Ice shield for tower mounted equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11761428-B2
Application number	US-202017612042-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2020
Priority date	Jun 4, 2019
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A tower (1) having equipment (3) mounted thereon is disclosed. The tower (1) has an ice shield assembly (2) for protection to of the equipment (3) against falling ice mounted thereon. The ice shield assembly (2) comprises a tower fixture arrangement (5) being secured to the tower (1) and an ice shield (4) connected 5 to the tower fixture arrangement (5) via a hinge (6). The ice shield (4) is configured for vertically overlapping the horizontal extends of the equipment (3). The ice shield assembly (2) further comprises at least one spring element (7), e.g. in the form of a curved rod, connected at one end to the ice shield (4) and at an opposite end to the tower (1), the at least one spring element (7) 10 being configured to allow the ice shield (4) to pivot relative to the tower (1) at the hinge (6) in order to ensure a gradual transfer of energy from falling ice, which collides with the ice shield (4).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tower having equipment mounted thereon, the tower further having an ice shield assembly for protection of the equipment against falling ice mounted thereon, the ice shield assembly comprising:
a tower fixture arrangement, the tower fixture arrangement being secured to the tower,
an ice shield connected to the tower fixture arrangement via a hinge, the ice shield being configured for vertically overlapping the horizontal extends of the equipment, and
at least one spring element, connected at one end to the ice shield and at an opposite end to the tower,
wherein the at least one spring element is configured to allow the ice shield to pivot relative to the tower at the hinge in order to absorb energy from falling ice, which collides with the ice shield.

2. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring element is or forms part of a deflectable rod.

3. The tower according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one deflectable rod has a curved shape.

4. The tower according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one rod is arranged substantially tangentially relative to the tower at the connecting position between the rod and the tower.

5. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the hinge is a spherical joint.

6. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the ice shield assembly comprises at least two spring elements, each spring element being connected at one end to the ice shield and at an opposite end to the tower at different positions on the tower.

7. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring element is connected to the ice shield via a hinge.

8. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the ice shield is deflectable.

9. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the tower is a wind turbine tower.

10. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the equipment is or comprises a radar.

11. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the ice shield defines a planar surface.

12. The tower according to claim 1 , wherein the one end of the at least one spring element is connected to a side of the ice shield.

13. An ice shield assembly for protection of tower mounted equipment against falling ice, the ice shield assembly being configured to be mounted on a tower according to claim 1 , the ice shield assembly comprising:
a tower fixture arrangement configured to be secured to the tower,
an ice shield configured to be connected to the tower fixture arrangement via a hinge, the ice shield being configured for vertically overlapping the horizontal extends of the equipment, and
at least one spring element, configured to be connected at one end to the ice shield and at an opposite end to the tower,
wherein the at least one spring element is configured to allow the ice shield to pivot relative to the tower at the hinge in order to absorb energy from falling ice, which collides with the ice shield.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Larsen Erik

Classifications

• F03D13/20 Primary

  Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors · CPC title

• F03D80/00 Primary

  Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00 · CPC title

• H01Q1/002

  Protection against seismic waves, thermal radiation or other disturbances, e.g. nuclear explosion; Arrangements for improving the power handling capability of an antenna · CPC title

• H01Q1/428

  Collapsible radomes; rotatable, tiltable radomes · CPC title

• E04H12/00

  Towers; Masts or poles; Chimney stacks; Water-towers; Methods of erecting such structures (cooling towers E04H5/12; derricks for oil drilling E21B15/00) · CPC title