LADDER, STEP-PORTION AND SYSTEM FOR USING IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING A ROTOR BLADE

Abstract

A ladder for using in the process of manufacturing a rotor blade by leaning the ladder against the rotor blade being manufactured and climbing thereon is provided, including two rails and a plurality of rungs, wherein the rails include a solid structure elastically bendable by the weight of a person climbing thereon in order to align a bending radius of the rails, resulting from an elastic bending of the rails, to an outer radius of the rotor blade being manufactured. A step-portion for the inventive ladder and a system including the inventive ladder is also provided.

Claims

1. A ladder for using in the process of manufacturing a rotor blade by leaning the ladder against the rotor blade being manufactured and climbing thereon, comprising two rails and a plurality of rungs, wherein the rails comprise a solid structure elastically bendable by the weight of a person climbing thereon in order to align a bending radius of the rails, resulting from an elastic bending of the rails, to an outer radius of the rotor blade being manufactured.

2. The ladder according to claim 1, wherein each rail comprises a rail bar extending in one piece over the entire length of the ladder.

3. The ladder according to claim 1, wherein a cushion underneath the rails and/or the rungs for contacting the rotor blade when using the ladder for the process of manufacturing the rotor blade.

4. The ladder according to claim 3, wherein the cushion extends in a width direction between the rails from one rail to the other rail.

5. The ladder according to claim 3, wherein the cushion extends in a length direction between the rungs.

6. The ladder according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of step-portions, wherein each step-portion comprises one rung and at least part of the cushion, wherein the rung and the cushion of each step-portion build an integral and/or monolithic unit.

7. The ladder according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of step-portions, each step-portion comprises one rung and a mounting-portion for detachably mounting the step-portion to the rails.

8. The ladder according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of spacer sleeves being located at the rails in pairs between the step-portions for holding the step-portions in a predetermined distance from each other.

9. The ladder according to claim 1, wherein each rung is roof shaped.

10. The ladder according to claim 1, wherein the rails are made of a fiber reinforced composite.

11. The ladder according to claim 1, wherein each rail comprises a rail bar being tube-shaped with an open-end side for detachably connecting a further rail bar in order to lengthen the ladder.

12. The ladder according to claim 1, wherein a base-portion at a lower end side of the rails having a coupling-structure for coupling the base-portion to a counter-coupling-structure at the ground to prevent slipping of the ladder on the ground.

13. A step-portion, comprising one rung and a mounting-portion for detachably mounting the step-portion to the rails of a ladder according to claim 1.

14. A system, comprising a ladder according to claim 12 and the counter-coupling-structure at the ground, wherein the coupling-structure is coupled to the counter-coupling-structure.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the counter-coupling-structure comprises a guiding rail for guiding the ladder parallel to the rotor blade.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0029] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a ladder according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a ladder according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a ladder according to the embodiment of FIG. 3;

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a ladder according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and

[0035] FIG. 6 shows a top view of a ladder according to the embodiment of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In FIG. 1, a ladder 10 is shown that is used in the process of manufacturing a rotor blade 11 of a wind turbine by leaning the ladder 10 against the rotor blade 11. As shown in FIG. 1, a person 14 and/or operator is climbing on the ladder 10 for working on the rotor blade 11. The ladder 10 comprises two rails 12 and a plurality of saddle roof shaped rungs 13. The rails 12 are made of a fiber reinforced composite and comprise a solid structure elastically bendable by the weight of the person 14 climbing thereon in order to align a bending radius of the rails 12, resulting from an elastic bending of the rails 12, to an outer radius of the rotor blade 11 being manufactured. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, each rail 12 comprises a rail bar 15 extending in one piece over the entire length of the ladder 10.

[0037] The ladder 10 of FIG. 1 further comprises a base-portion 20 at a lower end side of the rails 12 having a plate-shaped coupling-structure 21 for coupling the base-portion 20 to a counter-coupling-structure 22 at the ground 23 to prevent slipping of the ladder 10 on the ground 23. In particular, FIG. 1 shows system 100, comprising the ladder 10 and the counter-coupling-structure 22 at the ground 23, wherein the coupling-structure 21 is coupled to the counter-coupling-structure 22. In accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1, the counter-coupling-structure 22 comprises a guiding rail for guiding and shifting the ladder 10 parallel to the rotor blade 11. FIG. 1 further shows a platform 24, at which the rotor blade 11 is located and onto which the ladder 10 leans as well. The platform 24 prevents the ladder 10 from bending inwardly to the rotor blade 11 in the lower section of the ladder 10.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows parts of the ladder 10 and the counter-coupling-structure 22 in more detail. As can be further drawn from FIG. 2, the ladder 10 comprises a plurality of step-portions 17, wherein each step-portion 17 comprises one rung 13 and a mounting-portion 18 for detachably mounting the step-portion 17 to the rails 12. According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the mounting-portion 18 comprises a snapping-portion for snapping the rail bars 15 into the snapping-portion. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, each rail 12 comprises a rail bar 15 being tube-shaped with an open-end side for detachably connecting a further rail bar 15 in order to lengthen the rails 12 and the ladder 10, respectively.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a ladder 10 according to a further embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the ladder 10 comprises cushions 16 mounted underneath the rails 12 and the rungs 13 for contacting the rotor blade 11 when using the ladder 10 for the process of manufacturing the rotor blade 11. Each cushion 16 extends in a length direction 32 between the rungs 13, that is, as shown in FIG. 3, in an area between the rungs 13.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a top view of the ladder 10 of FIG. 3. As can be seen there, each cushion 16 extends in a width direction 31 between the rails 12 from one rail 12 to the other rail 12 and slightly beyond the rails 12. The rung 13 and the cushion 16 of each step-portion 17 form an integral unit.

[0041] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show a further embodiment of the ladder 10. The shown ladder comprises a plurality of spacer sleeves 19 being located at the rails 12 and around the rail bars 15 in pairs between the step-portions 17 for holding the step-portions 17 in a predetermined distance from each other.

[0042] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0043] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements.