Patents by Inventor Naota Watanabe
Naota Watanabe 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).
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Patent number: 11891976Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a base member formed of FRP and having a blade shape, an intermediate layer arranged on the base member and formed of metal, cermet, ceramic, or a mixture of at least one thereof and resin as a major constituent, and an erosion-resistant overcoat arranged on the intermediate layer and formed of a spray film having a porosity of 5% or lower.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2022Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naota Watanabe, Masaaki Shibata, Toshikazu Shigetomi, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Atsushi Yuge
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Publication number: 20230003187Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a base member formed of FRP and having a blade shape, an intermediate layer arranged on the base member and formed of metal, cermet, ceramic, or a mixture of at least one thereof and resin as a major constituent, and an erosion-resistant overcoat arranged on the intermediate layer and formed of a spray film having a porosity of 5% or lower.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventors: Naota WATANABE, Masaaki SHIBATA, Toshikazu SHIGETOMI, Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Atsushi YUGE
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Patent number: 11493020Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a base member formed of FRP and having a blade shape, an intermediate layer arranged on the base member and formed of metal, cermet, ceramic, or a mixture of at least one thereof and resin as a major constituent, and an erosion-resistant overcoat arranged on the intermediate layer and formed of a spray film having a porosity of 5% or lower.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naota Watanabe, Masaaki Shibata, Toshikazu Shigetomi, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Atsushi Yuge
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Patent number: 10815974Abstract: A method of repairing or reinforcing, or attaching an accessory part to a wind turbine blade includes: determining a criterion to be satisfied by a repair member including a reinforcing fiber and a UV curable resin, the criterion being an adhesion strength of the repair member relative to a base member of the wind turbine blade; determining a work condition including: dimensions of the repair member, the number of the layers of the reinforcing fiber in the repair member, and/or a fiber extension direction of the reinforcing fiber, based on a damage condition of a repair target portion of the wind turbine blade; placing the reinforcing fiber and UV curable resin on the repair target portion based on the determined work condition; and obtaining the repair member by curing the UV curable resin so that the adhesion strength of the repair member relative to the base member satisfies the criterion.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naota Watanabe, Hirokazu Yamasaki, Yoshihiko Hayashi, Eiji Kato
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Publication number: 20200158078Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a base member formed of FRP and having a blade shape, an intermediate layer arranged on the base member and formed of metal, cermet, ceramic, or a mixture of at least one thereof and resin as a major constituent, and an erosion-resistant overcoat arranged on the intermediate layer and formed of a spray film having a porosity of 5% or lower.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2019Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Naota WATANABE, Masaaki SHIBATA, Toshikazu SHIGETOMI, Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Atsushi YUGE
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Patent number: 10598608Abstract: Provided is a method that enables an interior of a wind turbine blade to be safely inspected. A method of inspecting an interior of a wind turbine blade includes the steps of: placing, in the wind turbine blade, an inspection unit including a support frame, at least one wheel rotatably provided to the support frame, and inspection equipment attached to a front portion of the support frame in a traveling direction; and conveying the inspection unit from a blade root portion toward a blade tip portion of the wind turbine blade. The conveying step includes connecting at least one extension bar to a back end portion of the inspection unit, and sending the inspection unit by pushing the extension bar toward the blade tip portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2018Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naota Watanabe, Keisuke Ota
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Publication number: 20190301433Abstract: A method of repairing or reinforcing, or attaching an accessory part to a wind turbine blade includes: determining a criterion to be satisfied by a repair member including a reinforcing fiber and a UV curable resin, the criterion being an adhesion strength of the repair member relative to a base member of the wind turbine blade; determining a work condition including: dimensions of the repair member, the number of the layers of the reinforcing fiber in the repair member, and/or a fiber extension direction of the reinforcing fiber, based on a damage condition of a repair target portion of the wind turbine blade; placing the reinforcing fiber and UV curable resin on the repair target portion based on the determined work condition; and obtaining the repair member by curing the UV curable resin so that the adhesion strength of the repair member relative to the base member satisfies the criterion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2018Publication date: October 3, 2019Inventors: Naota WATANABE, Hirokazu YAMASAKI, Yoshihiko HAYASHI, Eiji KATO
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Publication number: 20190302034Abstract: Provided is a method that enables an interior of a wind turbine blade to be safely inspected. A method of inspecting an interior of a wind turbine blade includes the steps of: placing, in the wind turbine blade, an inspection unit including a support frame, at least one wheel rotatably provided to the support frame, and inspection equipment attached to a front portion of the support frame in a traveling direction; and conveying the inspection unit from a blade root portion toward a blade tip portion of the wind turbine blade. The conveying step includes connecting at least one extension bar to a back end portion of the inspection unit, and sending the inspection unit by pushing the extension bar toward the blade tip portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2018Publication date: October 3, 2019Inventors: Naota Watanabe, Keisuke Ota
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Patent number: 8371976Abstract: To enhance durability of a gear transmission mechanism by eliminating play in a gear engagement due to the backlash between the gears (gear clearance) of the gear transmission mechanism in a variable pitch mechanism of blades or a nacelle turning mechanism and further to reduce damages to a gear tooth surface caused by slide of the tooth surface or impact thereon due to slight vibration, the gear transmission mechanism is constructed such that a first pinion gear 20a and a second pinion gear 20b are provided to mesh with a gear wheel 18 respectively and rotated by a first drive motor 32a and a second drive motor 32b respectively, and a controller 36 controls so as to eliminate play in the engagement of the internal gear and the pinion gear due to backlash between the internal gear 18 and the first pinion gear 20a, thereby avoiding generation of a slide and impact force on the gear transmission mechanism even when the external force or the wind acts on the blade 16.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2010Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Naota Watanabe
