Patents by Inventor Hubertus Frank

Hubertus Frank 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).

  • Patent number: 11506185
    Abstract: A main bearing unit for supporting the rotor shaft of a wind turbine, including a rolling bearing having an inner ring, an outer ring and a rolling element arrangement received between the outer and inner ring and a coupling arrangement which is designed to couple the rotor shaft to an output shaft of the wind turbine at least indirectly and so as to transmit torque. The rotor shaft is coupled to one of the outer and inner ring so as to transmit torque. The coupling arrangement is coupled so as to transmit torque to the one of the outer and inner ring as the rotor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: IMO HOLDING GMBH
    Inventors: Hubertus Frank, Erich Russ
  • Patent number: 11137024
    Abstract: The invention relates to an angular contact roller bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring, between which two or more raceways for a plurality of rolling elements are formed, the rolling elements being designed to roll in their respective raceways in the circumferential direction of the angular contact roller bearing, and the raceways and the rolling elements having cross-sections corresponding to one another at least approximately. A cross-section of a rolling element containing the central longitudinal axis has an at least approximately rectangular design and an imaginary diagonal through the cross-section of the rolling element which for all rolling elements on a raceway of the angular contact roller bearing is arranged on an imaginary surface at least approximately in the form of a cylindrical casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: IMO HOLDING GMBH
    Inventors: Hubertus Frank, Erich Russ
  • Publication number: 20200291994
    Abstract: The invention relates to an angular contact roller bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring, between which two or more raceways for a plurality of rolling elements are formed, the rolling elements being designed to roll in their respective raceways in the circumferential direction of the angular contact roller bearing, and the raceways and the rolling elements having cross-sections corresponding to one another at least approximately. A cross-section of a rolling element containing the central longitudinal axis has an at least approximately rectangular design and an imaginary diagonal through the cross-section of the rolling element which for all rolling elements on a raceway of the angular contact roller bearing is arranged on an imaginary surface at least approximately in the form of a cylindrical casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: HUBERTUS FRANK, ERICH RUSS
  • Publication number: 20200291927
    Abstract: The invention relates to a main bearing unit for supporting the rotor shaft of a wind turbine, comprising: a rolling bearing having an inner ring, an outer ring and a rolling element arrangement received between the outer and inner ring; a coupling arrangement which is designed to couple the rotor shaft to an output shaft of the wind turbine at least indirectly and so as to transmit torque; the rotor shaft being coupled to one of the outer and inner ring so as to transmit torque; and the coupling arrangement being coupled so as to transmit torque to the same one of the outer and inner ring as the rotor shaft. The invention further relates to a wind turbine having such a main bearing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: HUBERTUS FRANK, ERICH RUSS
  • Patent number: 10738829
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a rolling bearing having at least one row of cylindrical rolling bodies for transmitting axial forces between two annular connection elements which are concentric to a common axis of rotation and which, for the purpose of rotation about the common axis of rotation, are spaced apart from one another by a gap, wherein the at least one row of cylindrical rolling bodies is so arranged that, in the unloaded state of the rolling bearing, the axes of rotation of all the cylindrical rolling bodies of the row lie in a common plane through which the common axis of rotation passes perpendicularly, wherein at least one raceway for the at least one row of cylindrical rolling bodies is in the form of a flat surface of a wire which has on its surface region complementary to the raceway surface an arcuate, convexly curved cross-sectional profile and is thereby inserted at least in some regions into a peripheral recess having a cross-sectional profile complementary thereto in an annular connection
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: IMO HOLDING GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 10480487
    Abstract: A wind turbine hub having both blades mounted thereon by means of blade bearings adjustable about the longitudinal axes thereof. The turbine includes means for effecting multi-axes adjustments of a plurality of elements relative to one another. The elements are rotatable about bearings having selectively oriented axes of rotation, each bearing comprising two parts rotatable relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Publication number: 20190186543
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a rolling bearing having at least one row of cylindrical rolling bodies for transmitting axial forces between two annular connection elements which are concentric to a common axis of rotation and which, for the purpose of rotation about the common axis of rotation, are spaced apart from one another by a gap, wherein the at least one row of cylindrical rolling bodies is so arranged that, in the unloaded state of the rolling bearing, the axes of rotation of all the cylindrical rolling bodies of the row lie in a common plane through which the common axis of rotation passes perpendicularly, wherein at least one raceway for the at least one row of cylindrical rolling bodies is in the form of a flat surface of a wire which has on its surface region complementary to the raceway surface an arcuate, convexly curved cross-sectional profile and is thereby inserted at least in some regions into a peripheral recess having a cross-sectional profile complementary thereto in an annular connection
