IP Library Granted Patent US 12,372,062
Granted Patent B2
US 12,372,062 · App. 17/698,762 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine and wind turbine

Inventors: Ibrahim Muhamad (Rostock, DE); Gerald Festner (Klein Krams, DE); Viktor Nickel (Hamburg, DE)
Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
F03D15/00F03D80/70F05B2240/50F05B2260/4031
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,372,062
App. No.
17/698,762
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine includes: a gearbox housing, a torque support arrangement, a rotor bearing support structure, wherein the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure are arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis, the torque support arrangement couples the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure. The torque support arrangement includes a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure and to reduce the transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between the gearbox housing and the rotor bearing support structure.

Claims (27)

1. A gearbox support arrangement for a wind turbine, the gearbox support arrangement comprising:

a gearbox housing including two protrusions;

a torque support arrangement;

a rotor bearing support structure including two further protrusions;

said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure being arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis such that said two protrusions and said two further protrusions interlock, such that said two protrusions and said two further protrusions are arranged so that one of said two protrusions is arranged between said two further protrusions and one of said two further protrusions is arranged between said two protrusions;

wherein said torque support arrangement couples said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure; and,

said torque support arrangement including a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure and to reduce a transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure.

2. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 1 , wherein:

said two protrusions protrude along an axial direction;

and,

said one of said two protrusions protrudes between said two further protrusions along the axial direction.

3. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 2 , wherein said torque support arrangement defines an opening at the other one of said rotor bearing support structure and said gearbox housing; said decoupling device includes two decoupling elements which are tangentially arranged on opposite sides of said two protrusions; each of said two decoupling elements is arranged between said two protrusions and a wall; and, said wall is part of one of said two further protrusions and limits said opening.

4. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 3 , wherein each of said two decoupling elements includes a spring damping element; and, said spring damping element has a hydraulic, elastomeric, elastomeric-hydraulic or plastic structure.

5. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 2 , wherein said torque support arrangement includes a ring element; said ring element is formed separately from said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure; and, said ring element is connected to said gearbox housing and includes said two protrusions or is connected to the rotor bearing support structure and includes said two further protrusions.

6. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 5 , wherein said ring element includes a plurality of ring segments; and, said ring segments each are radially removable from a corresponding one of said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure.

7. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 2 , wherein said two further protrusions are formed separately from said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure; and, said two further protrusions are connected to said rotor bearing support structure.

8. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the gearbox support arrangement comprises a plurality of said torque support arrangements arranged around a circumference of said rotor bearing support structure and said gearbox housing.

9. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of torque support arrangements are symmetrically arranged.

10. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said two protrusions and said two further protrusions each protrude along an axial direction and form U-shaped openings.

11. The gearbox support arrangement of claim 1 , wherein decoupling elements are arranged between all of said two protrusions and said two further protrusions.

12. A wind turbine comprising:

a nacelle;

a gearbox support arrangement arranged within the nacelle;

said gearbox support arrangement including a gearbox housing having two protrusions, a torque support arrangement, and a rotor bearing support structure including two further protrusions;

said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure being arranged next to each other along a longitudinal axis such that said two protrusions and said two further protrusions interlock, such that said two protrusions and said two further protrusions are arranged alternately so that one of said two protrusions is arranged between said two further protrusions and one of said two further protrusions is arranged between said two protrusions;

wherein said torque support arrangement couples said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure with each other such that torque loads are transmittable between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure; and,

said torque support arrangement including a decoupling device configured to transmit the torque loads between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure and to reduce a transmission of vibrations and reaction loads between said gearbox housing and said rotor bearing support structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2022
From: MUHAMAD, IBRAHIM; FESTNER, GERALD; NICKEL, VIKTOR
To: NORDEX ENERGY SE & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 060590/0214 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 21163390 · Mar 18, 2021 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220299012A1 · Sep 22, 2022
References Cited (21)
US 8786124B2 · Castell · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9856966B2 · Wilson · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10619721B2 · Wilson · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20070265133A1 · Smook · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20110187122A1 · Martinez et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110210490A1 · Mitsch · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120076652A1 · Ventzke et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20190186467A1 · Eusterbarkey · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20220003304A1 · Wuerr et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
DE 102018008034A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
EP 1855001A1 · 2007 [cited by applicant]
EP 2172647A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
EP 2352930B1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
EP 2434154A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
EP 2593673B1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
EP 2732157B1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
EP 3012479A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
EP 3447282A1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
WO 2017045688A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020094309A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Extended search report of the European Patent Office dated Sep. 1, 2021 for European application 21163390.4 on which this application is based. [cited by applicant]