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Patent number: 8348598Abstract: In order to provide a rolling bearing for a wind turbine and a wind turbine which can prevent the deterioration of the lubrication condition even when the rolling bearing receives high load while the inner ring and the outer ring are kept still relative to each other, the wind turbine generator of the present invention for supporting a first member and a second member which rotates relative to the first member, comprises an inner ring to which the first member is fixed; an outer ring to which the second member is fixed; a center ring which is arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring and can rotate independently of the inner ring and the outer ring; rolling elements which are provided between the bearing rings in such a manner that the rolling elements can freely roll; and a center ring drive unit for rotating the center ring.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Naota Watanabe
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Patent number: 8292568Abstract: In order to provide a wind turbine generator and an operation method of the wind turbine generator which is not subjected to damages caused by foreign objects inside a rotor hub, the wind turbine generator comprises blades, a rotor hub to which the blades are fixed, a rotating shaft such as a main shaft and a coupling being connected to the rotor hub and rotating with the rotor hub, a FO detection sensor arranged inside the rotor hub for detecting a foreign object inside the rotor hub, a brake device such as a pitch control unit and a parking brake for stopping the rotation of the rotating shaft, and a controller for controlling the brake device to stop the rotation of the rotating shaft when the FO detection sensor detects the foreign object.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Naota Watanabe
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Patent number: 8282521Abstract: To enhance durability of a gear transmission mechanism by eliminating play in a gear engagement due to the backlash between the gears (gear clearance) of the gear transmission mechanism in a variable pitch mechanism of blades or a nacelle turning mechanism and further to reduce damages to a gear tooth surface caused by slide of the tooth surface or impact thereon due to slight vibration, the gear transmission mechanism is constructed such that a first pinion gear 20a and a second pinion gear 20b are provided to mesh with a gear wheel 18 respectively and rotated by a first drive motor 32a and a second drive motor 32b respectively, and a controller 36 controls so as to eliminate play in the engagement of the internal gear and the pinion gear due to backlash between the internal gear 18 and the first pinion gear 20a, thereby avoiding generation of a slide and impact force on the gear transmission mechanism even when the external force or the wind acts on the blade 16.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2010Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Naota Watanabe
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Publication number: 20110293417Abstract: In order to provide a wind turbine generator and an operation method of the wind turbine generator which is not subjected to damages caused by foreign objects inside a rotor hub, the wind turbine generator comprises blades, a rotor hub to which the blades are fixed, a rotating shaft such as a main shaft and a coupling being connected to the rotor hub and rotating with the rotor hub, a FO detection sensor arranged inside the rotor hub for detecting a foreign object inside the rotor hub, a brake device such as a pitch control unit and a parking brake for stopping the rotation of the rotating shaft, and a controller for controlling the brake device to stop the rotation of the rotating shaft when the FO detection sensor detects the foreign object.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: MITSUBISIHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTDInventor: Naota Watanabe
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Publication number: 20110291422Abstract: In order to provide a rolling bearing for a wind turbine and a wind turbine which can prevent the deterioration of the lubrication condition even when the rolling bearing receives high load while the inner ring and the outer ring are kept still relative to each other, the wind turbine generator of the present invention for supporting a first member and a second member which rotates relative to the first member, comprises an inner ring to which the first member is fixed; an outer ring to which the second member is fixed; a center ring which is arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring and can rotate independently of the inner ring and the outer ring; rolling elements which are provided between the bearing rings in such a manner that the rolling elements can freely roll; and a center ring drive unit for rotating the center ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: MITSUBISIHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTDInventor: Naota WATANABE
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Patent number: 8033791Abstract: The subject of the present invention is to provide a blade end portion protecting bag which is fit onto an end portion of a plurality of blades for protecting the blade end portion from damage when the plurality of the blades are hoisted with a rotor head to the position of an upper nacelle in assembling a wind turbine, the protecting bag having such structure that a rope joint for connecting a control rope is hard to break and therefore the durability of the rope joint portion is improved; and a rotor installing method for installing the rotor to the nacelle with the protecting bag fit onto the blade.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2010Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Naota Watanabe
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Publication number: 20110138945Abstract: To enhance durability of a gear transmission mechanism by eliminating play in a gear engagement due to the backlash between the gears (gear clearance) of the gear transmission mechanism in a variable pitch mechanism of blades or a nacelle turning mechanism and further to reduce damages to a gear tooth surface caused by slide of the tooth surface or impact thereon due to slight vibration, the gear transmission mechanism is constructed such that a first pinion gear 20a and a second pinion gear 20b are provided to mesh with a gear wheel 18 respectively and rotated by a first drive motor 32a and a second drive motor 32b respectively, and a controller 36 controls so as to eliminate play in the engagement of the internal gear and the pinion gear due to backlash between the internal gear 18 and the first pinion gear 20a, thereby avoiding generation of a slide and impact force on the gear transmission mechanism even when the external force or the wind acts on the blade 16.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventor: Naota WATANABE