# US 9,869,293 B2 · Wind turbine tower guide system, and a method for installing an installation unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,869,293 B2 - Document ID: US9869293B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/654,093 - Filed: 2013-12-19 - Published: 2015-12-03 - Granted: 2018-01-16 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-20 - Assignees: Vestas Wind Systems A/S - Applicants: Vestas Wind Systems A/S - Inventors: Ben Moller Nielsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9869293B2 ## CPC - F03D 13/10: Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors - F03D 13/20: Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors - F03D 80/82: {of electrical components} - F03D 80/88: {of mechanical components} - F05B 2230/60: Assembly methods - F05B 2230/604: using positioning or alignment devices for aligning or centering, e.g. pins - F05B 2230/61: using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - Y02E 10/728: Onshore wind turbines - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y10T 29/49828: Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work - F03D: WIND MOTORS - 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 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A wind turbine tower (10) with a guide system for guiding an internal installation unit (20) displaced relative to the inside of said tower (10) to a final mounting position inside said tower (10), said tower (10) having a first end (3) and an opposite second end (5), said first end (3) defining an entry opening for receiving said unit (20), said guide system comprising at least two parallel stays (32) for said guiding being mounted to the inside of the wall (8) of said tower (10) and extending from said first end (3) towards said second end (5), and engagement elements (35) mounted externally on said unit (20), said engagement elements (35) being configured for receiving a respective one of said stays (32). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wind turbine tower with a guide system for guiding an internal installation unit displaced relative to the inside of said tower to a final mounting position inside said tower, said tower having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end defining an entry opening for receiving said unit, at least two parallel stays for said guiding being mounted to the inside of the wall of said tower and extending from said first end towards said second end, said at least two parallel stays being attached to the tower at a first location adjacent the first end and at a second location spaced from the first end and towards the second end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, a free end of said stays projecting beyond said first end. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, said tower having an inwardly directed peripheral flange at said first end, said stays extending from about the level of said flange, spaced from said flange inwardly towards a centre line of said tower. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tower according to claim 3, said stays being anchored to said flange. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, said stays extending along diametrically opposite parts of said tower. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, including inwardly oriented abutments configured for permanent support of said unit in said mounting position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tower according to claim 6, said stays being anchored to said abutments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, including tensioning devices for tensioning at least one of said stays. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, at least one of said stays being a cable under tension. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, said first end being an upwardly directed end of said tower. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, said first end being a downwardly directed end of said tower. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The tower according to claim 1, being one section of a taller tower. ### Claim 13 A wind turbine tower with a guide system for guiding an internal installation unit displaced relative to the inside of said tower to a final mounting position inside said tower, said tower having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end defining an entry opening for receiving said unit, said guide system comprising at least two parallel stays for said guiding being mounted to the inside of the wall of said tower and extending from said first end towards said second end, and engagement elements mounted externally on said unit, said engagement elements being configured for receiving a respective one of said stays, and said engagement elements being configured for only partially enclosing said stays. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The tower of claim 13, said unit having a footprint (F), said engagement elements being mounted to extend outwardly from said footprint (F), said engagement elements being mounted to a platform structure of said unit, to a vertical frame structure of said unit, and/or to a horizontal frame structure of said unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The tower of claim 13, said engagement elements having a lead-in portion for leading-in a respective stay. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, a free end of said stays projecting beyond said first end. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, said tower having an inwardly directed peripheral flange at said first end, said stays extending from about the level of said flange, spaced from said flange inwardly towards a centre line of said tower. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The tower according to claim 17, said stays being anchored to said flange. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, said stays extending along diametrically opposite parts of said tower. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, including inwardly oriented abutments configured for permanent support of said unit in said mounting position. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The tower according to claim 20, said stays being anchored to said abutments. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, including tensioning devices for tensioning at least one of said stays. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, at least one of said stays being a cable under tension. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, said first end being an upwardly directed end of said tower. ### Claim 25 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, said first end being a downwardly directed end of said tower. ### Claim 26 (depends on 13) The tower according to claim 13, being one section of a taller tower. ### Claim 27 A method of mounting electrical equipment in a wind turbine tower, comprising: a) providing an installation unit with electrical equipment, engagement elements being mounted externally on the installation unit, b) advancing the installation unit towards a first end of the tower, the first end defining an entry opening for receiving the installation unit, c) bringing said engagement elements into contact with at least two parallel stays mounted to the inside of the wall of the tower, wherein said at least two parallel stays are attached to the tower at a first location adjacent the first end and at a second location spaced from the first end and towards a second end of the tower, and d) displacing said installation unit into said tower, with the engagement elements aligned with the stays. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, the engagement elements being configured for receiving a respective one of the stays and receiving the stays during the displacing. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, wherein in the step c) a free end of the stays at the first end is received by a respective engagement element.