Abstract:
A wind turbine hub having both blades mounted thereon by means of blade bearings adjustable about the longitudinal axes thereof. The turbine includes means for effecting multi-axes adjustments of a plurality of elements relative to one another. The elements are rotatable about bearings having selectively oriented axes of rotation, each bearing comprising two parts rotatable relative to each other.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention is directed to a device for the multi-axis adjustment of a plurality of elements relative to one another, wherein the elements are rotatable relative to one another via two or more bearings having differently oriented axes of rotation, and wherein each bearing has two parts that can be rotated relative to each other about their respective axes of rotation, particularly to a hub of a wind turbine having rotor blades that are mounted to the hub by means of blade bearings and can be adjusted about their respective longitudinal axes. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Modern large rolling bearings have diameters above the 2-meter range in many applications, and use cases involving diameters of 5 or even 8 meters are not uncommon nowadays. One example of such an application is modern wind turbines, whose wind wheels are constantly being built larger to increase performance. The larger the diameter of such a bearing, the more important its rigidity, since even slight deformation of the bearing rings will alter the pressure on the rolling elements, not only causing greater losses, but also reducing the achievable service life of the rings. On the other hand, increased rigidity means an increased thickness for the rings, and thus, of course, a larger mass, i.e., a greater weight. Since this is unacceptable in many applications, the mating structure itself is usually enlisted to increase rigidity; this does not substantially change much either, however, since the weight of the mating structure then increases as well, leading to the same disadvantages in most cases. This is especially true of wind turbines, where a number of large rolling bearings are installed, here as gondola or nacelle bearings, there as main or rotor bearings for the rotating wind wheel, and finally as blade bearings for adjusting the rotor blades as a function of wind speed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    From the disadvantages of the described prior art comes the problem initiating the invention: to improve an arrangement of the above species, particularly an adjusting device or hub of a wind turbine, so as to ensure rigidity for the bearings even under extremely high stresses while at the same time keeping the mass required for this purpose to a minimum. 
         [0006]    The solution to this problem is achieved, in an adjusting device of this species, in that one rotatable part in each of at least two bearings is formed by processing or shaping a common, multiple-connected base body, particularly by processing or shaping the hub body of a wind turbine, thus uniting these rotating parts with one another, wherein the extent of a bearing parallel to the axis of rotation, measured across all the raceways between the base body and the particular element, is shorter than the radius of the particular bearing, whereas the respective other rotatable part of the bearing is configured as a double-connected ring having a planar abutment surface and is separate from the particular element and is screwed together with the abutting contact surface of the respective element via coronally arranged fastening bores extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the particular bearing. 
         [0007]    The invention achieves the effect that the adjustable elements, particularly rotor blades of a wind turbine, can be rotated relative to one another via open-center large rolling bearings having differently oriented axes of rotation, the elements, particularly rotor blades of a wind turbine, can be rotated relative to one another via open-center large rolling bearings having differently oriented axes of rotation [repetition sic], wherein at least two open-center large rolling bearings have only one ring each, whereas their double-connected parts that are able to rotate relative to the ring are formed by processing or shaping a common base body and are unified with each other, particularly by processing or shaping the hub body of a wind turbine. In the hub of a wind turbine, the outer rings of at least two blade bearings are embodied in one piece with the hub body, so that at least one raceway of each of a plurality of blade bearings having differently oriented axes of rotation is formed on a common hub body. 
         [0008]    The invention thereby deviates from conventional large rolling bearings with two mutually concentric rings which are then screwed to the particular mating structure. Even such screw connections do not make for a completely rigid connection, of the kind obtained by welding, for example, and further require thick rings or plates on the mating structure to produce the necessary rigidity. Instead, the invention makes use of the fact that in certain cases a number of adjacent bearings are present that nevertheless have differently oriented axes of rotation; “fusing” a circumferential portion of each of these bearings to a common body results in a three-dimensionally curved component, and curvatures of this kind constitute a very rigid design even for thin, i.e., wall-like components, especially if they possess a double convex curvature, for example like the surface of a sphere, or—depending on the perspective—a double concave curvature, for example like the inner surface of a hollow sphere. This is because (hollow) spheres constitute a form that is exactly defined topographically and therefore undergo little deformation, i.e., are extremely stable. This means that the shaping of such a component common to both or all of the large rolling bearings stabilizes them with respect to one another, that is, no additional masses are necessary for stabilization, but instead, the already-present masses of the participating large rolling bearings themselves contribute in large part to the rigidification, and moreover do so directly, i.e., without the interposition of additional, possibly elastically acting elements, such as screws, for example. 
