Abstract: A method for connecting a low speed main shaft of a wind turbine to an input shaft of a transmission gearbox of the wind turbine is disclosed. The method includes providing a connection surface on the main shaft and a corresponding connection surface on the input shaft, placing a friction enhancing means on at least one of the connection surfaces, and firmly connecting both connection surfaces to one another, a permanent load being applied on the connection surfaces.

Abstract: A parallel gear unit (20) for a gearbox (30) for a wind turbine includes at least two parallel shafts (21, 22), at least one of the shafts (21, 22) being supported by roller bearings (24) and each shaft (21, 22) including a gear (23, 25) with helical teeth, the gears (23, 25) of each shaft (21, 22) being adapted for meshing with each other. The parallel gear unit (20) furthermore includes a thrust collar (26) on at least one of the shafts (21, 22). In a parallel gear unit (20) according to preferred embodiments, the bearings (24) supporting the gear do not suffer from high axial forces or at least suffer less from such axial forces than prior art bearings. A gearbox (30) including the parallel gear unit (20) and a wind turbine including such a gearbox (30) are described.

Abstract: Planet carrier of an epicyclic gear system with planetary shafts which are connected fixedly to the planet carrier, onto which planet wheels are mounted rotatably using planetary bearings, the teeth of the planetary wheels being helical or chevron teeth, the planet carrier being of the cage type, and where at least two separate planetary wheels are mounted on each planetary shaft, each wheel of which being supported by at least one double-row tapered roller bearing, the outermost bearing ring of each double-row tapered roller bearing being integrated into the planetary wheel concerned.

Abstract: A planetary gear transmission unit (10) includes a ring gear (17), a sun gear (18) and a planet carrier (19) driving a plurality of planet shafts (12) onto which planet gears (11) are rotatably mounted by way of planet bearings (13). The planet shafts are flexpin shafts (12) and each flexpin shaft (12) includes a pair of planet gears (11), each planet gear (11) of the pair being of the single helical type having a helix angle opposite to that of the other planet gear (11) of the pair. A gearbox (20) including a planetary gear transmission unit (10) according to embodiments of the invention and a wind turbine including such a gearbox (20) are also described.

Abstract: A parallel gear unit (20) for a gearbox (30) for a wind turbine includes at least a low speed shaft (21) and a high speed shaft (22), each shaft (21, 22) having a gear (23, 25) with helical teeth, the gears (23, 25) of each shaft (21, 22) being adapted for meshing with each other. The low speed shaft (21) is rotatably supported by roller bearings (24a) and the high speed shaft (22) is rotatably supported by sliding bearings (24b). A gearbox (30) including the parallel gear unit (20) and a wind turbine including such a gearbox (30) are described.

Abstract: A planetary gear unit includes a planet carrier having a backplate and being provided with planet shafts distributed uniformly around the planet carrier's axis and extending through bores in the backplate, each planet shaft rotatably supporting a pair of planet gears by planet bearings, the planet gears being mounted between a ring gear and a sun gear for mutual interaction. The planetary gear unit further includes a key provided in a keyway of the planet shaft and extending to the backplate for preventing the at least one planet shaft from rotating around its own axis. The key and keyway are provided at a location positioned between 45° and 270° in a clockwise direction around the circumference of the planet shaft, with 0° being defined as a point at the planet shaft circumference corresponding with the largest distance from the centre of the back plate seen from the rotor side onwards.

Abstract: A planet carrier of a planetary stage, the planet carrier having a bogie plate, both sides of which planet wheels can be mounted, characterized in that the planet carrier with its bogie plate is made as one monolithic piece.

Abstract: A planetary gear unit includes a planet carrier having a backplate and being provided with planet shafts distributed uniformly around the planet carrier's axis and extending through bores in the backplate, each planet shaft rotatably supporting a pair of planet gears by planet bearings, the planet gears being mounted between a ring gear and a sun gear for mutual interaction. The planetary gear unit further includes a key provided in a keyway of the planet shaft and extending to the backplate for preventing the at least one planet shaft from rotating around its own axis. The key and keyway are provided at a location positioned between 45° and 270° in a clockwise direction around the circumference of the planet shaft, with 0° being defined as a point at the planet shaft circumference corresponding with the largest distance from the centre of the bogie plate seen from the rotor side onwards.

Abstract: A planetary gear unit (20) for a gearbox (40) for a wind turbine includes a housing (21) and a planet carrier (22) provided with planet shafts (23) distributed uniformly around a planet carrier's axis for rotatably supporting planet gears (24) which are mounted between a sun gear (26) and a ring gear (27) for mutual interaction and which are supported by rolling bearings (25). The planet carrier is rotatably mounted in the housing with sliding bearings (28). By using sliding bearings which are different from existing classical sliding bearings which are currently used for rotatably mounting the planet carrier in the housing in combination with the use of rolling bearings for supporting other parts of the planetary gear unit, costs of the planetary gear unit may significantly be reduced. A gearbox including such a planetary gear unit and a wind turbine including such a gearbox are also described.

Abstract: A parallel gear unit (20) for a gearbox (30) for a wind turbine includes at least two parallel shafts (21, 22), at least one of the shafts (21, 22) being supported by roller bearings (24) and each shaft (21, 22) including a gear (23, 25) with helical teeth, the gears (23, 25) of each shaft (21, 22) being adapted for meshing with each other. The parallel gear unit (20) furthermore includes a thrust collar (26) on at least one of the shafts (21, 22). In a parallel gear unit (20) according to preferred embodiments, the bearings (24) supporting the gear do not suffer from high axial forces or at least suffer less from such axial forces than prior art bearings. A gearbox (30) including the parallel gear unit (20) and a wind turbine including such a gearbox (30) are described.

