This technology relates to blades for wind turbines, and relates particularly to handling and transportation of turbine blades for disposal.
A blade for a wind turbine is typically disposed of by cutting the blade into multiple sections for loading on a trailer bed in random orientations.
A turbine blade has a disassembled condition defined by separated blade sections. Each blade section has a residual leading edge remaining from an original leading edge of the blade, a residual trailing edge remaining from an original trailing edge of the blade, and a residual length delimited by a severed edge of the blade. Blade support fixtures are configured for mounting on a transportation platform at spaced-apart locations. The fixtures have blade-receiving seats configured with reference to residual edge portions of the separated blade sections.
The structures illustrated in the drawings include examples of the elements recited in the claims. The illustrated structures thus include examples of how a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and use the claimed invention. These examples are described to meet the enablement and best mode requirements of the patent statute without imposing limitations that are not recited in the claims. Elements of one embodiment may be used in combination with, or as substitutes for, elements of another as needed for any particular implementation of the invention.
As shown in
As further shown schematically in
More specifically, the separated sections 40, 42 and 44 of the blade 10 in the illustrated embodiment include a root section 40, an intermediate section 42, and a tip section 44. The root section 40 has a proximal end portion 60 including the root 12 of the blade 10. The root section 40 further has a distal end portion 62 ending at a severed edge 56 of the blade 10. The intermediate section 42 has a proximal end portion 64 beginning at a severed edge 56 of the blade 10, and has a distal end portion 66 ending at a severed edge 56 of the blade 10. The tip section 44 has a proximal end portion 70 beginning at a severed edge 56 of the blade 10, and has a distal end portion 72 including the tip 14 of the blade 10.
The root section 40 of the disassembled blade 10 has a circular peripheral shape at the proximal end portion 60, as shown in the end view of
The illustrated embodiment further includes a pair of blade support fixtures 90 and 92. The support fixtures 90 and 92 are configured to support the separated blade sections 40, 42 and 44 on a transportation platform such as, for example, a trailer bed 100 as shown in
Each fixture 90 and 92 has recessed upper surfaces defining blade-receiving seats, as shown in
For example, regarding the root section 40 of the disassembled blade 10, the first fixture 90 has a seat 110 that is contoured to match the contour of the residual leading edge 50 at a location along the proximal end portion 60 of the root section 40. The second fixture 92 also has a seat 112 configured for the root section 40. That seat 112 is contoured to match the contour of the residual leading edge 50 at a location along the distal end portion 62 of the root section 40.
Regarding the intermediate section 42 of the disassembled blade 10, the first fixture 90 has a seat 120 that is contoured to match the contour of the residual leading edge 50 at a location along the distal end portion 66. A counterpart seat 122 on the second fixture 92 is contoured to match the contour of the residual leading edge 50 at a location along the proximal end portion 64.
In the illustrated embodiment, only the second fixture 92 has a seat 130 for the tip section 44 of the disassembled blade 10. That seat 130 is contoured to match the contour of the residual leading edge 50 at a location along the proximal end portion 70 of the tip section 44. The distal end portion 72 of the tip section 44 rests on the proximal end portion 60 of the root section 40 when the three blades sections 40, 42 and 44 are secured together on the trailer bed 100, as shown in
This written description sets forth the best mode of carrying out the invention, and describes the invention so as to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, by presenting examples of the elements recited in the claims. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, as well as equivalent examples with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/431,019 filed on Feb. 13, 2017 which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/413,759, filed Oct. 27, 2016 both which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62413759 | Oct 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15431019 | Feb 2017 | US |
Child | 16025079 | US |