# US 2019/0376491 A1 · Method and cover for covering an opening in a component of a wind turbine

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- Number: US 2019/0376491 A1
- Document ID: US20190376491A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/485,605
- Filed: 2017-11-28
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2017-02-17
- Assignees: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S
- Applicants: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S
- Inventors: Asp Ravn Diget; Anders Hoejris Jensen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376491A1

## CPC

- F03D 13/10: Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
- F03D 13/40: Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
- F03D 80/00: Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Provided is a method for temporarily covering an opening in a component of a wind turbine, including the steps: positioning a cover including an inflatable torus and a tarpaulin, whose circumference is attached to the torus, over the opening such that the torus extends around the outer circumference of a wall whose inner circumference delimits the opening and that the tarpaulin extends across the opening, and inflating the torus to attach the cover to the component.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for temporarily covering an opening in a component of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
positioning a cover comprising an inflatable torus and a tarpaulin, whose circumference is attached to the torus, over the opening such that the torus extends around an outer circumference of a wall whose inner circumference delimits the opening and that the tarpaulin extends across the opening; and
inflating the torus to attach the cover to the component.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a valve for inflating the torus, further wherein the cover is positioned in such a way that the valve is positioned on a side of the tarpaulin that is facing the opening.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one handle is attached to the tarpaulin, and the cover is positioned in such a way that the at least one handle is positioned on a side of the tarpaulin that is facing the opening.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the component is a generator, a tower section, a wind turbine blade, a needle, or a hub.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising demounting the cover from the component, wherein the demounting includes deflating the torus.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, wherein the cover is pulled inside the component through the opening after deflating the torus.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, wherein the cover is demounted from the component after the component is mounted to at least one further component of the wind turbine.

### Claim 8

A cover for covering an opening in a component of a wind turbine, comprising:
a tarpaulin including an inflatable torus, wherein a circumference of the tarpaulin is attached to the inflatable torus such that the tarpaulin extends across a hole of the inflatable torus when the inflatable torus is inflated.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The cover according to claim 8, wherein the cover comprises a valve for inflating the inflatable torus that is spaced apart from the inflatable torus when the inflatable torus is inflated and connected to the inflatable torus via at least one inflatable air channel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cover according to claim 9, wherein the valve is connected to the inflatable torus via at least one pair of the inflatable air channels, wherein the pair of air channels forms a support rod extending across the hole of the inflatable torus when the inflatable torus and the air channels are inflated.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The cover according to claim 8, wherein the cover comprises at least one handle that is attached to the tarpaulin.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The cover according to claim 8, wherein the component is a generator, a tower section, a wind turbine blade, a nacelle, or a hub.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

A cover arrangement comprising a component of a wind turbine, wherein a cover according to claim 8 is attached to the component to cover an opening of the component.