US 12,078,147 B2
Blade lifting assembly for mounting a blade to or unmounting a blade from a rotor hub of a wind turbine
Jacob Johannes Nies, Salzbergen (DE)
Assigned to General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Filed by General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/557,749.
Claims priority of application No. 20217047 (EP), filed on Dec. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0195989 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. F03D 13/20 (2016.01); F03D 13/10 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 13/20 (2016.05) [F03D 13/10 (2016.05); F05B 2230/61 (2013.01); F05B 2240/912 (2013.01); F05B 2260/30 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A blade lifting assembly for mounting or unmounting a blade relative to a rotor hub of a wind turbine, comprising:
a gripper assembly configured to grip a central region of the blade, the gripper assembly comprising a frame and first gripping pads at a first axial position on the frame and second gripping pads spaced axially apart from the first gripping pads at a second axial position along the frame, wherein the first and second gripping pads are configured to engage against sides of the blade at the first and second axial positions;
the gripper assembly further comprising a blade rotation device supported by the frame between the first and second axial positions of the gripping pads and configured to rotate the blade about a rotational axis perpendicular to a longitudinal blade axis of the blade;
a root support device spaced at a fixed axial distance from an end of the frame, the root support device axially aligned with the frame so as to mount entirely to a root section of the blade at the fixed axial distance while the gripper assembly remains engaged with the central region of the blade in use of the blade lifting assembly to raise or lower the blade relative to the rotor hub and to mount or unmount the blade from the rotor hub; and
connecting members defining the fixed axial distance and having a first end that connects to the root support device and an opposite end that connects to the frame and transmit an axial load of the blade from the root support device to the frame.