Patents Assigned to LIFTRA IP ApS
  • Publication number: 20250101958
    Abstract: A main shaft fixture for fixing a main shaft on a wind turbine during installation and repair work on heavy parts of the wind turbine nacelle, in the case where the fixture is formed of several sections for mounting on stable structural parts in the nacelle, including the nacelle's bottom frame. The main shaft fixture has adjustable pressure mandrels with tap shoes, which cause the fixture to be usable regardless of the turbine main shaft geometry, such that it can be mounted without fixing the rotor. The main shaft fixture also has facilities for mounting of a lightweight crane and a self-hoisting crane with a ground-based winch, respectively, as well as a rotor lock which, in combination with actuators of the main shaft fixture, enables the main shaft and the main shaft bearing to be sufficiently displaced vertically from its bearing in the nacelle to service or replace the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per E. FENGER
  • Patent number: 12215000
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for lifting a wind turbine component, such as a rotor blade, gearbox or a rotor, with a lifting yoke comprising a first structural body comprising a crane hook attachment point, a first connection point and a second connection point, a second structural body comprising a third connection point and a fourth connection point, the second structural body further comprising a first axis defined as being parallel to the longitudinal direction of the second structural body, a second axis defined as being perpendicular to the first axis and extending substantially in the transverse direction of the second structural body, said first and second axis defining a lifting plane, and a third axis defined as being perpendicular to the first and second axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventors: Per E. Fenger, Alexander Becsei Christiansen
  • Publication number: 20240418151
    Abstract: A crane comprising a base portion, two arms displaceably connected to the base portion and a lifting boom displaceably connected to the base portion, said lifting boom being provided with a lifting wire and a lifting member, for example a lifting hook, for lifting a load, wherein the two arms and the base portion in combination comprise at least three tower flange connection elements arranged to be detachably connectable to cooperating crane connection elements on a flange of a wind turbine tower section, wherein each arm comprises one of the tower flange connection elements, and wherein the vertical distance between any two tower flange connection elements in the normal operating position of the crane is less than 1 m, less than 50 cm or less than 25 cm. In this way a crane is provided which can be attached to a flange located at the upper portion of a tower section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske FENGER
  • Patent number: 12116249
    Abstract: The self-hoisting crane is adapted to be hoisted from a container to a nacelle by operating a cable winch in the container, at least one cable is adapted to extend from the cable winch, around an exit sheave arranged in the container, and exit the container from the exit sheave in an upward direction in order to pass around at least one roller arranged at a crane base on the nacelle and continue in a downward direction to the crane, enter through a central opening in the crane pedestal and continue to the hook block. The exit sheave is located at a longitudinal position of the container deviating not more than 10 percent of the length of the container from the longitudinal position of the centre of gravity of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Liftra IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske Fenger
  • Patent number: 12116248
    Abstract: A crane system for moving a burden, such as a wind turbine component, between the nacelle or rotor of a wind turbine and a location at a lower end of the wind turbine at a distance from the wind turbine, wherein the crane system includes a crane, said crane being adapted to be mounted near or in the nacelle of the wind turbine, wherein said crane includes a boom and wherein the crane has at least one rotational axis, about which sections of the crane can rotate. The disclosure further relates to a method for moving a burden, such as a wind turbine component, between the nacelle or rotor of a wind turbine and a location at a lower end of the wind turbine at a distance from the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Fenger
  • Patent number: 12104578
    Abstract: A main shaft fixture for fixing a main shaft on a wind turbine during installation and repair work on heavy parts of the wind turbine nacelle, in the case where the fixture is formed of several sections for mounting on stable structural parts in the nacelle, including the nacelle's bottom frame. The main shaft fixture has adjustable pressure mandrels with tap shoes, which cause the fixture to be usable regardless of the turbine main shaft geometry, such that it can be mounted without fixing the rotor. The main shaft fixture also has facilities for mounting of a lightweight crane and a self-hoisting crane with a ground-based winch, respectively, as well as a rotor lock which, in combination with actuators of the main shaft fixture, enables the main shaft and the main shaft bearing to be sufficiently displaced vertically from its bearing in the nacelle to service or replace the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per E. Fenger
  • Patent number: 12092073
    Abstract: A crane (2) comprising a base portion (4), two arms (6, 8) displaceably connected to the base portion and a lifting boom (22) displaceably connected to the base portion, said lifting boom being provided with a lifting wire (32) and a lifting member (30), for example a lifting hook, for lifting a load, wherein the two arms and the base portion in combination comprise at least three tower flange connection element (10) is arranged to be detachably connectable to cooperating crane connection elements on a flange of a wind turbine tower section, wherein each arm comprises one of the tower flange connection elements, and wherein the vertical distance between any two tower flange connection elements in the normal operating position of the crane is less than 1 m, less than 50 cm or less than 25 cm. In this way a crane is provided which can be attached to a flange located at the upper portion of a tower section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske Fenger
