Patents by Inventor Wouter Balk
Wouter Balk 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: 10259654Abstract: A helical conveyor comprises a belt having a transport section for transporting products where the belt follows at least partly a helical path between a lower end and an upper end of the transport section and a return section where the belt follows a path. The conveyor comprises a lower end reverse guide for turning the belt upside down and reversing its direction of movement between the transport section and the return section at the lower end of the transport section and an upper end reverse guide for turning the belt upside down and reverting its direction of movement between the transport section and the return section at the upper end of the transport section. The return section leaves the upper end through a horizontally oriented upper return section portion and the return section leaves the lower end through a horizontally oriented lower return section portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: AMBAFLEX INTERNATIONAL B.V.Inventors: Wouter Balk, Johannes Wilhelmus Broers
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Publication number: 20190047793Abstract: A conveyor comprises a helical conveying path having an upright central axis, a frame and an endless conveying member for transporting a product through the conveying path which conveying member is displaceable with respect to the frame. In a central portion of the conveying path, as seen in radial direction from the central axis, the conveying member is provided with an upwardly directed supporting surface for supporting a product. The width of the supporting surface in radial direction from the central axis is smaller than 10% of the distance between the central axis and the supporting surface. At opposite sides of the supporting surface the conveying path is free from obstacles at the height level of the supporting surface. The conveyor is provided with a helical guide for guiding the conveying member along the guide.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2018Publication date: February 14, 2019Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 10119409Abstract: A system, including: a linear actuator axially arranged in a first propeller and rotatably secured thereto, a first linking mechanism connecting a rod of the linear actuator to a second propeller to change a setting of blades thereof, and including an intermediate bearing between the propellers, which is capable of transmitting translation of the rod of the linear actuator and disconnecting a rotatable link to the first propeller to make it possible to change the setting of the blades of the second propeller rotated in an opposite direction to the first propeller, and a second linking mechanism combined with blades of the first propeller to change a setting thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2012Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventors: Gilles Alain Charier, Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 10099861Abstract: A conveyor comprises a helical conveying path having an upright central axis, a frame and an endless conveying member for transporting a product through the conveying path which conveying member is displaceable with respect to the frame. In a central portion of the conveying path, as seen in radial direction from the central axis, the conveying member is provided with an upwardly directed supporting surface for supporting a product. The width of the supporting surface in radial direction from the central axis is smaller than 10% of the distance between the central axis and the supporting surface. At opposite sides of the supporting surface the conveying path is free from obstacles at the height level of the supporting surface. The conveyor is provided with a helical guide for guiding the conveying member along the guide.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2015Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: AMBAFLEX INTERNATIONAL B.V.Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Publication number: 20180251321Abstract: A buffering device comprises a frame and a conveyor belt, a supply station, a discharge station, a first reversing member reverses the conveying direction of the conveyor belt, and a return guide includes a second reversing member. The buffering device is configured such that the conveyor belt moves from the supply station via the first reversing member to the discharge station, after which the conveyor belt is guided back to the supply station via the return guide. A portion of the conveyor belt n forms a buffer section of which the length varies. The remaining portion of the conveyor belt forms a compensation section for compensating a change of length of the buffer section during simultaneous displacement of the first and second reversing members with respect to the frame. The first reversing member includes a buffer carriage for radially guiding the conveyor belt, which guide is fixed to the carriage.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2016Publication date: September 6, 2018Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 9908711Abstract: A conveyor for conveying products in a vertical direction comprises a frame and a drivable conveyor belt supported by the frame and following a helical track about a central centerline. The belt is provided with movable slats having upwardly directed support faces. Inner rollers and outer rollers are present at the lower side of the belt having inner axes and outer axes of rotation, respectively, which are angled with respect to the support faces. The outer rollers are located at a larger distance from the centerline than the inner rollers. The frame is provided with a first guide face for supporting the outer rollers in an outward direction which first guide face is radially directed in the outward direction and with an upwardly directed second guide faces for supporting the belt in the upward direction, which second guide face lies at a distance from the first guide face.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2015Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: AMBAFLEX INTERNATIONAL B.V.Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 9856089Abstract: An accumulating portal conveyor comprises a conveyor belt, a frame for supporting and guiding the belt, which frame includes a first helical path and a second helical path spaced from the first helical path, a bridging path and a return path. Under operating conditions the belt successively follows the first helical path upwardly, the bridging path, the second helical path downwardly and the return path, and such that in transverse direction of an upright plane through central centerlines of the first and second helical paths. The bridging path includes a static part having a fixed position with respect to the helical paths and a dynamic portion displaceable in transverse direction of the upright plane to change the path length of the belt. At least a portion of the return path is displaceable for compensating the change of the path length of the belt at the bridging path.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: SPECIALTY CONVEYOR B.V.Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Publication number: 20170369252Abstract: A conveyor comprises a helical conveying path having an upright central axis, a frame and an endless conveying member for transporting a product through the conveying path which conveying member is displaceable with respect to the frame. In a central portion of the conveying path, as seen in radial direction from the central axis, the conveying member is provided with an upwardly directed supporting surface for supporting a product. The width of the supporting surface in radial direction from the central axis is smaller than 10% of the distance between the central axis and the supporting surface. At opposite sides of the supporting surface the conveying path is free from obstacles at the height level of the supporting surface. The conveyor is provided with a helical guide for guiding the conveying member along the guide.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2015Publication date: December 28, 2017Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 9850939Abstract: A method for producing by pultrusion a hollow main body of a rotary movement transmission shaft made of a composite material, the method including: impregnating a reinforcement; arranging a reinforcing fabric around a pultrusion chuck to wrap the pultrusion chuck, the fabric including circumferential fibers arranged in planes orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the chuck; and then depositing the impregnated reinforcement around the reinforcing fabric.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2014Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: SAFRANInventors: Cedric Thomas, Patrick Dunleavy, Wouter Balk
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Publication number: 20170291770Abstract: A helical conveyor comprises a belt having a transport section for transporting products where the belt follows at least partly a helical path between a lower end and an upper end of the transport section and a return section where the belt follows a path. The conveyor comprises a lower end reverse guide for turning the belt upside down and reversing its direction of movement between the transport section and the return section at the lower end of the transport section and an upper end reverse guide for turning the belt upside down and reverting its direction of movement between the transport section and the return section at the upper end of the transport section. The return section leaves the upper end through a horizontally oriented upper return section portion and the return section leaves the lower end through a horizontally oriented lower return section portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2017Publication date: October 12, 2017Inventors: Wouter Balk, Johannes Wilhelmus Broers
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Patent number: 9664112Abstract: A turbojet is suspended by attachments including hinged links. An attachment includes a support including three branches with passages through which a pin passes, the pin being oriented generally parallel to a direction that is tangential to a casing and being hinged to a central branch of the support by a ball joint.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2011Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Wouter Balk, Thomas Alain Christian Vincent
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Patent number: 9630785Abstract: A conveyor for buffering products includes a first helical conveyor having a first conveyor input and a first conveyor output and a second helical conveyor having a second conveyor input and a second conveyor output. The first conveyor output is coupled to the second conveyor input and the second conveyor output is coupled to the first conveyor input. A loading station and a discharging station are configured to load and discharge products to and from the conveyor. A single conveyor belt follows the helical tracks of the first and second helical conveyors.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: SPECIALTY CONVEYOR B.V.Inventors: Johannes Wilhelmus Broers, Wouter Balk
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Publication number: 20170096302Abstract: A conveyor for conveying products in a vertical direction comprises a frame and a drivable conveyor belt supported by the frame and following a helical track about a central centerline. The belt is provided with movable slats having upwardly directed support faces. Inner rollers and outer rollers are present at the lower side of the belt having inner axes and outer axes of rotation, respectively, which are angled with respect to the support faces. The outer rollers are located at a larger distance from the centerline than the inner rollers. The frame is provided with a first guide face for supporting the outer rollers in an outward direction which first guide face is radially directed in the outward direction and with an upwardly directed second guide faces for supporting the belt in the upward direction, which second guide face lies at a distance from the first guide face.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2015Publication date: April 6, 2017Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 9611809Abstract: A contra-rotating propeller system for an aircraft turbine engine, including a free power turbine including a first rotor and a second rotor contra-rotating relative to the first rotor, a first contra-rotating propeller and a second contra-rotating propeller to be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the propeller system relative to a stator of the system, and a mechanical transmission device. The mechanical transmission system is provided between the first propeller and the second propeller.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2011Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: SNECMAInventor: Wouter Balk
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Publication number: 20160368712Abstract: An accumulating portal conveyor comprises a conveyor belt, a frame for supporting and guiding the belt, which frame includes a first helical path and a second helical path spaced from the first helical path, a bridging path and a return path. Under operating conditions the belt successively follows the first helical path upwardly, the bridging path, the second helical path downwardly and the return path, and such that in transverse direction of an upright plane through central centerlines of the first and second helical paths. The bridging path includes a static part having a fixed position with respect to the helical paths and a dynamic portion displaceable in transverse direction of the upright plane to change the path length of the belt. At least a portion of the return path is displaceable for compensating the change of the path length of the belt at the bridging path.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2016Publication date: December 22, 2016Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 9434549Abstract: An accumulating portal conveyor comprises a conveyor belt, a frame for supporting and guiding the belt, which frame includes a first helical path and a second helical path spaced from the first helical path, a bridging path and a return path. Under operating conditions the belt successively follows the first helical path upwardly, the bridging path, the second helical path downwardly and the return path, and such that in transverse direction of an upright plane through central centerlines of the first and second helical paths. The bridging path includes a static part having a fixed position with respect to the helical paths and a dynamic portion displaceable in transverse direction of the upright plane to change the path length of the belt. At least a portion of the return path is displaceable for compensating the change of the path length of the belt at the bridging path.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2015Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: SPECIALTY CONVEYOR B.V.Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 9409715Abstract: A conveyor comprises two helical conveying tracks and a bridging track which connects the two helical conveying tracks to each other such that products can be transported upwardly via one helical conveying track, then via the bridging track to the other helical conveying track and subsequently downwardly via the other helical conveying track. The conveyor is provided with a driveable endless conveyor belt which follows at least one of the helical conveying tracks, at least a part of the bridging track and a return track. The return track at the one helical conveying track has a vertically oriented portion and a horizontally oriented portion. The horizontally oriented portion is disposed below the bridging track and extends beyond the vertically oriented portion with respect to the center line of the one helical conveying track.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2013Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: AMBAFLEX INTERNATIONAL B.V.Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 9365352Abstract: A conveyor comprises a frame, an endless conveyor belt supported by the frame in a conveying direction along a helical path, a non-helical path and a transfer path. The helical path has an upright center line. The belt includes a plurality of plates movably coupled to each other. The frame comprises at least at the helical path a radial guide, wherein the radial guide supports a plate at a radial guide contact location thereof in radial direction with respect to the center line of the helical path, a bearing guide for upwardly supporting the plates, wherein the bearing guide supports a plate at a bearing guide contact location thereof, and an auxiliary guide for compensating a torque on a plate at the bearing guide contact location about an axis directed in the conveying direction. The auxiliary guide contacts a plate at an auxiliary guide contact location thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2013Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Specialty Conveyor B.V.Inventor: Wouter Balk
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Patent number: 9341116Abstract: A gas turbine engine including: a casing in which is mounted at least one shaft for driving a fan solidly connected to a driving drum including blades to compress an airflow moving from upstream to downstream in the engine; and an axial retention mechanism, on standby, solidly connected to the casing and arranged to come into contact with the driving drum such as to prevent axial movement of the drum in event of breakage of the driving shaft.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Valerio Gerez, Wouter Balk, Edouard Joseph Jadczak
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Patent number: 9309808Abstract: A turboprop provided with a blade-positioning device including a stationary nacelle, a rotary nacelle including a plurality of blade roots, a turbine, the stationary and rotary nacelles and the turbine being coaxial along a longitudinal axis, a blade positioning device including for each blade a device configured to transform movement suitable for transforming a translation movement into a rotation movement, each one of the device for transforming movement being secured to the rotary nacelle and being suitable for pivoting a blade. The positioning device is placed between the inner surface of the stationary nacelle and the outer surface of the turbine, the positioning device including a member including a body secured to the stationary nacelle and a rod for sliding along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2011Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Wouter Balk, Gilles Alain Charier, François Gallet