# US 8,464,497 B2 · Stay cable for structures

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- Number: US 8,464,497 B2
- Document ID: US8464497B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/588,279
- Filed: 2012-08-17
- Published: 2013-01-17
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-13
- Assignees: Ultimate Strength Cable, LLC
- Applicants: Walter L. Lambert
- Inventors: Walter L. Lambert
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464497B2

## CPC

- F03D 13/25: specially adapted for offshore installation
- E02D 27/425: {specially adapted for wind motors masts (wind motors per se F03D1/00)}
- E04H 12/00: Towers; Masts or poles; Chimney stacks; Water-towers; Methods of erecting such structures (cooling towers E04H5/12; derricks for oil drilling E21B15/00)
- E04H 12/20: Side-supporting means therefor, e.g. using guy ropes or struts
- F03D 7/0204: {for orientation in relation to wind direction}
- F03D 13/20: Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
- H01Q 1/1242: {Rigid masts specially adapted for supporting an aerial}
- H02K 7/183: {wherein the turbine is a wind turbine (adaptation of a wind turbine to an electric generator F03D9/25)}
- E02B 2017/0091: {Offshore structures for wind turbines}
- F05B 2240/2211: of the multibladed, low speed, e.g. "American farm" type
- F05B 2240/912: on a tower
- F05B 2260/30: Retaining components in desired mutual position
- Y02B 10/30: Wind power
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- Y02E 10/727: Offshore wind turbines
- Y02E 10/728: Onshore wind turbines
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)}
- E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D)
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F)
- 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
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A mast is erected to support a load. At least one stay cable supports the mast. The stay cable has an end and an opposite end. The end of the stay cable attaches to an upper region of the mast. The opposite end of the stay cable anchors at earth. The stay cable is oriented at an angle not exceeding ten degrees.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wind energy installation, comprising:
a mast;
a rotor assembly supported by the mast, the rotor assembly having at least one blade; and
at least one stay cable having an end and extending uninterrupted along its length to an opposite end, the end of the stay cable attached to an upper region of the mast at a height greater than a tip of the blade of the rotor assembly, the stay cable comprising a bundle of parallel wires with each wire individually pulled to a tension value, the stay cable stressed to support the mast while wind rotates the tip of the blade without collision of the stay cable.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wind energy installation according to claim 1, further comprising a generator converting mechanical energy of the rotor assembly into electrical energy.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wind energy installation according to claim 1, further comprising an alternator converting mechanical energy of the rotor assembly into electrical energy.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wind energy installation according to claim 1, wherein the end of the stay cable is attached to the upper region of the mast at an angle not exceeding ten degrees while wind rotates the tip of the blade without collision of the stay cable.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wind energy installation according to claim 1, wherein the end of the stay cable is attached to the upper region of the mast at an acute angle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The wind energy installation according to claim 5, wherein the opposite end of the stay cable is anchored at a distance from the mast.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The wind energy installation according to claim 6, wherein the acute angle is a function of the distance from the mast.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The wind energy installation according to claim 5, wherein a maximum value of the acute angle is a function of a distance from the mast to the tip of the blade.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The wind energy installation according to claim 5, wherein a maximum value of the acute angle relates to a lowest position of the tip of the blade.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The wind energy installation according to claim 1, wherein the rotor assembly swivels about the mast to capture wind energy from any direction without collision of the stay cable.

### Claim 11

A method, comprising:
supporting a rotor assembly with a mast;
attaching an end of a stay cable to an upper region of the mast at a height greater than a lowest point of a tip of a blade of the rotor assembly;
anchoring an opposite end of the stay cable;
orienting the stay cable to the mast at an angle inside a rotor disk of the blade, the angle having a maximum tangential value at least partially defined by a radial distance of the tip of the blade from the mast; and
tensioning the stay cable to a stressed condition to support the mast while wind rotates the tip of the blade without collision of the stay cable.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising orienting the stay cable at the angle not exceeding ten degrees.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising converting mechanical energy of the rotor assembly into electrical energy.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising partially defining the maximum tangential value according to a height of the tip of the blade from the earth.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising orienting the stay cable to the mast at an acute angle to the mast.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising reducing the angle due to deflection of the tip of the blade.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising partially defining the maximum tangential value according to a difference in the height between an attachment point of the end of the stay cable and the radial distance of the tip of the blade from the mast.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising individually tensioning each wire in the stay cable to a tension value.

### Claim 19

An apparatus, comprising:
a mast erected to support a load; and
a stay cable having an end and extending along its entire length to an opposite end, the end of the stay cable attached to an upper region of the mast, the opposite end of the stay cable anchored, the stay cable stressed to support the mast at an acute angle less than or equal to ten degrees, the stay cable comprising a bundle of parallel wires with each wire individually pulled to a tension value.