US 12,070,840 B2
Clamping of components, particularly wind turbine blade tips
Jorge Velázquez Sanchez Toscano, Barcelona (ES); John Carl Bell, Chesapeake, VA (US); Ulrich Neumann, Greenville, SC (US); and Lasse Vagtborg Nielsen, Esbjerg (DK)
Assigned to General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Filed by General Electric Renovables España, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/207,974.
Claims priority of application No. 20382243 (EP), filed on Mar. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0299820 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. B25B 5/06 (2006.01); B25B 1/18 (2006.01); B25B 5/00 (2006.01); B25B 5/10 (2006.01); B25B 5/14 (2006.01); B25H 1/00 (2006.01); B25H 1/10 (2006.01); B25H 1/16 (2006.01); F03D 13/00 (2016.01); F03D 80/50 (2016.01); G01R 31/34 (2020.01)
CPC B25B 5/06 (2013.01) [B25B 1/18 (2013.01); B25B 5/003 (2013.01); B25B 5/006 (2013.01); B25B 5/10 (2013.01); B25B 5/14 (2013.01); B25H 1/00 (2013.01); B25H 1/0007 (2013.01); B25H 1/0021 (2013.01); B25H 1/0078 (2013.01); B25H 1/10 (2013.01); B25H 1/16 (2013.01); F03D 13/00 (2016.05); F03D 80/50 (2016.05); G01R 31/343 (2013.01); F05B 2230/61 (2013.01); F05B 2260/30 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tool for handling a component, comprising:
a first clamp seat configured to receive a first surface of the component;
a second clamp seat configured to receive a second surface of the component, the second surface being opposite to the first surface;
the first clamp seat moveable in a linear path towards and away from the second clamp seat to receive the component between the first and second clamp seats;
an actuator configured to move the first clamp seat towards the second clamp seat along the linear path after receipt of the component between the first and second clamp seats to variable clamping positions with respect to the second clamp seat to clamp the component between the first clamp seat and the second clamp seat with a predetermined clamping force in a direction along the linear path at the variable clamping positions;
an electric motor that drives the actuator;
a control configured to determine currents in the electric motor and to control the electric motor to provide the predetermined clamping force based on the determined currents;
wherein the clamping force in the direction along the linear path is determined and varied for different types of components by controlling the electric motor based on the determined currents to change position of the first clamp seat along the linear path;
a frame having one or more lifting attachments configured to lift the tool, wherein the frame comprises a base carrying one of the first or second clamp seats, and a top frame carrying the lifting attachments; and
wherein the top frame comprises a support beam rotatably mounted with respect to the base, and one or more arms mounted on the support beam that carry the lifting attachments.