Rotor and method of adjusting an angle of a rotor blade on a rotor

Abstract

The present disclosure refers to a rotor (1) comprising a rotor blade (3), a hub (2), on which the rotor blade (3) is held by means of a bearing, and an adjustment device (7, 8, 10), in which a coupling component (7) arranged at the foot (5) of the rotor blade (3) is mounted in a guide (10) arranged on an adjustment component (8), such that by means of a displacement of the adjustment component (8) axially with respect to the axis of rotation (11) of the rotor of the hub (2) a pitch angle of the rotor blade can be altered, wherein the guide (10) runs at an inclination to the axis of rotation (11) of the rotor, at least during the axial displacement of the adjustment component (8). Also disclosed is a method for adjusting a pitch angle of a rotor blade.

Claims

1. A rotor with: a rotor blade, a hub on which a rotor blade is held by a bearing, and an adjustment device comprised of a coupling component and a guide, the coupling component is arranged at a foot of the rotor blade and is mounted in the guide formed on a rotor shaft, wherein the rotor shaft is a monolithic member which is secured against rotation relative to the hub, such that by displacement of the rotor shaft axially with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor of the hub, a pitch angle of the rotor blade can be altered, wherein the guide runs, at least during the axial displacement of the rotor shaft, at an inclination to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

2. The rotor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the adjustment device has an actuator, which couples onto the rotor.

3. The rotor in accordance with claim 1 further includes a rotor-bearing unit having a hub-side bearing and a shaft-side bearing, between which a bearing separation distance can be adjusted.

4. The rotor in accordance with claim 3, further includes a linear actuator, which is equipped so as to adjust the bearing separation distance.

5. The rotor in accordance with claim 1, wherein a paddle coupled to the rotor shaft, which in operation is subjected to wind pressure.

6. The rotor in accordance with claim 3, wherein the rotor-bearing unit is coupled with a spring-damper system, such that the rotor-bearing unit is moved as a result of a rotor thrust against the spring-damper system.

7. The rotor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the guide is arranged in a flattened surface region of the rotor shaft.

8. The rotor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the guide has an insertion opening, which is formed on the end face of the rotor shaft.

9. The rotor in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one other rotor blade is displaced on the hub along the periphery of the hub.

10. The rotor in accordance with claim 9, wherein the adjustment device is equipped so as to adjust the respective pitch angle synchronously for the rotor blade and the at least one other rotor blade.

11. A method for adjusting a pitch angle of a rotor blade which is held on a hub of a rotor by a bearing, wherein in the method a coupling component arranged at the foot of the rotor blade is mounted in a guide formed on a rotor shaft, where the rotor shaft is a unitary member, and the rotor shaft is mounted axially with respect to an axis of rotation of the rotor, and the coupling component is hereby guided in the guide, as a result of which a pitch angle of the rotor blade is altered, wherein the guide runs, at least during the axial displacement of the rotor shaft, at an inclination to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the pitch angle of the rotor blade is altered during the rotational operation of the rotor.

Description

(1) The single FIGURE shows a representation in perspective of a rotor 1 in cross-section. A rotor blade 3 is held on a hub 2 by means of a bearing 4. Here a foot 5 of the rotor blade 3 penetrates a wall 6 of the hub 2, and also the bearing 4. At the foot 5 of the rotor blade 3 is arranged a coupling component 7, embodied in the example of embodiment as a pin. The coupling component 7, which can also be designated as a lever component, is eccentrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rotor blade.

(2) Partially inserted into the hub 2 is an adjustment component 8, which in the form of embodiment shown is in the form of a rotor shaft. In a flattened surface region 9 of the adjustment component 8 is arranged a guide 10, which in the form of embodiment shown is designed as a groove, or a mounting. The coupling component 7 engages with the guide 10. The guide 10 is set at an inclination to the axis of rotation 11 of the rotor. In one configuration the inclined location or position of the guide 10 with respect to the axis of rotation 11 is embodied such that in the direction of view from above onto the hub 2 the guide and 10 and the axis of rotation 11 of the rotor subtend an acute angle, for example in the direction of view along the rotor blade 3.

(3) The rotor shaft, which can be axially displaced, is arranged in the interior of the hub 2; this shaft is secured that it cannot rotate with respect to the hub 2, that is to say, it rotates with the rotor blade 3 and the hub 2. The rotor blade 3 is mounted on the hub 2 such that it can rotate about its own axis 3a. By means of axial displacement of the adjustment component 8 embodied as a rotor shaft, the rotor blade 3 is rotated about its own axis. For this purpose a guide 10 is incorporated into the adjustment component 8 for each rotor blade 3; the centre line of each guide 10 is arranged, in the direction of view from above, pivoted at an acute angle to the axis of rotation 11 of the rotor (inclined position).

(4) In the guide 10 runs the respective coupling component 7, which sits in the foot 5 of the corresponding rotor blade 3. The axis of the coupling component 7 is arranged eccentrically with respect to the point of rotation of the rotor blade 3, and parallel to the rotor blade axis. By this means, dependent upon the axial position of the adjustment component 8 embodied as a rotor shaft, a particular lateral position of the coupling component 7 ensues, and with it a particular blade setting angle of the rotor blade 3.

(5) In one design the adjustment of the blade setting angle, that is to say, the axial displacement of the rotor shaft, takes place by means of a linear actuator. To this end the rotor shaft is mounted in the hub 2 such that it can be displaced axially. The rotor shaft can be produced from a suitable material such that the forces to overcome friction can be as small as possible.

(6) The rotor mounting can consist of a fixed bearing, which supports the hub 2 in a housing, together with a bearing that is fixed in position on the shaft, and is connected with the linear actuator in a suitable manner. Here a generator for purposes of converting rotational energy into electrical energy can either be coupled to the rotor shaft and thus also axially displaced with the latter, or can be connected to the hub 2 and fitted with a hollow shaft, through which the rotor shaft passes, or can be connected with the hub 2 by means of a suitable geared transmission.

(7) In an alternative form of embodiment the wind pressure is utilised so as to achieve the axial positioning of the adjustment component 8 embodied as a rotor shaft relative to the hub 2. For this purpose the shaft can either be connected with a suitable mechanism with a paddle, which is acted upon by the wind, or the wind pressure on the rotor 1 itself is utilised so as to displace the rotor blades including the hub 2 relative to the shaft, which in this arrangement is fixed in position. In both cases the axially displaceable adjustment component 8 can be supported against the wind pressure by means of a spring-damper system.

(8) With the rotor 1 small wind turbines in particular can be cost-effectively embodied with a blade angle adjustment mechanism. In a wind turbine with a blade angle adjustment mechanism, protection from overload can take place by means of adjustment of the blade setting angle, as a result of which productive operation is also possible at high wind velocities.

(9) The rotor 1 can also be utilised for model aircraft, drones, or smaller motorised aircraft, such as, for example, ultralight aircraft, or gliders with an ancillary drive. In climbing flight, for example, quite different velocities ensue compared with (motor-aided) gliding, wherein only by an adaptation of the pitch in the various operational situations can the maximum energy efficiency be achieved. By this means fuel can be saved, when compared with a propeller in which the pitch is only adjusted once as a compromise between the operational situations occurring.

(10) The features disclosed in the above description, and the claims, together with the FIGURE, can be of significance, both individually and also in any combination, for the implementation of the various embodiments.