# US 2014/0196987 A1 · Device for positioning a rope access technician in relation to a blade of a wind turbine

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- Number: US 2014/0196987 A1
- Document ID: US20140196987A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/215,376
- Filed: 2014-03-17
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-20
- Assignees: Rope Partner, Inc.
- Inventors: Joshua Crayton; John DeWit; Jean-Paul Cane; Randy Deputy; David M. Granger; Eric Stanfield
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196987A1

## CPC

- F03D 80/50: Maintenance or repair
- E04G 3/24: specially adapted for particular parts of buildings or for buildings of particular shape, e.g. chimney stacks or pylons (E04G3/28 takes precedence; {E04G1/362, E04G3/305 take precedence; scaffolding usable on slipways and in dry docks B63C5/02})
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- E04G: SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A device for positioning a rope access technician next to a blade of a wind turbine, including a rigid spine, one or more clamp assemblies with each clamp assembly connected to the rigid spine and each clamp assembly capable of clamping to a blade of a wind turbine, and a lower platform connected to a lower portion of the rigid spine with a substantially flat top surface on which a technician may sit, stand or place items.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A positioning device for positioning a technician next to a blade of a wind turbine, comprising:
a rigid spine;
means for maintaining the positioning device in a stable position by applying compressive force to a blade of a wind turbine, said means for maintaining the positioning device connected to the rigid spine; and
a lower platform connected substantially at the bottom of the rigid spine on which the technician may stand, sit, rest or place items.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the lower platform can be folded upwards, against the rigid spine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the rigid spine comprises a plurality of connected segments.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of connected segments can be folded against an adjacent segment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the position of the lower platform in relation to the rigid spine can be adjusted vertically.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2 further comprising an upper platform, that connects, above the lower platform, to the rigid spine, said upper platform having a substantially flat top surface on which a technician may sit, stand or place items.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising means for connecting the device to a rope suspended from the top of the wind turbine.

### Claim 8

A positioning device for positioning a technician next to a blade of a wind turbine, comprising:
a rigid spine;
one or more clamp assemblies, each clamp assembly connected to the rigid spine and each clamp assembly capable of clamping to a blade of a wind turbine; and
a lower platform connected substantially at the bottom of the rigid spine, said lower platform having a substantially flat top surface on which a technician may sit, stand, rest or place items.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the rigid spine is eight to twelve feet in length.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein each clamp assembly exerts compressive force against opposing faces of the blade.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein said one or more clamp assemblies consists of a single clamp assembly that exerts compressive force against the leading edge and trailing edge of the blade.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the position of the lower platform can be adjusted vertically along the rigid spine.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the rigid spine comprises an upper tube and a lower tube.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13 wherein each of said one or more clamp assemblies connect to the upper tube and the lower platform connects to the lower tube.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein said one or more clamp assemblies consists of two clamp assemblies further comprising an alignment bracket connected to the upper tube that positions the blade in relation to the two clamp assemblies.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13 wherein the lower platform may be folded against the lower tube and the lower tube may be folded against the upper tube.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the lower tube may be tilted either towards or away from the blade.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, further comprising:
a middle tube connected at one end to the upper tube and at the other end to the lower tube; and
an upper platform connected to either the middle tube or the lower tube, said upper platform having a substantially flat top surface on which a technician may sit, stand or place items.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The device of claim 18 wherein the lower platform may be folded against the lower tube, the upper platform may be folded against the middle tube, and the middle tube may be folded against the upper tube