Abstract: A parallel gear unit (20) for a gearbox (30) for a wind turbine includes at least a low speed shaft (21) and a high speed shaft (22), each shaft (21, 22) having a gear (23, 25) with helical teeth, the gears (23, 25) of each shaft (21, 22) being adapted for meshing with each other. The low speed shaft (21) is rotatably supported by roller bearings (24a) and the high speed shaft (22) is rotatably supported by sliding bearings (24b). A gearbox (30) including the parallel gear unit (20) and a wind turbine including such a gearbox (30) are described.

Abstract: A planetary gear transmission unit includes a planet carrier which supports and locates circumferentially spaced pairs of planet gears, and at least one planet shaft. The planetary gear transmission unit further includes a planet shaft locking mechanism between the at least one planet shaft and the planet carrier for preventing the at least one planet shaft from rotating around its own axis, the planet shaft locking mechanism being provided between an axial end face of the planet shaft and the planet carrier in a direction substantially parallel to the planet shaft. An advantage of the planetary gear transmission unit is that rotation of the planet shaft relative to its axis in the planet carrier is prevented. The unit results in a free of wear contact between planet shaft and planet carrier, thereby allowing all degrees of freedom of the planet shaft without disturbing the load distribution between the planet gears of a pair on one planet shaft.

Abstract: A planetary gear transmission unit (10) includes a ring gear (17), a sun gear (18) and a planet carrier (19) driving a plurality of planet shafts (12) onto which planet gears (11) are rotatably mounted by way of planet bearings (13). The planet shafts are flexpin shafts (12) and each flexpin shaft (12) includes a pair of planet gears (11), each planet gear (11) of the pair being of the single helical type having a helix angle opposite to that of the other planet gear (11) of the pair. A gearbox (20) including a planetary gear transmission unit (10) according to embodiments of the invention and a wind turbine including such a gearbox (20) are also described.

Abstract: A gearbox for a wind turbine includes a ring wheel unit provided in a housing; a driving shaft designed to be coupled to the rotor of the wind turbine and a single main bearing or a pair of main bearings which rotatably support the driving shaft in the housing. The ring wheel unit is formed of a sun wheel, a planet wheel, ring wheel which is fixed to the housing in a non-rotating manner and a planet carrier which is rigidly connected to the driving shaft. An additional bearing rotatably supports the planet carrier or the driving shaft relative to the housing. Between the part of the housing having the main bearing or the main bearings and the part of the housing with the additional bearing and the ring wheel, an elastic part is provided with relative torsional stiffness, yet relatively flexible to loads in the axial and/or radial direction.

Abstract: A planetary type gear transmission unit (11) suitable for a wind turbine (10) includes sun (27), planet (25) and ring (24) gears and a planet carrier (41), the planet carrier (28) including a planet bogie plate (43) which supports and locates circumferentially spaced pairs of planet gears (25) a planetary type gear transmission unit (11) includes sun (27), planet (25) and ring gears (24) and a planet carrier(28), the planet carrier (28) including a planet bogie plate (43) which supports and locates circumferentially spaced pairs of planet gears (25), the sun (27) and ring gears (24) being each of the double helical type and each of the planet gears (47) of a pair being of the single helical type and of a helix angle opposite to that of the other planet gear (48) of the pair.

Abstract: Planet carrier of an epicyclic gear system with planetary shafts which are connected fixedly to the planet carrier onto which planet wheels are mounted rotatably using planetary bearings, the teeth of the planetary wheels being helical or chevron teeth, the planet carrier being of a cage type, and where at least two separate planetary wheels are placed on each planetary shaft, each wheel of which being supported by at least one double-row cylindrical bearing, where the outer bearing ring of each double-row cylindrical bearing is integrated into the planetary wheel concerned.

Abstract: Bearing assembly (1) for supporting a transmission shaft (2) in a housing (3), comprising an axially non-locating bearing (5) and a pair of angular contact bearings (7,8) which locate the shaft (2) against movement in axial direction (AA?), whereby the shaft (2) is subjected to radial and/or axial load forces (Frad,Fax), characterized in that the housing (2) is adapted in order to obtain the desired stiffness for each of the two angular contact bearings (7,8), whereby a load sharing between said two bearings (7,8) is induced.

Abstract: Planet carrier of an epicyclic gear system with planetary shafts which are connected fixedly to the planet carrier, onto which planet wheels are mounted rotatably using planetary bearings, the teeth of the planetary wheels being helical or chevron teeth, the planet carrier being of the cage type, and where at least two separate planetary wheels are mounted on each planetary shaft, each wheel of which being supported by at least one double-row tapered roller bearing, the outermost bearing ring of each double-row tapered roller bearing being integrated into the planetary wheel concerned.

Abstract: A full complement taper roller bearing consists of an inner ring or cone having an inner track on its radially outer conical surface, and an outer ring or cup having an outer track on its radially inward conical surface and one or more rows of taper rollers having a contact angle of less than 30 degrees freely disposed between the inner and outer rings and guided between said tracks. Each row of rollers is axially located within a recess on the inner track defined by a shoulder abutment disposed at least at the edge of the inner track having the greatest diameter and each of the rollers is in contact with the inner track over the entire length of the taper roller in the axial direction of the bearing. A method of assembly is also enclosed.

Abstract: A supporting ring for mounting a bearing or bearing parts in a gear unit, characterized in that it is relatively stiff in a radial direction, but relatively flexible in the axial direction.