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventor: HUBERTUS FRANK
  • Patent number: 10072703
    Abstract: The invention relates to a corrosion protection device for a bearing arrangement used or usable in machine and/or plant parts and a method for using such (a) corrosion protection device(s), wherein the bearing arrangement consists of at least one metallic material, e.g. 25CrMo4, 42CrMo4, 43CrMo4, 34CrNiMo6, C45, C45N, X20Cr13, GG-20, GGG-40, GS15, St 37 or the like and is used for the mutual relative movement of at least two bearing rings, wherein the bearing arrangement comprises a plurality of rolling elements and a plurality of through-bores and/or a plurality of blind bores, as well as a first screw-mounting surface for affixing a first mating structure and a second screw-mounting surface for affixing an opposite mating structure, characterized in that the corrosion protection device is integrated into at least one of the through-bores and/or blind bores or is or can be introduced in or at such bores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 9921289
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tracking device comprising a receiving structure that can be adjusted about at least one axis, for mounting at least one element that is sensitive to electromagnetic waves and has a preferential radiation direction, and comprising at least one rotational drive per axis for the purpose of actively rotationally adjusting said receiving structure in order for the element(s) mounted thereupon to track a celestial body on one or multiple axes with the aid of a control system and according to a predetermined algorithm, (each of) the rotational drive(s) comprising two annular connection elements that are concentric with one another, are mounted one upon the other, and are or can be coupled to at least one motor for mutual relative adjustment, a first connection element comprising at least one planar connection surface for fixing in place to a foundation, base, column or a connection element of another pivoting unit, and a second connection element comprising at least one planar connection
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Russ, Hubertus Frank, Richard Nief, Konrad Büttel
  • Patent number: 9909567
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rolling bearing arrangement (1, 26, 31, 34, 36, 37), preferably a large rolling bearing with a diameter of 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Hubertus Frank, Erich Russ, Volker Dietz
  • Publication number: 20170335887
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing assembly for a rolling bearing having two mutually concentric rings spaced apart from each other by a fully circumferential gap in which one or more rows of revolving rolling elements are disposed, such that the two rings are rotatable relative to each other about their common axis, wherein the gap is sealed in the region of at least one of its two mouths, and wherein provided in the region of a gap seal are at least two seal rings, each having at least one sealing lip and an anchoring region on a surface region of the particular seal ring that faces away from the sealing lip, the seal rings being fixed to the same rolling bearing ring, whereas their respective sealing lips bear against the other rolling bearing ring, specifically against surface regions having identical or similar cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Erich Russ, Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 9793776
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive mechanism (1) for rotatably coupling a first system part or machine part, preferably an assembly (A), to a base, pedestal or frame or to another system part or machine part, for example for rotary positioning during the processing of large workpieces or during the moving of loads, which drive mechanism comprises two ring-shaped connecting elements (3, 4) each having at least one planar connecting surface (5, 6) and fastening means (7, 8) that are arranged distributed in a crown shape therein and effect connection to different system parts or machine parts or the like, said two connecting elements (3, 4) being arranged concentrically with each other and radially one inside the other with a gap-shaped interspace (9) in which are disposed one or more rows of rolling elements (14, 15, 16), each row whereof rolls between two respective raceways (17, 18) on the two connecting elements (3, 4), thus enabling same to rotate relative to each other, at least one connecting surface (5, 6)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Hubertus Frank, Volker Dietz
  • Patent number: 9739263
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a wind power plant having a rotor mounted rotatably about an axis directed approximately in the wind direction, and having at least two mutually concentric annular elements for connection to oppositely rotatable system components of the wind power plant, one of which comprises means for connection to the rotor of the wind power plant or to a drive shaft of a gearbox coupled thereto; at least one element having a freewheel characteristic is disposed between the two connection elements and together with them forms a freewheel, at least one connection element being provided with at least one integrated raceway for a row of rolling bodies rolling thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 9523353
    Abstract: The invention relates to a blade bearing or nacelle bearing of a wind turbine, comprising two rings mounted adjacent to each other and rotatable relative to each other for connection on one side to the hub of the wind turbine and on the other side to a blade of same, or for connection on one side to the tower of the wind turbine and on the other side to the nacelle of same, wherein the two rings rotatable relative to one another are each provided with a circumferential internal toothing or are non-rotatably coupled for the purpose of joint toothed engagement by one or more toothed planetary gears running around a central sun gear, the planetary gears in turn meshing with the toothed sun gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Publication number: 20160327097
