公开(公告)号：US09896201B2

公开(公告)日：2018-02-20

申请号：US14584536

申请日：2014-12-29

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Damon Vander Lind

IPC: A63H27/00 ,  B64C31/06 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F03D7/00 ,  B64C13/24 ,  B64C39/02 ,  F03D1/02 ,  F03D13/20 ,  G05D1/08 ,  F03D9/25

CPC classification number: B64C31/06 ,  B64C13/24 ,  B64C39/022 ,  F03D1/02 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F03D7/00 ,  F03D9/19 ,  F03D9/25 ,  F03D9/32 ,  F03D13/20 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  G05D1/0866 ,  Y02E10/70 ,  Y02E10/723 ,  Y02E10/725

Abstract: An airborne tethered flight system including a base unit, a tether having a first end attached to the base unit and a second end attached to a kite, wherein the kite comprises a main wing, a tail wing, and a tail boom attached to said main wing on a first end, said tail boom coupled to said tail wing on a second end, a plurality of vertical pylons attached to the main wing, said pylons comprising vertical airfoils adapted to provide lift, turbine driven generators mounted on the vertical airfoils attached to the main wing, and an additional vertical airfoil extending between the tail boom and tail wing.

公开(公告)号：US20180012501A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-11

申请号：US15687465

申请日：2017-08-26

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Damon Vander Lind

IPC: G08G5/00 ,  G05D1/10 ,  B64C31/06

CPC classification number: G05D1/101 ,  B64C31/06 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F03D7/00 ,  F05B2240/917 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  G05D1/0866 ,  G05D1/104 ,  Y02E10/70 ,  Y02E10/723 ,  Y02E10/728

Abstract: Methods and systems described herein relate to power generation control for an aerial vehicle. An example method may involve determining an asynchronous flight pattern for two or more aerial vehicles, where the asynchronous flight pattern includes a respective flight path for each of the two or more aerial vehicles; and operating each of the aerial vehicles in a crosswind flight substantially along its respective flight path, where each aerial vehicle generates electrical power over time in a periodic profile, and where the power profile of each aerial vehicle is out of phase with respect to the power profile generated by each of the other aerial vehicles.

公开(公告)号：US09866152B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-09

申请号：US15443465

申请日：2017-02-27

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Damon Vander Lind ,  Geoff Dolan ,  Corwin Hardham

IPC: H02P5/46 ,  F03D7/02 ,  F03D9/25 ,  F03D9/32 ,  H02P29/024

CPC classification number: H02P5/46 ,  F03D1/02 ,  F03D7/028 ,  F03D9/25 ,  F03D9/32 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  F05B2240/923 ,  F05B2270/20 ,  F05B2270/30 ,  H02P29/024 ,  Y02E10/723 ,  Y02E10/728

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a system includes a plurality of drive units coupled to a plurality of propellers. Each drive unit includes a single motor/generator and a single motor controller, and the plurality of drive units includes a first drive-unit pair and a second drive-unit pair. The system also includes a high-voltage bus connecting the motor controllers in the first drive-unit pair to a tether, a low-voltage bus connecting the motor controllers in the second drive-unit pair to the tether, and an intermediate-voltage bus connecting the motor controllers of the first drive-unit pair in series with the motor controllers of the second drive-unit pair. The motor controllers in the first drive-unit pair are connected in parallel via the high-voltage bus and the intermediate-voltage bus, and the motor controllers in the second drive-unit pair are connected in parallel via the intermediate-voltage bus and the low-voltage bus.

公开(公告)号：US20170334550A1

公开(公告)日：2017-11-23

申请号：US15665386

申请日：2017-07-31

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Damon Vander Lind ,  Geoff Dolan

IPC: B64C11/34 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F03D7/02

CPC classification number: B64C11/343 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F03D7/0224 ,  F05B2240/917 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  Y02E10/70 ,  Y02E10/723 ,  Y02E10/728

Abstract: Apparatus are disclosed that are configured to passively rotate a propeller blade from a first pitch angle to a second pitch angle. An example apparatus involves: (a) a rotor hub, (b) at least one dual-pitch support coupled to the rotor hub, wherein the dual-pitch support has a first surface, a second surface and a cavity defined there between, and (c) at least one propeller blade rotatably coupled to the rotor hub such that a blade root is disposed within the dual-pitch support's cavity, where the blade root's front face is positioned against the dual-pitch support's first surface in a first position and the blade root's back face is positioned against the dual-pitch support's second surface in a second position, and the propeller blade is oriented at a first pitch angle in the first position and is oriented at a second pitch angle in the second position.

公开(公告)号：US09764820B2

公开(公告)日：2017-09-19

申请号：US14587683

申请日：2014-12-31

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Peter Kinne ,  Damon Vander Lind ,  Gregor Cadman

IPC: B64C5/16 ,  B64C39/02 ,  F03D5/00

CPC classification number: B64C5/16 ,  B64C39/022 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F05B2240/40 ,  F05B2240/917 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  Y02E10/70 ,  Y02E10/728

Abstract: An aerial vehicle including a fuselage, a main wing attached to the fuselage, a support structure extending upwardly from the fuselage and having a front surface facing the main wing, an overhang positioned on a top of the support structure and extending towards the main wing, one or more rotating actuators positioned on the overhang, a rear elevator attached to the one or more rotating actuators that are configured to move the rear elevator from a flying mode position where a leading edge of the rear elevator faces the main wing to a hover mode position where the major surfaces of the rear elevator faces the main wing, and wherein the major surfaces of the rear elevator remain in front of the front surface of the support structure when the rear elevator is moved from the flying mode position to the hover mode position.

