US 12,403,558 B2
Grinding tool for grinding a leading edge of a wind turbine blade
Aksel Petersen, Rinkøbing (DK); and Bjarne Korshøj Mathiasen, Skjern (DK)
Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
Appl. No. 17/766,844
Filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
PCT Filed Oct. 5, 2020, PCT No. PCT/DK2020/050270
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 6, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/069039, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 15, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. PA 2019 70626 (DK), filed on Oct. 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0058920 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. B24B 21/16 (2006.01); F03D 13/30 (2016.01)
CPC B24B 21/165 (2013.01) [F03D 13/30 (2016.05); F05B 2230/90 (2013.01); F05B 2240/303 (2020.08)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A grinding tool for grinding a leading edge of a wind turbine blade, the grinding tool comprising:
two parallel shafts of which at least one is rotationally driven when the grinding tool is in use, the shafts being parallel along at least part of their lengths;
at least one guide on each of the two shafts;
a frame for holding the two shafts in a fixed mutual relationship;
at least one rotationally mounted tension device mounted on the frame;
at least one annular abrasive belt arranged around the at least one tension device and the at least one guide on each of the two shafts; and
at least two abrasive belt retainers movably mounted to the frame, each of the at least two abrasive belt retainers being shaped and arranged to move between:
a retaining position in which the at least two abrasive belt retainers retain the at least one abrasive belt along at least parts of the at least one abrasive belt which is in contact with the at least one guide on each of the two shafts; and
a release position in which the at least two abrasive belt retainers are out of contact with the at least one abrasive belt;
wherein the two shafts, the at least one tension device, and the at least one guide on each of the two shafts are arranged to guide the at least one abrasive belt in a plane perpendicular to the parallel parts of the two shafts;
wherein the two shafts are arranged so that outer surfaces of the at least one tension device and of the at least one guide on each of the two shafts carrying the at least one abrasive belt form an imaginary curve being shorter than a length of the abrasive belt; and
wherein a portion of the at least one abrasive belt between the at least one guide on each of the shafts defines a grinding portion configured to engage with the leading edge of the wind turbine blade, and wherein the grinding portion of the at least one abrasive belt extends in free space without contact with other components of the grinding tool.