Rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine having variable-length blade bolts
US9777704B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 3, 2014 |
| Grant date | Oct 3, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 11, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/72
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine that controls pitch bearing load distribution. The assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell extending between a blade root and tip, a pitch bearing at an interface between the blade root and a hub of the wind turbine, and plurality of blade bolts coupling the blade root to the hub through the pitch bearing. The pitch bearing includes an outer bearing race and an inner bearing race rotatable relative to the outer race. Thus, in one embodiment, the blade bolts couple the blade root to the hub through the inner race of the pitch bearing. Further, each of the blade bolts has a first end and a second end defining a length therebetween and at least two of the blade bolts have varying lengths so as to distribute loads experienced by the pitch bearing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.