Patents by Inventor Michael Frederick Sander

Michael Frederick Sander 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: 11965479
    Abstract: A rotor lock assembly for locking a rotor of a wind turbine. The rotor lock assembly has at least one relocatable rotor lock. The relocatable rotor lock has a housing, a bushing element, a pin shaft position within the bushing element, and a locking mechanism. The housing includes a mounting portion adapted for mounting to a bearing housing adjacent to a rotor lock plate of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Brian William Manikas, Paul Howard Davidson, Michael Frederick Sander, Jacob Thomas Hoyt, Jason James Welsh, Kevin L Holmes
  • Publication number: 20210222680
    Abstract: A rotor lock assembly for locking a rotor of a wind turbine. The rotor lock assembly has at least one relocatable rotor lock. The relocatable rotor lock has a housing, a bushing element, a pin shaft position within the bushing element, and a locking mechanism. The housing includes a mounting portion adapted for mounting to a bearing housing adjacent to a rotor lock plate of the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Brian William Manikas, Paul Howard Davidson, Michael Frederick Sander, Jacob Thomas Hoyt, Jason James Welsh, Kevin L. Holmes
  • Patent number: 10982655
    Abstract: A repair system for a gearbox of a wind turbine includes for removably coupling to the first portion of the gearbox housing of the gearbox. The lifting apparatus is adapted for lifting the first portion of the gearbox housing relative to the second portion gearbox housing. The repair system also includes at least one gearbox housing support member for mounting to the second portion of the gearbox housing. The at least one gearbox housing support member provides a support surface for the first portion of the gearbox housing during a repair procedure of the gearbox. The support surface is offset from the second portion of the gearbox housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian William Manikas, Paul Howard Davidson, Michael Frederick Sander, Jacob Thomas Hoyt, Jason James Welsh, Kevin L. Holmes
  • Publication number: 20200340454
    Abstract: A repair system for a gearbox of a wind turbine includes for removably coupling to the first portion of the gearbox housing of the gearbox. The lifting apparatus is adapted for lifting the first portion of the gearbox housing relative to the second portion gearbox housing. The repair system also includes at least one gearbox housing support member for mounting to the second portion of the gearbox housing. The at least one gearbox housing support member provides a support surface for the first portion of the gearbox housing during a repair procedure of the gearbox. The support surface is offset from the second portion of the gearbox housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Brian William Manikas, Paul Howard Davidson, Michael Frederick Sander, Jacob Thomas Hoyt, Jason James Welsh, Kevin L. Holmes
  • Patent number: 10570888
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a working platform mounted within a nacelle of the wind turbine during a repair procedure. More specifically, the working platform may be mounted to a bedplate within the nacelle in an area where one or more drivetrain component(s) would normally be during operation of the wind turbine, but have been removed due to repair or replacement thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Darrick Adam Vanderwalker, Brian Thomas Misavage, Michael Frederick Sander, Gregory Clarence Thomas, Kevin Tyler Eherts, Brian William Manikas, Hunter Ryan Anderson, Waylon James Esser
  • Patent number: 10550826
    Abstract: A disassembled wind turbine under repair includes a tower secured to a foundation and a nacelle mounted atop the tower. The nacelle includes a base wall, side walls, a front wall, a rear wall, and a top wall. The front wall includes an opening configured to receive a main shaft of the wind turbine; however, the main shaft and a rotor of the wind turbine have been removed from the nacelle during a repair procedure. As such, the disassembled wind turbine further includes an external platform assembly secured at the opening of the front wall of the nacelle during the repair procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Frederick Sander, Brian Thomas Misavage, Gregory Clarence Thomas, Brian William Manikas, Darrick Adam Vanderwalker, Kevin Tyler Eherts
  • Patent number: 10465664
    Abstract: A method for replacing an existing generator frame that supports a generator of a wind turbine includes removing the generator from atop the existing generator frame. The method also includes dismounting a control cabinet of the wind turbine from the existing generator frame. More specifically, the control cabinet is electrically connected to one or more wind turbine components via a plurality of cables. The method further includes relocating and securing the control cabinet to an uptower location within a nacelle of the wind turbine with the plurality of cables remaining electrically connected. As such, the method includes removing the existing generator frame from within the nacelle. Moreover, the method includes installing a new generator frame in place of the removed existing generator frame. Thus, the method also includes remounting the control cabinet to the new generator frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Garry, Hunter Ryan Anderson, Arianna Abram, Richard Jenkins, Nicholas Joseph Cleveland, Gregory Thomas, Michael Royce Johnson, Michael Frederick Sander, Jonathan Paul Signore
  • Publication number: 20190024638
    Abstract: A disassembled wind turbine under repair includes a tower secured to a foundation and a nacelle mounted atop the tower. The nacelle includes a base wall, side walls, a front wall, a rear wall, and a top wall. The front wall includes an opening configured to receive a main shaft of the wind turbine; however, the main shaft and a rotor of the wind turbine have been removed from the nacelle during a repair procedure. As such, the disassembled wind turbine further includes an external platform assembly secured at the opening of the front wall of the nacelle during the repair procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Frederick Sander, Brian Thomas Misavage, Gregory Clarence Thomas, Brian William Manikas, Darrick Adam Vanderwalker, Kevin Tyler Eherts
  • Publication number: 20190024637
    Abstract: A method for replacing an existing generator frame that supports a generator of a wind turbine includes removing the generator from atop the existing generator frame. The method also includes dismounting a control cabinet of the wind turbine from the existing generator frame. More specifically, the control cabinet is electrically connected to one or more wind turbine components via a plurality of cables. The method further includes relocating and securing the control cabinet to an uptower location within a nacelle of the wind turbine with the plurality of cables remaining electrically connected. As such, the method includes removing the existing generator frame from within the nacelle. Moreover, the method includes installing a new generator frame in place of the removed existing generator frame. Thus, the method also includes remounting the control cabinet to the new generator frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Garry, Hunter Ryan Anderson, Arianna Abram, Richard Jenkins, Nicholas Joseph Cleveland, Gregory Thomas, Michael Royce Johnson, Michael Frederick Sander, Jonathan Paul Signore
  • Publication number: 20180313334
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a hoistable platform assembly used in uptower wind turbine repairs. The platform assembly includes at least one working platform having a working surface and a platform frame. The platform frame is configured for securement within a nacelle of the wind turbine. The platform assembly also includes a plurality of tooling containers secured to the working surface. Each of the tooling containers includes at least one tool secured therein that is required for the uptower wind turbine repairs. Further, the platform assembly includes a frame structure arranged above the plurality of tooling containers and secured to the working surface via one or more connecting members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Brian William Manikas, Brian Thomas Misavage, Michael Frederick Sander, Gregory Clarence Thomas, Kevin Tyler Eherts, Hunter Ryan Anderson, Darrick Adam Vanderwalker, Waylon James Esser
  • Publication number: 20180313335
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a working platform mounted within a nacelle of the wind turbine during a repair procedure. More specifically, the working platform may be mounted to a bedplate within the nacelle in an area where one or more drivetrain component(s) would normally be during operation of the wind turbine, but have been removed due to repair or replacement thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Darrick Adam Vanderwalker, Brian Thomas Misavage, Michael Frederick Sander, Gregory Clarence Thomas, Kevin Tyler Eherts, Brian William Manikas, Hunter Ryan Anderson, Waylon James Esser