Patents by Inventor Peter Frans Thomsen

Peter Frans Thomsen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11433632
    Abstract: A method of making a wind turbine blade is described. The blade comprises first (12) and second (14) half shells bonded together and a shear web (16) bonded inside the shells. Prior to joining the shells together, the shear web is positioned in one of the shells. A plurality of bars (70) are attached to the shear web and engaged with a plurality of mounts (80) in order to support and stabilise the shear web relative to that shell. The shells are then arranged one above the other whilst the bars remain attached to the shear web. The bars continue to support the shear web whilst the shear web is aligned with the other shell. The bars are then detached from the shear web and the shells are brought together to bond the shells to each other and to bond the shear web between the shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20200147912
    Abstract: A method of making a wind turbine blade is described. The blade comprises first (12) and second (14) half shells bonded together and a shear web (16) bonded inside the shells. Prior to joining the shells together, the shear web is positioned in one of the shells. A plurality of bars (70) are attached to the shear web and engaged with a plurality of mounts (80) in order to support and stabilise the shear web relative to that shell. The shells are then arranged one above the other whilst the bars remain attached to the shear web. The bars continue to support the shear web whilst the shear web is aligned with the other shell. The bars are then detached from the shear web and the shells are brought together to bond the shells to each other and to bond the shear web between the shells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventor: Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Patent number: 10641248
    Abstract: Transport frame pair configured for transporting a wind turbine blade, said frame pair comprising a tip frame and a root frame, each said tip and root frame being stackable with identical frames for blade transport or storage, each one of said tip and root frame comprising four upright frame struts which together define a generally cuboid internal space having a longitudinal extent between two pairs of said upright struts; said tip frame comprising a tip saddle assembly within said generally cuboid internal space, and said root frame comprising a root saddle assembly within said generally cuboid internal space, and wherein said root frame is configured to prohibit a translation movement of said root saddle assembly in a longitudinal direction of a blade supported in a root saddle of said root saddle assembly; and wherein said tip frame allows a translation movement of said tip saddle assembly in a longitudinal direction of a blade supported in a tip saddle of said tip saddle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Peter Frans Thomsen, Adrian Botwright, Troels Vahle, Martin Damm, Kristoffer Lolk Fredriksen, Carsten Jasper
  • Patent number: 10641249
    Abstract: Transport frame and method; the transport frame having a longitudinal, lateral and upright extent, and being configured for receiving a tip or root portion of a longitudinally extending wind turbine blade, said frame being stackable with similar frames, said frame comprising four upright frame struts which together define a generally cuboid internal space having a longitudinal extent between two pairs of said upright struts; said frame having, within said generally cuboid internal space, a tip or root saddle assembly comprising a saddle with a support surface shaped to receive a respective blade root or tip; said frame furthermore having four top shoulders and four feet, said feet of said frame being conformed to be stackable on corresponding said shoulders of another frame; and wherein said frame, proximate one or more said top or bottom corner thereof, comprises a retractable arm arrangement; wherein said frame further comprises, proximate at least one said top or bottom corner thereof, a claw arrangement;
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Peter Frans Thomsen, Adrian Botwright, Troels Vahle, Lucia Quintana, Jacob Antonsen, Kristoffer Lolk Fredriksen
  • Patent number: 10569485
    Abstract: For fixating a blade segment (1a) of a rotor blade of a wind turbine to a mould (20a), in which the blade segment is manufactured, a fixing device (10) is provided comprising a first portion (11) for selectively applying a clamping force on the fixating extension and a second portion (12) for fixating the fixing device to the mould. In the fixing device (10) one of the first and second portions comprises a cylinder portion (15a) with a threaded structure, and a threaded abutment structure (15b) encircling the cylinder portion and engaging its threaded structure. The respective other portion comprises an aperture (14) and a recess with a second abutment structure (16a) within the aperture. The aperture (14) is adapted to receive the cylinder portion (15a) such that the cylinder portion (15a) protrudes the aperture (14) along its cylinder axis, and the second abutment structure (16a) is adapted to engage and exert a force on the threaded abutment structure (15b) in a direction parallel to the cylinder axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Claus Svend Simonsen, Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Patent number: 10502191
    Abstract: Transport frame and method; the transport frame having a longitudinal, lateral and upright extent, and configured for transporting a root end of a longitudinally extending wind turbine blade having a root face with protruding stud-bolts, said frame comprising a root saddle, said frame further comprising a releasable interface clamp configured for fixing a said blade root in said frame, said interface clamp extending from a forward nose through a rear hinge point in said root frame and, said interface clamp comprising a body with a forward abutment surface and a bearing surface rearward of said abutment surface, said body being hingedly movable into or out of engagement with one or more stud bolts protruding from the root face of a blade when positioned in said saddle, said interface clamp having a retracted position with its body away from said blade root face and away from said protruding stud-bolts, said interface clamp having an engagement position in which its said bearing surface extends transverse and a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Peter Frans Thomsen, Adrian Botwright, Michael Kastrup, Troels Vahle, Jacob Antonsen, Kristoffer Lolk Fredriksen, Lucia Quintana
