Patents by Inventor Tomohiro Numajiri

Tomohiro Numajiri 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: 8242618
    Abstract: A wind turbine generator is provided in which a gear having a large diameter is not required in a yaw drive device (30) of a yaw system (10A). The yaw drive device (30) of the yaw system (10A), which revolves a nacelle (3) depending on the wind direction, includes a electric motor (31) which is fixedly provided on a nacelle base plate (12), with an output shaft (31a) substantially aligned with a pivot of the nacelle (3). The output shaft (31a) and a fixed-side support member (2b) provided in the vicinity of an upper end of the tower (2) are coupled by a coupling shaft (33) having couplings (32) provided at both ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Patent number: 8216101
    Abstract: A driving force transmission apparatus includes: a motion power transmission part for transmitting a motion power via a driving medium formed by a belt or a chain; and a tensioner for applying a tension to the driving medium. The tensioner includes: a compression spring for biasing the driving medium; a stopper for preventing the compression spring from being compressed to a length less than a predetermined length; and an adjustment part for pushing the compression spring to be the predetermined length in a direction toward the driving medium. According to this configuration, the tension of the driving medium is dominant at installation. When the driving medium becomes fatigue to some extent, the stopper of the tensioner becomes off and the compression spring absorbs the vibration of the driving medium. As a result, the exchange timing of the tensioner can be extended by a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Patent number: 8215912
    Abstract: There is provided a wind turbine generator that includes an improved grease supply and discharge system of lubricant oil used in a blade rotating ring bearing of a wind turbine blade, and can reliably recover discharged grease. The wind turbine generator includes a pitch control mechanism that can adjust a pitch angle of the wind turbine blade via the blade rotating ring bearing provided between the wind turbine blade and a rotor head, a grease supply and discharge device is provided in the rotor head, and the grease supply and discharge device includes a grease supply device that pumps lubricant oil in a supplied grease tank with a grease supply pump and supplies the lubricant oil to the blade rotating ring bearing, and a grease discharge device that forcibly sucks and recovers the discharged grease from the blade rotating ring bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Numajiri, Yoshihiro Fujioka, Atsushi Imanaga
  • Publication number: 20120169062
    Abstract: A direct-drive wind turbine generator is provided with: a main shaft having one end connected to a rotor head of a wind turbine rotor; a generator having a stator, a stator casing for supporting the stator, and the rotor connected to the other end of the main shaft; first and second bearings positioned between the rotor head and the generator to rotatably support the main shaft; and a torque support for supporting the stator casing. The second bearing is positioned closer to the generator than the first bearing. The first bearing is a bearing with an aligning capability, and the second bearing is a bearing with no aligning capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro NUMAJIRI
  • Publication number: 20120163990
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite material panel structure and a manufacturing method thereof with which an anti-lightning function can be realized without adding a separate anti-lightning structure to the composite material panel structure. In a composite material panel structure formed from a composite material panel containing reinforcing fibers, the composite material panel includes: a fiber-reinforced base material impregnated with a matrix resin; a conductive mesh sheet disposed on one surface side of the fiber-reinforced base material; and a bag film disposed on the one surface side of the fiber-reinforced base material so as to sandwich the conductive mesh sheet. The conductive mesh sheets of a plurality of the composite material panels are electrically connected to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kodai SHIMONO, Masakazu KAMIBAYASHI, Haruhiko HIRANO, Tomohiro NUMAJIRI, Kenji ITO, Ikuo HONDA, Yoshihiro FUJIOKA
  • Patent number: 8198749
    Abstract: A wind turbine generator that allows for size and weight reduction of a nacelle bedplate and that enables easier maintainability, such as device replaceability, is provided. In a wind turbine generator that generates electricity by driving a generator connected, via a drive train, to a rotor head that has wind-turbine rotor blade attached thereto and rotates together therewith, at least a part of the drive train that transmits torque from the rotor head to the generator is disposed on a front side of the rotor head opposite a nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Publication number: 20120134827
    Abstract: A pitch driving unit according to the present invention is equipped with hydraulic actuators that change the pitch angles of wind turbine blades; a hydraulic pump that supplies oil to the hydraulic actuators; a high-pressure oil line that guides the oil discharged from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic actuators; a low-pressure oil line that returns the oil discharged from the hydraulic actuators to the hydraulic pump; and a pressure control unit that stores a surplus amount of the oil and that refills the low-pressure oil line with the oil so as not to generate negative pressure at an oil intake portion of the hydraulic pump, wherein the hydraulic actuators 15, the hydraulic pump, the high-pressure oil line, the low-pressure oil line, and the pressure control unit constitute a closed hydraulic circuit that does not open to the atmosphere, the closed hydraulic circuit being filled with the oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro NUMAJIRI
