Patents by Inventor Howard D. Driver

Howard D. Driver 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: 20110268558
    Abstract: A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade assembly further includes a noise reducer mounted to a surface of the rotor blade, the noise reducer comprising a plurality of noise reduction features. The rotor blade assembly further includes a bond layer disposed between the noise reducer and the rotor blade for bonding the noise reducer to the rotor blade, the bond layer having a shear modulus approximately equal to or less than 500 megapascals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Howard D. Driver, Wendy Wen-Ling Lin
  • Patent number: 7976282
    Abstract: A spar cap for a wind turbine rotor blade. The spar cap may include multiple preform components. The multiple preform components may be planar sheets having a swept shape with a first end and a second end. The multiple preform components may be joined by mating the first end of a first preform component to the second end of a next preform component, forming the spar cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jamie T. Livingston, Howard D. Driver, Sjef van Breugel, Thomas B. Jenkins, Jan Willem Bakhuis, Andrew J. Billen, Amir Riahi
  • Publication number: 20090148300
    Abstract: A blade for a wind turbine includes a first structural component; a second structural component; and at least one conductive bond for joining the first and second structural components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Howard D. Driver, Wendy W. Lin, Jamie T. Livingston
  • Publication number: 20090097976
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade, includes a sensor, arranged upstream from a trailing edge of the blade for measuring an airflow characteristic near a surface of the blade; and an actuator, arranged downstream from the sensor, for adjusting the airflow in response to the measured characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Howard D. Driver, Stefan Herr, Kevin W. Kinzie
  • Publication number: 20080181781
    Abstract: A spar cap for a wind turbine rotor blade. The spar cap may include multiple preform components. The multiple preform components may be planar sheets having a swept shape with a first end and a second end. The multiple preform components may be joined by mating the first end of a first preform component to the second end of a next preform component, forming the spar cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jamie T. Livingston, Howard D. Driver, Sjef van Breugel, Thomas B. Jenkins, Jan Willem Bakhuis, Andrew J. Billen, Amir Riahi
  • Patent number: 7360996
    Abstract: The transducers are incorporated in or laminated to wind blades and electrically connected to a self-powered electrical circuit. The transducers in combination with the self-powered electrical circuit improve the wind blades' response to changing wind conditions by reducing loads, at least until the turbines pitch axis system can alter the lie of the blades. Thus, when there is a change in wind conditions, the resultant twisting or bending of the wind blade during the impact of the wind (gust) on the wind blade is used to extract energy from the transducers. This energy is then transferred to the electrical circuit which in turn sends a signal back to the transducers to actuate them so as to resist the imposed load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Howard D. Driver
  • Patent number: 4362590
    Abstract: A light-weight, high-strength composite pin for use in pin-jointed reciprocating mechanisms and a method of preparation thereof is provided. Basically, the pin has a tubular metal sleeve and an interior fiber-reinforced resin core. At least 50% of the fibers in the core are continuous fibers which are oriented at a predetermined specific angle of orientation ranging, in general, from 0.degree. to about .+-.25.degree.. Indeed, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fibers are cross-plied at an angle of orientation of from about 5.degree. to about 12.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1982
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Howard D. Driver
  • Patent number: 4311406
    Abstract: A light-weight, high-strength composite pin for use in pin-jointed reciprocating mechanisms and a method of preparation thereof is provided. Basically, the pin has a tubular metal sleeve and an interior fiber-reinforced resin core. At least 50% of the fibers in the core are continuous fibers which are oriented at a predetermined specific angle of orientation ranging, in general, from 0.degree. to about .+-.25.degree.. Indeed, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fibers are cross-plied at an angle of orientation of from about 5.degree. to about 12.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1982
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Howard D. Driver
  • Patent number: 4306489
    Abstract: A composite piston for internal combustion engines is provided. The base structure of the piston is formed from a fiber-reinforced resin material. Covering the head portion of the base structure and integral therewith is a cap portion formed of a nonflammable material such as metal, metal alloys and ceramics. The cap and head portion of the piston have an outer diameter which is less than the outer diameter of the piston body by an amount sufficient to accommodate for the difference in the thermal coefficient of expansion of the material of the cap and the material of the base structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Howard D. Driver, Frank H. Doyal, II