  • Patent number: 10393091
    Abstract: Apparatus for manipulating a wind turbine blade and method of blade handling An apparatus for manipulating a wind turbine blade having fixed lifting points (2) on the blade has a blade turner base (36,62,82,100), a frame like support structure (34,64,84,112) carried on the base and connecting structures such as brackets (32,138) which engage in the lifting points (2) on the blade extending into openings in the blade, the support structure (34,64,84,112) having a part-circular portion or periphery at which it connects to the base, being movably supported on the base so as to rotate relative thereto about a substantially horizontal axis in order to vary the orientation of a blade supported thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Anton Bech, Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20190032639
    Abstract: Transport frame and method; the transport frame having a longitudinal, lateral and upright extent, and configured for transporting a root end of a longitudinally extending wind turbine blade having a root face with protruding stud-bolts, said frame comprising a root saddle, said frame further comprising a releasable interface clamp configured for fixing a said blade root in said frame, said interface clamp extending from a forward nose through a rear hinge point in said root frame and, said interface clamp comprising a body with a forward abutment surface and a bearing surface rearward of said abutment surface, said body being hingedly movable into or out of engagement with one or more stud bolts protruding from the root face of a blade when positioned in said saddle, said interface clamp having a retracted position with its body away from said blade root face and away from said protruding stud-bolts, said interface clamp having an engagement position in which its said bearing surface extends transverse and a
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Peter Frans Thomsen, Adrian Botwright, Michael Kastrup, Troels Vahle, Jacob Antonsen, Kristoffer Lolk Fredriksen, Lucia Quintana
  • Publication number: 20190010931
    Abstract: Transport frame and method; the transport frame having a longitudinal, lateral and upright extent, and being configured for receiving a tip or root portion of a longitudinally extending wind turbine blade, said frame being stackable with similar frames, said frame comprising four upright frame struts which together define a generally cuboid internal space having a longitudinal extent between two pairs of said upright struts; said frame having, within said generally cuboid internal space, a tip or root saddle assembly comprising a saddle with a support surface shaped to receive a respective blade root or tip; said frame furthermore having four top shoulders and four feet, said feet of said frame being conformed to be stackable on corresponding said shoulders of another frame; and wherein said frame, proximate one or more said top or bottom corner thereof, comprises a retractable arm arrangement; wherein said frame further comprises, proximate at least one said top or bottom corner thereof, a claw arrangement;
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Peter Frans Thomsen, Adrian Botwright, Troels Vahle, Lucia Quintana, Jacob Antonsen, Kristoffer Lolk Fredriksen
  • Publication number: 20190010929
    Abstract: Transport frame pair configured for transporting a wind turbine blade, said frame pair comprising a tip frame and a root frame, each said tip and root frame being stackable with identical frames for blade transport or storage, each one of said tip and root frame comprising four upright frame struts which together define a generally cuboid internal space having a longitudinal extent between two pairs of said upright struts; said tip frame comprising a tip saddle assembly within said generally cuboid internal space, and said root frame comprising a root saddle assembly within said generally cuboid internal space, and wherein said root frame is configured to prohibit a translation movement of said root saddle assembly in a longitudinal direction of a blade supported in a root saddle of said root saddle assembly; and wherein said tip frame allows a translation movement of said tip saddle assembly in a longitudinal direction of a blade supported in a tip saddle of said tip saddle assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Applicant: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Peter Frans Thomsen, Adrian Botwright, Troels Vahle, Martin Dam, Kristoffer Lolk Fredriksen, Carsten Jasper
  • Patent number: 10066606
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of stacking wind turbine blades for sea transport. An improved way of arranging blades for sea transport, where less structural framework is needed, would be advantageous. Structural framework not only causes additional cost, but also takes up additional time for arranging the blades for transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Patent number: 9719487
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade 2 is formed with structures allowing its lifting by a lifting apparatus 4, the blade comprising upper and lower blade shells and an internal load-bearing structure comprising an internal spar 16 or internal webs, a plurality of lifting points 20 arranged about the blade center of gravity, comprising openings for receiving lifting members 24 of a lifting apparatus insertable therein into structures 22 secured to the load-bearing structure, and with a locking connection being established between the lifting members 24 and the load-bearing structure 16.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Anton Bech, Mark Hancock, Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Patent number: 9701236
