Patents by Inventor Richard Hardison
Richard Hardison 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: 10648456Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell with a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending between a root portion and a tip portion. Further, the rotor blade assembly includes a protection system configured to protect the rotor blade from ice accumulation or a lightning strike. The protection system includes at least one organic conductive element configured within the rotor blade. The protection system also includes a conductor source electrically or thermally coupled to the organic conductive element. Thus, the conductor source is configured to heat the organic conductive element so as to prevent ice from accumulating on the rotor blade or to provide a conductive path for the lightning strike.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2016Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Eric Michael Shain, Jignesh Patel, Richard Hardison, Amir Riahi
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Patent number: 10443579Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to tip extensions for wind turbine rotor blades and methods of installing same. The method includes removing a removable blade tip of a lightning protection system from the rotor blade so as to expose a down conductor of the lightning protection system. The method also includes securing a conductive extension to the down conductor. Moreover, the method includes sliding the first end of the tip extension over the conductive extension so as to overlap the rotor blade at the tip end. In addition, the method includes securing the removable blade tip to the conductive extension at the second end of the tip extension. Further, the method includes securing the tip extension to the rotor blade.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2016Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Robert Tobin, Richard Hardison, Jamie T. Livingston
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Publication number: 20180135602Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to tip extensions for wind turbine rotor blades and methods of installing same. The method includes removing a removable blade tip of a lightning protection system from the rotor blade so as to expose a down conductor of the lightning protection system. The method also includes securing a conductive extension to the down conductor. Moreover, the method includes sliding the first end of the tip extension over the conductive extension so as to overlap the rotor blade at the tip end. In addition, the method includes securing the removable blade tip to the conductive extension at the second end of the tip extension. Further, the method includes securing the tip extension to the rotor blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2016Publication date: May 17, 2018Inventors: James Robert Tobin, Richard Hardison, Jamie T. Livingston
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Publication number: 20180112649Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell with a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending between a root portion and a tip portion. Further, the rotor blade assembly includes a protection system configured to protect the rotor blade from ice accumulation or a lightning strike. The protection system includes at least one organic conductive element configured within the rotor blade. The protection system also includes a conductor source electrically or thermally coupled to the organic conductive element. Thus, the conductor source is configured to heat the organic conductive element so as to prevent ice from accumulating on the rotor blade or to provide a conductive path for the lightning strike.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2016Publication date: April 26, 2018Inventors: Eric Michael Shain, Jignesh Patel, Richard Hardison, Amir Riahi
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Patent number: 8834117Abstract: A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine includes a rotor blade having a pressure side member, a suction side member, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. An electrically conductive band extends longitudinally on either or both of the pressure side member and suction side member along the trailing edge. A plurality of electrically conductive noise reduction features extend from the trailing edge and are configured as individual lightning strike receptors. The noise reduction features are configured in conductive communication with the conductive band.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2011Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Aaron Yarbrough, Yaru Najem Mendez Hernandez, Theodosia Kourkoutsaki, Biju Nanukuttan, Matthew G. Gann, Richard Hardison, Scott Gabell Riddell, Christopher Daniel Caruso, Wendy Wen-Ling Lin, Jamie Livingston
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Publication number: 20120141277Abstract: A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine includes a rotor blade having a pressure side member, a suction side member, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. An electrically conductive band extends longitudinally on either or both of the pressure side member and suction side member along the trailing edge. A plurality of electrically conductive noise reduction features extend from the trailing edge and are configured as individual lightning strike receptors. The noise reduction features are configured in conductive communication with the conductive band.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2011Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Aaron Yarbrough, Yaru Najem Mendez Hernandez, Theodosia Kourkoutsaki, Biju Nanukuttan, Matthew G. Gann, Richard Hardison, Scott Gabell Riddell, Christopher Daniel Caruso, Wendy Wen-Ling Lin, Jamie Livingston
