How Wind Turbine Blades Get More Lift with Extra Parts
This patent describes adding special front and back parts to a wind turbine blade to create specific air channels, making the blade generate more power from the wind.
Original patent title: “Method and apparatus for increasing lift on wind turbine blade”
This patent describes adding special front and back parts to a wind turbine blade to create specific air channels, making the blade generate more power from the wind. Granted to General Electric in 2012 with 19 claims and 14 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2029.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a way to make wind turbine blades catch more wind, generating more lift. It does this by adding two extra pieces, called "extensions," to the main blade. A "forward blade extension" is attached to the top (suction surface) of the main blade, creating a "first airflow channel" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). Another "aft blade extension" is attached to the bottom (pressure surface) of the main blade, creating a "second airflow channel" (Claim 1). These channels are designed to have a "substantially constant cross-sectional width" (Claim 1, Claim 4), which helps guide the airflow efficiently. For example, if a wind turbine blade is struggling to generate enough power in lighter winds, adding these extensions could help it capture more energy without needing a larger, heavier main blade.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Wind turbine blades that increase lift using only adjustable pitch or angle of attack without additional extensions.
- Blade designs that use different types of aerodynamic add-ons, like vortex generators or Gurney flaps, instead of the specified forward and aft extensions.
- Extensions that do not form airflow channels with a "substantially constant cross-sectional width" as claimed.
- Blade designs where the forward extension does not extend along the suction surface past the centerline towards the trailing edge.
- Systems where the aft blade extension's suction surface does not extend along the pressure surface of the rotor blade.
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 precisely shaping and positioning two separate extensions on the blade's suction and pressure surfaces to create airflow channels that maintain a "substantially constant cross-sectional width." This specific channel design helps to manage airflow over the blade more effectively, boosting lift without significantly increasing drag.
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 wind turbine blades with passive aerodynamic enhancements
Multi-element airfoils used in aircraft wings
Wind turbine designs focused on low-wind speed performance
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Increasing the lift on wind turbine blades means they can capture more energy from the wind, even at lower wind speeds. This improves the efficiency of wind farms and allows them to generate more electricity. For companies like General Electric, which manufactures wind turbines, this kind of innovation can lead to more powerful and cost-effective energy solutions.
Filed
December 30, 2009
Granted
November 6, 2012
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, Nordex, and the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more → General Electric are continuously researching and developing more efficient wind turbine blade designs. These companies invest heavily in aerodynamic improvements to maximize energy capture from wind, often exploring various add-on elements and blade profiles.
Market impact
This type of innovation directly impacts the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of wind energy production. By enabling blades to generate more lift, it helps reduce the "levelized cost of energy" (LCOE) for wind power, making it more competitive with other energy sources. It allows for more power generation from existing turbine footprints or enables new turbines to be more powerful.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a way to make wind turbine blades catch more wind, generating more lift. It does this by adding two extra pieces, called "extensions," to the main blade. A "forward blade extension" is attached to the top (suction surface) of the main blade, creating a "first airflow channel" (Claim 1). Another "aft blade extension" is attached to the bottom (pressure surface) of the main blade, creating a "second airflow channel" (Claim 1). These channels are designed to have a "substantially constant cross-sectional width" (Claim 1, Claim 4), which helps guide the airflow efficiently. For example, if a wind turbine blade is struggling to generate enough power in lighter winds, adding these extensions could help it capture more energy without needing a larger, heavier main blade.
The clever bit
The clever part is precisely shaping and positioning two separate extensions on the blade's suction and pressure surfaces to create airflow channels that maintain a "substantially constant cross-sectional width." This specific channel design helps to manage airflow over the blade more effectively, boosting lift without significantly increasing drag.
What it does not cover
- Wind turbine blades that increase lift using only adjustable pitch or angle of attack without additional extensions.
- Blade designs that use different types of aerodynamic add-ons, like vortex generators or Gurney flaps, instead of the specified forward and aft extensions.
- Extensions that do not form airflow channels with a "substantially constant cross-sectional width" as claimed.
- Blade designs where the forward extension does not extend along the suction surface past the centerline towards the trailing edge.
- Systems where the aft blade extension's suction surface does not extend along the pressure surface of the rotor blade.
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
Strong
Citation count
23/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
13/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
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
$44K – $140K
Midpoint $87K · 3.5 yr remaining · 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
19 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Herr, S., & Mohammed, O. (2012). How Wind Turbine Blades Get More Lift with Extra Parts (U.S. Patent No. 8,303,250). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8303250/method-and-apparatus-for-increasing-lift-on-wind-turbine-blade
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 Get More Lift with Extra Parts cover?
This patent describes adding special front and back parts to a wind turbine blade to create specific air channels, making the blade generate more power from the wind.
Who owns patent US 8303250?
General Electric owns this patent, granted in 2012.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on December 30, 2029, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 8303250 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 14 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Increasing the lift on wind turbine blades means they can capture more energy from the wind, even at lower wind speeds. This improves the efficiency of wind farms and allows them to generate more electricity. For companies like General Electric, which manufactures wind turbines, this kind of innovation can lead to more powerful and cost-effective energy solutions.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Wind turbine blades that increase lift using only adjustable pitch or angle of attack without additional extensions.
Patent monitoring