CRANE BASKET

Abstract

A device (1) for enabling access to a rotor blade (2) of a wind turbine is described, said device (1) comprising a frame (3) having connecting means (4) located at an upper region of said frame (3) and being structured in the range to be connected to a hoisting device. Such a device should be of simple construction, which is easy to control. To this end said frame (3) is in form of a triangle, said connecting means (4) being located in a region of an edge of said triangle.

Claims

1. A device for enabling access to a rotor blade of a wind turbine, said device WA comprising a frame having connecting means located in an upper region of said frame and being structured and arranged to be connected to a hoisting device, wherein said frame is in form of a triangle, said connecting means being located in a region of an edge of said triangle.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said triangle is oriented vertically with respect to a direction of gravity.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said triangle comprises two shanks, each shank carrying a platform.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein each platform forms a base of a basket.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said baskets have access means, said access means facing each other.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein said platforms are movable in a direction parallel to said triangle.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein said platforms are movable in a direction perpendicular to said triangle.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting means form a single point of connection to said hoisting device.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said frame comprises at least two sets of rollers in different heights with respect to the direction of gravity.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said rollers are offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to said direction of gravity.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein said rollers are adjustable in a direction perpendicular to said direction of gravity.

12. The device according to claim 8, wherein said frame carries contact means having a greater distance to said frame than said rollers.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said contact means are in form of brushes.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein said rollers and/or said contact means are located in a position higher than said platforms in direction of gravity.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein said frame is made of a fiber reinforced plastic material, of a light metal or of a stainless steel.

16. The device according to claim 2, wherein said triangle comprises two shanks, each shank carrying a platform.

17. The device according to claim 4, wherein said platforms are movable in a direction parallel to said triangle.

18. The device according to claim 5, wherein said platforms are movable in a direction parallel to said triangle.

19. The device according to claim 4, wherein said platforms are movable in a direction perpendicular to said triangle.

20. The device according to claim 5, wherein said platforms are movable in a direction perpendicular to said triangle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a device,

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the device,

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the device and

[0028] FIG. 4 shows some positions of the movement of the device along a blade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] A device 1 for enabling access to a rotor blade 2 of a wind turbine comprises a frame 3. The frame 3 has connecting means 4 to be connected to a hoisting device 5 in form of a robe made of steel wires. The connecting means 4 form a single point of connection.

[0030] The frame 3 is in form of a triangle or in form of the letter A. This frame is orientated vertically with respect to a direction of gravity. The connecting means 4 are located at the upper end of the triangle.

[0031] The frame 3 comprises two shanks 6, 7. Each shank 6, 7 carries a platform 8, 9. Each platform 8, 9 forms a basis for a basket 10, 11.

[0032] Each basket 10, 11 has access means 12, 13 in form of a removable bar or in form of a door. The access means 12, 13 of the two baskets 10, 11 face each other so that in emergency cases a person 14 in basket 10 can be rescued via the other basket 11 or a person 15 in the other basket 11 can be rescued via the first basket 10.

[0033] As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 1 and 2, the platforms 8, 9 are moveable with respect to the frame 3 in vertical direction, i.e. basically parallel to the triangular form of the frame 3. In this way it is possible to adjust the position of each platform 8, 9 in different height which makes it easier for the person 14, 15 in each basket 10, 11 to reach all areas of the blade 2.

[0034] Furthermore, as can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the platforms 8, 9 can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the frame 3, i.e. to the triangle. This again is a possibility for the person 14, 15 to reach the whole of the surface of the blade 2 in a simple way.

[0035] Drives or actuators controlling the movements of the platforms 8, 9 with respect to the frame 3 are not shown for sake of clarity.

[0036] The frame 3, the platforms 8, 9 and the baskets 10, 11 can be made of a light weight material, for example reinforced plastic material, light metal or stainless steel.

[0037] The fiber reinforced plastic material can be in form of glass fiber reinforced plastic, like thermosetting plastics, e.g. polyester, epoxy or with thermoplastics, e.g. polyimide, PVC.

[0038] Alternatively a fiber reinforced plastic material can be reinforced by carbon fiber wherein the same plastic materials can be used. Furthermore, aramid or para-aramid fiber can be used for reinforcement, e.g. Kevlar.

[0039] The light metals can be for example aluminum or titanium.

[0040] Furthermore, it is possible to use high strength steel or stainless steel, like austenitic stainless, e.g. W.nr.1.4301 and 1.4401, duplex stainless, e.g. W.nr.1.4462, or super duplex stainless, e.g. W.nr.1.4410.

[0041] The use of such light weight material makes the whole construction light weight which has several advantages. One advantage is that only a single point of connection to the hoisting device 5 and a single hoisting device 5 are necessary. The forces for lifting the device are smaller so that a crane which is installed on the nacelle of the wind turbine, for example, can be dimensioned with less power.

[0042] As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 device 1 comprises two sets of rollers 16, 17 which are located at the frame 3 in different heights with respect to the direction of gravity. The direction of gravity can be used to describe the location of the sets of rollers 16, 17 in this case, because the device 1 has a clear defined orientation during operation and use.

[0043] The two sets of rollers 16, 17 are offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to said direction of gravity, i.e. perpendicular in a direction perpendicular to the orientation of the frame 3. The offset can be small. The offset can be chosen, for example, so that a straight line through the middle axis of the rollers 16, 17 includes an angle of approximately 4 with a longitudinal axis of the frame 3.

[0044] Furthermore, the frame 3 carries contact means 18, 19 in form of brushes or the like. The contact means 18, 19 and the rollers 16, 17 are located in a position higher than said platforms 8, 9 in direction of gravity. When the service starts, the device is positioned at the lower tip of blade 2 and then moved upwardly. The rollers 16, 17 and the contact means 18, 19 will not cross the area of the blade after a service has been performed. This is in particular useful when the service includes repair of the surface of the blade which requires in some cases liquid plastics.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows some positions of the device 1. When the device 1 is lowered to the lower tip of the blade 2 in step A the first interaction with blade 2 is shown. Only the lower rollers 16 are in contact with the blade 2. The angle of the hoisting device 5 to the direction of gravity is 0 and the angle of the device 1, i.e. of frame 3 relative to a direction of gravity is 0 as well.

[0046] In position B the frame rotates from 0 to 2, wherein the top rollers 17 come into contact with the blade 2 when the angle of the frame 3 is 2. The hoisting device 5 will be in angle between 0 and 0.85, for example.

[0047] In the position C both top and bottom rollers 16, 17 are in contact with the blade 2 and the frame 3 is in an angle of 2 relative to the direction of gravity. The device 1 is lowered and the angle of the hoisting device 5 will go from 0.85 to 4, for example. The illustration in FIG. 4 shows the angle exaggerated for clarity.

[0048] When, as shown in position D, the angle of the hoisting device 5 exceeds 21, for example, the lower rollers 16 will lift and there will only be contact with the top rollers 17.

[0049] In any case, the frame 3 still remains upright and the platforms 8, 9 will still remain basically in horizontal orientation so that there is no danger for the person 14, 15 in the baskets 10, 11.

[0050] The rollers 16, 17 and the contact means 18, 19 can be, if necessary, adjusted to adapt the device 1 to different forms of blades.

[0051] As can be seen, in particular in FIGS. 3 and 4, the contact means 18, 19 have a greater distance to frame 3 than the rollers 16, 17.

[0052] While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to this disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.