  • Publication number: 20240208780
    Abstract: Self-hoisting crane (1) and method of mounting and operating such crane The self-hoisting crane is adapted to be hoisted from ground to a nacelle (2) or a tower (46) of a wind turbine (3) by operation of a cable winch (9) arranged at ground (10) and is adapted to be operated in its mounted position on the nacelle or on the tower by operation of the same cable winch. The cable extends from a hook block (6), out through a pedestal (4) of the crane, from the nacelle or from the tower and to the cable winch at the ground. The self-hoisting crane is provided with a cable crawler (11) having at least one motor driven traction sheave (122) adapted to, during operation of the self-hoisting crane, transfer a pulling force to the cable (8) through friction. The cable crawler is shiftable between an active state (13) in which the traction sheave may transfer a pulling force to the cable and a passive state in which the traction sheave may transfer no pulling force to the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Simon HEDEGAARD
  • Publication number: 20240209842
    Abstract: A main shaft fixture for fixing a main shaft on a wind turbine during installation and repair work on heavy parts of the wind turbine nacelle, in the case where the fixture is formed of several sections for mounting on stable structural parts in the nacelle, including the nacelle's bottom frame. The main shaft fixture has adjustable pressure mandrels with tap shoes, which cause the fixture to be usable regardless of the turbine main shaft geometry, such that it can be mounted without fixing the rotor. The main shaft fixture also has facilities for mounting of a lightweight crane and a self-hoisting crane with a ground-based winch, respectively, as well as a rotor lock which, in combination with actuators of the main shaft fixture, enables the main shaft and the main shaft bearing to be sufficiently displaced vertically from its bearing in the nacelle to service or replace the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2024
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per E. FENGER
  • Patent number: 11994102
    Abstract: A rotor blade clamping tool includes a first and a second clamping element connected by a clamping mechanism and each including a first and a second balancing lever being arranged pivotally about a pivot axis and having a first end flexibly connected with a corresponding first rotor blade contacting surface and a second end flexibly connected with a corresponding second rotor blade contacting surface. At least one clamping element includes a main balancing lever arranged pivotally about a main pivot axis and having a first end on which the corresponding first balancing lever is arranged pivotally and a second end on which the corresponding second balancing lever is arranged pivotally. First and second balancing levers arranged on the same main balancing lever are aligned in their longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Liftra IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske Fenger
  • Patent number: 11932520
    Abstract: The crane is hoisted from the ground to the nacelle by operating a cable winch at ground whereby a cable extends from the crane to a roller at the nacelle and to the cable winch. A hoist block with the roller is arranged on a jib at a first hoist block position above a second hinge part of a crane base and extended in horizontal direction from the nacelle. When a first hinge part of the crane is positioned at a corresponding second hinge part of the crane base, the cable extends in a downward direction directly from the roller of the hoist block and through a central opening in a pedestal. After mutual connection of the first and second hinge parts, the hoist block is removed from its first hoist block position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Liftra IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske Fenger
  • Publication number: 20230366380
    Abstract: A rotor blade clamping tool includes a first and a second clamping element connected by a clamping mechanism and each including a first and a second balancing lever being arranged pivotally about a pivot axis and having a first end flexibly connected with a corresponding first rotor blade contacting surface and a second end flexibly connected with a corresponding second rotor blade contacting surface. At least one clamping element includes a main balancing lever arranged pivotally about a main pivot axis and having a first end on which the corresponding first balancing lever is arranged pivotally and a second end on which the corresponding second balancing lever is arranged pivotally. First and second balancing levers arranged on the same main balancing lever are aligned in their longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske FENGER
  • Patent number: 11732695
    Abstract: A rotor blade clamping tool includes a first and a second clamping element connected by by a clamping mechanism and each including a first and a second balancing lever being arranged pivotally about a pivot axis and having a first end flexibly connected with a corresponding first rotor blade contacting surface and a second end flexibly connected with a corresponding second rotor blade contacting surface. At least one clamping element includes a main balancing lever arranged pivotally about a main pivot axis and having a first end on which the corresponding first balancing lever is arranged pivotally and a second end on which the corresponding second balancing lever is arranged pivotally. First and second balancing levers arranged on the same main balancing lever are aligned in their longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske Fenger
  • Publication number: 20230079878
