Driving device for raising or lowering an airfoil
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorDavid V. Arel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wind turbine assembly with a driving device for raising and lowering a wind turbine between a lower end and an upper end of a wind turbine tower comprises a guide member extending longitudinally along the outer surface of the tower, a sleeve member coupled to the wind turbine, and means for raising and lowering the sleeve member between the upper end and the lower end of the tower along the guide member. The sleeve member has an inner diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the tower, and is slidably coupled to the tower. The sleeve member also includes a slot configured to engage with the guide member.
Claims13
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a wind turbine tower;
- a sleeve member slidably coupled to the tower;
- a wind turbine attached to the sleeve member;
- a driving device for moving the sleeve member relative to the wind turbine tower;
- a protective chamber having outer walls positioned around the wind turbine assembly near a lower end of the tower, wherein the wind turbine is positionable within the protective chamber;
- wherein the protective chamber further comprises a chamber lid positionable atop the outer walls to enclose the protective chamber;
- a guiding device for guiding the sleeve member longitudinally along an outer surface of the tower, the guiding device comprising:
- a linear guide member extending longitudinally along the outer surface of the tower;
- and
- a guide member slot in an inner diameter of the sleeve member wherein the guide member slot couples with and is slidable along the guide member in a linear path defined by the linear guide member.
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a wind turbine tower;
- a sleeve member slidably coupled to the tower;
- a wind turbine attached to the sleeve member;
- a protective chamber having outer walls positioned around the wind turbine assembly near a lower end of the tower, wherein the wind turbine is positionable within the protective chamber;
- wherein the protective chamber further comprises a chamber lid positionable atop the outer walls to enclose the protective chamber;
- and
- a driving device for moving the sleeve member relative to the wind turbine tower into and out of the protective chamber.
A wind turbine assembly comprising:
- a wind turbine tower;
- a sleeve member slidably coupled to the tower;
- a wind turbine attached to the sleeve member;
- a driving device for moving the sleeve member relative to the wind turbine tower;
- a protective chamber having outer walls positioned around the wind turbine assembly near a lower end of the tower, wherein the wind turbine is positionable within the protective chamber;
- wherein the protective chamber further comprises a chamber lid positionable atop the outer walls to enclose the protective chamber;
- a brake assembly to stop rotation of the wind turbine and to hold the wind turbine in a fixed position with blades of the wind turbine in a substantially horizontal orientation as the wind turbine is lowered so that the blades are received within the protective chamber;
- a bearing disposed between the sleeve member and the wind turbine to allow angular rotation of the wind turbine with respect to the sleeve member;
- and
- a yaw drive motor coupled to the wind turbine to rotate the wind turbine with respect to the sleeve member, wherein the yaw drive motor rotates the wind turbine to a predetermined position prior to lowering of the wind turbine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.