# US 2018/0320655 A1 · Rotor reinforcing device for wind turbine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0320655 A1 - Document ID: US20180320655A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/772,939 - Filed: 2016-08-11 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-03 - Inventors: Fang Zhou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180320655A1 ## CPC - F03D 1/0658: {Arrangements for fixing wind-engaging parts to a hub} - F03B 13/264: {using the horizontal flow of water resulting from tide movement} - F03B 17/06: using liquid flow {with predominantly kinetic energy conversion}, e.g. of swinging-flap type {, "run-of-river", "ultra-low head" (F03B13/264 takes precedence)} - F03B 17/061: {with rotation axis substantially in flow direction} - F05B 2240/21: for wind turbines - F05B 2240/24: for turbines - F05B 2240/50: Bearings - F05B 2240/917: attached to cables - F05B 2280/6003: Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced - Y02E 10/30: Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - Y02E 10/728: Onshore wind turbines - F03D: WIND MOTORS - F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00) - 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 ## Abstract This invention involves a wind turbine rotor. A rotor reinforcing device (10) comprise a center connecting device (40) which are fixed on the rotor hub (6); and long and thin blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) which are connected to center connecting device (40) and corresponding rotor blade (1). The rotor reinforcing device (10) has the advantages of having a light weight and a simple structure. With the help of the center connecting device (40), the rotor can be easily reinforced. This invention also involves a rotor, a rotor-based ocean current turbine, a rotor-based tidal turbine and a rotor-based power generator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotor reinforcing device (10) comprising: center connecting device (40), configured to be fixed to the rotor hub (6); and blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26), each configured to be connected to said center connecting unit (40) and respective rotor blades (1). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 1, wherein said center connecting device (40) comprises multiple connecting members (41, 42, 43) which are configured to be rotationally symmetrical. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 2, wherein said center connecting device (40) also includes supporting structures to support said multiple connecting members (41, 42, 43). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 3, wherein said supporting structures comprise multiple supporting rods connected with each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 1, wherein said blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) are the tensile reinforcement member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 1, wherein said blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) are made of materials with high strength and high elastic modulus, such as carbon fiber rope. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Each rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 1-6 also comprises connecting brackets that are fixed on the rotor blade (1) and used to connect said blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) and said center connecting device (40). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 7, wherein said connecting bracket is configured to be fixed on the rotor blade (1) by crossing certain span longitudinally along the blade (1). ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 7 also includes guide structure to guide the blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) and the connecting bracket (11) to rotate relative to the center connecting unit (40). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 9, wherein said guide structure includes the guide member fixedly attaching to the connecting bracket and the guide slot in the center connecting device (40). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 10, wherein said guide member includes rolling bearings. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claim 10, wherein said guide slot is in the form of circular arc. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) A rotor (100) comprises a hub (6), multiple blades (1) connected to said hub and any of the rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claims 1 to 12. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9, 10, 11, 12) A rotor (100) comprises a hub (6), multiple blades (1) connected to said hub and any of the rotor reinforcing device (10) according to claims 9 to 12, wherein said blades (1) are configured such as to rotate around their longitudinal axes relative to said hub (6). ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The said rotor (100) according to claim 14, wherein each rotor (1) is equipped with at least one said blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) and at least one said connecting brackets, and thereinto, the said blades (1), blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) and the corresponding connecting brackets are all separately arranged rotationally symmetric around the rotational axes of the rotor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The said rotor (100) according to claim 14, wherein each blade (1) is equipped with multiple said blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) of which at least two are connected to the same connecting bracket and extend parallelly so as to be connected to the blade (1) at the roughly same lengthwise position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The said rotor (100) according to claim 14, wherein each blade (1) is equipped with multiple said blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) of which at least two are connected to the same connecting bracket and connected to the blade (1) at the different lengthwise positions of the blade (1). ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The rotor (100) according to claim 14, wherein each blade (1) is equipped with at least two groups of said blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) of which each group includes one blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) or multiple reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) that extend parallelly to the blade (1) at the roughly same lengthwise position. Thereinto, the reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) in different groups are connected to the same connecting bracket and connected to the blade (1) at the different lengthwise positions of the blade (1). ### Claim 19 (depends on 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) Any rotor (100) according to claims 13-18, wherein the blade reinforcing members (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) is configured to be applied to prestressed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) A wind turbine, comprising any rotor (100) according to claims 13-19. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) A power generating equipment, comprising any rotor (100) according to claims 13-19, including wind turbine, ocean current turbine or tidal turbine.