Patents by Inventor Mark Hancock

Mark Hancock 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: 20250137436
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint line and connected at the chord-wise joint line by internal joint structure. Opposite spar caps in the first blade segment include a longitudinally extending center section having a constant transverse width up to the chord-wise joint line. Wing members are disposed against opposite longitudinal sides of the center section, each wing member having a head section with a constant transverse width and a flared tail section having a decreasing transverse width, the head section aligned with an end of the center section at the chord-wise joint line. The center section is formed from a first material having a first rigidity and the wing members are formed at least partially from a second material having a second lesser rigidity such that the wings members have an overall rigidity that is less than first rigidity of the center section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Kristen Hanrahan, Rama Razeghi, Mark Hancock, Christopher Monk, William Carrillo Lokke, Torben Lindby, Eduard De Boer, Miguel Cabrera Lange
  • Patent number: 12215667
    Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade includes a shell structure defining a leading edge and a trailing edge. The wind turbine blade also includes a longitudinal edge extension arranged to extend at least partially along the leading edge or at least partially along the trailing edge to modify an aerodynamic characteristic of the wind turbine blade. The longitudinal edge extension includes a center section and a peripheral section comprising attachment means, and the shell structure is arranged to engage with the attachment means to secure the longitudinal edge extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Nicholas Seruntine, Paul Hayden, Guy Scoggin, Mark Hancock, Hans Minnee
  • Publication number: 20240254960
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising the steps of manufacturing a pressure shell halves and arranging a spar structure (62) within one of the shell halves. The spar structure (62) comprises two parts releasably coupled to each other. The method results in a segmented wind turbine blade for easy transportation and re-assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicants: BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED, LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: David ROBERTS, Lars Bang JØNSSON, Manish MUKHERJEE, Paul TODD, Mark HANCOCK
  • Publication number: 20240254972
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: an aerodynamic shell body with a suction side shell part and a pressure side shell part that extends in a longitudinal direction between a root and a tip and in a transverse direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a de-icing system. The de-icing system includes: a number of heating layers each having electrically conductive fibres extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade along a longitudinal section of the aerodynamic shell body to provide resistive heating to the longitudinal section of the aerodynamic shell body; a number of metallic patches including a first metallic patch, the number of metallic patches being arranged to contact at least the number of heating layers; and a conductor cable that is electrically connected to the number of metallic patches and further is configured for electrically connecting to a power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Lars Bo HANSEN, Casper KILDEGAARD, Mark HANCOCK
  • Publication number: 20240240609
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade is comprising a first shell and a second shell, forming a first aerodynamic surface, a second aerodynamic surface, a trailing edge, and a leading edge. Furthermore, the rotor blade has at least one connective element having at least a first shell support portion, a second shell support portion, and an element support portion, wherein the first shell support portion is connected to the element support portion by a first arm, wherein the second shell support portion is connected to the element support portion by a second arm. The connective element is arranged, mounted, and/or attached between the first shell and the second shell by a first shell connection being effective between the first shell support portion and the first shell, by a second shell connection being effective between the second shell support portion and the first shell, and by an element connection being effective between the element support portion and the second shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventor: Mark HANCOCK
  • Publication number: 20240181733
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an article includes providing a plurality of flat sheets of fiber-reinforced polymer material. The method also includes forming the plurality of flat sheets of the fiber-reinforced polymer material into a plurality of curved sheets of the fiber-reinforced polymer material. Further, the method includes assembling the plurality of curved sheets of the fiber-reinforced polymer material in a tooling device to form an outer shape of the article. Moreover, the method includes securing each of the plurality of curved sheets of the fiber-reinforced polymer material together to form the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Paul Hayden, Huijuan Dai, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Ryan Eric Vogel, Mark Hancock, Torben Krogsdal Jacobsen
  • Publication number: 20240181724