         [0009]    In the context of a hub of a wind turbine having rotor blades that are mounted to the hub by means of blade bearings and can be adjusted about their respective longitudinal axes, the inventive idea is actualized by the fact that the outer rings of at least two blade bearings are embodied in one piece with the hub body, such that at least one raceway of each of a plurality of blade bearings having differently oriented axes of rotation is formed on a common hub body, wherein the extent of the entire blade bearing parallel to the blade bearing axis of rotation, measured across all the raceways of that blade bearing, is shorter than the radius of the blade bearing, whereas, as counterpart thereto, outer rings integrated with the hub body are each provided with one respective inner ring, which is separate from the rotor blade and is screwed to the rear end face of the particular rotor blade via coronally arranged fastening bores extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the particular rotor blade. 
         [0010]    This design takes advantage in particular of the fact that due to their higher torsional rigidity, the rolling-element raceways integrated with the hub body always remain optimally precisely aligned, thus ensuring smooth and wear-free rotation. 
         [0011]    It has proven advantageous if one raceway in each of a plurality of large rolling bearings having differently oriented axes of rotation is formed by processing or shaping a common base body, particularly by processing or shaping the hub body of a wind turbine. In such a case, not only is the base body according to the invention combined with a respective ring for each large rolling bearing, but the respective raceways are also incorporated directly into this base body, and consequently there are neither any gaps nor any flexible elements between the rows of circulating rolling elements, so the rigidity of the structure as a whole is maximal. 
         [0012]    Configuring the common base body or hub body as hollow or sleeve-shaped, particularly corresponding to the jacket surface—provided with through-holes—of a point-symmetric or rotationally symmetric body—makes it possible to minimize its mass without compromising dimensional stability. 
         [0013]    It is within the scope of the invention that a raceway of the base body or hub body is incorporated into a concave surface region thereof. The outer raceway of a large rolling bearing can be integrated into such a surface region, particularly by having a raceway-containing region of the base body or hub body be formed by a concavely curved region in the region of the inner face of an opening preferably passing all the way through the jacket of a hollow or sleeve-shaped base body or hub body. 
         [0014]    The invention recommends providing a preferably continuous row of teeth on the common base body or hub body next to a raceway for the rolling elements of each rolling bearing, particularly blade bearing. This creates the possibility of relative adjustment of the various bearings, particularly by means of pinions, toothed wheels, or the like, engaging in this row of teeth. 
         [0015]    Further advantages are obtained if at least one row of teeth is offset from the particular raceway in parallel with the particular axis of rotation, preferably toward the interior space or center of the base body or the hub. In such a case, the row of rolling elements absorbing the load-bearing forces is shifted as far as possible toward the rotating part to be adjusted. 
         [0016]    Further, at least one row of teeth should be offset from the particular raceway radially to the particular axis of rotation, preferably toward the particular axis of rotation. Such a design makes it possible, for example, to arrange the ring rotating opposite the base body next to the teeth, which can be advantageous from a design standpoint. 
         [0017]    If the row of teeth is straight-toothed, then straight-toothed pinions or toothed wheels can mesh with it. Straight toothing can usually be produced with the least possible expenditure. 
         [0018]    In addition, for each blade bearing, a respective anchoring arrangement or thrust surface for at least one seal is preferably provided on the common base body or hub body concentrically with each raceway, particularly offset outwardly in relation to the base body or hub body, i.e., away from the center thereof. By means of seals inserted therein, the interior space of a hollow base body can be sealed against the outside in the region of the transition to the mated-on rotating parts in order to shield it from external influences, especially the weather. 
         [0019]    The invention can be developed further in that for each blade bearing, one or more fastening means for at least one cover plate or for a bearing shield is additionally provided on the common base body or hub body concentrically with each raceway, particularly offset inwardly in relation to the base body or hub body, i.e., toward the center thereof. Such cover plates or bearing shields can create a seal inside the annular large rolling bearings, particularly inside their inner rings. They can thus, under some circumstances, help to further rigidify the structure as a whole and/or serve as a mounting platform, for example for one or more drive motors. 