公开(公告)号：US20170190418A1

公开(公告)日：2017-07-06

申请号：US14984369

申请日：2015-12-30

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Elias Wolfgang Patten ,  Damon Vander Lind ,  Alex Yat Ning Chan ,  Jerome Francois Sicard ,  Nathan Treat

IPC: B64C31/06 ,  H01B5/10 ,  H01B9/00 ,  H01B7/00 ,  F03D9/00 ,  H01B7/04

CPC classification number: B64C31/06 ,  B64C39/022 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F03D9/25 ,  F03D13/20 ,  F05B2240/917 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  H01B5/107 ,  H01B7/0009 ,  H01B7/043 ,  H01B9/008 ,  Y02E10/70 ,  Y02E10/728

Abstract: An energy kite may be coupled to a tether and ground station via an electro-mechanical bridle. The energy kite may generate a significant amount of lift during power generation and may need to transfer this load to a tether that is anchored at the ground. Transferring the load at a single point would place a substantial bending moment on the energy kite. To mitigate this bending moment, the load may be divided between multiple locations with a bridle system. The bridle system may have a plurality of electrical conductors to conduct electrical power and signals.

公开(公告)号：US09637231B2

公开(公告)日：2017-05-02

申请号：US14831687

申请日：2015-08-20

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Erik Christopher Chubb ,  Damon Vander Lind

IPC: B64C39/02 ,  F03D5/00 ,  G05D1/08 ,  F03D13/20

CPC classification number: B64C39/022 ,  B64C2201/021 ,  B64C2201/12 ,  B64C2201/148 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F03D9/25 ,  F03D13/20 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  G05D1/0866 ,  Y02E10/70 ,  Y02E10/728

Abstract: A method involves operating an aerial vehicle in a hover-flight orientation. The aerial vehicle is connected to a tether that defines a tether sphere having a radius based on a length of the tether, and the tether is connected to a ground station. The method involves positioning the aerial vehicle at a first location that is substantially on the tether sphere. The method involves transitioning the aerial vehicle from the hover-flight orientation to a forward-flight orientation, such that the aerial vehicle moves from the tether sphere. And the method involves operating the aerial vehicle in the forward-flight orientation to ascend at an angle of ascent to a second location that is substantially on the tether sphere. The first and second locations are substantially downwind of the ground station.

公开(公告)号：US20170237370A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-17

申请号：US15443465

申请日：2017-02-27

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Damon Vander Lind ,  Geoff Dolan ,  Corwin Hardham

IPC: H02P5/46 ,  H02P29/024 ,  F03D9/32 ,  F03D7/02 ,  F03D9/25

CPC classification number: H02P5/46 ,  F03D1/02 ,  F03D7/028 ,  F03D9/25 ,  F03D9/32 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  F05B2240/923 ,  F05B2270/20 ,  F05B2270/30 ,  H02P29/024 ,  Y02E10/723 ,  Y02E10/728

Abstract: A motor control topology relevant to airborne wind turbines and a control process for such a motor control topology is disclosed herein.

公开(公告)号：US09664175B2

公开(公告)日：2017-05-30

申请号：US14474105

申请日：2014-08-30

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Damon Vander Lind ,  George Edward Homsy

IPC: F03D1/06 ,  F03D5/00

CPC classification number: F03D9/32 ,  B64C39/022 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/021 ,  B64C2201/12 ,  B64F3/02 ,  F03D1/0666 ,  F03D1/0691 ,  F03D5/00 ,  F03D9/25 ,  F05B2240/921 ,  F05B2240/923 ,  F05B2280/10 ,  F05B2280/6003 ,  Y02E10/70 ,  Y02E10/721

Abstract: A rotor for use with an airborne wind turbine, wherein the rotor comprises a front flange, a can, a rear flange, and a rigid insert comprising a propeller mount, wherein the front flange, can, and rear flange comprise one of carbon fiber and spun aluminum, wherein a rear end of the front flange is attached to a front end of the can, and the rear flange is mounted to a rear end of the can, wherein the rigid insert is bonded to the front flange; and wherein the rigid insert comprises a tube that axially extends within the rotor to allow for the positioning of a driveshaft therethrough.

公开(公告)号：US09604733B2

公开(公告)日：2017-03-28

申请号：US14144103

申请日：2013-12-30

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Brian Hachtmann ,  Gabe Murphy ,  Damon Vander Lind

IPC: B64F3/00 ,  B66D1/30

CPC classification number: B66D1/30 ,  B64C39/022 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/12 ,  B64D2221/00 ,  B64F3/00 ,  B64F3/02 ,  B66D1/08 ,  B66D1/12 ,  B66D2700/0133 ,  F03D9/32

Abstract: Wind energy systems, such as an Airborne Wind Turbine (“AWT”), may be used to facilitate conversion of kinetic energy to electrical energy. An AWT may include an aerial vehicle that flies in a path, such as a substantially circular path, to convert kinetic wind energy to electrical energy. The aerial vehicle may be coupled to a winch assembly via a tether. The winch assembly may include a winch drum and a drum door. The winch assembly may be configured such that the drum door may operate in two or more positions, such as an open position and a closed position, to reduce the likelihood of stability problems occurring at the aerial vehicle during winding or unwinding of the tether.