Granted Patent B2

US 12,338,792 · App. 18/677,505 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Inventors: Jeffrey Willis (Omaha, NE); Antonio Monge (El Puerto de Santa Maria, ES); David Malcolm (Kirkland, WA); Olamide Ajala-Inyang (Brentwood, CA); Omar Garcia (Amarillo, TX); Alin-Ionut Munteanu (Leuven, BE)

F03D3/062F03D3/005F03D13/20F03D13/40F05B2230/60F05B2240/211

Abstract

Claims (83)

1. A method for installing a rotor assembly comprising:

attaching a mast bottom end of a mast to a drive shaft or a tower;

unhooking a first blade-arm bundle, wherein the first blade-arm bundle comprises a first arm-brace bundle and a blade, wherein:

the first arm-brace bundle comprises a first arm and a first bracing member,

a first bracing member proximal end is pivotally connected to the first arm between a first arm proximal end and a first arm distal end,

the first arm distal end is pivotally connected to the mast, and

the first arm proximal end is pivotally connected to a blade top portion;

laterally extending the blade such that the blade is disposed at a predefined distance from the mast;

unhooking the first arm-brace bundle;

attaching a first bracing member distal end to the mast between a mast top end and the mast bottom end;

unhooking a second blade-arm bundle, wherein:

the second blade-arm bundle comprises a second arm-brace bundle and the blade,

the second arm-brace bundle comprises a second arm and a second bracing member, and

a second arm proximal end is pivotally connected to a blade bottom portion;

attaching a second arm distal end to the mast;

unhooking the second arm-brace bundle, wherein a second bracing member proximal end is pivotally connected to the second arm between a second arm proximal end and the second arm distal end; and

attaching a second bracing member distal end to the mast between the mast top end and the mast bottom end.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

axially rotating the first bracing member about the first bracing member proximal end to attach the first bracing member distal end to the mast;

axially rotating the second arm about the second arm proximal end to attach the second arm distal end to the mast; and

axially rotating the second bracing member about the second bracing member proximal end to attach the second bracing member distal end to the mast.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mast is a polygonal mast.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotor assembly is part of a vertical axis wind turbine.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

attaching a lifting means to the mast top end;

causing the lifting means to lift the rotor assembly;

disposing the rotor assembly on top of the drive shaft or the tower; and

attaching the mast bottom end to the drive shaft or the tower responsive to disposing the rotor assembly on top of the drive shaft or the tower.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein disposing the rotor assembly on top of the drive shaft or the tower comprises disposing the rotor assembly such that a tower longitudinal axis is parallel to a mast longitudinal axis.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the lifting means is a crane.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the unhooking the first blade-arm bundle, unhooking the first arm-brace bundle, unhooking the second blade-arm bundle, and unhooking the second arm-brace bundle comprises unhooking one or more removable mechanical fasteners.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mast comprises a brace connection member disposed between the mast top end and the mast bottom end, and wherein attaching the first bracing member to the mast comprises attaching the first bracing member to the brace connection member.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein attaching the second bracing member distal end to the mast comprises attaching the second bracing member distal end to the brace connection member.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mast comprises a connection member disposed at a mast bottom portion, and wherein attaching the second arm distal end to the mast comprises attaching the second arm distal end to the connection member.

12. A method for installing a rotor assembly comprising:

attaching a mast bottom end of a mast to a drive shaft or a tower;

unhooking a first blade-arm bundle, wherein the first blade-arm bundle comprises a first arm-brace bundle and a blade, wherein:

the first arm-brace bundle comprises a first arm and a first bracing member,

a first bracing member proximal end is pivotally connected to the first arm between a first arm proximal end and a first arm distal end,

the first arm distal end is pivotally connected to the mast, and

the first arm proximal end is pivotally connected to a blade top portion;

attaching a lifting means to a blade top end;

causing the lifting means to laterally extend the blade such that the blade is disposed at a predefined distance from the mast;

unhooking the first arm-brace bundle;

attaching a first bracing member distal end to the mast between a mast top end and the mast bottom end;

unhooking a second blade-arm bundle, wherein:

the second blade-arm bundle comprises a second arm-brace bundle and the blade,

the second arm-brace bundle comprises a second arm and a second bracing member, and

a second arm proximal end is pivotally connected to a blade bottom portion;

attaching a second arm distal end to the mast;

unhooking the second arm-brace bundle, wherein a second bracing member proximal end is pivotally connected to the second arm between a second arm proximal end and the second arm distal end; and

attaching a second bracing member distal end to the mast between the mast top end and the mast bottom end.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lifting means is a crane.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

axially rotating the first bracing member about the first bracing member proximal end to attach the first bracing member distal end to the mast;

axially rotating the second arm about the second arm proximal end to attach the second arm distal end to the mast; and

axially rotating the second bracing member about the second bracing member proximal end to attach the second bracing member distal end to the mast.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mast is a polygonal mast.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the rotor assembly is part of a vertical axis wind turbine.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

attaching the lifting means to the mast top end;

causing the lifting means to lift the rotor assembly;

disposing the rotor assembly on top of the drive shaft or the tower; and

attaching the mast bottom end to the drive shaft or the tower responsive to disposing the rotor assembly on top of the drive shaft or the tower.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein disposing the rotor assembly on top of the drive shaft or the tower comprises disposing the rotor assembly such that a tower longitudinal axis is parallel to a mast longitudinal axis.

19. A method for installing a rotor assembly comprising:

attaching a mast bottom end of a mast to a drive shaft or a tower, wherein the mast is a polygonal mast;

unhooking a first blade-arm bundle, wherein the first blade-arm bundle comprises a first arm-brace bundle and a blade, wherein:

the first arm-brace bundle comprises a first arm and a first bracing member,

a first bracing member proximal end is pivotally connected to the first arm between a first arm proximal end and a first arm distal end,

the first arm distal end is pivotally connected to the mast, and

the first arm proximal end is pivotally connected to a blade top portion;

laterally extending the blade such that the blade is disposed at a predefined distance from the mast;

unhooking the first arm-brace bundle;

attaching a first bracing member distal end to the mast between a mast top end and the mast bottom end;

unhooking a second blade-arm bundle, wherein:

the second blade-arm bundle comprises a second arm-brace bundle and the blade,

the second arm-brace bundle comprises a second arm and a second bracing member, and

a second arm proximal end is pivotally connected to a blade bottom portion;

attaching a second arm distal end to the mast;

unhooking the second arm-brace bundle, wherein a second bracing member proximal end is pivotally connected to the second arm between a second arm proximal end and the second arm distal end; and

attaching a second bracing member distal end to the mast between the mast top end and the mast bottom end,

wherein the rotor assembly is part of a vertical axis wind turbine.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (11)