         [0020]    Fastening means provided for mounting such cover plates or bearing shields can be embodied as fastening bores that are arranged distributed coronally around the particular axis of rotation, and which then afford multiple screw connections between the parts involved. 
         [0021]    The invention allows of further development in that a raceway disposed opposite the raceway incorporated into the base body or hub body is incorporated into a ring, particularly into a convex surface region thereof. Another option would be to instead incorporate this second raceway into the periphery of a disk. This arrangement does usually entail greater weight and can therefore be advantageous in special use cases, particularly if the base body is to be hermetically sealed even inside such a rotating connection; in many use cases, however, where this consideration does not come into play, weight can instead be saved by giving the rotating part of the large rolling bearing an annular structure. 
         [0022]    Further advantages are obtained by additionally providing, on a ring containing a raceway, a preferably fully circumferential row of teeth arranged concentrically with the raceway for the rolling elements of the rolling bearing concerned. This row of teeth is also used for rotational adjustment of the machine part connected to said ring. 
         [0023]    If a set of teeth is also provided on the base body adjacent to the above-mentioned set of teeth, then the invention recommends selecting the number of teeth z 1  in the toothing on the base body so that it is slightly different from the number of teeth z 2  on the particular ring, i.e., z 1 ≠z 2 , but z 1 ≈z 2 . This creates the option of making a rotational adjustment by means of one or more toothed wheels, each having a uniform number of teeth z 3  and engaging in both sets of teeth together. 
         [0024]    Such a row of teeth on a ring or a disk-shaped rotating part can be offset from the particular raceway radially to the particular axis of rotation, preferably toward the particular axis of rotation. One such arrangement that has proven advantageous has the respective raceway of a ring disposed on its outer side while its teeth are located on its inner side, i.e., radially speaking, offset toward the particular axis of rotation. 
         [0025]    As noted earlier hereinabove, there can be use cases in which a disk-shaped geometry for the part that is rotatable relative to the base body is to be preferred over an annular geometry, and for a use case of this kind, the invention provides that the ring be provided with, connected to or integrated with a cover plate or a bearing shield. Such a cover plate or bearing shield can, in turn, have a through-hole at its center, but it also can be configured as continuous, without an opening. 
         [0026]    A preferred design rule provides that a drive device is provided, particularly that a drive motor is fastened and/or a drive pinion mounted or guided, on at least one cover plate or at least one bearing shield. Such a cover plate or bearing shield can be used to draw conclusions as to force, in order to achieve a defined adjustment. 
         [0027]    An additional feature of the invention is that the drive device, particularly the drive motor and/or the drive pinion, is arranged concentrically with the axis of rotation of the particular rolling bearing. This produces an arrangement that is ideally concentric or coaxial with the particular axis of rotation, which accordingly causes the least possible imbalance and thus makes for particularly smooth operation of all the rotating parts involved. Moreover, a concentric drive can be coupled to a sun gear that transmits the rotational movement to a gear train. 
         [0028]    In the latter case, a further development is to arrange a plurality of planet gears in the annular space between the outer toothing of the drive pinion or sun gear, the cover plates or bearing shields, and the inner toothing of the rotatable ring. The arrangement thus takes on the characteristics of a planetary gear train. 
         [0029]    These planet gears can be mounted in cantilever fashion, i.e., without a spider or planet carrier. On the one hand, the absence of a spider or planet carrier further simplifies the arrangement as a whole; on the other hand, weight can be saved in this way. 
         [0030]    To save still more weight, the planet gears themselves can be configured as hollow. It should be kept in mind, here, that in a planetary gear train the tooth differential between the sun gear and the gear ring has an effect on gear ratio. Thus, if a particularly large tooth differential is desired, the diameter of the sun gear must be chosen to be substantially smaller than the diameter of the gear ring, with the result that the planet gears, which mesh with the sun gear on the one side and the gear ring on the other, receive a very large diameter, which is preferably larger than the diameter of the sun gear. In such a case, a substantial reduction in weight can be achieved if the planet gears are configured as hollow, particularly annular. The hollow space can, for example, be used as a reservoir for a lubricant, particularly grease. 