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing assembly for a rolling bearing having two mutually concentric rings spaced apart from each other by a fully circumferential gap in which one or more rows of revolving rolling elements are disposed, such that the two rings are rotatable relative to each other about their common axis, wherein the gap is sealed in the region of at least one of its two mouths, and wherein provided in the region of a gap seal are at least two seal rings, each having at least one sealing lip and an anchoring region on a surface region of the particular seal ring that faces away from the sealing lip, the seal rings being fixed to the same rolling bearing ring, whereas their respective sealing lips bear against the other rolling bearing ring, specifically against surface regions having identical or similar cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Erich Russ, Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 9482206
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a rolling bearing arrangement comprising two annular elements that are arranged mutually concentrically and at least regionally inside each other, for connection each to a respective one of two oppositely rotatable system components, and comprising a gap between said connecting elements, such that they are able to rotate in opposite directions about an imaginary axis located at the center of the annular connecting elements and extending approximately perpendicular to the ring plane, wherein at least two rows of rolling bodies are provided in the region of the gap between the connecting elements, wherein the annular connecting elements completely or partially overlap each other in the radial direction and one or more raceways for rolling bodies are arranged in radially overlapping regions of the annular connecting elements, in such a way that the contact angle which the connecting line between the centers of the points of contact of a rolling body with its two raceways makes with t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 9422923
    Abstract: A rolling bearing, particularly a rotor bearing, or main bearing, for a wind power generating plant, the bearing having at least two mutually concentric rings separated from each other by a gap in which one or more rows of rolling elements roll along raceways on both rings, such that the two rings are rotatable in mutually opposite directions about their common axis, wherein each ring has at least one connection surface for connection to a foundation, wherein the connection surfaces extend parallel to one another and are passed through approximately perpendicularly by a plurality of fastening bores for receiving fastening bolts extending through them or screwed into them, wherein the raceway of at least one rolling-element row is formed on a part separate from the ring concerned and is pushed away from the ring concerned in a direction perpendicular to the connection surfaces, by at least one resilient element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 9388796
    Abstract: An assembly for absorbing torques at the rotor hub of a wind turbine whose rotation axis extends toward the wind, and for diverting axial and radial forces and tilting moments into a load-bearing structure by means of a main bearing, and for extracting rotational energy from the rotor hub by means of a gear whose planet gears mesh with a sun gear and a ring gear, and comprising a generator connectable to an output side of the planetary gear, and operates to convert the rotational energy into electrical energy, wherein the planetary gear is integrated with a main bearing of a wind power plant, and the ring gear of the planetary gear is driven by the rotor hub, while the planet gear carrier is fixed to the chassis of a gondola of the power plant, and the sun gear of the planetary gear mechanism is drivingly connected to the generator, and the generator does nor protrude radially beyond the rotor bearing or main bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 9360043
    Abstract: A ball bearing having first and second races and, disposed in a gap between the two races, a row of balls of radius RK that roll along facing tracks of the two races, wherein centers of the balls move on a circular path surrounded by a torus circumscribing all the balls of the row and having the toroidal radius RK, a toroidal angle coordinate ?, and a poloidal angle coordinate ?, wherein each track has with each ball two nearly punctiform contact areas P1, P2; P3 P4 at respective contact angles ?P1, ?P2; ?P3 and ?P4, wherein the cross section of the track in the region of the contact points P1 . . . P4 has a finite transverse radius of curvature RL1 . . . RL4, with RLv>RK, and wherein in the vicinity of a contact point P1 . . . P4 the transverse radius of curvature (RL) is a continuous and differentiable function of the poloidal angle coordinate ?: RL=RL(?) that increases outward from the respective contact point P1 . . . P4 in both poloidal directions: RL(?)?RL(?Pv).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank
  • Patent number: 9347485
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a device for rotatably coupling two coaxial connecting elements, at least one of which is configured as a circular ring, and each of which has at least one annular surface that faces the corresponding surface of the respective other connecting element but is spaced apart therefrom by a gap, such that they are rotatable in opposite directions about an imaginary axis (axis of rotation) at the center of the annular connecting element and approximately perpendicular to the ring plane, wherein disposed in the gap between the two connecting elements is a rotary joint, configured as a single- or multi-row rolling bearing, for absorbing axial and radial loads and tilting moments, wherein at least one annular connecting element comprises, on its surface facing the gap, a continuously circumferential, planar shoulder having an oblong or elongated cross section and extending away from the gap to a freely terminating, peripheral circumferential edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: IMO Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Hubertus Frank