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Patent number: 8096765Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade includes a plurality of lightning receptors configured along either or both of the pressure side or suction side of the blade. At least one looped lightning conductive circuit is provided, with the lightning receptors configured in communication with a respective lightning conductive circuit. The lightning conductive circuit has terminal ends that extend through the root for connection of each terminal end with a grounding system within the wind turbine. The looped lightning conductive circuit provides a redundant path to each lightning receptor for conducting a lightning strike to ground.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2010Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Peter James Fritz, Richard Hardison
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Publication number: 20110243737Abstract: A plurality of lightning receptors are configured along either or both of the suction side and pressure side shell members of a wind turbine blade. At least one lightning protection cable is disposed within the internal cavity of the blade, with the receptors in electrical conductive contact with the lightning protection cable. A plurality of cable attachment devices are disposed and spaced apart along either or both of the shell members. The attachment devices include a base that is fixed to the respective shell member and a receiver configured on the base that engages and supports the lighting protection, wherein the plurality of attachment devices intermittently support the lightning protection cable within the internal cavity of the blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Eric Lee Bell, Richard Hardison
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Patent number: 8005617Abstract: A lightning detection system and method for detecting a lightning strike are provided. The system includes a lightning detector in a structure susceptible to a lightning strike. The lightning detector includes a data logger configured to log data indicative of a time of occurrence of the lightning strike. The system further includes memory to store data collected from a wide-area lightning detection network. The stored data includes at least one characteristic of the lightning strike. A processor may be configured to process data from the data logger relative to data collected from the wide-area lightning detection network to determine correlated data indicative of a lightning strike affecting the structure. In the event correlated data is determined, the processor may be configured to assign the characteristic of the lightning strike to the structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2010Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Glen Peter Koste, Gerald Curtin, Yaru Mendez Hernandez, Richard Hardison
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Publication number: 20110142671Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade includes a plurality of lightning receptors configured along either or both of the pressure side or suction side of the blade. At least one continuity circuit is configured with the blade, with the lightning receptors disposed in series within a respective continuity circuit such that an electrical continuity path defined by the circuit passes through each of the lightning receptors within the continuity circuit. The circuit has terminal ends that extend through the blade root for conducting continuity checks with the circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Peter James Fritz, Richard Hardison
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Publication number: 20110142644Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade includes a plurality of lightning receptors configured along either or both of the pressure side or suction side of the blade. At least one looped lightning conductive circuit is provided, with the lightning receptors configured in communication with a respective lightning conductive circuit. The lightning conductive circuit has terminal ends that extend through the root for connection of each terminal end with a grounding system within the wind turbine. The looped lightning conductive circuit provides a redundant path to each lightning receptor for conducting a lightning strike to ground.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Peter James Fritz, Richard Hardison
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Publication number: 20110118982Abstract: A lightning detection system and method for detecting a lightning strike are provided. The system includes a lightning detector in a structure susceptible to a lightning strike. The lightning detector includes a data logger configured to log data indicative of a time of occurrence of the lightning strike. The system further includes memory to store data collected from a wide-area lightning detection network. The stored data includes at least one characteristic of the lightning strike. A processor may be configured to process data from the data logger relative to data collected from the wide-area lightning detection network to determine correlated data indicative of a lightning strike affecting the structure. In the event correlated data is determined, the processor may be configured to assign the characteristic of the lightning strike to the structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2010Publication date: May 19, 2011Inventors: Glen Peter Koste, Gerald Curtin, Yaru Mendez Hernandez, Richard Hardison
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Publication number: 20100124474Abstract: A barrel nut is provided having an internal female threaded portion adapted to engage a male threaded portion of a fastener. The barrel nut includes a bearing surface and a top surface opposed to the bearing surface. A sidewall surface is interposed substantially between the bearing surface and the top surface. The sidewall surface has a profile shaped so as to reduce the material used in fabricating the barrel nut.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2008Publication date: May 20, 2010Inventors: Eric M. Jacobsen, Richard A. Hardison