US 12,435,699 B1
Pitch motor trolley
Daniel Puffer, Arcade, NY (US); Eric Slocum, Holland, NY (US); Bruce Juneau, Chazy, NY (US); David Laplant, Malone, NY (US); and Martin Vincent, Chateaugay, NY (US)
Assigned to The AES Corporation, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The AES Corporation, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Nov. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/517,705.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/427,142, filed on Nov. 22, 2022.
Int. Cl. F03D 13/10 (2016.01); B66C 7/02 (2006.01); B66C 23/18 (2006.01); B66C 23/20 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 13/122 (2023.08) [B66C 7/02 (2013.01); B66C 23/185 (2013.01); B66C 23/207 (2013.01); F05B 2230/61 (2013.01); F05B 2230/70 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pitch motor trolley configured to remove or replace a pitch motor in a hub of a wind turbine, the pitch motor trolley comprising:
a base structure configured to removably connect to a part within a nacelle or the hub of the wind turbine;
a structure at one end integrated with or connected to the base structure;
a track connected to an opposite end of the structure;
a trolley configured to move along the track;
a hoist connected to the trolley and configured to raise and lower the pitch motor;
wherein the base structure is configured to connect with the part within the nacelle;
wherein the nacelle includes a ceiling opening in its ceiling;
wherein the hub includes a ceiling opening in its ceiling;
wherein the structure, connected to the base structure, is configured to go through the ceiling opening in the nacelle;
wherein the track is sized to span across at least a part of the ceiling opening in the nacelle and at least a part of the ceiling opening in the hub;
wherein the trolley is configured to move along the track to be positioned exterior to the nacelle and above the ceiling opening in the nacelle and positioned exterior to the hub and above the ceiling opening in the hub;
wherein the hoist is configured to move the pitch motor upward and downward when the trolley is positioned above the ceiling opening in the nacelle and when the trolley is positioned above the ceiling opening in the hub;
wherein the nacelle includes a floor opening in its floor;
wherein the wind turbine includes a yaw deck; and
wherein the hoist is configured to move the pitch motor upward from the yaw deck through the floor opening in the floor of the nacelle and downward from the floor opening in the floor of the nacelle to the yaw deck.