Transportation assembly for rotor blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9429139-B2
Application number	US-201414277137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2014
Priority date	May 14, 2014
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

Transportation assemblies for rotor blades are provided. A transportation assembly includes a protection cap including a nose portion and a plurality of sidewall portions extending from the nose portion, the protection cap having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile. The transportation assembly further includes a restraint assembly including a first protrusion and a second protrusion each extending from the protection cap, the first protrusion and the second protrusion spaced apart along a width of the protection cap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transportation assembly for a rotor blade, the transportation system comprising:
a protection cap comprising a nose portion and a plurality of sidewall portions extending from the nose portion, the protection cap having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile;
a restraint assembly comprising a first protrusion and a second protrusion each extending from the protection cap, the first protrusion and the second protrusion spaced apart along a width of the protection cap; and
a sling generally surrounding the protection cap and disposed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion,
wherein a leading edge of the rotor blade contacts the nose portion of the protection cap.

2. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are integral with the protection cap.

3. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are separate components from and mounted to the protection cap.

4. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are C-channels.

5. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the restraint assembly further comprises a cross-bar extending between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, the cross-bar spaced from the protection cap.

6. The transportation assembly of claim 5 , wherein the cross-bar is a single component mounted to the first protrusion and the second protrusion.

7. The transportation assembly of claim 5 , wherein the cross-bar comprises a first portion mounted to the first protrusion, a second portion mounted to the second protrusion, and a third portion removably connectable to the first portion and the second portion.

8. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protection cap comprises a fiberglass laminate.

9. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protection cap further comprises a reinforcement portion extending from the nose portion, the reinforcement portion comprising a fiberglass laminate.

10. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion each extend from one of the plurality of sidewall portions.

11. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the restraint assembly is a plurality of restraint assemblies.

12. The transportation assembly of claim 1 , wherein the restraint assembly further comprises a cross-bar extending between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, the cross-bar spaced from the protection cap, and wherein the sling is further disposed between the protection cap and the cross-bar.

13. A transportation assembly for a rotor blade having exterior surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge and a trailing edge each extending between a tip and a root, the rotor blade defining a span and a chord, the transportation assembly comprising:
a protection cap comprising a nose portion and a plurality of sidewall portions extending from the nose portion, the protection cap having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile;
a restraint assembly comprising a first protrusion and a second protrusion each extending from the protection cap, the first protrusion and the second protrusion spaced apart along a width of the protection cap;
a sling generally surrounding the protection cap and disposed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion; and
a frame generally surrounding the protection cap and the sling, wherein the sling is mounted to the frame;
wherein the leading edge of the rotor blade contacts the nose portion of the protection cap.

14. The transportation assembly of claim 13 , wherein a flow modification device is configured on an exterior surface of the rotor blade within an outboard area of the rotor blade and extends in a chord-wise direction beyond the trailing edge, and wherein the transportation assembly contacts the rotor blade within the outboard area.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Johnson Stephen Bertram
• Klein Douglas C
• Chen Xianglei
• Samudrala Srikanth

Classifications

• F05B2230/61

  using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding · CPC title

• Y02P70/523

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B60P7/0869 Primary

  Protecting the strap or the load from wear · CPC title

• B60P3/40 Primary

  for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements ({E04G21/14 takes precedence}; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02) · CPC title

• F03D1/005 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic