Universal jig for clamping wind turbine blades

• US 10,710,203 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2018
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institute Of Nuclear Energy Research Atomic Energy Council Executive Yuan
• Original Assignee: Institute Of Nuclear Energy Research Atomic Energy Council Executive Yuan
• Inventors: Lin, Yu-Chu, Lin, Yan-Ting, Su, Wei-Nian, Huang, Chin-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): McKinnon, Terrell L
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDuffie, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/950,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20190314942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 248689, 248555, 248554, 248644, 248670, 248672, 248674, 248675, 2482291, 24822912, 24822922, 24823141, 2483161, 2483164, 269266, 269 21, 269246
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/035 with an array of longitudinally movable rods defining a reconfigurable support surface
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 2703/10 Devices for clamping workpieces of a particular form or made from a particular material
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/063 for holding turbine blades
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/40 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/61 using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A universal jig is provided for clamping wind turbine blades. The jig has a rectangle-like shape forming a space for clamping a blade at the blade root or the blade body. The jig comprises a set of vertically-moving parts; a set of horizontally-moving parts; a plurality of adjusted pads; and a plurality of positioning parts. The vertically-moving parts comprise two upper connecting posts and two lower connecting posts sheathed with each other separately to form two length sides of the jig. The horizontally-moving parts comprise two left connecting posts and two right connecting posts. The adjusted pads are locked on the left and the right connecting posts. The positioning parts are locked at the upper and the lower connecting posts of the length sides of the jig and are locked at the left and the right connecting posts of the width sides of the jig.

Claims

1. A universal jig for clamping wind turbine blades, which has a rectangle-like shape with a space to clamp a blade of a wind turbine, comprising:

a set of vertically-moving parts,

wherein the rectangle-like shape has said vertically-moving parts at two first parallel sides;

wherein said vertically-moving parts comprises two upper connecting posts and two lower connecting posts and said upper connecting posts and said lower connecting posts are sheathed with each other separately;

wherein said upper connecting posts are separately arranged with said lower connecting posts into two columns to obtain first sliders;

wherein said upper and said lower connecting posts move up and down before being locked; and

wherein each one of said upper and said lower connecting posts has at least one first positioning hole correspondingly;

a set of horizontally-moving parts,

wherein said rectangle-like shape has said horizontally-moving parts at two second parallel sides to be connected with said vertically-moving parts of said first parallel sides of said rectangle-like shape;

wherein said horizontally-moving parts comprises two left connecting beams and two right connecting beams and said left connecting posts and said right connecting posts are sheathed with each other separately;

wherein said left connecting beams are separately arranged with said right connecting beams into two rows to obtain second sliders;

wherein said upper and said lower connecting posts and said left and said right connecting beams are four sides of said rectangle-like shape to obtain said space;

wherein said left and said right connecting beams move left and right before being locked; and

wherein each one of said left and said right connecting beams has at least one second positioning hole correspondingly;

a plurality of adjusted pads,

wherein said adjusted pads are locked at said second positioning holes of said left and said right connecting beams;

wherein each one of said adjusted pads comprises a thread section, a pad section and a plurality of bolt nuts;

said thread section comprises threads on an outer wall surface of each one of said adjusted pads;

said thread section penetrates through and connects said left and said right connecting beams;

said pad section is located on top of said thread section to contact with said blade by adjusting an angle of said pad section according to said length, said width and said shape of said blade; and

said bolt nuts are bolted on said thread section at a position in a direction, at a position in the opposite direction and at a position between said two positions to lock and position said adjusted pads so as to obtain corresponding relations with said blade and said left and said right connecting beams; and

wherein every one of said adjusted pads has freedom on adjusting said three positions so that two rows of said adjusted pads are altogether adjusted according to cross-sectional curves of upper and lower surfaces of said blade;

said adjusted pads are completely contacted with said surfaces of said blade so that curves obtained through bottoms of said adjusted pads in said two rows are consistent with cross-sectional curves of said upper and lower surfaces of said blade; and

said adjusted pads in said two rows are contacted with said blade simultaneously to fix said blade; and

a plurality of positioning parts,

wherein said positioning parts lock said upper and said lower connecting posts at fixed positions through said at least one first positioning hole to change a length of every one of said first parallel sides; and

said positioning parts lock said left and said right connecting beams at fixed positions through said at least one second positioning hole to change a length of every one of said second parallel sides.

2. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein said first and said second positioning holes are bolting holes with intervals in between to be arranged into a plurality of rows.

3. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein said first and said second positioning holes are elongate holes.

4. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein each one of said first and the second positioning holes are elongate holes and bolting holes with intervals in between to be arranged into a plurality of rows.

5. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein said positioning parts are locking bolts.

6. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein said positioning parts are bolt rings.

7. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein said positioning parts are locking bolts and bolt rings.

8. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein said freedom on adjusting said three positions comprises freedom on adjusting

(a) positions and the number of said adjusted pads at said left and said right connecting beams;

(b) distances between bottoms of said adjusted pads and said left and said right connecting beams; and

(c) angles between said pad sections of said adjusted pads and said thread sections of said adjusted pads; and

wherein said three positions are adjusted according to the length, the width and the shape of said blade.

9. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein said upper connecting posts and said lower connecting posts in said two columns are deposed in two vertically opposite directions respectively.

10. The universal jig according to claim 1,

wherein said left connecting beams and said right connecting beams in said two rows are deposed in two horizontally opposite directions respectively.