US 12,228,106 B2
Transport frame for a nacelle of a wind turbine and associated methods
Niels Møller Madsen, Århus C (DK); and Joris Kofman, Aalborg Øst (DK)
Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
Appl. No. 17/784,182
Filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
PCT Filed Dec. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/DK2020/050388
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 10, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/136567, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 8, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. PA 2019 70838 (DK), filed on Dec. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0024939 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. F03D 13/40 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 13/40 (2016.05) 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transport frame for the transport of a nacelle to a wind turbine installation site, comprising:
a plurality of nacelle mounts for attaching the transport frame to the nacelle including a pair of lower nacelle mounts and a pair of upper nacelle mounts,
wherein each of the lower nacelle mounts includes a plurality of lower attachment points for attaching the lower nacelle mounts to the nacelle, the plurality of lower attachment points on each of the lower nacelle mounts allowing the transport frame to attach to the nacelle at a plurality of different widths,
wherein each of the upper nacelle mounts includes a plurality of upper attachment points for attaching the upper nacelle mounts to the nacelle, the plurality of upper attachment points on each of the upper nacelle mounts allowing the transport frame to attach to the nacelle at a plurality of different widths,
wherein the pair of lower nacelle mounts and the pair of upper nacelle mounts are adjustably positioned relative to each other on the transport frame to allow the transport frame to attach to the nacelle at a plurality of different heights,
wherein the ability of the transport frame to attach to the nacelle at a plurality of different widths and a plurality of different heights allows the transport frame to be used on nacelles having different sizes,
wherein the transport frame is movable between an expanded state and a collapsed state, and
wherein the transport frame further comprises:
a bottom frame section including a lower cross beam, the pair of lower nacelle mounts being associated with the lower cross beam;
and intermediate frame section; and
a top frame section including an upper cross beam, the pair of upper nacelle mounts being associated with the upper cross beam,
wherein each frame section includes a pair of main beams, the main beams being coupled together at the joint between adjacent frame sections.