Patents by Inventor Michiel Van Den Donker

Michiel Van Den Donker 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: 10927941
    Abstract: A transmission shaft (1), designed particularly for a wind turbine, which is mounted by way of a fixed bearing (2, 3) and at least one floating bearing (4). At least one gearwheel (5) is fixed onto the transmission shaft (1) and positioned in the axial direction between the fixed bearing (2, 3) and the floating bearing (4). The fixed bearing (2, 3) is formed by at least one roller bearing and the floating bearing (4) is in the form of at least one slide bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignees: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG, ZF WIND POWER ANTWERPEN N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Leimann, Michiel Van den Donker, Tino Kirschner
  • Patent number: 10060415
    Abstract: A system for emergency lubrication, with a lubricant pump (113) and with at least one outlet opening (125) for delivering lubricant to at least a first lubrication point (107) of a transmission (101), in particular a transmission of a wind turbine. The system includes a first cavity (203), and the lubricant pump (113) is designed to convey at least some of the lubricant into the first cavity (203). The first cavity (203) is designed to store the lubricant intermediately and to act upon the intermediately stored lubricant with positional energy. In addition, there is a lubricant-conveying connection between the first cavity (203) and the outlet opening (125).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, ZF Wind Power Antwerpen N.V.
    Inventors: Roger Bogaert, Michiel Van Den Donker
  • Publication number: 20160298609
    Abstract: A system for emergency lubrication, with a lubricant pump (113) and with at least one outlet opening (125) for delivering lubricant to at least a first lubrication point (107) of a transmission (101), in particular a transmission of a wind turbine. The system includes a first cavity (203), and the lubricant pump (113) is designed to convey at least some of the lubricant into the first cavity (203). The first cavity (203) is designed to store the lubricant intermediately and to act upon the intermediately stored lubricant with positional energy. In addition, there is a lubricant-conveying connection between the first cavity (203) and the outlet opening (125).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Roger BOGAERT, Michiel VAN DEN DONKER
  • Publication number: 20160298753
    Abstract: A transmission shaft (1), designed particularly for a wind turbine, which is mounted by way of a fixed bearing (2, 3) and at least one floating bearing (4). At least one gearwheel (5) is fixed onto the transmission shaft (1) and positioned in the axial direction between the fixed bearing (2, 3) and the floating bearing (4). The fixed bearing (2, 3) is formed by at least one roller bearing and the floating bearing (4) is in the form of at least one slide bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Dirk LEIMANN, Michiel VAN DEN DONKER, Tino KIRSCHNER
  • Patent number: 9416867
    Abstract: A planetary gear stage for a gearbox has a ring gear, a sun gear and a planet carrier for driving planet shafts. Each planet shaft has a planet gear with radial and axial contact surfaces and which is rotatably supported by a plain bearing arrangement. The bearing arrangement has two bushings fixed to the planet shaft. Each bushing is L-shaped in cross-section and has radial and axial contact surfaces. The bushings form a cross-sectional U-shape and are axially locked by abutments. At least part of the planet gear is located within the U-shape formed by the bushings. The plain bearing arrangement has a radial sliding support arranged between the radial contact surface of the bushings and the radial contact surface of the planet gear and an axial sliding support arranged between the axial contact surface of the bushings and the axial contact surface of the planet gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: ZF Wind Power Antwerpen NV
    Inventors: Michiel Van Den Donker, Roger Bogaert, Dirk Leimann
  • Publication number: 20150133260
    Abstract: A planetary gear stage for a gearbox has a ring gear, a sun gear and a planet carrier for driving planet shafts. Each planet shaft has a planet gear with radial and axial contact surfaces and which is rotatably supported by a plain bearing arrangement. The bearing arrangement has two bushings fixed to the planet shaft. Each bushing is L-shaped in cross-section and has radial and axial contact surfaces. The bushings form a cross-sectional U-shape and are axially locked by abutments. At least part of the planet gear is located within the U-shape formed by the bushings. The plain bearing arrangement has a radial sliding support arranged between the radial contact surface of the bushings and the radial contact surface of the planet gear and an axial sliding support arranged between the axial contact surface of the bushings and the axial contact surface of the planet gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Michiel Van Den Donker, Roger Bogaert, Dirk Leimann