Coupling assembly and wind turbine comprising such assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10989250-B2
Application number	US-201716324282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2017
Priority date	Sep 14, 2016
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coupling assembly ( 1 ) for fixedly connecting a rotational member ( 2 ) to an end section ( 3 ) of a hollow shaft ( 4 ). It may e.g. be used for connecting the main shaft ( 4 ) of a wind turbine ( 28 ) to a planet carrier ( 2 ) of a coaxial planetary gear system. The coupling assembly ( 1 ) comprises a shrink ring ( 6 ) and a coupling element ( 7 ). The shrink ring ( 6 ) has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner shaft diameter (d) and a conical surface ( 14 ) for connecting the shrink ring ( 6 ) and the coupling element ( 7 ). The coupling element ( 7 ) comprises an annular groove ( 18 ) with a groove diameter corresponding to the outer shaft diameter (D) and a conical surface ( 20 ) matching the shrink ring ( 6 ). When in use, the hollow shaft ( 4 ) is arranged in the groove ( 18 ) and connected to the coupling element ( 7 ) by axially extending bolts ( 9 ). Hereby a torque can be transferred by both the shrink connection and the bolts fastened into the hollow shaft. The coupling element ( 7 ) preferably comprises an outer flange ( 26 ) to which the rotational member ( 2 ) can be fastened.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coupling assembly for fixedly connecting a rotational member to an end section of a hollow shaft, the hollow shaft having a rotational axis, and the end section having an inner shaft diameter and an outer shaft diameter, the coupling assembly comprising:
a shrink ring,
a coupling element,
a plurality of first bolts, and
a plurality of second bolts;

wherein the shrink ring comprises:
shrink ring end surface facing away from the rotational member when the coupling assembly is in use,
shrink ring outer surface having an outer shrink ring diameter corresponding to the inner shaft diameter,
shrink ring conical surface, and
a plurality of through-going first bores arranged circumferentially and adapted to receive the first bolts, the first bores extending from the shrink ring end surface;
and wherein the coupling element comprises:
a first coupling element surface facing away from the rotational member when the coupling assembly is in use,
a second coupling element surface facing towards the rotational member when the coupling assembly is in use,
an annular groove arranged in the first coupling element surface, the annular groove comprising:
an outer groove surface with a groove diameter corresponding to the outer shaft diameter,
a groove conical surface matching the shrink ring conical surface, and
a bottom surface,

a plurality of through-going second bores arranged circumferentially and extending between the bottom surface of the groove and the second coupling element surface, and
a plurality of first threaded holes extending at positions and orientations matching the plurality of first bores of the shrink ring when the coupling assembly is in use.

2. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first bores of the shrink ring extend parallel to the rotational axis when the coupling assembly is in use.

3. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shrink ring end surface extends perpendicular to the rotational axis when the coupling assembly is in use.

4. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first coupling element surface extends perpendicular to the rotational axis when the coupling assembly is in use.

5. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the through-going second bores extend parallel to the rotational axis when the coupling assembly is in use.

6. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling element further comprises an outer flange extending in a direction away from the rotational axis, the outer flange comprising at least a part of the second coupling element surface.

7. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling element further comprises a plurality of second threaded holes extending from the second coupling element surface, the second threaded holes being adapted to receive third bolts for establishment of the connection between the rotational member and the hollow shaft.

8. The coupling assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the second threaded holes are provided in the outer flange.

9. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio between the inner shaft diameter and the outer shaft diameter is 0.5 to 0.95.

10. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational member is a planet carrier of a coaxial planetary gear.

11. A wind turbine comprising:
a tower, a nacelle mounted on top of the tower, a hub, at least two wind turbine blades arranged on the hub, a gear box, a generator, and
a main shaft adapted to transfer a low speed rotational movement of the hub to a high speed rotational movement of an input shaft of the generator via the gear box,
wherein the gear box comprises a planetary gear system comprising a planet carrier, and
wherein the planet carrier is connected to the main shaft via a coupling assembly according to claim 10 .

12. The wind turbine according to claim 11 , wherein the planetary gear system is a co-axial gear system.

13. The wind turbine according to claim 11 , wherein a main bearing for supporting the main shaft is arranged in the near proximity of the first coupling element surface.

14. A method of assembling an end section of a main shaft of a wind turbine and a planet carrier of a planetary gear system by use of a coupling assembly according to claim 1 , the main shaft being provided with third threaded holes extending from an end surface of the main shaft and at positions and orientations matching the second bores of the coupling element,
the method comprising the following steps:
mounting the shrink ring to the coupling element by use of the plurality of first bolts,
arranging the end section of the main shaft in the annular groove,
mounting the coupling element to end section by use of the plurality of second bolts being screwed into the third threaded holes,
tightening the plurality of first bolts to establish a shrink connection, and
mounting the planet carrier to the coupling element.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the planet carrier is mounted to the coupling element by third bolts being screwed into the second threaded holes in the outer flange.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Bager Christian

Classifications

• F16D2001/0945

  using multiple pairs of elastic or segmented rings to effect clamping · CPC title

• F16D1/096 Primary

  the ring or rings being located between the shaft and the hub · CPC title

• F16D2001/0903

  the clamped shaft being hollow · CPC title

• F16D1/05

  with radial clamping due to axial loading of at least one pair of conical surfaces · CPC title