  • Publication number: 20120133147
    Abstract: A turning device includes a brake disc, functioning as a driven-side friction pulley, which is disposed on an output shaft of a gearbox and rotates together with the output shaft; a motor-side friction pulley, which can move between an engagement position, where the motor-side friction pulley frictionally engages with an outer circumferential surface of the brake disc, and a free position, where the motor-side friction pulley is a certain distance away from the outer circumferential surface of the brake disc; a pulley pressing mechanism, which moves the motor-side friction pulley from the free position to the engagement position by manual power of an operator to frictionally engage the motor-side friction pulley with the outer circumferential surface of the brake disc; and pulley driving means (electric motor, etc.) for rotationally driving the motor-side friction pulley.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro NUMAJIRI
  • Publication number: 20120134801
    Abstract: A hydraulic cylinder is coupled to blades of a wind turbine generator and actuated to change a pitch angle of the blade. A variable displacement hydraulic pump supplies hydraulic oil to the hydraulic cylinder, and a discharge pressure of the pump does not follow a load pressure. When the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump becomes a set pressure, a pressure control valve is opened to change a discharge amount of the hydraulic pump, and to make the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump to be a pressure smaller than a cut off pressure. Further, a setting control unit sets the set pressure based on the hydraulic pressure that the hydraulic cylinder requires such that the set pressure becomes a minimum pressure required to change the pitch angle to a predetermined angle by the hydraulic cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Seita SEKI, Tomohiro NUMAJIRI
  • Patent number: 8186956
    Abstract: A frame for supporting equipment arranged in a hub of a wind turbine is fixed to the hub at one end and flexibly connected to the hub at another end. The variation of the relative position between the hub and the frame caused by the deformation of the hub associated with a rotation of the wind turbine or the like is absorbed by the flexible connection. A wind turbine whose frame in the hub has high durability against the rotation can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Numajiri, Emi Torii
  • Patent number: 8186966
    Abstract: Provided is an offshore wind turbine generator capable of withstanding unevenly distributed stress with a simple and inexpensive structure and of maintaining reliability in terms of strength. An offshore wind turbine generator includes a nacelle that rotatably supports a rotor head, and a tower portion that supports the nacelle and yaws integrally with the nacelle, and a structure portion that bears the strength of the tower portion has a higher strength against a load in a direction included in a plane having a rotation axis of the rotor head and an extending direction of the tower portion than the strength of the structure portion against a load in a direction included in other planes including the extending direction of the tower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Patent number: 8178988
    Abstract: A direct-drive wind turbine generator is provided with: a main shaft having one end connected to a rotor head of a wind turbine rotor; a generator having a stator, a stator casing for supporting the stator, and a rotor connected to the other end of the main shaft; first and second bearings positioned between the rotor head and the generator to rotatably support the main shaft; and a torque support for supporting the stator casing. The second bearing is positioned closer to the generator than the first bearing. The first bearing is a bearing with an aligning capability, and the second bearing is a bearing with no aligning capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Publication number: 20120112458
    Abstract: There is provided a yaw rotation control method for a wind turbine generator that does not require a yaw motor and is advantageous for a reduction in cost and a reduction in size and weight of a nacelle. A control unit performs, according to a deviation between wind direction information (?w) obtained from a wind direction detecting unit and a present state yaw angle (?z) obtained from a yaw rotating position detecting unit, yaw rotation control for outputting pitch angle command values (?1, ?2, and ?3) of yaw rotation to a pitch driving unit and directing front surfaces of rotation surfaces of wind turbine blades at the time of start. This yaw rotation control includes a step of controlling pitch angles of the wind turbine blades at a predetermined azimuth angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Patent number: 8164211
    Abstract: A wind-driven generator whose yaw system (10A) installed at the upper part of a support (2) is reduced in the number of its components and weight. The wind-driven generator has the yaw system (10A) equipped with a yaw driving device (30), a yaw slewing ring, and a yaw brake and slewing a nacelle installed at the upper part of the support (2) according to the direction of the wind. A yaw slewing ring fixed to a nacelle table plate (12) through a bracket (23A) having a nearly L-shaped cross section functions as the slide bearing (20A). Thus, the slide bearing (20A) slidably supports a flange part (2a) formed at the upper end of the support (2) with slide pads (22) held by the bracket (23A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Patent number: 8142155
