pitch angle of a wind turbine blade is variable. The apparatus includes a sensor for obtaining a distortion of the wind turbine blade; a load calculating unit having a function expressing a relation between the distortion of the wind turbine blade and a load on the wind turbine blade, for obtaining the load on the wind turbine blade by applying to the function the distortion based on measurement data of the sensor; and a calibration unit for calibrating the function based on the measurement data of the sensor obtained in a pitch angle range and a rotational speed range of the wind turbine blade in which a variation between maximum and minimum aerodynamic torques is equal to or less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Yoshiyuki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20120051892
    Abstract: There is provided a designing method of a wind turbine rotor which includes a rotor head, a bearing provided on the rotor head and a wind turbine blade attached to the bearing. The wind turbine rotor designing method includes: providing operation environment data indicative of an operation environment of a wind turbine generator including the wind turbine rotor and design data of the wind turbine blade; calculating a position of a center of mass of the wind turbine blade in each position in a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade in the operation environment from the operation environment data and the design data; and calculating an evaluation value which is a value depending on an integral value obtained by integrating a product of the calculated position of the center of mass of the blade and a mass per unit length at each position in a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade from a blade root portion of the wind turbine blade to a blade tip end of the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyasu FUJIOKA, Akihiro NAKAMURA, Takao KUROIWA, Yoshiyuki HAYASHI, Yoshihiko HAYASHI