US 12,357,848 B2
Wind turbine tower evacuation method and tool
Jonas Lerche Schomacker, Solrød Strand (DK); Torben Ladegaard Baun, Skødstrup (DK); and Niels Vinther Voigt, Aarhus N (DK)
Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
Appl. No. 17/278,443
Filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
PCT Filed Oct. 30, 2019, PCT No. PCT/DK2019/050326
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 22, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/088729, PCT Pub. Date May 7, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. PA 2018 70714 (DK), filed on Nov. 1, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0361979 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. A62B 1/18 (2006.01); F03D 13/20 (2016.01); F03D 80/00 (2016.01)
CPC A62B 1/18 (2013.01) [F03D 13/20 (2016.05); F03D 80/00 (2016.05); F05B 2280/1071 (2013.01); F05B 2280/5008 (2013.01)] 41 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wind turbine tower evacuation tool for evacuating a person from an upper level of a wind turbine having a steel tower, comprising:
an evacuation line configured to be connected to the wind turbine and further configured to be connected to the person for controlled descent from the upper level of the wind turbine;
an object end configured for attachment to the person;
a roller end configured for connection to a surface of the steel tower by magnetic attraction; and
a rope element connecting the object end to the roller end,
wherein the roller end includes at least one magnet body arranged for rotation around a rotational axis of the roller end, and
wherein the evacuation tool is configured such that as the person descends from the upper level of the wind turbine on the evacuation line, the roller end moves along the surface of the steel tower and the rope element limits the distance the person can move away from the steel tower.