    Abstract: Provided are a wind turbine generator and a method for constructing a wind turbine generator that allow for alleviation of construction costs, particularly for large wind turbine generators, and alleviation of limitations on construction due to weather. Provided are a rotor head that has a plurality of wind turbine rotor blades and that is rotated by wind power received by the plurality of wind turbine rotor blades, a front segment disposed on top of a tower and constituting a nacelle to which the rotor head is attached, a rear segment attached to the front segment and constituting the nacelle, a front frame disposed in the front segment and positioned between the rotor head and the tower so as to support a load on the rotor head, a rear frame disposed in the rear segment and attached to the front frame, a front cover covering the periphery of the front segment, and a rear cover covering the periphery of the rear segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Numajiri, Hisao Miyake, Masaaki Shibata
  • Publication number: 20120063901
    Abstract: A pitch-control system according to the present invention includes a cylinder support portion provided on a rotor hub, a support point thereof being located away from a front end face (unsupported end) of the rotor hub on the opposite side of the rotor hub; a decentered coupling point provided at a decentered location on a root-side end face of the wind turbine blade; and a cylinder that is installed so as to pass through the unsupported end of the rotor hub, a coupling portion that is provided on a portion that protrudes to the outer side from the unsupported end being coupled in a freely rotatable manner to the support point via a spherical joint, and a coupling portion that is on the inner side of the unsupported and being coupled in a freely rotatable manner to the decentered coupling point via a spherical joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Mioko MATSUDA, Tomohiro NUMAJIRI
  • Publication number: 20120032546
    Abstract: A wind turbine generator includes: a main shaft; a generator having a rotor and a stator; and a sleeve coupled to the rotor and inserted onto the main shaft. The stator includes: stator magnetic poles arrayed circumferentially of the main shaft; and first and second stator plates rotatably coupled to the main shaft to support the stator magnetic poles. The rotor includes: rotor magnetic poles and at least one magnetic pole supporting structure coupled to the main shaft to support the rotor magnetic poles and provided between the first and second stator plates such that the rotor and stator magnetic poles are detachable from the sleeve. Positions at which the rotor and stator magnetic poles are detachable from the sleeve are closer to the main shaft from a closer end of the main shaft to the generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Publication number: 20120025525
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pitch drive apparatus of a wind generator and the wind generator constituted not to affect a main shaft or a gear box, and capable of preventing reliability from being deteriorated. The pitch drive apparatus includes a wind turbine blade (6) having a base portion (21) mounted so as to be turnable around an axis center L with respect to a rotor head (4), an electric drive member having an output shaft (19) mounted on the rotor head (4) so as to extend in a direction along the axis center (L), a lever (15) having one end fixed to the output shaft (19) and extending in a direction intersecting with the output shaft (19), and a connecting link (17) disposed so as to extend in a direction intersecting with the output shaft (19). One end of the connecting link (17) is rotatably mounted on a free end of the lever (15) and the other end of the connecting link (17) is rotatably mounted on a drive position P of the wind turbine blade (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Numajiri
  • Publication number: 20120014775
    Abstract: There is provided a method for hoisting and lowering a device in a rotor head of a wind turbine generator, that can easily perform a device hoisting and lowering operation in the rotor head without an external crane. The method for hoisting and lowering a device in a rotor head includes a step of mounting a temporary winch rail to a rail support portion previously provided in the rotor head, a step of installing a temporary winch on the temporary winch rail, a step of opening a maintenance hatch provided in the rotor head, and a step of hoisting and lowering a replacement device to be attached or removed in the rotor head through a hoisting and lowering opening in the maintenance hatch by the temporary winch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Numajiri, Yoshihiro Fujioka, Atsushi Imanaga
  • Patent number: 8083212
    Abstract: The present invention provides a wind-turbine rotor-blade hoisting apparatus that enables attachment and removal of wind-turbine rotor blades without using a plurality of heavy machines and that enables attachment and removal of wind-turbine rotor blades on a site having a complex land shape with little flat land, a method for attaching a wind-turbine rotor blade, and a method for constructing a wind power generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Numajiri, Nobuyasu Nakamura