# US 11,306,702 B2 · Transitioning wind turbine

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- Number: US 11,306,702 B2
- Document ID: US11306702B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/987,045
- Filed: 2020-08-06
- Published: 2020-11-19
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-10
- Applicants: Gerald L. Barber
- Inventors: Gerald L. Barber
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306702B2

## CPC

- E04H 12/345: {Arrangements for tilting up whole structures or sections thereof (E04H12/347 takes precedence)}
- F03D 13/20: Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
- F03D 1/0625: {of the whole rotor, i.e. form features of the rotor unit}
- F03D 9/32: on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
- F03D 13/25: specially adapted for offshore installation
- F03D 80/80: Arrangement of components within nacelles or towers
- F05B 2220/706: an electrical generator
- F05B 2230/6102: carried on a floating platform
- F05B 2240/12: Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
- F05B 2240/912: on a tower
- F05B 2240/9152: by being hinged
- F05B 2240/93: on a structure floating on a liquid surface
- F05B 2240/95: offshore
- F05B 2260/02: Transport, e.g. specific adaptations or devices for conveyance
- Y02E 10/727: Offshore wind turbines
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D)
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A transitioning wind turbine for land or offshore use having a tower base; a wind turbine tower attached to the tower base; a wind turbine attached to the wind turbine tower having a hub and an outer perimeter with spokes disposed between the hub and outer perimeter; a set of vanes carried by the spokes; a generator configured to engage the outer perimeter of the wind turbine and convert a rotational energy of the outer perimeter into power; a lifting tower having a pivot disposed at a proximal end of the lifting tower; a cable attached between the lifting tower and the wind turbine tower; and, wherein the lifting tower is configured to transition from the upright position to the tilted position as the wind turbine tower transitions between the horizontal position to the vertical position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A transitioning wind turbine comprising:
a wind turbine tower hingeably attached to a tower base, wherein the wind turbine tower is movable between a horizontal position and a vertical position;
a wind turbine attached to the wind turbine tower, wherein the wind turbine has a hub and an outer perimeter with spokes disposed between the hub and the outer perimeter;
a set of vanes carried by the spokes configured to rotate the outer perimeter in response to movement of atmospheric wind;
a generator configured to engage the outer perimeter of the wind turbine and convert a rotational energy of the outer perimeter into power;
a lifting tower having a pivot disposed at a proximal end of the lifting tower and having an upright position and a tilted position;
a cable attached between the lifting tower and the wind turbine tower; and,
wherein the lifting tower is configured to transition from the upright position to the tilted position as the wind turbine tower transitions between the horizontal position to the vertical position and a cable length between the lifting tower and the wind turbine tower is shortened.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 1 including a wind turbine barge supporting the tower base, and an installation barge removably attachable to the wind turbine barge configured to support the lifting tower.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 2 including a standard attached to the installation barge to support the wind turbine tower in the horizontal position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 1 including a lifting assembly carried by the lifting tower and connected to the cable.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 1 including a first distance between the pivot of the lifting tower and the tower base when the wind turbine tower is in the horizontal position and a second distance between the pivot of the lifting tower and the tower base when the wind turbine tower is in the vertical position, wherein the first distance is shorter than the second distance.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 1 including a wind turbine barge supporting the tower base, and a standard attached to the wind turbine barge to support the wind turbine tower in the horizontal position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 1 including a fastener to secure the wind turbine tower to the tower base when the wind turbine tower is in the vertical position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 1 wherein the lifting tower includes a transportation position wherein the lifting tower is tilted forward relative to the tower base.

### Claim 9

A transitioning wind turbine comprising:
a wind turbine tower hingeably attached to a tower base for moving between a horizontal position and a vertical position;
a lifting tower having a pivot disposed at a lifting tower proximal end and having an upright position and a tilted position;
a cable attached between the lifting tower and the wind turbine tower; and,
wherein the lifting tower is configured to transition from the upright position to the tilted position as the wind turbine tower transitions between the horizontal position to the vertical position and a cable length between the lifting tower and the wind turbine tower is shortened.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 9 including a lifting assembly disposed at the lifting tower proximal end and connected to the cable.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 9 including a fastener to secure the wind turbine tower to the tower base when the wind turbine tower is in the vertical position.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 9 including a wind turbine carried by the wind turbine tower.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 12 including a set of vanes carried by the wind turbine configured to rotate the wind turbine in response to movement of atmospheric wind.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 13 including a generator configured to engage the wind turbine and convert a rotational energy of the wind turbine into power.

### Claim 15

A transitioning wind turbine comprising:
a wind turbine tower hingeably attached to a wind turbine base, wherein the wind turbine tower is movable between a horizontal position and a vertical position;
a wind turbine attached to the wind turbine tower; and,
a lifting tower connected to the wind turbine tower by a cable, wherein the lifting tower is movable between an upright position and a tilted position;
wherein the lifting tower is configured to transition from the upright position to the tilted position as the wind turbine tower transitions between the horizontal position to the vertical position, and wherein the cable stays perpendicular to the wind turbine tower between the lifting tower and the wind turbine tower during movement between the horizontal and vertical positions; and,
a first distance between a pivot of the lifting tower and an attachment point when the wind turbine tower is in the horizontal position and a second distance between the pivot of the lifting tower and the attachment point when the wind turbine tower is in the vertical position, wherein the first distance is shorter than the second distance.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 15 including a pivot disposed at a proximal end of the lifting tower.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 15 including a floatable barge supporting the wind turbine base.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The transitioning wind turbine of claim 17 including an air foil carried by the floatable barge.