    Abstract: A method of transporting a blade for a wind turbine generator, includes attaching a blade root support frame to a root flange of the blade and attaching a blade spanwise support frame to a spanwise portion of the blade, connecting a first wheel base to the spanwise support frame, and connecting a transport unit to the root support frame. In another aspect, the blades may be stacked by use of the support frames without use of further equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Peter Frans Thomsen, Anton Bech, Birger Keseler
  • Patent number: 9689378
    Abstract: The invention proposes a device (1000) and a method for storing and transporting a wind turbine blade (100). The blade (100) is inserted between an upper structure (220) and a lower structure (240) applying a clamping force on the blade surface. The magnitude of the clamping force can be adjusted by way of a device (400) comprising an elastic member (440) arranged between the upper structure (220) and the lower structure (240) during operation. The magnitude of the elastic force exerted by the elastic element (420) is proportional to the magnitude of the clamping force. Furthermore, the magnitude of the elastic force linearly depends on the amount of compression of the elastic element (440) with respect to a characteristic rest length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20170159646
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of stacking wind turbine blades for sea transport. An improved way of arranging blades for sea transport, where less structural framework is needed, would be advantageous. Structural framework not only causes additional cost, but also takes up additional time for arranging the blades for transport.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20160318263
    Abstract: For fixating a blade segment (1a) of a rotor blade of a wind turbine to a mould (20a), in which the blade segment is manufactured, a fixing device (10) is provided comprising a first portion (11) for selectively applying a clamping force on the fixating extension and a second portion (12) for fixating the fixing device to the mould. In the fixing device (10) one of the first and second portions comprises a cylinder portion (15a) with a threaded structure, and a threaded abutment structure (15b) encircling the cylinder portion and engaging its threaded structure. The respective other portion comprises an aperture (14) and a recess with a second abutment structure (16a) within the aperture. The aperture (14) is adapted to receive the cylinder portion (15a) such that the cylinder portion (15a) protrudes the aperture (14) along its cylinder axis, and the second abutment structure (16a) is adapted to engage and exert a force on the threaded abutment structure (15b) in a direction parallel to the cylinder axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Claus Svend Simonsen, Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20160221488
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention involves a method of transporting a blade for a wind turbine generator, the method comprising attaching a blade root support frame to a root flange of the blade and attaching a blade spanwise support frame to a spanwise portion of the blade as well as connecting a first wheel base to the spanwise support frame, and connecting a transport unit to the root support frame, where the transport unit includes a carrying structure and a second wheel base with at least one axle and two wheels, and where the transport unit before being connected to the root support frame, is moved into a position partly underneath the blade root, and where the second wheel base is underneath the blade and the carrying structure is underneath the root support frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Peter Frans Thomsen, Anton Bech, Birger Keseler
  • Publication number: 20160201644
    Abstract: The invention proposes a device (1000) and a method for storing and transporting a wind turbine blade (100). The blade (100) is inserted between an upper structure (220) and a lower structure (240) applying a clamping force on the blade surface. The magnitude of the clamping force can be adjusted by means of a device (400) comprising an elastic member (440) arranged between the upper structure (220) and the lower structure (240) during operation. The magnitude of the elastic force exerted by the elastic element (420) is proportional to the magnitude of the clamping force. Furthermore, the magnitude of the elastic force linearly depends on the amount of compression of the elastic element (440) with respect to a characteristic rest length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventor: Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20140193255
    Abstract: Apparatus for manipulating a wind turbine blade and method of blade handling An apparatus for manipulating a wind turbine blade having fixed lifting points (2) on the blade has a blade turner base (36,62,82,100), a frame like support structure (34,64,84,112) carried on the base and connecting structures such as brackets (32,138) which engage in the lifting points (2) on the blade extending into openings in the blade, the support structure (34,64,84,112) having a part-circular portion or periphery at which it connects to the base, being movably supported on the base so as to rotate relative thereto about a substantially horizontal axis in order to vary the orientation of a blade supported thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: VESTAS WIND SYSTEM
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Anton Bech, Peter Frans Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20130236324
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade 2 is formed with structures allowing its lifting by a lifting apparatus 4, the blade comprising upper and lower blade shells and an internal load-bearing structure comprising an internal spar 16 or internal webs, a plurality of lifting points 20 arranged about the blade centre of gravity, comprising openings for receiving lifting members 24 of a lifting apparatus insertable therein into structures 22 secured to the load-bearing structure, and with a locking connection being established between the lifting members 24 and the load-bearing structure 16.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Anton Bech, Mark Hancock, Peter Frans Thomsen