    Abstract: A method for joining rotor blade segments of a rotor blade includes placing a first blade segment in an assembly fixture. The assembly fixture has an outer carrier and at least one bladder arranged with the outer carrier. The first blade segment has an adhesive applied at one or more locations. The method also includes arranging the first blade segment with a second blade segment at at least one joint using the assembly fixture with the adhesive positioned at the at least one joint. Further, the method includes inflating the at least one bladder to provide pressure to the at least one joint, wherein the pressure causes the adhesive to displace between the first and second blade segments at the at least one joint, thereby securing the first and second blade segments together at the at least one joint. Moreover, the method includes maintaining the pressure via the at least one inflated bladder to allow the adhesive to cure, thereby securing the first and second blade segments together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Tomas Muchenik Cena, Mark Hancock, Peter Anthony Broome
  • Patent number: 11994100
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising the steps of manufacturing a pressure shell halves and arranging a spar structure (62) within one of the shell halves. The spar structure (62) comprises two parts releasably coupled to each other. The method results in a segmented wind turbine blade for easy transportation and re-assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED, LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: David Roberts, Lars Bang Jønsson, Manish Mukherjee, Paul Todd, Mark Hancock
  • Publication number: 20240159214
    Abstract: A prefabricated fairing for a wind turbine blade, the fairing extending along a fairing profile terminating at fairing lips and comprising exterior and interior fairing surfaces and a plurality of layers including fibre-reinforced layers and an exterior erosion-resistant elastomer layer forming a portion of the exterior fairing surface and being configured for defining the leading edge of the wind turbine blade, the fairing further comprises a cured first resin binding the erosion-resistant elastomer layer and the one or more fibre-reinforced layers together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Mark HANCOCK, Michael Drachmann HAAG, Harald BEHMER, Hans MINNEE
  • Patent number: 11879426
    Abstract: A rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade defining a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Further, the rotor blade assembly includes at least one structural feature secured within the rotor blade and spaced apart from the trailing edge to define a void between the pressure side, the suction side, and the trailing edge. Moreover, the rotor blade assembly includes an adhesive filling the void between the pressure side, the suction side, and the trailing edge to provide an adhesive connection between the pressure side, the suction side, the trailing edge, and the structural feature(s). In addition, the adhesive contacts the structural feature(s) at an interface and defines a fillet profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Stuart Edge, Paul Trevor Hayden, Harald Behmer, Mark Hancock, Harry Fish
  • Publication number: 20230400008
    Abstract: A male spar beam for mutually attaching a segmented wind turbine blade and, comprising: a leading-edge part comprising a second upper wall, a second lower wall, and a second shear wall connecting the second upper wall with the second lower wall, the leading-edge part; and a trailing-edge part comprising a first upper wall, a first lower wall, and a first shear wall connecting the first upper wall with the first lower wall. The leading-edge and trailing-edge parts being separately formed integrally in one piece, respectively. An end of the first lower wall is attached to an end of the second lower wall so that the first lower wall and the second lower wall form a lower spar cap of the male spar beam, and an end of the first upper wall is attached to an end of the second upper wall so that the first upper wall and the second upper wall form an upper spar cap of the male spar beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Paul Damian Michael TODD, Mark HANCOCK
  • Publication number: 20230287730
    Abstract: There is disclosed a lift-and-slide handle assembly (10) which includes a drive shaft (28) operatively adapted to couple with a roller actuating assembly of a lift-and-slide roller carriage. The lift-and-slide handle assembly (10) includes an electronic drive assembly (30) operatively adapted to couple with the drive shaft (28) to apply torque to the drive shaft and a manual drive assembly (32) operatively adapted to couple with the drive shaft (28) to apply torque to the drive shaft (28). The lift-and-slide handle assembly (10) further includes an override coupling assembly (34) operatively adapted to decouple the electronic drive assembly (30) from the drive shaft (28) to couple the manual drive assembly (32) to the drive shaft (28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2021
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: AUTOSLIDE PTY LTD
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Tim Gulliver, Oleksandr Fatiuk
  • Patent number: 11629690
