IP Library Granted Patent US 6,872,049
Granted Patent B2
US 6,872,049 · App. 10/474,137 · Granted Mar 29, 2005

Wind turbine comprising a planetary gear

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,872,049
App. No.
10/474,137
Granted
Mar 29, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wind turbine with a rotor, a nacelle and a tower. The nacelle comprises a planetary gear ( 4 ) with a planetary holder ( 5 ), on which the hub ( 6 ) of the rotor is rigidly secured, and which can be connected to the shaft of an electric generator. The planetary gear ( 4 ) comprises a ring gear ( 7 ) fixedly mounted on an engine frame ( 9 ) in the nacelle or on the member ( 8 ) rigidly connected to said frame. The planetary wheels ( 17 a, 17 b ) of the planetary gear can run around a centrally arranged sun wheel ( 14 ) while engaging the latter. The sun wheel is optionally connected to a parallel gear ( 30 ). The planetary holder ( 5 ) is rotatably mounted in the ring gear ( 7 ) by means of at least two sets ( 17 ) of planetary twin wheels ( 17 a, 17 b ). Each set of planetary twin wheels is mounted on a bogie shaft ( 19 ) on the planetary holder. Through an axially rearward collar ( 23 ) projecting beyond the ring gear, the planetary holder ( 5 ) is also rotatably arranged on the curved outer side ( 7 b ) of the ring gear ( 7 ) by means of an outer radial-axial-roller bearing ( 27 ). As a result, a wind turbine is obtained which is suited for generating very strong power and which is very compact and ensures a very advantageous transfer of the power at each planetary wheel.

Claims (10)

1. A wind turbine with a rotor ( 1 ), a nacelle ( 2 ) and a tower ( 3 ), and where the nacelle comprises a planetary gear ( 4 ) with a planetary holder ( 5 ), on which the hub ( 6 ) of the rotor is rigidly connected, said planetary holder being connected or connectable to the shaft of an electric generator, and where the planetary gear ( 4 ) comprises a ring gear ( 7 ) fixedly mounted on an engine frame ( 9 ) in the nacelle or on a member ( 8 ) rigidly connected to said frame, and where the planetary wheels ( 14 ) of the planetary gear can run around a centrally arranged sun wheel ( 14 ), said planetary wheels engaging said sun wheel ( 14 ) which is optionally connected to a parallel gear ( 30 ), characterised in that the planetary holder ( 5 ) is rotatably mounted in the ring gear ( 7 ) by means of at least two sets ( 17 ) of planetary twin wheels ( 17 a, 17 b ), whereby each set of planetary twin wheels is rotatably mounted on a bogie shaft ( 19 ) on the planetary holder, and that said planetary holder ( 5 ) is rotatably arranged on the curved outer side ( 7 b ) of the ring gear ( 7 ) by means of an outer radial-axial-roller bearing ( 28 ) and through an axially rearwardly directed collar ( 23 ) projecting radially beyond said ring gear.

2. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that each planetary wheel of each set of planetary twin wheels is mounted on the bogie shaft ( 19 ) by means of a double spherical roller bearing ( 25 ), preferably a radial-axial-roller bearing, the rollers ( 25 ′) of which can run in a common spherical track ( 25 ″) in an outer race ( 25 ″′) of the bearing.

3. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the outer radial-axial-roller bearing ( 27 ) of the planetary holder ( 23 ) is arranged substantially radially opposite the bogies ( 19 ) of the planetary holder ( 5 ).

4. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the bogie shaft ( 19 ) for the planetary wheels ( 17 a, 17 b ) of each set of planetary twin wheels is supported by a resilient carrier plate ( 21 ), which is mounted on the planetary holder ( 85 ) and which separates the planetary wheels ( 17 a, 17 b ) of the set of planetary wheels.

5. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that an auxiliary planetary gear ( 34 ) is provided behind and in connection with the planetary gear ( 4 ), said auxiliary planetary gear ( 34 ) increasing the ratio of the number of revolutions of the electric generator to the number of revolutions of the rotor hub ( 6 ).

6. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the rotor hub ( 6 ) is secured to the planetary holder ( 5 ) by being bolted ( 33 ) onto the collar ( 23 ) of said planetary holder, said bolts also extending into an outer race ( 27 a ) in the outer radial-axial-roller bearing ( 27 ).

7. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the outer race ( 27 a ) in the outer radial-axial-roller bearing ( 27 ) of the planetary holder ( 5 ) comprises a radially inward, circumferential projection ( 27 a ′) with two frustoconical surfaces ( 27 a ″) facing partially away from one another and forming the outer tracks for the rollers ( 27 a ″′) of the bearing, whereas an inner race ( 27 b ) in said bearing is provided with a corresponding circumferential depression with two frustoconical surfaces partially facing one another and also forming tracks ( 27 b ″) for the bearing rollers ( 27 a ″′).

8. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the planetary holder ( 5 ) is substantially pot-shaped and provided with at least two inner axially directed projections ( 5 b ), the carrier plate ( 21 ) being secured to said projections for instance by being squeezed in a track ( 36 ) in said projection ( 5 b ) by means of an end plate ( 40 ) screwed ( 41 ) onto said projection.

9. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the outer radial-axial-roller bearing ( 27 ) is mounted just behind an outer end collar ( 28 ) on the ring gear ( 7 ).

10. A wind turbine as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that each planetary wheel is of a width of 0.35 to 0.45 times the width of the bogie.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Oct 27, 2011
From: HANSEN TRANSMISSIONS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
To: HANSEN TRANSMISSIONS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
Reel/Frame 027131/0836 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2007
From: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
To: HANSEN TRANSMISSIONS INTERNATIONAL NV
Reel/Frame 019910/0428 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2003
From: CHRISTENSEN, MOGENS
To: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
Reel/Frame 014988/0460 →