         [0031]    If the planet gears mesh with the inner teeth both on the inner side of the ring and on the inner side of the opening in the base body or hub body, a still higher gear ratio can be obtained, particularly in the manner of a Wolfrom gear train; to this end—as explained previously hereinabove—the number z 2  of teeth in the toothing on the inner side of the ring and the number z 1  of teeth in the toothing on the inner side of the respective opening in the base body or hub body differ slightly from each other: z 1 ≠z 2 , with z 1 ≈z 2 . 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0032]    Further features, details, advantages and effects based on the invention will emerge from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, read with reference to the drawing. Therein: 
           [0033]      FIG. 1  is a partially broken-away sectional view through a wind turbine hub according to the invention; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  is a view corresponding to  FIG. 1  of a modified embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]      FIG. 1  depicts a hub  1  of a wind turbine, as an example of a device according to the invention for adjusting a plurality of elements relative to one another. This broken-away sectional representation reveals the hub body  2 , which has approximately the shape of a ring with multiple openings therethrough. This ring has, for example, a jacket  3  with an approximately cylindrical structure, preferably tapering to both end faces  4 ,  5 . 
         [0036]    On the end face  4  proximate the nacelle, the end-face opening  6  there is narrowed further by a circumferential, inwardly projecting flange  7 . Provided therein is a plurality of fastening bores  8  to effect attachment to an output-side rotation device, for example a main bearing of the wind turbine, a gearbox input or a generator. 
         [0037]    The end face  5  remote from the nacelle, on the other hand, can be closed off directly or by means of a cowl (not shown), to keep the oncoming wind out of the interior space  9  of the hub  1 . 
         [0038]    The jacket  3  of this one-piece hub body  2  has a plurality of through-holes  10 , each for the rotatable connection of a respective rotor blade (not shown)—in the present case, by way of example, three thereof. 
         [0039]    In the region of the rim  11  of such a through-hole  10 , the shape of the hub body  2  deviates from the ideal cylindrical shape, specifically in such a way that the circumferential rim  11  of a through-hole  10  lies entirely in one plane. 
         [0040]    In the concave inner side  12  of a through-hole  10  there is an annular raceway  13  formed or incorporated into the hub body  2  and provided for rolling elements  14  rolling thereon. In the case of spherical rolling elements  14 , this raceway has, for example, a concave cross section. 
         [0041]    The counterpart to this raceway  13  is formed by another, annular raceway  15  on the outer side of a ring  16 , which is disposed in the through-hole  10  and, for its part, has for example a rectangular or even square cross section, and which, by virtue of the rolling elements  14 , is able to rotate relative to the hub body  2  about the center axis of the particular jacket-side through-hole  10 . 
         [0042]    Disposed in the preferably planar end face  17  of this rotatable ring  16  that faces away from the interior space  9  of the hub body  2  is a plurality of coronally distributed bores  18  for connecting a rotor blade. The bores  18  are preferably configured as blind bores provided with internal threading. 
         [0043]    In this case, a planar, preferably annular sealing plate  19  is preferably inserted between the outward-facing end face  17  of the rotatable ring  16  and a rotor blade fastened thereto, and is clamped in place by tightening the particular screws, thereby tightly sealing the interior space  9  inside the rotatable ring  16  in this region. A central opening  20  in the center of the closing plate  19  can be sealed by a closing cap  21  engaging therein. 
         [0044]    A similar sealing plate  22  is fixed to the inner surface  23 , facing interior space  9 , of the rim  11  of through-hole  10 , particularly by means of screws that engage through openings in the sealing plate  22  and are screwed into coronally distributed, internally threaded blind bores  24  in the inner surface  23  of the rim  11  of through-hole  10 . The sealing plate  22  can also have an annular base area, with an opening or through-hole  39  in the center. 
         [0045]    A ring  25  can be inserted in this through-hole  39 , and in turn receives against its inner periphery the outer ring of a rolling bearing  26 . A similar rolling bearing  27  is disposed on the inner side of the closing cap  21 . The inner rings of these two rolling bearings  26 ,  27  support a toothed sun gear  28  rotatably about a central axis. The sun gear  28  has in its end face  29  turned toward the interior space  9  of the hub body  2  a central opening, for example having a polygonal cross section, particularly for coupling to it a drive motor  30  in a rotationally fixed manner, for example for the insertion of a motor output shaft or a square or hexagonal piece or the like at the end of a rotating body that can be driven by a motor (not shown). 
