GRINDING DEVICE FOR MACHINE BASED GRINDING OF ROTOR BLADES FOR WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS

• US 20120322349A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JOST GmbH
• Original Assignee: JOST GmbH
• Inventors: Jösi, Peter
• Application Number:
  US13/580,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20120322349A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 451/73
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 19/14 for grinding turbine blades, propeller blades or the like using grinding belts B24B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 21/16 for grinding other surfaces of particular shape single purpose machines for grinding cams or camshafts B24B19/12
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 27/0038 with the grinding tool mounted at the end of a set of bars
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 27/0061 having several tools on a revolving tools box
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 53/007 Cleaning of grinding wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 55/06 Dust extraction equipment on grinding or polishing machines B24B31/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 9/02 Expansible drums for carrying flexible material in tubular form, e.g. expanded by centrifugal force
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0065 Polishing or grinding

Abstract

Grinding device 1 for machine-based grinding of rotor blades 100 for wind energy systems, comprising at least one industrial robot 30 and a grinding unit 10, 50, 70 that is guided by the industrial robot 30, wherein the grinding unit 10, 50, 70 comprises a grinding means, 12, 52 and a cleaning device 20, that cleans the grinding means 12, 52 at its grinding surface 64, 53.

Claims

1. Grinding device (1) for machine-based grinding of rotor blades (100) for wind energy systems, comprising:

a. at least one industrial robot (30); and

b. a grinding unit (10, 50, 70) that is guided by the industrial robot (30);

wherein

c. the grinding unit (10, 50, 70) comprises a grinding means (12, 52) and a cleaning device (20) that cleans the grinding means (12, 52) at its grinding surface (64, 53).

2. Grinding device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device (20) cleans the grinding surface (64, 53) of the grinding means (12, 52) either

a. from time to time in a cleaning process;

or

b. continuously during the grinding.

3. Grinding device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device (20) cleans the grinding surface (64, 53) by means of:

a. a nozzle (24) for blowing on of pressurized air; and

/or

b. a device (26) for the suction of grinding dust; and

/or

c. a brush (22) for brushing the grinding surface (64, 53).

4. Grinding device according to claim 1, further comprising a drive unit (32, 32′

) for moving the industrial robot (30) in a direction (L) of the longitudinal axis of a rotor blade (100).

5. Grinding device according to claim 1, wherein the grinding device (10, 70) comprises a drum grinding unit (10) with a grinding sleeve (12).

6. Grinding device according to claim 5, wherein the drum grinding unit (10) comprises:

a. a rigid suction drum (15); and

b. elastic, pneumatically extendable clamping elements (17), that are arranged at the barrel of the suction drum (15), wherein

c. the grinding sleeve (12) is fixed at the suction drum (15) by the application of pressure onto the clamping elements (17).

7. Grinding device according to claim 6, wherein

a. the suction drum (15) comprises suction openings (16) at the barrel;

b. air-permitting spaces (11) are present between the clamping elements (17); and

c. the grinding sleeve (12) comprises perforation openings (62) arranged essentially over its entire surface;

so that grinding dust can be sucked from the grinding surface (64) through the perforation openings (62), the air-permitting spaces (11) and through the suction openings (16).

8. Grinding device according to claim 7, wherein the grinding sleeve (12) comprises an air- and particle-flow-permitting-layer (13), preferably a fleece-layer (13), through which suction air and grinding dust can flow transversally behind the grinding surface (64) from the perforation openings (62) to the air-permitting spaces (11).

9. Grinding device according to claim 5, wherein the grinding unit (70) comprises several drum grinding units (10) that each can be individually brought into contact with the surface (102) of the rotor blade (100).

10. Grinding device according to claim 9, wherein the grinding unit (20) can clean one of the drum grinding units (10) that is not in contact with the surface of the rotor blade (100).

11. Grinding device according to claim 1, wherein the grinding unit (50) comprises a belt grinding unit (50) with a circulating grinding belt (52).

12. Grinding device according to claim 11, wherein the grinding belt (52) is a perforated grinding belt, that comprises perforation openings arranged essentially over its entire surface in order to suck dust through the grinding belt (52).

13. Grinding device according to claim 12, further comprising a dust removal unit (72) with

a. a circulating dust belt;

or

b. a dust sleeve (74);

that can be guided by the industrial robot (30) at at least one surface (102) of a rotor blade (100) in order to clean the surface (102) of the rotor blade (100) from dust mechanically.

14. Grinding device according to claim 1, wherein the industrial robot (30) comprises pressure sensors at at least one robot arm (34, 36) or at the head (38), for controlling the contact pressure of the grinding unit (10, 50, 70) or the dust removal unit (72) onto the rotor blade (100).

15. Grinding device according to claim 1, wherein the industrial robot (30) is also used for coating or lacquering the rotor blade (100).