How Wind Turbine Blades Reduce Noise with Small Fins
This patent describes how small, flat fins attached to the tips of wind turbine blades can reduce noise and improve efficiency by managing swirling air, called vortices.
Original patent title: “Wind turbine blade tip vortex breakers”
This patent describes how small, flat fins attached to the tips of wind turbine blades can reduce noise and improve efficiency by managing swirling air, called vortices. Granted to General Electric in 2011 with 8 claims and 17 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2027.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a wind turbine blade designed to reduce noise and improve efficiency by managing swirling air at its tip. It uses several "substantially flat flaps" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) that stick out "substantially perpendicular" from the blade's "suction surface" (Claim 1) near its end. These flaps are placed along "different chord lines" (Claim 1) and are specifically shaped so their "trailing edge" is taller than their "leading edge" (Claim 1). Their job is to "capture and direct tip vortices toward a trailing edge of the blade" (Claim 1), which means they grab the swirling air and guide it away, making the blade quieter and more effective. For example, a wind turbine blade might have three such fins, each about a quarter of the length of the blade's width at that point, helping to smooth out the airflow.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover flaps that are not "substantially flat" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1), such as curved or complex shapes.
- Does not cover flaps that are not positioned "substantially perpendicular" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) to the blade's suction surface.
- Does not cover flaps where the "trailing edge" is not taller than the "leading edge" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover flaps with a length outside the range of 0.2 to 0.6 times the chord line length (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover systems that manage vortices using methods other than these specific flaps (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever part is using simple, "substantially flat flaps" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) with a specific height difference from front to back to actively manage the powerful swirling air (tip vortices) at the blade's edge. Instead of just letting the vortices form and create noise, these flaps capture and redirect them, turning a problem into a controlled flow.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Modern utility-scale wind turbines
Wind turbine blade designs focused on noise reduction
Aerodynamic add-ons for existing wind turbine blades
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Wind turbines are a key part of renewable energy, but the noise they make can be a significant issue for nearby communities. This patent addresses that problem by offering a way to reduce the distinct "whooshing" sound caused by air swirling off the blade tips. By making turbines quieter, it helps them be more widely accepted and allows for more flexible placement, contributing to the growth of clean energy infrastructure.
Filed
July 12, 2007
Granted
April 19, 2011
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
General Electric, as the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a major player in the wind energy sector, continuously developing and refining wind turbine technology. Other large turbine manufacturers like Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, and Nordex also invest heavily in aerodynamic improvements and noise reduction for their blade designs.
Market impact
This type of patent contributes to the ongoing evolution of wind turbine design, making them more efficient and acceptable for wider deployment. By addressing noise, it helps overcome a common hurdle for new wind farm projects, enabling the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure and influencing design choices across the wind power industry.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a wind turbine blade designed to reduce noise and improve efficiency by managing swirling air at its tip. It uses several "substantially flat flaps" (Claim 1) that stick out "substantially perpendicular" from the blade's "suction surface" (Claim 1) near its end. These flaps are placed along "different chord lines" (Claim 1) and are specifically shaped so their "trailing edge" is taller than their "leading edge" (Claim 1). Their job is to "capture and direct tip vortices toward a trailing edge of the blade" (Claim 1), which means they grab the swirling air and guide it away, making the blade quieter and more effective. For example, a wind turbine blade might have three such fins, each about a quarter of the length of the blade's width at that point, helping to smooth out the airflow.
The clever bit
The clever part is using simple, "substantially flat flaps" (Claim 1) with a specific height difference from front to back to actively manage the powerful swirling air (tip vortices) at the blade's edge. Instead of just letting the vortices form and create noise, these flaps capture and redirect them, turning a problem into a controlled flow.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover flaps that are not "substantially flat" (Claim 1), such as curved or complex shapes.
- Does not cover flaps that are not positioned "substantially perpendicular" (Claim 1) to the blade's suction surface.
- Does not cover flaps where the "trailing edge" is not taller than the "leading edge" (Claim 1).
- Does not cover flaps with a length outside the range of 0.2 to 0.6 times the chord line length (Claim 1).
- Does not cover systems that manage vortices using methods other than these specific flaps (Claim 1).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
25/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
5/20
Moderate scope
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$14K – $43K
Midpoint $27K · expired or expiring · industry baseline
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Patent Claims
1 independent claim · 0 dependent
Claims are the legal boundaries of the patent. An independent claim stands alone. A dependent claim adds limitations to its parent, narrowing — but not broadening — the scope.
The original legal language
Original claims
8 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Parsania, N., & Standish, K. (2011). How Wind Turbine Blades Reduce Noise with Small Fins (U.S. Patent No. 7,927,078). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7927078/wind-turbine-blade-tip-vortex-breakers
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Wind Turbine Blades Reduce Noise with Small Fins cover?
This patent describes how small, flat fins attached to the tips of wind turbine blades can reduce noise and improve efficiency by managing swirling air, called vortices.
Who owns patent US 7927078?
General Electric owns this patent, granted in 2011.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 12, 2027, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 7927078 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 17 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Wind turbines are a key part of renewable energy, but the noise they make can be a significant issue for nearby communities. This patent addresses that problem by offering a way to reduce the distinct "whooshing" sound caused by air swirling off the blade tips. By making turbines quieter, it helps them be more widely accepted and allows for more flexible placement, contributing to the growth of clean energy infrastructure.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover flaps that are not "substantially flat" (Claim 1), such as curved or complex shapes.
Same assignee
More from General Electric
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