US 12,454,943 B2
Active clamping system for road transportation of a wind turbine blade and related method
Dan Mølgaard Mathiasen, Aarhus (DK); Joris Kofman, Aarhus (DK); Kurt Jensen, Aarhus (DK); Maria Victoria Cano Pedrosa, Aarhus (DK); and Denys Kotushenko, Aarhus (DK)
Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus (DK)
Appl. No. 17/601,472
Filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus (DK)
PCT Filed Apr. 6, 2020, PCT No. PCT/DK2020/050094
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 5, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/207548, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 15, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19167997 (EP), filed on Apr. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0154698 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. B60P 7/08 (2006.01); B60P 3/40 (2006.01); B60P 7/135 (2006.01); F03D 13/40 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 13/40 (2016.05) [B60P 3/40 (2013.01); B60P 7/135 (2013.01); F05B 2260/02 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transportation arrangement, comprising:
a dolly; and
a clamp secured to the dolly, the clamp including:
a frame having a lower portion coupled to the dolly and an upper portion selectively rotatable relative to the lower portion;
at least one saddle positioned on the lower portion of the frame;
at least one jaw movably positioned on the upper portion of the frame; and
at least one jaw actuator operatively coupled to the at least one jaw and configured to move the at least one jaw relative to the at least one saddle to apply a clamping force on a blade positioned between the at least one saddle and the at least one jaw,
wherein the at least one jaw actuator is configured to extend the at least one jaw toward the at least one saddle in response to the clamping force being less than or equal to a predetermined minimum threshold clamping force, and
wherein the at least one jaw actuator is configured to retract the at least one jaw away from the at least one saddle in response to the clamping force being greater than or equal to a predetermined maximum threshold clamping force.