Patents by Inventor Willem Jan Bakhuis

Willem Jan Bakhuis 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: 10190571
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a blade root section and a rigid ring insert. The rotor blade has pressure and suction sides extending between leading and trailing edges. The blade root section includes an end face configured to attach the rotor blade assembly to a hub. Further, the blade root section includes a span-wise end portion defined by inner and outer circumferential components separated by a radial gap. The radial gap includes a first laminate material embedded between the inner and outer circumferential components at a first span-wise depth and a second laminate material embedded between the inner and outer circumferential components at a second span-wise depth. Thus, the rigid ring insert is disposed in the radial gap and embedded between the first and second laminate materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Srikanth Samudrala, Biju Nanukuttan, Dhanesh Chandrashekar Pathuvoth, Willem Jan Bakhuis
  • Publication number: 20170002660
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a blade root section and a rigid ring insert. The rotor blade has pressure and suction sides extending between leading and trailing edges. The blade root section includes an end face configured to attach the rotor blade assembly to a hub. Further, the blade root section includes a span-wise end portion defined by inner and outer circumferential components separated by a radial gap. The radial gap includes a first laminate material embedded between the inner and outer circumferential components at a first span-wise depth and a second laminate material embedded between the inner and outer circumferential components at a second span-wise depth. Thus, the rigid ring insert is disposed in the radial gap and embedded between the first and second laminate materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Srikanth Samudrala, Biju Nanukuttan, Dhanesh Chandrashekar Pathuvoth, Willem Jan Bakhuis
  • Patent number: 9506452
    Abstract: A method for installing a shear web insert between a blade segment and a blade insert of a rotor blade assembly is disclosed. The blade segment may include a first shear web and the blade insert may include a second shear web. The method may generally include coupling a first positioning device along an inner surface of a first side of the rotor blade assembly, inserting the shear web insert horizontally between the first and second shear webs until a first side face of the shear web insert engages the first positioning device and coupling a first retention device along the inner surface of the first side of the rotor blade assembly so that the first retention device is positioned adjacent to a second side face of the shear web insert, wherein the second side face is opposite the first side face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Willem Jan Bakhuis, Darren John Danielsen
  • Publication number: 20150064014
    Abstract: A method for installing a shear web insert between a blade segment and a blade insert of a rotor blade assembly is disclosed. The blade segment may include a first shear web and the blade insert may include a second shear web. The method may generally include coupling a first positioning device along an inner surface of a first side of the rotor blade assembly, inserting the shear web insert horizontally between the first and second shear webs until a first side face of the shear web insert engages the first positioning device and coupling a first retention device along the inner surface of the first side of the rotor blade assembly so that the first retention device is positioned adjacent to a second side face of the shear web insert, wherein the second side face is opposite the first side face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Willem Jan Bakhuis, Darren John Danielsen