         [0046]    The sun gear  28  has a circumferential set of teeth  31  on its outer periphery. A set of teeth  32  with the same modulus is located on the radially inwardly disposed side of the rotatable ring  16 , facing the teeth  31  of the sun gear  28 . 
         [0047]    Since the two sealing plates  19 ,  22  are at a distance from each other, there remains between these sealing plates  19 ,  22  and the teeth  31 ,  32  on the sun gear  28 , on the one hand, and on the radially inwardly disposed side of the rotatable ring  16  an approximately annular hollow space  33  in which a plurality of toothed planet gears  34  are received—specifically, depending on the embodiment, are cantilever-mounted or spiderlessly guided or mounted on a spider or a sealing plate  19 ,  22 . 
         [0048]    For this purpose, the pitch circle diameter d P  of a toothed planet gear  34  corresponds to the difference between the pitch circle diameter d S , d H  of the sets of teeth  31 ,  32  on the sun gear  28 , on the one hand, and on the radially inwardly disposed side of the rotatable ring  16 , on the other hand: d P =d H −d S . 
         [0049]    Due to the cantilevered mounting, the planet gears  34  can be configured as hollow. 
         [0050]    As a result of the sun gear  28  being driven in rotation by the drive motor  30 , the planet gears  34  are constrained to move around the sun gear  28 , thus imparting a slow rotational movement to the ring  16  meshing therewith via its teeth  32 . 
         [0051]    Hence, the structure obtained is that of a planetary gear train  35  with sun gear S,  28 , planet gears P,  34  and the rotatable ring  16  as gear ring H. The standard gear ratio of this planetary gear train i 12  is defined by the quotient of the numbers of teeth H/S of the sun gear S and the gear ring H, or the quotient of their pitch circle diameters d H /d S : i 12 =H/S=d H /d S . If the planet gears  34  are mounted, for example, to the sealing plate  22 , the rotation speed ratio is n H /n S =1/i 12 =S/H=d S /d H /, thus a rotation speed n H  that is lower than the input rotation speed n S  by a factor of 1/i 12 . 
         [0052]    In the case of hub  1 ′ according to  FIG. 2 , this rotation speed n H  can be reduced further by using a Wolfrom gear train  36  instead of the planetary gear train  35  from  FIG. 1 . The Wolfrom gear train  36  differs from the planetary gear train  35  primarily in the region of the gear wheel H: 
         [0053]    Whereas the set of teeth  32  of the gear wheel H in the planetary gear train  35  is disposed entirely on the rotatable ring  16  and thus is not divided in the axial direction, the Wolfrom gear train  36  has in the region of the gear wheel H two toothed regions  37 ,  38  that are separated from each other in the axial direction. The toothed region  37  that is the lower of the two in  FIG. 2  is again located on the radially inwardly disposed side of the rotatable ring  16 , but the upper toothed region  38  is not. Instead, the latter is located on the radially inwardly disposed side of the rim  11  of a through-hole  10  in the hub body  2 . 
         [0054]    Further, in a preferred embodiment, the pitch circle diameters d 1 , d 2  of these two toothed regions  37 ,  38  are identical. 
         [0055]    The teeth H 1 , H 2  in the two toothed regions  37 ,  38  do differ slightly from each other: H 1 ≠H 2 , H 1 ≈H 2 , with ΔZ=H 1 −H 2 . 
         [0056]    This yields, for instance, a gear ratio n H /n S : 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
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         [0000]    which is much larger than in the case of the planetary gear train  35  according to  FIG. 1 . Due to the high speed ratio and the resultant high torque reduction, a much smaller and lower-performance drive motor  30  will suffice with the Wolfrom gear train  36  than in the case of the exclusively planetary gear train  35  according to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0057]    If the tooth differential ΔZ=H 1 −H 2  is equal to the number p of planet gears  34 : ΔZ=H 1 −H 2 =p, it is feasible to use one-piece planet gears  34  arranged at approximately equidistant intervals around the central sun gear  28 . If ΔZ=H 1 −H 2 ≠p, at least one planet gear  34  must have two mutually offset toothed regions. However, this can easily be achieved by taking two gear bushings, each with a uniform toothed region, and sliding them in the offset state onto a central body or central bushing in such a way that they are fixed in rotation. Such a rotationally fixed connection can be created, for example, by means of intermeshing teeth between the central body or central bushing, on the one hand, and the gear bushings, on the other.