    Abstract: Method for lifting a wind turbine component The present invention relates to a method for lifting a wind turbine component, such as a rotor blade (2), gearbox or a rotor, with a lifting yoke (10) comprising a first structural body (20) comprising a crane hook attachment point (21), a first connection point (22) and a second connection point (23), a second structural body (30) comprising a third connection point (31) and a fourth connection point (32). First and second tensional elements (24, 25) such as slings or wires, are connected to the connection points, the length of the second tensional element being variable. An inertial measurement unit (40) determines the angle of the second structural body to the horizontal and the angle of the second tensional element is determined by an angle sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventors: Per E. FENGER, Alexander Becsei Christiansen
  • Publication number: 20220348441
    Abstract: A hoisting system includes an upper cable support system to be mounted on a top end of a wind turbine, a lower cable support system at a lower end of the wind turbine, and left and right cables extended between the cable support systems. A clamping yoke arranged approximately at the centre of gravity of a rotor blade includes left and right climbing systems adapted to climb on the cables with first and second rollers spaced in a longitudinal direction of the blade whereby the first rollers are nearer a root end of the blade than the second rollers. A position at least in the longitudinal direction of the blade of the first roller of at least one of the left and the right climbing systems is adjustable by an actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske FENGER
  • Publication number: 20220281722
    Abstract: The self-hoisting crane is adapted to be hoisted from a container to a nacelle by operating a cable winch in the container, at least one cable is adapted to extend from the cable winch, around an exit sheave arranged in the container, and exit the container from the exit sheave in an upward direction in order to pass around at least one roller arranged at a crane base on the nacelle and continue in a downward direction to the crane, enter through a central opening in the crane pedestal and continue to the hook block. The exit sheave is located at a longitudinal position of the container deviating not more than 10 percent of the length of the container from the longitudinal position of the centre of gravity of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske FENGER
  • Publication number: 20220250877
    Abstract: The crane is hoisted from the ground to the nacelle by operating a cable winch at ground whereby a cable extends from the crane to a roller at the nacelle and to the cable winch. A hoist block with the roller is arranged on a jib at a first hoist block position above a second hinge part of a crane base and extended in horizontal direction from the nacelle. When a first hinge part of the crane is positioned at a corresponding second hinge part of the crane base, the cable extends in a downward direction directly from the roller of the hoist block and through a central opening in a pedestal. After mutual connection of the first and second hinge parts, the hoist block is removed from its first hoist block position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Liftra IP ApS
    Inventor: Per Eske FENGER
  • Publication number: 20220235739
    Abstract: A crane (2) comprising a base portion (4), two arms (6, 8) displaceably connected to the base portion and a lifting boom (22) displaceably connected to the base portion, said lifting boom being provided with a lifting wire (32) and a lifting member (30), for example a lifting hook, for lifting a load, wherein the two arms and the base portion in combination comprise at least three tower flange connection element (10) is arranged to be detachably connectable to cooperating crane connection elements on a flange of a wind turbine tower section, wherein each arm comprises one of the tower flange connection elements, and wherein the vertical distance between any two tower flange connection elements in the normal operating position of the crane is less than 1 m, less than 50 cm or less than 25 cm. In this way a crane is provided which can be attached to a flange located at the upper portion of a tower section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske FENGER
  • Patent number: 11092139
    Abstract: A rotor blade replacement system for mounting and/or unmounting of a rotor blade in a wind turbine, and a method for replacing, installing or detaching a rotor blade. The blade replacement system has first and second clamps for detachable attachment to a rotor blade at a first position near a rotor hub mounting end of the rotor blade and at a second position near the tip of the rotor blade. The clamps have substantially U-shaped frame elements with a fixed first leg and a second leg which is rotatably and lockably mounted to a base portion of the frame elements. The second leg is displaceable between open and closed positions by a first actuator. The U-shaped frame element at least partially encloses and clamps the rotor blade, wherein the first and second legs have at least one pulley for interacting with a wire from a winch placed on the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske Fenger
  • Publication number: 20210190042
    Abstract: A rotor blade clamping tool includes a first and a second clamping element connected by by a clamping mechanism and each including a first and a second balancing lever being arranged pivotally about a pivot axis and having a first end flexibly connected with a corresponding first rotor blade contacting surface and a second end flexibly connected with a corresponding second rotor blade contacting surface. At least one clamping element includes a main balancing lever arranged pivotally about a main pivot axis and having a first end on which the corresponding first balancing lever is arranged pivotally and a second end on which the corresponding second balancing lever is arranged pivotally. First and second balancing levers arranged on the same main balancing lever are aligned in their longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: LIFTRA IP APS
    Inventor: Per Eske FENGER