Patents by Inventor Thomas B. Jenkins

Thomas B. Jenkins 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: 7976282
    Abstract: A spar cap for a wind turbine rotor blade. The spar cap may include multiple preform components. The multiple preform components may be planar sheets having a swept shape with a first end and a second end. The multiple preform components may be joined by mating the first end of a first preform component to the second end of a next preform component, forming the spar cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jamie T. Livingston, Howard D. Driver, Sjef van Breugel, Thomas B. Jenkins, Jan Willem Bakhuis, Andrew J. Billen, Amir Riahi
  • Publication number: 20090035148
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes a tower supporting a drive train with a rotor, at least one hollow blade extending radially from the rotor; a drain hole arranged in a tip portion of the blade; a baffle, arranged inside the blade and inboard of the drain hole, for impeding a flow of particulate matter to the drain hole; a flexible drain conduit arranged inside the blade for connecting to the drain hole; and a non-flexible drain conduit arranged inside the blade for connecting to the flexible drain conduit, the non-flexible conduit having a plurality of openings for receiving fluid from inside the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Jamie T. Livingston, Thomas B. Jenkins, Nicholas K. Althoff, Brandon S. Gerber, Amir Riahi
  • Publication number: 20080181781
    Abstract: A spar cap for a wind turbine rotor blade. The spar cap may include multiple preform components. The multiple preform components may be planar sheets having a swept shape with a first end and a second end. The multiple preform components may be joined by mating the first end of a first preform component to the second end of a next preform component, forming the spar cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jamie T. Livingston, Howard D. Driver, Sjef van Breugel, Thomas B. Jenkins, Jan Willem Bakhuis, Andrew J. Billen, Amir Riahi
  • Patent number: 5430340
    Abstract: In a dynamoelectric generator, a low-resistance electrical contact is provided by using a spring below the rotor slot wedges to bias the wedges against the overlapping retaining rings. This biased contact between the wedges and retaining rings forms a conductive current path for high-frequency eddy currents induced on the surface of the rotor and retaining rings at all operating speeds and at rotor standstill. In addition, the spring reduces gauling between the rotor key slots, wedges and retaining ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: True T. Shih, James B. Archibald, James F. Hopeck, Thomas B. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 5358432
    Abstract: A connector design for connecting rotor coil end turns and an exciter/rectifier assembly to a rotor bore copper conductor in a dynamoelectric machine. The design includes a terminal stud or pin sized to be closely received in a telescoping manner in a cylindrical receptacle which is fixedly attached to the rotor windings. A similar cylindrical receptacle extends from the other end of the rotor toward the exciter/rectifier assembly. The stud or pin in each case is also modified to include grooves for accepting resilient, sliding electrical contacts so that a resilient electrical contact is obtained when the stud is positioned within the receptacle. The connector elements are also sufficiently rigid as to withstand shock, centrifugal forces at operational speeds, and rotation direction reversal, but which also allows sufficient radial and axial movement to accommodate coil movement associated with rotor temperature and speed changes while simultaneously maintaining a low resistance current path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: True T. Shih, James B. Archibald, Thomas B. Jenkins, Frederick J. Rink, Jr., Paul C. Rasmussen, James F. Hopeck, Robert Nygard
  • Patent number: 4859891
    Abstract: A U-shaped subslot liner is disposed in the bottom of a slot in the rotor of a dynamoelectric machine. A stack of conductors and insulating layers is supported by arms of the subslot liner durig manufacture. The subslot liner, together with the lower conductor, defines a coolant channel for conveying a gaseous coolant to the conductors. A slot armor lines the sides of the slots where it is retained against centrifugal acceleration by the subslot liner. In one embodiment, the slot armor passes completely under the subslot liner. In other embodiments, the slot armor is in two pieces, each affixed to the subslot liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas B. Jenkins, Dennis R. Ulery, Blake W. Wilson, Steven C. Walko, Lester H. Lee, Robert P. Salerno, Robert W. Nason, John P. Courtney