    Abstract: A reinforcing structure for a wind turbine blade is in the form of an elongate stack of layers of pultruded fibrous composite strips supported within a U-shaped channel. The length of each layer is slightly different to create a taper at the ends of the stack; the centre of the stack has five layers, and each end has a single layer. The ends of each layer are chamfered, and the stack is coated with a thin flexible pultruded fibrous composite strip extending the full length of the stack. The reinforcing structure extends along a curved path within the outer shell of the blade. The regions of the outer shell of the blade on either side of the reinforcing structure are filled with structural foam, and the reinforcing structure and the foam are both sandwiched between an inner skin and an outer skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Frank Hoelgaard Hahn, Chris Payne
  • Publication number: 20220290648
    Abstract: A reinforcing structure for a wind turbine blade is in the form of an elongate stack of layers of pultruded fibrous composite strips supported within a U-shaped channel. The length of each layer is slightly different to create a taper at the ends of the stack; the centre of the stack has five layers, and each end has a single layer. The ends of each layer are chamfered, and the stack is coated with a thin flexible pultruded fibrous composite strip extending the full length of the stack. The reinforcing structure extends along a curved path within the outer shell of the blade. The regions of the outer shell of the blade on either side of the reinforcing structure are filled with structural foam, and the reinforcing structure and the foam are both sandwiched between an inner skin and an outer skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Frank Hoelgaard Hahn, Chris Payne
  • Publication number: 20220266548
    Abstract: Disclosed is a part element for a wind turbine blade and a method for manufacturing a part element. The part element comprises a primary sheet having a primary first side and a primary second side. The part element comprises a first fibre thread extending in a primary first direction and forming a first primary loop on the primary first side of the primary sheet from a primary first L1 point to a primary first L2 point. The part element comprises a second fibre thread extending in a primary second direction and forming a second primary loop extending from a primary second L1 point at the primary first side of the primary sheet to a primary second L2 point at the primary first side. A first pre-shaped element is positioned between the first fibre thread and the second fibre thread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Paul Damian Michael TODD, Mark HANCOCK
  • Publication number: 20220235736
    Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade includes a shell structure defining a leading edge and a trailing edge. The wind turbine blade also includes a longitudinal edge extension arranged to extend at least partially along the leading edge or at least partially along the trailing edge to modify an aerodynamic characteristic of the wind turbine blade. The longitudinal edge extension includes a center section and a peripheral section comprising attachment means, and the shell structure is arranged to engage with the attachment means to secure the longitudinal edge extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Nicholas SERUNTINE, Paul HAYDEN, Guy SCOGGIN, Mark HANCOCK, Hans MINNEE
  • Patent number: 11371482
    Abstract: A reinforcing structure for a wind turbine blade is in the form of an elongate stack of layers of pultruded fibrous composite strips supported within a U-shaped channel. The length of each layer is slightly different to create a taper at the ends of the stack; the centre of the stack has five layers, and each end has a single layer. The ends of each layer are chamfered, and the stack is coated with a thin flexible pultruded fibrous composite strip extending the full length of the stack. The reinforcing structure extends along a curved path within the outer shell of the blade. The regions of the outer shell of the blade on either side of the reinforcing structure are filled with structural foam, and the reinforcing structure and the foam are both sandwiched between an inner skin and an outer skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Frank Hoelgaard Hahn, Chris Payne
  • Publication number: 20220018327
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising the steps of manufacturing a pressure shell halves and arranging a spar structure (62) within one of the shell halves. The spar structure (62) comprises two parts releasably coupled to each other. The method results in a segmented wind turbine blade for easy transportation and re-assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: David ROBERTS, Lars Bang JØNSSON, Manish MUKHERJEE, Paul TODD, Mark HANCOCK
  • Publication number: 20210340948
    Abstract: A rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade defining a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Further, the rotor blade assembly includes at least one structural feature secured within the rotor blade and spaced apart from the trailing edge to define a void between the pressure side, the suction side, and the trailing edge. Moreover, the rotor blade assembly includes an adhesive filling the void between the pressure side, the suction side, and the trailing edge to provide an adhesive connection between the pressure side, the suction side, the trailing edge, and the structural feature(s). In addition, the adhesive contacts the structural feature(s) at an interface and defines a fillet profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew Stuart EDGE, Paul Trevor HAYDEN, Harald BEHMER, Mark HANCOCK, Harry FISH
  • Patent number: D939918
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: AUTOSLIDE PTY LTD
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Tim Gulliver, Andrew Larkin, Oleksandr Fatiuk