Patents by Inventor Myron Floyd Miller

Myron Floyd Miller 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: 20180335018
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining turbine pressure related loads and for condition monitoring are provided. The systems and methods may measure at least one pressure differential on an airfoil. At least one pressure differential may be used to determine a root bending moment associated with the blade. Additionally or alternatively, at least one pressure differential may be used to determine a low-speed shaft moment for a turbine on which the blade is mounted. Still further, at least one pressure differential and/or moment may be used to gauge wear/fatigue and/or damage to one or more wind turbines. Based on this information, a controller may modify various operating characteristics of the turbine or blade to address the fatigue or damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Nannan Cao, Jeffrey Austin Butterworth, Jonathon Paul Baker, Guojian Lin, Myron Floyd Miller
  • Patent number: 9458825
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for actuating one or more load management devices on a wind turbine and/or a wind turbine blade. Each actuator may exhibit one or more beneficial qualities including appropriate actuation speed/force characteristics, size and/or weight characteristics, and/or increased reliability and consistent operation in a variety of operating conditions. According to some aspects, the actuator may be a direct pneumatic actuator, a ramp slide pneumatic actuator, a scissor actuator, a linear induction actuator, a belt actuator, a closed cam follower actuator, a screw drive actuator, a solenoid actuator, a rack and pinion actuator, a cylindrical cam follower actuator, a Y-belt actuator, an offset rotary drive actuator, a tape style actuator, a rigid tape actuator, a deformable membrane actuator, a memory alloy actuator, and/or a crank slide actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Frontier Wind, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Everett Brooks, Nathan John Burgess, Myron Floyd Miller, Thomas Jay Green
  • Patent number: 9388791
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a load compensating device is provided. The mounting arrangement includes a cover sheet connected to a housing via a plurality of protrusions. The cover sheet may form a portion of a surface of an airfoil rotor blade. The housing may include a plurality of clamps extending outward from the housing and configured to contact an inner surface of the airfoil rotor blade. By tightening the clamps onto the interior surface, the device is mounted to the blade and the cover sheet may deform to correspond to the airfoil geometry of the airfoil rotor blade. The mounting arrangement may further include a mounting plate configured to permit the housing to float within the aperture formed in the airfoil rotor blade, and a tab arranged on one end of the mounting plate to distribute centrifugal force to the surface of the airfoil rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Frontier Wind, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Everett Brooks, Nathan John Burgess, Myron Floyd Miller
  • Publication number: 20140271192
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for actuating one or more load management devices on a wind turbine and/or a wind turbine blade. Each actuator may exhibit one or more beneficial qualities including appropriate actuation speed/force characteristics, size and/or weight characteristics, and/or increased reliability and consistent operation in a variety of operating conditions. According to some aspects, the actuator may be a direct pneumatic actuator, a ramp slide pneumatic actuator, a scissor actuator, a linear induction actuator, a belt actuator, a closed cam follower actuator, a screw drive actuator, a solenoid actuator, a rack and pinion actuator, a cylindrical cam follower actuator, a Y-belt actuator, an offset rotary drive actuator, a tape style actuator, a rigid tape actuator, a deformable membrane actuator, a memory alloy actuator, and/or a crank slide actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Peter Everett Brooks, Nathan John Burgess, Myron Floyd Miller, Thomas Jay Green
  • Publication number: 20140271212
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for automatically deploying an air deflector of a load compensating device when there is a loss of communication or power is provided. In some examples, the apparatus and system may include a spring configured to rotate a gear, thereby deploying the air deflector. In some arrangements, the spring may be a torsion spring and may be biased to rotate the gear when released from a hold position maintained by a latch. The latch may be controlled by a release mechanism, such as a solenoid, that may be configured to activate upon occurrence of a communication loss event. The release mechanism may release the latch, thereby releasing the spring and deploying the air deflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: FRONTIER WIND, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Everett Brooks, Myron Floyd Miller, Thomas Jay Green
  • Publication number: 20140271191
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a load compensating device is provided. The mounting arrangement includes a cover sheet connected to a housing via a plurality of protrusions. The cover sheet may form a portion of a surface of an airfoil rotor blade. The housing may include a plurality of clamps extending outward from the housing and configured to contact an inner surface of the airfoil rotor blade. By tightening the clamps onto the interior surface, the device is mounted to the blade and the cover sheet may deform to correspond to the airfoil geometry of the airfoil rotor blade. The mounting arrangement may further include a mounting plate configured to permit the housing to float within the aperture formed in the airfoil rotor blade, and a tab arranged on one end of the mounting plate to distribute centrifugal force to the surface of the airfoil rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: FRONTIER WIND, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Everett Brooks, Nathan John Burgess, Myron Floyd Miller